Just go with the flow

I’m impatient and I let my passions consume me sometimes (read: obsessive). All I can see is my potential creation taking shape and the only thing on my mind is keeping it rolling forward to completion.  Trouble is this often leads to working at a more rapid pace, making it harder for others to keep up and for myself to pause and take a breath. Just going with the flow never seemed to work for me.

We each have our own optimal flow rates

Just like the components in a biogas plant: manure is pumped at a rate set to ensure complete digestion and maximum biogas production, gas is cleaned and pumped to the engine at a rate set to produce the intended amount of electricity.  If the different rates are not calibrated, it throws the whole process off.

People and organizations are no different. When trying to calibrate our flow rates with those we work with, I think the tendency is to either slow down/speed up to match the speed of others, or lose interest and mentally move on to something else.  Some people create obstacles and resist change as a way of forcing others to move at their speeds, and other people can get frustrated when things aren’t moving fast enough – both of which can cause tension and throw things off.  More focus needs to be placed on figuring out everyone’s optimal rates and calibrating them to work effectively, instead of changing how other people work.

Finding the Optimal Biogas Development Flow Rate

The current players in the biogas industry include engineers, technology suppliers, farmers, municipalities, provincial ministries, utilities, local distribution companies, grant givers, banks and other lenders, investors, consultants, private residents, waste management companies, food producers, construction companies, lawyers, accountants and probably a few more I can’t think of right now.  All of them move have different flow rates, and calibrating my biogas development engine has been complicated and difficult at times.

I know that slowing down, being patient, and letting things flow when they are ready is the best way to stay balanced and avoid feeling out of control.  But I’m still learning how to let my biogas fire simmer, and go with the flow.

photo credit: Britanglishman