#notice #credit #blame #SmoothOperations #EfficientOperations
We expect things to work.
When they do, usually we don’t notice. We only notice when they DON’T work.
We discussed this previously concerning wifi service. We don’t care if it’s “booming,” as the Xfinity ad says. We just want it to work all the time. Far too often, it doesn’t. Then, we notice.
Government is like that, too. When government hums along, we don’t notice it. We don’t hear about it. Usually, that means it’s working.
When it doesn’t work, we notice and, usually, hear about it.
Here’s another way to apply this logic. When you dress properly for a job interview, usually the interviewer won’t notice. That means the applicant can get the interviewer to notice other things, like his or her personality, work ethic and qualifications.
But, if the applicant is not appropriately dressed, that’s all the interviewer will notice.
It’s been said that the goal of some jobs is to make oneself obsolete, so that the charges can function smoothly and well without the boss being present.
Unfortunately, some bosses, looking to advance their own careers, MUST be omnipresent, so that they can claim all the credit for jobs well done.
Companies, and politicians, thrive on notice. When things work, they want to shout it from the rooftops. They want to make sure, in the case of companies, that those not yet buying their product or service are told how well those products or services work.
Politicians want to get re-elected, so they want to broadcast how well things are going on their watch.
When things don’t go well, the politicians, in most cases, try to past blame to predecessors or opponents.
To paraphrase President Ronald Reagan, we could do more good things if we didn’t have to worry about who gets the credit. Would fewer bad things happen if we didn’t worry as much about who gets the blame?
We don’t have to force ourselves to think about things more because they are working.
In such cases, blissful contentment is a perfectly fine response.
But, when things go wrong, we may tend to harken back to when they were working. But, don’t spend much time on such nostalgia. Work to fix the problem so your blissful contentment can return.
Every employer should want their employees to operate smoothly and profitably whether they are present or not.
But, if there is any public credit to be bestowed, give most, if not all of it, to the employees. You can take your own credit in silence at home.
Aspire not only for a good, productive workplace, but one that operates so well your customers hardly notice, if at all.
Perhaps you can even strive for a workplace that works so well, your employees don’t notice.
Peter
Tag Archives: XFinity
IS YOUR INTERNET ‘BOOMING’? XFINITY WANTS YOU TO THINK SO
#Xfinity #WiFi #booming #InternetService #ReliableInternetService
The Xfinity ad says, “The WiFi is booming!”
One might get the impression that it is so fast, and so reliable, that you actually notice that it is “booming!”
In fact, the ad makes you think that people are moving to Xfinity territories because the wifi is booming.
Actually, depending on where you live, there can be relatively frequent spotty outages.
Though the Xfinity app lets you know they are aware of the outage(s), they can vary by length and frequency.
When the wifi goes out for whatever reason, one cannot think of it as “booming!”
The economy can be booming. Business, if you own one, can be booming. It’s really a stretch to think of wifi as booming.
These days, it’s tough to live without wifi. Certainly, one can buy data plans that don’t require Internet connections, but most of us use the internet for just about everything – phone, TV, computers and other devices.
Some older folks use it sparingly. Most younger folks use it constantly. In fact, for younger folks, they are on it all the time, or close to.
Even if you are on the internet frequently, it’s tough to think of it booming. In fact, you probably don’t think about it at all, unless it goes out. In fact, a good utilitarian service should not be noticed if it is working.
When was the last time you received a handwritten letter in the mail? Or, when was the last time you received a holiday card in the mail?
Most such communications are done by text or e-mail, or through social media.
It’s certainly less time-consuming to send a text or e-mail, vs. a letter or card.
It’s even getting so commonplace, we no longer see such communication as impersonal.
Not only is it less time-consuming to send electronic messages, you can send the same messages to an unlimited number of people with one click.
Not only is it no longer impersonal, it’s extremely convenient. So much so that it’s getting tough to live without it.
That’s what makes lengthy outages so frustrating.
So, the next time you use the internet for whatever purpose, remember that Xfinity wants you to think of it as “booming!”
Most of us would rather think of it as fast and reliable, which is not always the case.
Communication, business and entertainment have been revolutionized by the internet. Some of us have to constantly watch our screen time, because we can get too much of a good thing.
As long as the internet works, life is normal. When it doesn’t, it could be a real pain.
So, ask yourself: Does my internet provider make my life “booming?”
Maybe. But, just as likely, maybe not.
Peter
The Xfinity ad says, “The WiFi is booming!”
One might get the impression that it is so fast, and so reliable, that you actually notice that it is “booming!”
In fact, the ad makes you think that people are moving to Xfinity territories because the wifi is booming.
Actually, depending on where you live, there can be relatively frequent spotty outages.
Though the Xfinity app lets you know they are aware of the outage(s), they can vary by length and frequency.
When the wifi goes out for whatever reason, one cannot think of it as “booming!”
The economy can be booming. Business, if you own one, can be booming. It’s really a stretch to think of wifi as booming.
These days, it’s tough to live without wifi. Certainly, one can buy data plans that don’t require Internet connections, but most of us use the internet for just about everything – phone, TV, computers and other devices.
Some older folks use it sparingly. Most younger folks use it constantly. In fact, for younger folks, they are on it all the time, or close to.
Even if you are on the internet frequently, it’s tough to think of it booming. In fact, you probably don’t think about it at all, unless it goes out. In fact, a good utilitarian service should not be noticed if it is working.
When was the last time you received a handwritten letter in the mail? Or, when was the last time you received a holiday card in the mail?
Most such communications are done by text or e-mail, or through social media.
It’s certainly less time-consuming to send a text or e-mail, vs. a letter or card.
It’s even getting so commonplace, we no longer see such communication as impersonal.
Not only is it less time-consuming to send electronic messages, you can send the same messages to an unlimited number of people with one click.
Not only is it no longer impersonal, it’s extremely convenient. So much so that it’s getting tough to live without it.
That’s what makes lengthy outages so frustrating.
So, the next time you use the internet for whatever purpose, remember that Xfinity wants you to think of it as “booming!”
Most of us would rather think of it as fast and reliable, which is not always the case.
Communication, business and entertainment have been revolutionized by the internet. Some of us have to constantly watch our screen time, because we can get too much of a good thing.
As long as the internet works, life is normal. When it doesn’t, it could be a real pain.
So, ask yourself: Does my internet provider make my life “booming?”
Maybe. But, just as likely, maybe not.
Peter