Modern Contrarianism
One of my original "brands" was as "the contrarian." For example, at the height of the quality movement, I preached that quality could be taken to a dysfunctional extreme, actually costing more money than necessary. I remember at one point
Circumlocutions
Why do people insist on going around the block to get next door? In a restaurant, "Are you still working on that?" (or "Still enjoying that?") when my dish is obviously empty is more than silly. "May I clear?" seems appropriate.
Sweepers
I increasingly deal with people who just want to get the problem off their desk and onto someone else's. They don't want to be bothered with work, and customers just get in the way of trying to be totally unproductive.
Would You Like Some Perspective in Your Coffee?
I have a hard time with people who "can't" start their day without coffee. I've tolerated people late for meetings, or who have insisted we drive out of our way, or who have expected me to excuse boorish behavior on
Translation
I am going to translate the language of It's All Your Fault (IAYF) to the language of Maybe I Should Accept Responsibility (MISAR). Be careful with the irregular verbs. IAYF: You didn't send me the link. MISAR: I should check my spam folder and
Do You Have A Leak?
When you have a water leak, it makes sense to check the fittings, the faucet, the valves, and so forth. Somewhere along the pipe something has gone wrong. If you have a buyer who has agreed to review a proposal but
What the %&&^#>!!
You want to curse when you bang your thumb with a hammer, good for you. I do it, too. You need to vent. If you're an Atlanta Falcon fan, and you were caught up in expletives as the Patriots used
Get Out of My Way
What is the commonality? I was afraid of, earlier in my life: • Addressing a large group of students in high school. • Roller coasters. • The dentist. • Bullies. • An overbearing college professor. • Skiing. Answer: These were all fears that I overcame by facing them
Plunging
Too many of us immediately try to decide how to do something before deciding whether or not to do it. I call this the "plunge effect." This is why you're stuck with a hire who isn't close to competent, on a bad
Yes, But What’s Your Point?
People seem to be equating length with value, even in the arts. We saw an otherwise excellent one-act play two nights ago, which would have been even better in half the time. Last night we saw a wonderful ballet piece