Tag Archives: advice

October 1, 2014 · 11:30 am

Rubbernecking

Is there anything more frustrating than rubberneckers? You know who I mean. Drivers who slow down to gawk at an accident thereby causing traffic jams behind them. Make a note: they’re one of my pet peeves. They’re also something from which we can take a business thought.

Wikipedia reminds us that according to a 2003 study, rubbernecking was the cause of 16 percent of distraction-related traffic accidents. I’m sure you’ve had that sinking feeling when someone behind you isn’t paying close attention to the fact that an otherwise wide open lane has come to a screeching halt.  Maybe it’s due to someone changing a tire on the other side of the road and a police car has pulled in behind them to flash lights for safety. More than once I’ve heard the screech of tires as the dolt behind me is trying to slow down and waited for impact.  You wish the cop would deploy a massive screen, upon which is written “nothing to see here – move along.”

I’ve never understood the phenomenon, either in a car or in business.  It manifests itself in a couple of ways off the road.  First are those companies and brands that try to create a rubbernecking situation where they do something to cause partners and/or consumers to slow down and gawk.  One could argue that, in fact, the old-school way of thinking about marketing was exactly that.  Think about your response on the road, however.  How angry are you when you discover that there is NOTHING causing the situation that’s keeping you from getting where you want to go?  Our messaging needs to add value not be a distraction.

The other way rubbernecking impacts business is when we allow our efforts to get distracted by something going on elsewhere.  Maybe you are spending time rubbernecking what your coworkers or other departments are doing.  Slowing down to look at the next new thing probably is just keeping us from the destination we’ve chosen.  Most of the time there is nothing to see.  Obviously I don’t mean we ought to operate in vacuums.  We can’t let situational awareness become a distraction what brings our movement to a crawl.

Don’t rubberneck in your car.  It’s even worse in your business life.  That’s my take.  Yours?

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September 25, 2014 · 9:43 am

The New Year And Business

A shofar made from a ram's horn is traditional...

A shofar made from a ram’s horn is traditionally blown in observance of Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish civic year. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Happy New Year!  When I posted this last year for the second time I said I was thinking about making this post an annual thing.  I guess it now officially is.  As Jews around the world celebrate Rosh Hashanah, I thought I’d try to put what the holiday means into a business context.

Last night marked the start of the Jewish New Year.  I didn’t go down to Times Square to see if they were dropping a giant knish at the stroke of sundown – probably not.  L’Shana Tova – a happy and healthy New Year to all of you.

One of the things Jews do over the next 10 days (or at least are supposed to do) is to reflect on the year gone by and think about where it took you on life’s journey.  It’s not really as much about looking back in my mind as it is about looking forward.  Oh sure, one is supposed to think about where one strayed from life’s path in terms of dealing with other humans and human codes of conduct.  We get a day of fasting next week to get that sorted out.  But it’s also a time to think about a fresh start.  Which, of course, promoted a business thought.

When do businesses stop and enter a period of reflection?  It’s obvious when they’re changing – witness Facebook last week – but I, for one, certainly wonder sometimes if those changes happen due to the momentum of previous (maybe not so good) decisions or if they’re the result of a pause, some reflection, and a willful thought by the entire organization as to the direction.  Often, I fear, it’s the former.

Jews are to use the next ten days for reflection and repentance.  I like to think of them as ten days of self-improvement.  I’d also suggest that it would do many businesses a lot of good to build the same sort of period into their corporate calendars.  Some do – they call it the budget process – but I think that’s too selective in terms of participants and goals to do much good.  Some smart CEO needs to declare it New Year’s Day for the company once a year and get everyone to do the same sort of professional reflection that many of us do on the personal side.  Identify your sins (figuratively speaking) and atone.  Faulty customer service, weak brand identity, bad employee relations, products that aren’t optimal, fostering an atmosphere of fear – these are all good places to start.

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September 24, 2014 · 12:26 pm

The Walk To The Next Cube

Tonight marks the start of the new year in the Jewish calendar.  I thought, given the occasion, that some of you might have resolutions on your mind so here is a thought and maybe something we can all resolve to do a bit better.

While our world has never been more connected I can’t recall a time when it seems as if people who work together seem very disconnected.  What I mean is that people come in to the office and log on to their computers, put in their earphones, and do their things.  When they need to interact with someone else on their team or elsewhere in the company they send email or instant message.   That often applies even when the person to whom they are “speaking” is on the other side of an office wall or in the next cube.  As a manager, this drove me crazy.

Maybe I’m very old school.  I learned the interpersonal parts of business long before there was IM, email, or even computers on every desk.   The nature of interpersonal communication these days, particularly among younger people is quite different.  I appreciate that having unlimited texting trumps unlimited voice.   However, when you think about it the one skill that many younger workers lack is the ability to read people.  Email and IM are faceless and can’t communicate nuance.  You can’t be sure you’re hearing tone accurately.

That was why I used to tell the folks with whom I worked that my expectation of them was that when they had need to communicate with a co-worker that they would get up and walk to the next cube.  I thought it was important especially if that cube was located on another floor.  Your presence means you are giving the matter a lot of attention and they should too.  If they can’t go in person (it’s not easy to walk to the cube in another building or city), then call.  Hear their voice.  Gauge their tone.  Learn to listen.  If those things fail, then email.

That’s the thing I’m suggesting we resolve to do.  Be more human as the world gets less so.  Walk to the next cube instead of writing yet another email.  I’m going to try.  Will you?

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