`
|
 |
Peter's site
|
www.MadmanPierre.com
|
 |
There are many phrases and "sayings" that I have disagreed with, some strongly,
some mildly. Here are some of my observations and, dare I say, improvements...
|
The saying |
Better |
Explanation |
|
A lack of planning on your part is not an emergency on mine. |
A lack of planing on your part may well constitute an emergency on mine. |
We all of us make mistakes. What if firemen or paramedics took this same attitude?
So... how can I help you through this crisis and how can I help so that it doesn't
happen again. If you don't care to do it because you are benevolent - how about
doing it for good business reasons? Find a need and fill it - a great way to make
money.
Now, this doesn't apply to situations where a co-worker has done something that
is going to cause them to suffer and, if you help them it will cause the company
a bigger problem (because you aren't doing your job.) And in a few causes,
it doesn't apply to situations where a customer is going to suffer because they
didn't plan ahead properly. But in this case you almost always need to be very careful
about how you handle it, you need to handle it with sympathy and try to assist in
a way to minimize their problem. |
|
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. |
Do unto others as they would have you do unto them. |
Different people want different things. If you want a hot spicy pizza, giving someone
else a hot spicy pizza might not be a nice thing to do for them. In this saying
- the original statement is in fact properly worded, but many people misinterpret
it. You see, at a deeper level - doing unto others what you would have them do unto
you IS doing what they would have you do. Because - don't you want people to do
for you what you need and want? So, the original saying is correct, it is just applied
incorrectly. There are books like "The 4 loves" that talk about
how different people want different things. Find out what others want and give that
to them and you will truly be doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. |
|
The customer is always right. |
Treat the customer with respect. |
You need to consider at all times that the customer might be correct. It could be
your mistake. Also, even when the customer is wrong, there are many times when it
is better for the long term if you treat the customer as if they were correct. Consider
how serious the issue is and whenever possible, treat the customer as if they are
correct. But there are times that it is appropriate, and quite likely necessary
to understand the customer is wrong and deal with the fact. But remember still to
treat the customer with respect. |
|
There are no dumb questions. |
Yes there are. |
Don't ask, figure it out because...you'll regret it if you ask! |
|
|
|
If you don't understand the next one, just skip the 2nd column
and go straight to the explaination. |
|
Bureaucracy. |
The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. |
Note that the word BureauCRACY ends very close to "crazy". People in Bureaucracy
will tell you that the system exists to HELP YOU. But notice, they tell you this,
usually at times when it ISN'T HELPING YOU. While the original attempt in some cases
was genuinely to help the people the bureauCRAZY was created for. In most
cases, very quickly, bureacracy becomes a tool to serve the bureaucractizers (yes
I know that probably isn't a word.) I have helped create bureacracies, because at
times they were necessary, but I try very very hard to make them so that they are
flexible as possible and that they are created with the ability to adapt and change,
created with a requirement to re-evaluate and change. But still, once created, a
bureaucracy, if it happens to start out useful, almost immediately stops serving
its clients and starts bowing down to the idol of serving those that manage the bureaucracy.
I get angry, I rail against these bureaucracies, but of course, it is normally a
waste of breath. Those in charge will usually defend the bureaucracy and try to
keep it operating (I originally said working, but clearly the correct word is operating).
They tend to get MORE rigid, not more flexible. They tend to get worse not better.
And sooner or later, the clients, if they have any choice, will move away and the
bureaucracy starts to crumble. In most cases, it crumbles FAR too late. In politics,
the bureaucracies often succum to civil war - and from my study of wars (not very
extensive at all) it seems that most civil wars are warranted, and most are railing
against bureaucracies gone off the deep end.
Is it easy to make a bureacracy flexible? No. Is it worthwhile? If you can make
it more flexible - in almost every case - yes. |
|
You can never go wrong with land. It always goes up in value. |
Land is one o the best investments - if you are wise about it. |
I am absolutely amazed at how many people tell me "you can never go wrong with land"
"land is a guaranteed investment" "land always goes up in value". I've heard this
from people who don't invest (and probably shouldn't until they understand what
they are doing better), I've heard this from people who have lost their shirts in
the stock market and figure they now know what they should do. I've heard it from
land bankers, from business men. I even heard it in Calgary in mid 2008, after some
housing prices had collapsed 35% - from a business man. When I confronted him with
the facts he dismissed it as a short term aberration, that if you wait LONG ENOUGH
it will always go up in value. For more information, go to my investing page. |
|
On the lighter side...
|
I've been know to say ... |
"As you know, there are only 25 hours in a day...And I don't know why I always seem
to a little short of time every day..." |
|
|
© COPYRIGHT 1996-2009 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Peter Horwood |