Lent

One of the great food cities on the planet is New Orleans and the single biggest event identified with the city is Mardi Gras. Since it’s Foodie Friday I’m not going to focus on most kinds of debauchery occurring in New Orleans around that time nor specifically on the food  but, rather, on what comes later. That would be Lent.Food and Lent go together. I don’t profess to know very much about the season other than a lot of folks I know give something up during it, generally something they love, usually a food.   Now, the Hit Midget (who inspired today’s post – hat tip!) does a more modern thing (Pope Paul VI, I gather, approved this) and substitutes prayer and works of charity for fasting and food.  But my mother-in-law gives up dessert; other people I know quit meat.  Either way, Lent makes them stop and think about what’s really important and that’s a good thing. If you give up something that’s meaningless to you, what kind of penance, soul-searching, or other importance are you giving to the act?

That same kind of thinking is what we need to do more often in business, in my opinion.  How often do you hear or see stuff go on in the office which wastes everyone’s time?  A petty personality clash?  Reports done just because they’ve alway been done?  Pick your battles; question the need for data rather than or in lieu of information. We focus on “busy” when what we should look for is “productive.” They’re not the same.

So while I don’t celebrate the Lenten season, I do appreciate the way it makes those who do think about things. Are you someone who gives up a food? How did you pick?