Friends of Dave #224: selling adult lunchables
Here is the quickest way to piss someone off.
I'm a bit tired and ornery this week so I am going to straight at it, Friends.
There are so many ways to get under someone's skin.
Depending on where you are in your life, it could range from simple things like people not replacing an empty toilet paper roll, to someone speaking about themselves in the third person, to having to hear Spongebob on various screens throughout your house for hours.
But here's what I think the quickest trigger can be to really piss someone off:
Offer to help them and then not follow through.
We've all been there before. While this often involves someone in a position of authority, it can also easily come from peers, colleagues and friends as well.
By the way, this seemingly generous "offer" is often preceded by an equally off putting set of unsolicited opinions, ramblings, judgements, passive aggressive comments and pontifications about why you need the help in the first place.
That's like the prelude to the ultimate piss off.....a pregame of sorts. So fun.
It sometimes comes with good intentions, and the lack of follow through may be a result of circumstance. But most often, it's because the person who doesn't follow through on the offer is just an ass who just wanted to hear themselves talk or make themselves feel good.
I am once again reminded of the great Mark Suster article I have mentioned here before called "Lead, Follow or Get the F*ck out of the Way."
To me, leadership involves helping others achieve their goals. It means being proactive, being accountable and sticking to your word.
When someone offers to help someone, they are setting an expectation -- they should do their best to fulfill that expectation. If they made that offer with no real intention of following through, they are just wasting time and in the way of progress.
Instead of offering to "help" and not doing it, what they really need to do is just shut up and get the F*CK out of the way.
I told you I was tired and ornery, Friends. And when that happens, you usually get a good rant from me. Hope this quick one resonated.
Long Easter weekend for some -- hope you enjoy it. Quick preamble also means some more time to get into the articles. Couple interesting ones this week.
Stay safe everyone!
XOXO
Dave
Think on This...
Designing an Intentional Life. — www.justinwelsh.me
While designing an intentional life is difficult, it’s also achievable. It requires a combination of proper planning and habit formation, mixed with a bias for action and an eye for opportunity.
An "intentional life" is one devoted to doing only the things that bring joy, minimizes activities you don't like to do, provides as much freedom as possible and allows you define the type of employment you prefer. It seems a little out there, and VERY Millennial, but worth digging in -- some good stuff here to build upon.
For Your Day Job...
Imagine a workplace where you could actually tell the truth Most people won’t even think to tell the truth at work. In a society that seems to laud honesty, why is it so rare?
How top-management involvement in B2B relationships can drive—or kill—deals. This article describes five distinct roles played by senior executives in relation to strategic customers—hands-off, loose cannon, social visitor, dealmaker, and growth champion—and examines the risks and rewards of each type.Â
40 One-Sentence Productivity Tips
21. You can’t make something better until you’ve made it.
Some good, simple, quick insights into being productive and making the most of your time.
How to use data to remove features from your product One of the best things a product manager can do is to retire features that aren’t being used or are no longer adding value to the product.
Your Weekly Dose of Randomness...
South Dakota grocery store selling ‘adult lunchables’
"Adulting getting you down? Grab a snack that brings out your inner 4th grader."
Ultra-Processed Foods Have a Profound Impact on Heart Health, Study Shows
Guess what was at the top of list? Adult lunchables....
Inside the Dubious World of Olive Oil Labels
When I saw this refer to "Big Olive Oil" I was like -- look, she's over 100 years old, can't we just leave her alone already....
How Crying on TikTok Sells Books
"Interesting...." -- Gen Z. All fun and games until the WiFi goes down.
And The Last Word....
Where Are Those Shoes You Ordered? Check the Ocean Floor — www.wired.com More containers have fallen off ships in the past four months than are typically lost in a year. Blame heavy traffic and rolling waves.
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