Decision story: Avoid fighting on two fronts! - 03/24

Germany lost both WorldWars (WW1 & WW2) primarily because it had to fight on two fronts: the Western and Eastern fronts. Hitler was well aware of this challenge and signed a non-aggression pact with Stalin to keep the Eastern front quiet. However, his ego, insecurity, and the resilience of WinstonChurchill led Hitler to open up the Eastern front. In the end, Germany got hammered on both fronts in WW2.

As an ardent student of World Wars, I’ve always been cautious about focusing on one thing at a time. During my time at ZS Consulting, my manager insisted I stay on only his project to enhance my learning. However, after 2.5 years, I found myself juggling two challenging projects: a tech project (to learn technology) and a new Incentive Compensation (IC) project. Despite spending daily 16-hour stretches on the tech project, I received negative reviews in the semi annual review cycle, and the since I did not spend time on IC project, I received negative reviews on it also. 

Reflecting on this, I considered World War II. Although I focused on one front (the tech project), I still lost. But looking back after 6 years, I realize although I lost the 6 months battle (time on the two projects), I won the 6 years long war. The tech project helped me to conquer my fear of technology. In this last 6 years, I have embraced technology, applying it widely—converting Excel deliverables to Tableau, using Python for automation, and more. My tech expertise has grown significantly (from none to intermediate in terms of understanding). 

The key message is to fight on one front at a time; sooner or later, you will emerge victorious. Additionally, proactively learn to manage resources so that only one front is open at a time!

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