I used to tell my kids everything in life eventually turns into an IQ test. My little people would look at me puzzled, not sure why their Dad couldn't just eat the ice cream.
Looking back, we were both right. My kids were right because you don't always have to think about everything. It's ok to just enjoy the ice cream. On the other hand, thinking is necessary because reality forces us to get certain things done. Ice cream can't solve everything.
Jack Welch. Funny guy, very clear mind. Piers Morgan had him on his show last night. Jack fumed about universities, the curse of tenured professors and why America was lagging behind the Chinese in science and technology, (for the first time I believe) and tenure was part of it. His point, - as long as you were protecting people, you're not going to be competitive.
This from the CEO of General Electric, ($130B/yr), now retired, still getting a salary of $8 million a year. He's in this position because he has a very clear mind. He sees things for what they are, not for what people want them to be.
Tenure, in business is a bit like seniority. It means we're paying for an employees attendance and not contribution . There's nothing wrong with that other than our customers aren't willing to pay a premium for products made by employees with decades of attendance. Actually, that doesn't factor into buying decisions, - if it did, we'd put it in the ads. Customers want great products and that's all. So, we have a mismatch which Jack sees so clearly.
Every day managers are faced with situations that need clarity of thought. Some, like Jack Welch, see things for what they are. For the rest of us, I've developed this handy eight question filter that forces clarity. Ask,
1. What’s supposed to happen?
2. Whose responsibility is that?
3. How is that useful?
4. Do we need to have this conversation?
5. What do you recommend?
6. Is this drama, or about outcomes?
7. We’re not paying for your memories. ("I remember when . . . ")
8. Is that accurate? What do we know for sure?
Filter everything through these tools and we can all be a bit more like Jack Welch, and see things for they really are.
As for my kids, they all grew up without problems in spite of my parenting. Now they're doing the thinking and giving me the ice cream. Eventually I'll them I was wrong, and a lot of life is just plain, dumb luck.
See you for breakfast,
Wolfgang
p.s. July 13th, Strategic Selling seminar. Sales process engineering, building systems with stages, to predictably deliver sales results. Use it to structure your personal sales or your company's sales process. Full brochure attached, see below this newsletter. Location Surrey. Guildford Golf and Country Club on 152nd Street. Hope to see you all there.
p.s. Other clear Welch thoughts. On Sarah Palin? He just says he wouldn't vote for her because she's a celebrity, not a politician. He is correct, again.
p.s. It's ok to take our work seriously. It's not ok to take ourselves seriously. We're all just someone's little kid
p.s. If you're thinking of hiring, we work very differently. Hourly, no commissions, as your HR department. For more recruiting information please click here.
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