Greg's Right FIT #393

Quick notes to help you grow your business in less time with less effort. . . sometime next week. 

In this issue: 

- Thoughts on Difficulty
- Being Human
- Random Stuff

Thoughts on Difficulty

• Confrontation is management tool, and most salespeople don't like using it. This is why they struggle when they get promoted to management. It's an easy fix. Just use it. 
• Bureaucrats have no power to reach outcomes, so they make rules. This works to keep organizations stable, but it's helpful to have people on staff allowed to blow through them. Bureaucrats keep the lights on, but anti-bureaucrats spur the organization forward. 
• Is this a we-problem or a me-problem? A lot of difficulties look like we-problems, but are really me-problems. Recognize the difference by orienting the situation to the goal. Is the action getting us closer to the goal? If so, the issue may be a me-problem. There are a lot of paths to the goal, even if you don't particularly like it. 
• Inside difficult conversations, recognize the phrase "you're right." Research tells us the issue isn't being solved here. Instead, a wall is building up. Address the "you" in "you're right" to see if you can turn it into a "that," as in "that's right." Difficulty melts away when both parties agree. That's right. 

Being Human - A cover

"Never judge a book by its cover." – person who just labored over deciding on a cover

I finally got a cover approved. Thanks to you who offered feedback on the early ideas. It's not an easy process! Damir, the graphic artist (who is great, btw) did his best to nudge me off my worst impulses, and the publisher gave their approval. 

Now that I have a cover mocked up I can do things like this:

Yep. Fake books. Very useful. I can almost see it on the bookseller's wall at the airport. 

What this really means, though, is we're making progress on book production! Or at least getting a little closer.

Now it's time to prep for the launch. . .like coming up with article ideas to submit to trade journals. If you get a publication delivered that you actually read, let me know which one. I'll add them to my list of publications to pitch. 

Good stuff. 

Random Stuff

". . .the catfish is a plenty good enough fish for anybody."
– Mark Twain

One of my early experiences after arriving in Omaha, Nebraska for school was visiting a riverside shack serving fried chicken and catfish. And "corn fritters." (oh, and beer to underage drinkers) It's along the muddy Missouri River, and it's called the Surfside Club. Don't let the name fool you, it's a dump. You sit out by the muddy Mo', battling the heat and flies, getting mooned and boobed. 

Yes, besides the greasy food, and loose serving policy, the other feature of the Surfside is the boaters floating by, blasting music and either mooning, or flashing their boobs at you. Or both. 

We'd revisit this experience once every five or ten years. And went again this last weekend. I had heard it burned down or flooded out, but it's back! It's actually kind of nice now. There is a stage, live music, a good-sized boat slip, and a special parking place for motorcycles. I even ate the catfish. The first few times I stayed away from it, imagining weird toxic creatures being pulled out of the river, but since then, I learned these are farmed fish. I don't know why that makes a difference, but it's a story I tell myself as I order the "platter." 

We took the kids one year. My middle child was probably five years old. While we waited in line, I took him over to a platform near the river. On cue, a boat floats by and the occupants hoot and holler while showing us their butts and boobs. The river runs fast, but not that fast. It takes a minute for them to make their way past us. I am standing behind my son and give them my best, "Really?" look, dreading the inevitable questions to come. I mean, they were probably 30 feet away from us. We're right on the river. 

After a minute of silence, watching the water from their boat wake lap against the shore, my son speaks.

"Did you see that, Dad?" he said.

I freeze, measuring my response. "See what?" I said. 

"Look at the water," he said, pointing to some foam forming on the riverbank. "See that?" 

Yes, I say. Yes, I see it. Your Dad has seen a lot of things today.