Friends of Dave #96: Things That Make Me Wonder....

And now, from a location 1,500 miles from the Home Office in Wahoo, NE....

This week, instead of the normal intro to the newsletter, I thought I'd use this space to share a short (not quite a "Top Ten" in the classic David Letterman sense) list of random things I have actually spent time thinking about recently.

I wonder:

.....how complicated has life gotten that we now have to specifically designate that our coffee be "hot" at the drive thru? Can't we spare the unnecessary banter and agree that "hot" simply should be the universal default for how hot water filtered through ground up coffee beans is served unless I say otherwise?

.....if a middle aged guy knocked on your door wearing a red cardigan, greeted you with "Hi Neighbor!" and offered to have your kid come over to help feed his fish and ride the "Neighborhood Trolley" with him to meet his puppet friend Lady Elaine in the Land of Make Believe, would you accept his friend request on Facebook?

.....have you seen what I was saying when I pointed out the affinity Millennial parents have with mega strollers?

.....wouldn't every interview (including job interviews and performance reviews) be so much more interesting if you had the option to have Lil Wayne there?

.....maybe I am old fashioned or just uptight, but when did meeting start times become fluid? I mean, I understand that a 5 minute grace period is standard. But when did it become okay for it to start 10 minutes or more late? Particularly if you request the call/meeting in the first place?

.....if someone refers to themself as a "serial entrepreneur," isn't it likely a sign that they are probably more of a failure than a success story? But if someone else calls them a "serial entrepreneur," there's a good chance the opposite is true? And, either way, isn't it just best practice not to include any term that has a remote chance of evoking an image of Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy or Jeffrey Dahmer on your LinkedIn profile?

.....if "hangry" is what you are when you are kind of peeved because you just need to eat ("hungry" + "angry"), what are you when you are kind of peeved because you are at the department of motor vehicles? Or because you are at a middle school band recital and your kid really is just not good at playing their instrument?

.....how is it that my near 18 year old offspring continually "forgets" to turn off a light when he leaves a room, "accidentally" uses 95% of the family data plan within the first 5 days of the month, "can't even" replace an empty toilet paper roll, and responds "I don't know" when asked what possessed him to wear shorts to school in sub 50 degree weather, yet the state has deemed him responsible enough to safely operate a vehicle at highway speeds, and he will soon be entrusted with a right to cast a vote in an election?

.....after months of emotional investment in them this summer, when does the other shoe drop and we learn that the Salmon Sisters weren't in fact named Emma or Claire, weren't even sisters at all and they never ran a business "from the boat"?

.....I don't know why I continue to be hung up on this, but what if the meaning of life is just to figure out what Willis was talkin' 'bout?

And just like that, we are heading into November...Have fun (and be safe!) trick or treating this week and enjoy the selections below.

XOXO

Dave

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Read These to Get You Thinking...

Why Anger Is a Wasted Emotion

Solving our most pressing problems is a titanic undertaking. They can’t be fixed simply by letting our frustrations get the best of us nor by avoiding thinking about them in the first place.

The Difference Between Confidence and Arrogance is Empathy

Arrogance is a seductive feeling. When you dismiss someone in response to them dismissing your idea, you can feel as if you’ve taken back some power. This is temporary.

I know I have shared a lot about empathy in this space in the past, and I have to agree with this article about it's role as a diffuser and regulator of arrogance. As someone who can be very confident in my abilities and opinions, I have seen on more than one occasion the importance of working empathy into my interactions so that my confidence and enthusiasm for my point of view is not wrongly perceived.

Why Doctors Reject Tools That Make Their Jobs Easier

From the thermometer’s invention onward, physicians have feared—incorrectly—that new technology would make their jobs obsolete. Some timely lessons for all of us as we think about how our own roles and responsibilities will evolve with new technology.

And Here's A Few For The Day Job...

In Early Markets, Services Can Be a Competitive Advantage

At the beginning of a new wave, most customers don’t understand the technology well. So, they seek experts to guide them. Companies that provide services and education often win the early market. I've seen this first hand -- a focus on customer service and overall customer experience can effectively make up for emerging or developing technology.

How to Improve the Customer Experience by Making Your Company an Intelligent Enterprise

When integrating technologies such as analytics, blockchain and AI, enterprise organizations become an intelligent enterprise.

Are you focusing on finding the perfect price when you should be focusing on value?

Value and price are different in the eyes of your customers. This highlights the importance of learning to make your product value clear, without getting caught up on price.

How Connected Devices Are Revolutionizing How And Who We Pay

The use of voice-activated devices to buy and pay has surged by more than 50 percent from 2017 to 2018. Check out this interesting study (downloadable PDF as well) showing the impact that connected devices have on how we make payments and to whom. Because our behavior and experiences as consumers impact how we expect transactions to unfold, this is pertinent for EVERY industry. Worth reading.

Your Random Tidbits for the Week...

The Story Behind The Great French Mustache Strike of 1907

It was a hard knock life back in the early 1900's, yo. You even had to fight for your right to get your whiskers on.

The history of the cover song, and why it may be making a comeback.

If the cover song is making a comeback, then, of course, you should expect more Van Halen.

The real reasons why we walk on two legs, and not four

Imagine how much harder it would be trying to do the Electric Slide at your cousin's wedding....And forget about doing the Macarena....

And The Last Word....

A Public History of Elon Musk, As Told by His Ridiculous Twitter Account — www.theringer.com An entrepreneur once celebrated for seeing the big picture has become mired in the pointless muck of Twitter, just like the rest of us