Ouch! How is that for a tag line?
Unlike Your Boyfriend, We Deliver.
That certainly has a sharp bite to it, but you know what? It works.
Witty, funny, and maybe even true.
It’s the old adage that “sex sells.”
That’s a delivery service that I’m sure many would nod their heads to. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
I thought this art was funny and accurate:
There’s always one in every family.
Really, it should be there is always one (or two) in every family, group, and organization.
Whether it’s the upside down bird or the “black sheep”–I think we call it that person a troublemaker!
Is it the attention they crave?
Is it a good fight or argument they are after?
Are they just different and that’s okay.
Listen, we are all the same, but we’re also all different.
Imagine being completely the same and how boring that would be.
So being the upside bird isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
The other birds may look at this upside down bird as cuckoo.
But the bird may not be a cuckoo bird at all.
He may just be acting himself.
To the upside down bird, he probably thinks of himself as being right side up bird, and that it’s the other birds that are the cuckoos.
From my experience, there is being different and then there is being cuckoo for real.
There really are one or more cuckoos just about everywhere you look.
Worse yet, if the other 4 birds are sane, then watch out because you may be the cuckoo bird.
And then there was the movie, “One flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So organizations are a funny thing.
Too hierarchical and you can get lost in the maze of corner offices.
Too flat, and there is no one to make a darn decision.
Huge hierarchies can be costly and inefficient, but flat as a board organization are mob rule.
I think there has got to be a happy medium.
– One, where there is leadership, accountability, a reasonable span of control, and room for professional growth.
– Two, where there is dignity and respect for everyone, and your tile and level doesn’t make any difference in terms of having your voice heard and being able to make a difference.
Hierarchies that reach to the pompous sky and flat organizations where all the air is let out and nothing can get done are those that need to be hailed away in a big menacing orange wheel lock.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So I heard this interesting saying the other day:
If you can’t sing better, sing louder!
It’s funny that people actually do that type of thing all the time.
My colleagues boss told someone I know:
You’re a fake it till you make it type of person
This can apply to all sort of activities and not just singing.
— Public speaking, your job, sports, cooking, etc.
Often, people have to do things that they really just don’t do very well.
– Maybe it’s not their forte.
– Maybe they’re just not into it.
But rather than call it for what it is.
Instead, they pretend and make a show out of it.
They exaggerate what they think they are supposed to do.
Or they try to compensate with something tangential.
Hey, maybe no will notice.
But people eventually catch-on and do know when you’re lip-singing and faking your way through or just screaming out the lyrics to mask how horrible you singing is.
Better to be honest and admit what you can and can’t do.
Take some classes or get some training.
Practice, practice, practice.
Or even consider doing something else that you do enjoy and are good it.
Either way, you don’t want to be the one singing loudly their whole life. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal. Note: this blog is not connected to this or any particular musician)
Sometimes, others can get negative at you in life.
People are unhappy.
Complaints are rolling in.
It seems like you can’t do right.
But you have to have a thick skin or as one colleague told me:
You need to be like Teflon and have it all just roll off you.
And this book title reminded me of this:
“The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck”
Yes, we do have to care about doing good in what we do.
It’s just that we shouldn’t “give a f*ck” when others are just wanting to tear us down and enjoying it.
Constructive feedback is good.
But destructive negativity at every turn is just hurtful.
It’s also a way for others to not take ownership.
We all need to do our part to make things better in this world.
Sure, no one does everything right and no one is perfect.
But everyone needs to try their best, and when others just want to beat on you…
That’s a completely appropriate time to not give a firetruck. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So we had our holiday party today, and guess what I got?
Yes, a Sharp Twin Bell Alarm Clock!
Of course, with each gag gift came a mini-speech by some of the managers as why they choose this gift for you.
So of course, I am consistently the first one in every morning and the person who opens up for everyone else–reliable, dependable, and hard-working Andy! 🙂
Some of my other colleagues got a hula hoop, a toy toolkit, a mini teapot, a little school bus, coffee mugs with funny sayings, a rock and roll trophy, mini boxing gloves, stuffed pillows with smileys, and more.
Each came with its own unique story.
Pizza, beer, and bowling were part of the festivities.
It’s nice when people appreciate each other and can have some fun.
Thanks for the holiday party and the alarm clock. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
A colleague told me something interesting about what it feels like at the top.
He said:
The 360 degree view is good, but it get’s windy at times!
I thought this was pretty smart, and one reason that many people opt out of moving into senior and executive positions in their organizations.
Yes, it’s great to be able to lead and have more visibility, influence, and impact.
But at the same time, this does not come for free or without risks.
At the top of the pyramid or corporate offices or whatever, there is opportunity.
Yet, your dealing with other top honchos with strong personalities, egos, and often harsh ways of dealing with others and conflict can be perilous for many.
My father used to tell me his philosophy:
Better a little less, but you know what you have.
There is definitely wisdom in those words.
Maybe as with most things in life, there is a time and place for everything.
It is great to have the opportunity to lead.
It’s also not bad to have a time to follow and contribute in that way.
What’s important is that whatever role your in at the time, that you do it with integrity and passion to do good.
So how does it feel at the top–sure, it’s a nice view, but it can get very windy too. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
A colleague was talking to me about negotiating and working with others:
He said something I liked:
Listen, empathize, and give a little.
Yes, we each have our beliefs and positions on things.
But we don’t live in a vacuum.
Other people have their own views, sensitivities, and wants.
We have to get along so we can work together, and get things done.
It starts by listening–not just hearing, but really listening to what the other person is saying.
But that’s not really enough.
To really understand the other person, we have to try to empathize with what they are feeling–we need to try to walk in their shoes even if just for a moment.
But that also isn’t enough.
We can’t have it all our way–we need to give a little to get a little.
No one can have everything and have a good relationship like that.
We need to compromise–as long as it’s not on things of integrity, conviction, or G-d.
Everything else we have to listen, empathize, and give a little. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So I learned some important lessons about stretch goals.
You want to have stretch goals because they make your strive to do and be your best.
When you have to stretch yourself above your normal then you can take yourself to whole new levels of performance and achievement.
However, if the stretch goals are ridiculously unachievable than you simply set yourself up for frustration and failure.
Goals need to be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound.
But too often they are DUMB goals: Directed by others, Unachievable, Made to fail, and Based on false assumptions.
For example, if someone tells you to jump off that bridge into the whitewater beneath because they assume that somehow you can spread you bare arms and fly–guess what is going to happen to you?
Goals can help you get to new heights of accomplishment in life or they can pull you down in false condemnation and despair.
Like in fighting the good fight…be careful when you are sent to the front lines in trench warfare with heavily dug fortifications, machine guns, artillery placements aimed your way and yelled at with no rational strategy to “Advance!”
The only place that is going to take you is to an early grave.
Instead, fight smart and take the hill when the hill is takable–you save a lot of lives that way and you actually take the hill successfully. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
What do herds do?
First there are big mouths and groupthink.
Then there is chasing each others tails.
This could lead to literally going off a cliff.
Typically, like wolves, they hunt viciously in packs.
When they are stalked, they run scared leaving the weakest to serve as prey.
When hunted, they are separated and slaughtered.
Sometimes they stampede and can run over anything in their path.
Occasionally, they even devour their own young to keep the herd fed.
Herds serve a survival function in nature, but when the herd is dumb, as if often the case, they die off and are left extinct. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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