#370: Dirt at work
As I have explained before, nonsense is just waiting to happen. Why? Because it is an abundant, natural, renewable resource. I realized this when I watched two dung beetles at work in the African bush.
Now, dung is nothing but dirt in the making. And do you know what researchers in Britain have discovered? Dirt can make people happy.
Okay, so far they have evidence that dirt makes mice happy, but the process is the same for humans. Certain types of dirt stimulate neurons in the brain that produce serotonin, which influences mood.
It’s early days yet, but this does seem to imply that we will all be happier if we spent more time playing in the dirt.
Please note that I am not responsible if my nonsense thoughts trigger new ideas for those weird people who dream up crazy team building exercises. So don’t blame me if your next team building exercise happens in the dirt.
I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.comListen to the radio version of 'Dirt at work'(10 most recent radio files)James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VACopyright: 2010 James Henry McIntosh
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#369: Responsibility breakdown
Is it my imagination or do we have a responsibility breakdown? It seems to me that some people in power don’t understand what it means to be responsible.
Here it is in simple terms. Responsibility is the ability to respond.
This begs the question, how? ‘Appropriately’ would be nice, thank you. Okay, I’ll explain. You are in a responsible position because you were once deemed trustworthy and capable of rational conduct.
Here’s the real difficulty for some people: being responsible also means that you are liable to be called to account. In other words, you ‘own’ the results whether you like it or not.
And no, you may not sit on the fence. You are expected to respond.
We in the real world are responsible and accountable for the outcomes of our actions. Why should you be excused?I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.comListen to the radio version of 'Responsibility breakdown'(10 most recent radio files)James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VACopyright: 2010 James Henry McIntosh
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#368: The way to being all right
Nonsense has taught me many useful things. Here’s one that has helped to reduce my stress levels dramatically. Listen carefully.
The way to be right is not to make others wrong. The way to be right is to be all right, you know, as in ‘I’m all right, Jack’.
Let me explain. Because our world is constantly changing, being right is a moment to moment affair. Right can become wrong as easily as wrong becomes right.
So, I’ve swapped being right for being happy. After all, being right all the time can be so tiring and tiresome.
Here’s how it’s done. Actively choose to be all right instead of always right. Next, aim to comfortably wrong. When you are wrong, don’t rationalize; apologize and get over it. Then get on with helping others to be right.
Let me summarize. The way to be all right is to be comfortable with wrong as you help others to be right.
I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.comListen to the radio version of 'The way to being all right'(10 most recent radio files)James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VACopyright: 2010 James Henry McIntosh
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#367: Too creative to work
All these books and seminars and training videos on creativity and innovation at work really annoy me. Creativity and innovation are a complete waste of time. Unless . . .
But first, have you ever watched a production line in motion? A worker does his thing in a couple of seconds, the product moves on, the next worker who does her thing in a couple of seconds, and so on.
Imagine if one of those workers had a new idea, a ‘what if I tried it this way’ moment. What would happen? Chaos. A supervisor’s nightmare.
Most businesses are not designed to deal with creativity and innovation because they don’t need it. They need smooth execution of what has already been created, tried and tested.
Unless your business is the art of the new, it is better to teach focused action rather than free association.
Not convinced? Well, would you fly with a ‘let’s try this’ sort of pilot?I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.comListen to the radio version of 'Too creative to work'(10 most recent radio files)James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VACopyright: 2010 James Henry McIntosh
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#366: Keep the customer passionate
Customer satisfaction is only the start of the customer relationship. Customer loyalty is where the serious money is made.
Let me explain using two examples. I had a problem with my phone carrier; I complained; they pushed back; I complained louder; they fixed it; I am satisfied. But I am not loyal. Give me a reasonable option and I might switch.
Now consider loyalty. I had a four-year-old American car; it died; they said it needed a new engine. I remembered my two foreign cars that I sold after both were more than 12 years old. I bought another foreign brand. After four years I am still satisfied.
But there’s more. I have become so loyal that I convinced my wife to buy one. And I tell all my friends to buy one.
That’s the difference between satisfaction and loyalty. Satisfaction keeps you passive; loyalty makes you passionate. Now that’s a big difference.
I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.comListen to the radio version of 'Keep the customer passionate'(10 most recent radio files)James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VACopyright: 2010 James Henry McIntosh
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#365: When success means escaping the bucket
I do hope this economy improves soon else we will experience what I call the lobster syndrome.
This syndrome surfaces in a group when one individual is more successful than others and it manifests in a country when one group is better off than another.
The first sign is evident when the rally cry of ‘we’re all in this together’ turns into a plea of ‘aren’t we in this together’. The second sign is when the pleaders claim to be innocent victims.
And the third sign? When the self-called victims boost their egos by self-righteously criticizing those who dare to climb out of the bucket of failure.
Let me explain. A fisherman, walking along with a bucket of lobsters, is asked by a friend, ‘Won’t the lobsters escape by climbing out of the bucket?’ ‘No’, replies the fisherman, ‘You know what lobsters are like. When one gets near the top, the others pull him back down’.I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.comListen to the radio version of 'When success means escaping the bucket'(10 most recent radio files)James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VACopyright: 2010 James Henry McIntosh
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#364: Don’t keep the customer satisfied
Simon and Garfunkel were wrong about ‘keeping the customer satisfied’. Customer satisfaction can kill your organization.
This happens when you spend more on keeping customers satisfied than they spend with you. And when you go out of business, you have actually provided the worst possible service to your loyal customers.
The problem is that there is no simple way to measure customer satisfaction. People have different needs which translate into different levels of satisfaction. The catch? Some of your customers will never be satisfied. On the other hand, it is easy to measure loyalty – how often does this customer spend money with us?
Customer loyalty tends to cost less. An obvious reason is that it is cheaper to keep existing customers than to compete for new ones. Less obvious is that loyal customers are more forgiving when you make mistakes.
And that can be priceless.
I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.comListen to the radio version of 'Don’t keep the customer satisfied'(10 most recent radio files)James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VACopyright: 2010 James Henry McIntosh
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