GarthBox

I imagine you’re like me in that you never feel fulfilled at the end of the day when all you’ve done is respond and react to the inbox. When the day is all about satisfying requests made of you, it’s not that enthralling. Don’t get me wrong, it fills the bucket a bit and needs to happen, but a day solely dedicated to it is no good.

The same can be said for a day that all you do is make requests, do follow ups, send stuff out. A day of shipping and only shipping is exhausting, demoralizing even.

The reality is that many of us fall into the first camp far more often than the second.

It begs a reflective question to ask at the end of each day: what percentage was I operating like an inbox versus an outbox.

It’s fair to say 50/50 is a great goal. 60/40 is fulfilling, too. 70/30 is cause for concern. And any more split than that? We need immediate course correction.

Stay Positive & What’s Your Split So Far Today?

Even if it’s half-assed.

Even if it’s at the end of the day.

Even if it’s not exactly how you wanted to do it.

It really doesn’t matter what followed the “even if” …

What matters is that we do it. Drip by drip.

Tomorrow is another day to try to get to do it better than today.

But at least we can go to sleep knowing we did it today.

By all means, if you can full-ass it, do it.

But half is better than none.

Stay Positive & Drip By Drip By Drip (No Matter The Size Of The Drip)

At the agency I was at, there wasn’t any slack. No options to input my .25 into ideation or connecting with a coworker or trying something new – the immeasurable. Sure there was a catchall bucket, but they tried measuring that and there was a limit on how much was permitted.

A little slack goes a long way and it’s best we recognize it and offer it when possible.

Beverage distributors can measure and track every element of a sales reps day, but it behooves them to leave an hour not to scrutinize. If the rep wants to use it to have work life blend or to chat longer with an account or go out and sample a competitor – so be it. It’ll add to the longevity of their tenure.

The scenarios are endless of course. Heck, there’s even some slack in part of the story of the novel I’m writing; offering freedom for mental exploration by the reader.

Give others slack when possible, of course. But give yourself some slack, too.

Stay Positive & Forward Faster

I had an incredibly nice customer service rep when I called a national appliance store. One of the nicest I’ve spoken to when calling about an issue (not just with this specific business).

Without her taking the right actions to correct the issue with the appliance and delivery, niceness wouldn’t have mattered. In fact, her tone would have been more aggravating than not.

Niceness can’t make up for bad decisions, but it does make right ones way more right.

Stay Positive & Thankfully Niceness Is In Our Control

The faster you can see it their way, the quicker you can empathize and help.

The quicker you can see it their way, the faster you can stop judging or being frustrated at them.

One watch-out -for, though; seeing it their way with speed does not permit us to be angrier at them for not seeing it our way.

Their speed isn’t the point. Ours is.

Stay Positive & Vroom Vroom

Two challenges when you’re considering trade offs.

The first is the actual gain of the trade off. This is easy-ish to evaluate, regardless if we like the result or not.

The second is evaluating if the tradeoff is even necessary. Can there be changes made so there’s no need for a tradeoff? This is the hard thing to do.

We all have a bit more time, bit more energy, bit more help if we wanted it.

The challenge is answering and owning if we do want it or not.

Stay Positive & Trade Off Costs Are Only As Real As We Make Them

I’m at another conference. This one is about the beverage industry. And there’s a recurring thread through every single panel, Q&A, and thought leadership session.

It’s the simplest message, really. One that they talk about when things go right and one they talk about when things go wrong.

It’s what they all go back to after describing a story, a narrative, a partnership, or consumer research.

Communication.

And not just any kind of communication. Proactive. One that makes someone feel that you give a damn about a shared goal.

The cool part is there’s no skillshare, masterclass, or certification for it. It’s inherent to our humanity. We simply need to do more of it and all that is is a choice.

Stay Positive & There’s No Such Thing As Overcommunication