Friends of Dave #304: attack of the hostile emojis
The Surprising Return of Goofus and Gallant
I'm pretty sure that most of you are of a certain age where you can remember the kids magazine called "Highlights."
Maybe you got it delivered home, read it at school, or, as I mostly did, had it as your go-to publication when sitting in a waiting room somewhere.
And maybe, like me, one of the staples of your reading would be checking in on the trials and tribulations of that nutty twosome "Goofus and Gallant."
If, as a kid, you had 99 problems and Goofus and Gallant weren't one, you clearly lived a sheltered, uninteresting life...I feel bad for you, son.
Written in comic strip format, this section was a way to teach kids lessons on how to act and behave in common, everyday circumstances. As you might guess, Goofus was always doing it wrong, and Gallant always showed the way on how to do it right.
So why oh why am I bringing this up, Friends?
Because I have been reminded over the past few weeks about how we all have had interactions with a Goofus (would that be Goofi, plural?) and Gallant at various points in our careers.
They could be in the form of managers, CEOs, boards, someone senior to us, or maybe just a salesperson who was doing cold outreach. There are just some people who know how to handle situations the right way, and some who always get it wrong (or lack the self awareness or the humility to get better).
In business, it is the difference between being viewed as a professional vs. an amateur.
And since there is no weekly Highlights magazine for business leaders, I thought I would use this space to help the cause and point out the right and wrong way to handle a few common business situations.
Email marketing:
Goofus: Makes the email about them -- their schedule, their company, why meeting would be good for them
Gallant: Makes the email about the recipient -- why it would be valuable for the recipient to meet, what problems can be solved for the recipient's company
Investing time and resources in building culture:
Goofus: Believes the "touchy-feely" stuff is low value and something HR should prioritize, not executives.
Gallant: Believes a strong culture is the back-bone for growth -- it is everyone's priority, starting at the top.
Making key hires:
Goofus: Is prone to chasing unicorns, changes their mind on job specs based on what "they hear" and prioritizes someone who is easy for them to manage over what is best for the team.
Gallant: Knows unicorns don't exist, is resolute in the key areas of need for the role and hires smart people that will strengthen the team.
Delegating:
Goofus: Focuses energy on micromanaging progress on a task and having it completed the way they would complete it as a source of personal validation.
Gallant: Focuses energy on being a resource to the person completing the task so that it is successful. The outcome is more important than the journey.
Decision making:
Goofus: Is afraid of making a mistake and always looks for a "Plan B" or an escape route. Usually listens to the last opinion they hear.
Gallant: Synthesizes information for themselves and comes to a clear decision. Knows they can course correct if needed. Listens to others, but trusts their gut.
Making introductions to your network:
Goofus: Just wants to get it off their "to-do" list. Sends intro emails without context or warning.
Gallant: Respects everyone's time and always follows the double opt-in approach to introductions.
"Picking your brain":
Goofus: Wants to pick your brain over coffee because there is something clearly in it for them.
Gallant: Doesn't want to pick your brain over coffee. They want to have a conversation that is a good use of time for both of you.
Firing people:
Goofus: Hates how it makes them feel. Prioritizes minimizing the personal impact and then the fallout for the company over everything else. Robotically follows policy to the letter.
Gallant: Hates how it makes everyone feel. Prioritizes being human and kind while making a difficult decision. Knows that policy is just a guide to achieve a desired outcome.
Using a "playbook":
Goofus: Has a set of strategies and tactics that they have used for years in their jobs and implements this "playbook" where ever they go without change.
Gallant: Has the humility to know that strategies and tactics need to be dynamic -- you can have a set of "plays" you prefer, but need to adapt to each situation.
Worrying about competition:
Goofus: Spends significant time and resource being distracted by and worrying about competitors.
Gallant: Spends significant time and resource improving their own execution. They know it is more important to control what they can control and let others worry about themselves.
Those are just a few that popped into my head. Did I miss any other good ones? Drop me an email and let me know your thoughts.
In the meantime, enjoy your weekly selections of articles below. No doubt that many of you will have a visceral reaction to the one about "hostile emojis"......and if you are like me, you promptly sent thumbs ups to EVERY Gen-Z person you know....
Have a great one!
XOXO
Dave
Think on This...
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For Your Day Job...
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Gen Z canceled the ‘hostile’ thumbs-up emoji and wants to ban these 9 others — nypost.com According to Gen Zer's, some of the emojis give off a passive-aggressive and even confrontational air and several even claimed that they felt attacked.
Starbucks wants to become the gas station of the future for EVs — www.fastcompany.com
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LISTEN: Joe Rogan interviews Steve Jobs — share.transistor.fm
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