Dev Randhawa discusses low hanging fruit.

An article published over at Inc, authored by the co-Founder of Basecamp has taken the ‘low hanging fruit’ concept to task, challenging its authenticity and whether it’s truly realistic or not.

Picture of fruit. Dev Randhawa writes about low hanging fruit.
Is the concept realistic?

I’ve decided to look at the article and, in keeping with my usual style, react accordingly.

A realistic ideal?

Firstly, a definition. Investopedia defines ‘low hanging fruit’ as a metaphor for the simplest and easiest work possible, which is carried out straightaway. In the article, the author observes concept in the context of new business. An example of an-oft. uttered quote concerning low hanging fruit is used by the author:

“We’ve never had anyone in business development, so there must be a ton of low-hanging fruit she can go after with just a little bit of effort.”

From this quote, the author observes how the thought process behind the ‘low hanging fruit’ concept is flawed – why? Because the idea that making gains in areas previously unexplored is rather presumptuous and wrong-headed. The author reflects on his own experiences at Basecamp after the company hired a business development professional and simply expected results – when this proved to be unfounded and gave the author an onus to reflect.

My thoughts 

What are my thoughts? My thoughts are that the author makes a good point – within the context.

I’m quite a firm believer in the ‘low hanging fruit’ concept, so much so that I’ve dedicated time to presenting it.

If I look at other industries, however, I can see how people (even seasoned professionals) could end up at risk. For example, a successful online retailer may see ‘low hanging fruit’ in the form of expanding into physical outlets – this doesn’t necessarily mean that it will work out at all, in fact it may fail entirely.

In summary, the author makes a good point about being aware of the dangers of low hanging fruit. What I’ll say as a counter though, is that the concept works within reason, especially when it’s understood properly!

About Dev Randhawa

Dev Randhawa is the CEO of Fission Uranium Corp. and an expert in natural resource exploration. He is also an active blogger on leadership, team-building and the uranium industry.