Slow Down Culture

An interesting reflection: Slow Down Culture



It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for

them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes 2

years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a

rule. Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general

sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses

a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow

movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate,

hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end,

this always yields better results.

Said in another words:

1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in Brazil.

2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.

3. Stockholm, has 500,000 people.

4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned

companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.



The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the

hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive

early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000

employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything,

either the second or third. One morning I asked, "Do you have a fixed

parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there

are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early

we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a

place closer to the door. Don't you think? Imagine my face.



Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement

establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to

taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing.

Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it

stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement

called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.



Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness"

generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity"

(life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality

of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more

productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour

workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow

attitude has brought forth the US's attention, pupils of the fast and the

"do it now!".



This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower

productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality,

productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It

means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking

the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and

anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of

living.



It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and

more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do.

It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious

quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of

products and services, without losing the essence of spirit. In the movie,

Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and

she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which

Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they dance to a tango.



Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we

die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others

are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present,

which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout

the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of

us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said,

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".



Congratulations for reading till the end of this message. There are many

who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this

globalize world.



---



***********************************************************************************************

2 Chronicles 7:14 - "If my people, who are called by my name, will

humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their

wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their

sin and will heal their land."