The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said that “the only constant in life is change”.
This couldn’t be more true in business. But as technology advances and simplifies our lives, and the world becomes more connected, for many businesses change feels more like an extremely rapid shift that shows no sign of slowing down.
Take the events of the past year, for example. Entire businesses shifted their operations from a physical presence to online within weeks and many were forced to embrace a digital transformation that they had previously put off. Others, who were doing well before the pandemic, were forced to shut down their operations entirely.
But rapid change – and businesses operating at speed – aren’t unique to the pandemic. As a millennial, my generation lives in a world that encourages us to hustle, where overwork is celebrated and where we are pressured to be successful and have our lives figured out before we hit 30.
So, at a time when businesses compete to get to markets first and operations are constantly shifting, you may think that it’s counterintuitive to take things slowly. However, it might help you to achieve your objectives sooner.
At the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey, I launched a unique venture. I had a strategic plan and objectives in place and everything was going well, except for one thing. I was operating at such speed that it was detrimental to the growth of the business.
I expanded too soon, the business grew too fast and incurred unnecessary expenses. Our team meetings were conducted hastily. We didn’t take enough time to strategise, because we wanted to be the best in the business as fast as we could.
Yet, just as in driving, speed can kill, and it nearly put an end to my business. My team and I were left with no choice but to slow down to save what was left of it.
Reducing the pace helped us to think through matters more thoroughly and see where we had gone wrong. We emerged with clearer objectives and realised that we didn't need to sprint to reach our goals, only to accelerate at certain points. We knew when to slow down, and when to take things up a notch.
A few months later, we were more aligned, focused and had dedicated enough time to strategise major business moves. Ultimately, our performance enhanced and we were on the right track.
Imagine your business as a car you are driving. When behind the wheels, you alternate between speeds. You slow down at turns and roundabouts, stop at traffic lights and increase your speed on a highway. The same should be applied when driving the growth of your business.
Think about your organisation’s case. Where would your traffic lights and stop signs be? At what points should you accelerate? And most importantly, how do you know when to slow down and when to stop?
Evaluate your organisation’s recent growth. Are you going too fast? Do you have enough time to make big decisions?
And how do you know when you should be slowing down? There isn’t a one-size-fit-all approach. As a business owner or organisation leader, you need to figure out the speed you should be driving at different stages.
In business, we should be looking at aspects other than speed. Before we focus on delivering a product within 24 hours, we need to ensure that our logistics are in place and that we won’t be overworking our employees.
And before pledging to open a certain number of branches within a year, we need to ensure that our business is in demand and that this will be a sound investment in the long run.
In a business world that is preoccupied with speed, slowing down may be the thing that will save your business. Think about when you need to slow down and keep in mind that just like driving your car, changing your speed is essential throughout your journey.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati journalist and entrepreneur, who manages her marketing and communications company in Abu Dhabi
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Neymar's bio
Total club appearances 411
Total goals scored 241
Appearances for Barca 186
Goals scored for Barca 105
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
2019 ASIA CUP POTS
Pot 1
UAE, Iran, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia
Pot 2
China, Syria, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Qatar, Thailand
Pot 3
Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Palestine, Oman, India, Vietnam
Pot 4
North Korea, Philippines, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Turkmenistan
EXPATS
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Key fixtures from January 5-7
Watford v Bristol City
Liverpool v Everton
Brighton v Crystal Palace
Bournemouth v AFC Fylde or Wigan
Coventry v Stoke City
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Manchester United v Derby
Forest Green or Exeter v West Brom
Tottenham v AFC Wimbledon
Fleetwood or Hereford v Leicester City
Manchester City v Burnley
Shrewsbury v West Ham United
Wolves v Swansea City
Newcastle United v Luton Town
Fulham v Southampton
Norwich City v Chelsea
Engine: 80 kWh four-wheel-drive
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 760Nm
Price: From Dh280,000
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The specs
The specs: 2019 Audi Q8
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 340hp @ 3,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
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ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Match info
Manchester United 1 (Van de Beek 80') Crystal Palace 3 (Townsend 7', Zaha pen 74' & 85')
Man of the match Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
The biog
Hobbies: Writing and running
Favourite sport: beach volleyball
Favourite holiday destinations: Turkey and Puerto Rico
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
