Anyone who has spent time with me or visited my house knows that I am an avid DIYer. I’ve tackled a lot of projects over the years including gutting bathrooms and kitchens, installing 1,000 square feet of cork flooring, creating a homebrew kegerator, and building a chicken coop. And I’ve learned a few things doing all those projects.
For example, (other than the couple scratches) what is the difference between these two pieces of trim? Answer: the one on the top is cut at a 44.5 degree angle and the bottom one is 45 degrees. You see, after installing thousands of feet of trim I’ve learned that sometimes you don’t want that exact angle and the pieces fit together better when they aren’t cut perfectly.
Over my career, I learned the same things about running a business. Sometimes you are better served by being slightly off-center, having a plan that is just barely wonky, or having an employee who isn’t a perfect culture fit. There’s no magic formula for knowing right time to cut a 44.5 degree angle but it’s something you learn from paying close attention to your results.
Have you ever done something slightly off target on purpose and how did it turn out?