Running with Scissors—But Doing It Right

How high-performing teams balance speed, risk, and alignment through the Triple Cs

During high-ops tempo situations, teams can either excel and win together or fall apart as individuals. Preparation is definitely part of that equation, but setting a tone early on—expected behavior of all team members regardless of what is going on—can help everyone focus on their task at hand and drive toward the team win.

An executive leader in my organization recently gave a passionate speech during our current high-ops tempo where he set the tone that I have repeated many times to my own team because it quickly summarizes the type of behavior that we should all strive toward:

“Communicate, Collaborate, and Clarity. Keep those three things at the front of your mind, and you’ll be moving the team in the right direction no matter what you’re doing.”

This same executive leader and I share an affinity for applying random movie scenes or quotes to any work scenario, so of course I had to find my way to connect the premise of “the triple Cs” and this leadership article with some humor. And by humor, I mean classic comedy movies from the 2000s.

The term “running with scissors” is often used to describe situations where speed, with a degree of risk, is treated as acceptable behavior. For certain sides of an organization, like research and development or current operations, this intent can feel exciting and liberating, as innovative solutions can be found at the speed of ideas. Channeling a quote from the classic 2003 comedy movie Old School, just like when Frank the Tank “took the restrictor plate off of the red dragon to give it a little more juice,” teams can operate at speeds that were once unthinkable but are now within reach to outrun their competitors and get to the finish line even faster.

For other sides of an organization, like sustainment and maintenance, this can be extremely nerve-racking because process-oriented minds require adherence to steps and documentation that inform eventual resourcing decisions. Those data points are not as exciting as discovering a novel solution, but they are nonetheless critical to an organization’s consistent track record for success.

The remedy to help both sides of the organization stay together is communication. Granted, this is easier said than done. Even at normal operating speed, organizations have constant challenges communicating both horizontally and vertically. As a leader, you must set the expectation early that communication should happen early and often during high-ops tempo situations.

Even if messages are short and concise (more on the importance of clarity later), consistent communication can work wonders for a team under high stress. Deconfliction of competing efforts, avoiding repetitive actions that have already proven to be failures, and aligning the timing of actions to culminate in a sequence that leads to a team win are all results of effective team communication. So if your team decides to race the red dragon truly unfettered, make sure everyone is talking with each other along the way so that everyone arrives together at the finish line.

The advanced level of communication is collaboration, where a team not only talks with one another but works with one another on joint solutions toward common goals. Collaboration includes the combination of one or more individual efforts into a unified effort. During these combining actions, efforts may be enhanced or potentially removed altogether. None of those actions should be taken personally. They should be taken as objective steps toward learning the most effective path towards success, and all teammates share in the positive result of the total work.

When operating at speed or under pressure, collaboration is key to staying calm and focused on what matters. The classic 2004 comedy movie Dodgeball tells a story of collaboration, as the underdog team of Average Joe’s Gym, led by Peter LaFleur, challenged the Globo Gym Purple Cobras in the final round of the American Dodgeball Association of America Championship.

The Average Joes did not reach this championship round on athletic prowess or innate talent, but through collaboration as a team. They bonded through car washes, training sessions, and late-night dinners to build trust in one another so that any idea brought to the table wasn’t immediately dismissed. Their familiarity with collaboration allowed them to take inventory of their unique abilities and strategize against the athletically superior Purple Cobras.

In the end, the Average Joes reached the championship’s sudden-death round, where Peter LaFleur made White Goodman bleed his own blood and won the tournament. Not only did they win, but Peter was smart enough to bet on themselves when no one else would, turning a $100,000 bribe into a $5,000,000 prize. Numerous collaborative actions led to Average Joe’s Gym staying in business as a local pillar of the community. No idea was turned away; instead, ideas were embraced and shaped toward success based on experience and positive intent. Collaboration is a proven force multiplier for teams operating at speed—even during high-pressure events like dodgeball tournaments.

Clarity is perhaps the most important factor that helps teams save time and energy—both of which are costly when moving at speed. Clearly stating intent at the beginning of an action, clearly sharing status during execution, and clearly summarizing what has or has not been accomplished at the end are critical to understanding what should happen next.

Any reduction in clarity within those steps can cause friction or misdirection of effort, which can slowly cause a team to drift off course if not corrected. Take, for example, the classic 2000 comedy movie Miss Congeniality. During the interview portion of the Miss America pageant, the host (played by William Shatner) asks Cady what her idea of a perfect date is. She takes her time and responds:

“I’d have to say April 25th, because it’s not too hot, not too cold—so all you need is a light jacket.”

Clarity on what the judge meant by “date” would’ve helped, but the lack of clarity gave us a classic moment in pop culture. Cady could have asked for clarification, but instead she responded boldly and confidently—and won over the judges.

Even at speed, asking questions for clarity should not be seen as being difficult or pushing back. Questions are good—they show teammates are trying to understand your intent so they can stay aligned. Respond quickly, respond concisely, and get back to action.

Brevity is also a key component of clarity. When time is critical, communicating quickly and precisely preserves speed. Why say something in seven words when three will do? Say what you mean and mean what you say. No one wants to be checked by the late, great Sir Michael Caine with a line like, “I’m sorry, what was the question? I was distracted by the half-masticated cow rolling around in your wide-open trap.”

Teams that operate at speed—by choice or by circumstance—face numerous challenges. It is in their best interest to organize internally in a way that promotes agility and efficiency. Communication, collaboration, and clarity are powerful techniques that teams of any size can leverage to remain unified in effort, regardless of the speed of the situation.

Leaders at every echelon must set the tone for this behavior and create the conditions for everyone to participate and contribute to the team win. Don’t take my word—or my friend’s word—on why the triple Cs work.

They’ve done studies, you know. 60% of the time… it works every time.

-----------------------------------------TEAR LINE--------------------------------------------

• Speed without alignment will break your team. Moving fast only works if everyone is communicating early and often to stay synchronized.

  
  

• Collaboration turns effort into impact. The best teams don’t rely on individual performance—they combine strengths to achieve outcomes no one could reach alone.

  
  

• Clarity preserves time, energy, and momentum. Say what you mean, mean what you say, and ensure everyone understands what happens next.