“The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win you are still a rat”

Lily Tomlin

 

We’ve all heard the three great lies:

• I’ll still love you in the morning.
• The cheque is in the mail
• We’re from the government and we’re here to help...

Having an open mind about people (part 1)

• He works for a big company = he must be good/better.
• I’m junior/new around here = they won’t want my view.
• He’s not dressed like the club = his views are of lesser value.
• He’s old = he doesn’t understand technology.
• He’s a senior executive = he won’t like/approve of fun, jokes, idle time.
• He’s not an engineer/ lawyer/accountant = he can’t contribute to this issue. • He wants a coach = he can’t be very good.

Having an open mind about people (part 2)

• You can only coach/ write in a field in which you are already an expert.
• Successful players make the best coaches.
• He can’t know much because he works in Omaha, Nebraska.
• Don’t talk to strangers.
• He’s the big boss, he won’t want to talk to me.
• You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
• ASIO does ethnic profiling = you should too.

Having the guts to ask

• He’s important = he won’t take my call.
• Ask not what my employer can do for me but what I can do for my employer.
• The meek shall inherit the earth.
• Everything comes to those who wait.
• Don’t speak till you’re spoken to.
• A drop of alcohol gives me the courage to ask.

Bad news

• They won’t want to hear the bad news.
• They won’t want to discuss the bad news.
• They don’t want to hear it can’t be done.

Not challenging

• He’s asking lots of challenging questions = he won’t or doesn’t support my proposal.
• You show respect for people by not challenging them.
• Teams should be harmonious and conflict should be avoided.
• If you don’t comply you’re not being faithful to the company.
• I shouldn’t be interested in organisational politics.
• Disagreeing with company policy is tantamount to treason!

Having an open mind regarding ideas

• Everyone else thinks differently from him = he’s wrong.
• Their work/book has been rejected by 10 others = it can’t be very good.

Money

• Money will motivate everyone.
• You can’t go broke making profits.
• If you start off broke, you’ve only one way to go: broker.

Communicating/ Influencing

• When I talk, people hear.
• I came to the interview = they know I want the job.
• I’ve sent them an email, so I’ve told them.
• It’s important I don’t show my feelings.
• To make a good decision I need to stay unemotional.
• A good argument has no need of a loud voice.
• The guy in the next room knows /understands what I’m doing.
• Affluence = influence.

Defensiveness

• You’re the first that happens to have said that.
• Attack is the best defence.

Failure/ Resilience

• I failed = I suck.
• I failed = my career is stuffed.
• Complaints (from customer or boss) = permanent disillusion.
• A successful person is someone who is a failure as a failure.

Myths of management

• If you tell people the truth, they’ll win and you’ll lose.
• Nice guys finish last.
• A manager’s job is to come up with the answers.
• It’s a big mistake to promote someone too quickly.
• Don’t worry about the big issues, just do your job.

Uncategorised

• Life can be a bit hit and myth.
• I’ll have another opportunity later to prepare/do my homework.
• The most important thing in selling is to first get through the front door.
• A secret is something you tell one person at a time.
• Tell one person a secret and it’s still a secret.
• You’re now working part time.
• The pupil always learns more than the coach.
• If you want to succeed, arrive before the boss and leave after him/her.

Annuities


The concept of recurrent events or annuities is eloquently illustrated by the proverb: Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he eats for a lifetime. Here are some famous parodies:

• Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach him how to fish, and you get rid of him for the whole weekend.

• Old Yiddish proverb: Catch a man a fish, and you can sell it to him. Teach a man to fish, and you ruin a wonderful business opportunity.

Annuities (cont'd)

• Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

• Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man, and he'll eat for a lifetime.

A new attempt: Give a man a dish, and he'll stay for a meal. Teach him to do the dishes, and he won't want you to cook for him again.

Managing career risk

Career wrists have Repetitive Strain Injury.

Many of us are workaholics. But at least we are not as bad as Rodney Dangerfield's father: every time he even thought about working, he got drunk.

Managing career risk is quite paradoxical, for to “career” means to travel at full speed, and, at full speed, managing career risk is very difficult.

Managing career risk (cont'd)

It is only a short step from having a career to having a carer.

In turbulent times we have to do more with less, more-or-less. We don't have mates anymore; only approxi-mates.

People like getting praise, especially extended praise, which is also known as a pay raise.

Opportunities

We have a lifetime of opportunities, and each may be an opportunity of a lifetime.

It is rare that someone can keep a good job, do the cleaning and cook a good dinner. Usually, it is best if people specialise and outsource. But if you are lucky enough to find someone who can bring in money, do the cleaning and the cooking, then, be quick, marry them.

Opportunities cont'd

Two of the most valuable questions you can ask yourself are:
“Which of my habits are most likely to cause me to regularly miss opportunities – both for myself and for others?”, and
“How can I identify any blind spots which may have the same impact?”

Of course, another valuable question is:
“What are two of the most valuable questions that I can ask myself?”

Reflection

For many people, the only time they have for reflection is when they are shaving or getting a haircut, and, even then, the only reflecting they do is through a mirror, and, even then, the mirror is usually just a looking glass.

It is one thing to be transparent, but there are times when clarity is better off foiled. Of course, you don't want to address the management techniques known as the Mirror Method, signalled by the phrase: “I'll look into it.”

Links

Will the real Ian Pollard please stand up?

Google Ian Pollard photos and you’ve got a big choice. In particular I want you to note that I am not Ian Pollard the naturist gardener mentioned (and pictured) Here

Jess-in-time

If you like Investing in Your Life, another work I was involved in the making of is online at jesspollard.com. Although not yet in its final form, comments are still welcome.

My daughter has a unique music management style: it's called Jess-in-time.

Take home message

Are you spending too much time online and not enough time communicating with your family?

..then tell your family to get their own websites, blogs, Twitters, Facebook pages, LinkedIn accounts, etcetera.