Alan Weiss’s Monday Morning Memo® – 7/10/2023
Kicking the can down the road: Sound familiar?
The phrase, meaning to put off decisions and work until a later time, actually gained currency in the 1980s (prior to that it was applied to a children’s game). Literally, of course, you can’t kick a can too far, so you have to keep kicking it if you don’t want to deal with it in the near future.
Thus, this is one of the more apt phrases extant. We have kicked the can repeatedly on issues such as social security’s financial integrity, mounting national debt, immigration policies, pension obligations, and so forth. Why is this? Well one sorrowful reason is that the human lifespan is about 80 years on average, the adult portion about 60, and the working tenure about 40.
Consequently, it’s easy to let someone else, in the future, handle it (or maintain the kicking). We’re guilty of a kind of recusancy, but without the punishment the church once applied.
So politicians enact legislation creating excessive retirement and disability funding for union members because the politicians want their members’ votes, and the time of reckoning will be a generation into the future. Our infrastructure is crumbling because politicians don’t want to raise taxes and offend potential voters, so we are forced to deal with emergency repairs, fouling of waterways, and insufficient bridges and tunnels. (Traveling to Cape Cod in the years ahead will require an eternity by car because two ancient, two-lanes-in-each-direction bridges have to be repaired or replaced.)
And the primary and secondary educational systems, which warehouse kids, are based on centuries-old philosophies, are governed by chronology and not achievement, and are not likely to change any time soon because no one who wants to remain in office is likely to upset the disproportionately powerful teachers’ unions.
We’ve become incredibly adept at kicking the can from one generation to the next. But if we’re not willing to change, we’re going to run out of generations which have the ability and resources to actually put an end to it, even if they wanted to. You can’t kick a can if you can’t stand up any longer.
Maybe we need to stop kicking the can and start kicking some ass.
Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do today. —Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield
Delay is the deadliest form of denial. —C. Northcote Parkinson
Delay always breeds danger; and to protract a great design is often to ruin it.—Miguel de Cervantes
In forestalling what’s required in the present, we look to the future to do what should have been done in the past. —Alan Weiss
Autumn in New York: Join me for 2.5 days of a great growth experience. I’ll be presenting new IP on the nature of the No Normal® workplace and how we can best attract and help clients. We’ll talk about new approaches to strategy for all types of organizations. Every participant (who so desires) will get “air time” to discuss a particular challenge, question, or strategy. I’ll take you to dinner at two of my favorite restaurants, we’ll see a Broadway play with great seats, and there will be a tour with a unique New York touch. We’ll start with an opening evening reception. Limited participation, apply now. https://alanweiss.com/
Speaking with Alan: One of my most popular experiential events, run twice a year. Learn how to create, refine, deliver, price, and market a speech of any length. A small group practices and video tapes the components over 2.5 days. Are you charging less than a minimum of $10,000 per speech? Are you agonizing over content, or not drawing a sufficient audience? You need this session NOW! In San Francisco: https://alanweiss.
Master Master Class II: This sold-out event in March was so popular that I’m running another in October in Newport. I accept 16 people in person (you may also attend remotely on our large screen) and we have 3 seats remaining! I’m creating new material, exercises, and challenges. Past “grads” get a discount. One person said, “I’ve known you for nearly 20 years, and this is the best thing you’ve ever done!” (Maybe I just wasn’t that good before!) Register here: https://alanweiss.com/gr
NEW! Alan’s Advisory Suite: Nine options for groups or individuals to receive “real time” coaching to build their practices and lives on a continuing basis. The strongest, best people in business, entertainment, sports, the media—all use coaches. https://alanweiss.com
Million Dollar Consulting® for the World: I’ve provided 14 modules with videos from me, from your colleagues globally, slides, and text. They include everything from launch to self-esteem, proposals to fees, closing business to creating a brand. No upsells! It’s only $115. What do you think about a 10,000:1 ROI? We have over 500 people from 47 countries. https://milliondoll
NEW: Million Dollar Consulting® for the World ADVANCED: The new program contains over 60 videos and has 15 modules focusing on what to do in the buyer’s office, overcoming crises, financial planning, and much, much more. https://alanweiss.com/gr
Sentient Strategy Certification: My new book on the topic (above) has been released, so this is an ideal time to market Sentient Strategy. Write me to apply, join over 70 people certified in six countries. One-time fee of $12,000, includes 90 days of my support, free admission to all future certifications, and admission to a private web board with other Sentient facilitators. alan@summitcons
Vancouver Day: I’ll be providing a full day in Vancouver for as little as $300 (US) including lunch on September 9: How to Dramatically Increase Revenues while Radically Reducing Labor. I’ll be returning from an Alaskan cruise and need the money to pay for it! This is a rare appearance in Western Canada. https://alanweiss.com/
Busienss As A Second Language: This 90-minute Zoom workshop will deal with reframing, social proof, instant examples, influence techniques, turning objections into selling points, and a great deal more. It will be interactive and recorded for ongoing use. Preparing for meetings is important (until, as the saying goes, you get punched in the jaw). I’ll help you stay in the moment and outduel anyone. Are you tired of worrying about “what you should have said”? Now you’ll be able to say it at just the right time. https://alanweiss.com/
SAC Annual Meeting – San Diego/Hybrid: Join me for the upcoming Society for the Advancement of Consulting (SAC) annual meeting in San Diego and hybrid on Nov. 14th. I’ll be speaking in the morning, followed with additional content from colleagues. Click to learn more and register. Stay over and join me at The Remote Millionaire® on the following day. You do not have to be a SAC member.
