THE ENTERPRISE--THREE STORIES, THREE LESSONS, ALL ABOUT FROGS

 

I NEVER WROTE THESE IN THE ENTERPRISE—BUT I TOLD THEM MANY TIMES IN SPEAKING SPOTS.

The lessons are simple, but unforgettable. You may have heard one or all of them. They are relevant because the government is handing out more and more “created money to ease pandemic created hardships.” But a lot of the handouts aren’t aimed at the hardships. They are just handouts. Like dropping money randomly from a plane.

 

“Created money” is money that has not come in from normal tax or other revenues, but is printed (created) by the Federal Reserve with nothing at all backing it. Sooner or later it will create both massive debts someone will need to address—and inflation, where everyone’s money is worth less. (That’s how the "banana republics" in Latin America end up with useless currency, massive inflation and abject poverty.)

 

The other problem with handing out "newly created money" is that it totally destroys the will and willingness to work. If you get $300-$600/week ($7.50-$15,00/hour) plus your regular unemployment and welfare of several hundred dollars per week, why work? Good jobs for low-skilled workers don’t pay that much. You might as well stay home, eat, drink and watch TV or play video games.   Thus the labor shortage, amidst high unemployment.

 

Story No. 1: The Scorpion & the Frog

A Scorpion wanted to get across the pond but can’t swim. He asks the Frog to give him a ride across. The Frog says, “Why should I?” You’ll just sting me and we’ll both die!”  The Scorpion answers, “No, I won’t do that. I’d die too. Trust me.” So the Frog relents and lets the Scorpion climb aboard. Half way across, he stings the Frog and as both are going under, dying, the Frog asks the Scorpion, “Why would you do something so dumb as to sting me. We are both dying now.”  The Scorpion’s answer as he goes under is: “It’s in my nature; that’s what Scorpions do; they sting others.

 

NOTE: These aren't political lessons, but if you take them that way, you are forgiven.

 

Moral: When behavior is ingrained in a creature, it’s virtually impossible to change, even if not changing is fatal.

 

Story No. 2: The Fisherman and the Snake

A Fisherman was fishing in a boat, and felt a tug on his line. He reeled in his catch and found a snake on his hook. In the Snake’s mouth was a small frog—its lunch. Feeling bad for denying the Snake its lunch, the Fisherman removed the hook and threw both the Snake and the frog back into the pond. Soon he felt a couple of stronger tugs on his line. He reeled in his catch and found the Snake again. This time the Snake had two frogs in his mouth.

 

Moral: The behavior rewarded is the behavior repeated.

 

Story No. 3: A riddle:

Q: Three frogs are sitting on a log. One decides to jump off the log. Now how many frogs are sitting on the log?

A: If you said two, that’s wrong. The correct answer is still three. The fact that one frog decided to jump off, doesn’t mean it actually did jump off. 

 

Moral: There is a difference between decision and action. If a decision is made and no action is taken, nothing changes. Change requires action after the decision.

 

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SIMPLE LESSONS BUT DEEP MEANINGS.

Only if you learn from these lessons, will you actually take action and make changes.  People who have reached adulthood, seldom change very much. Some believe that after their teen years they don’t change, but I think it’s somewhere after they’ve entered the world of work as an adult. Like the Scorpion, their behavior becomes ingrained in their nature. Then denial sets in and every bad incident becomes "someone else’s fault" (like the frog for being trusting). The bonus column, while decades old, identifies a few types of  “problem people” discovered over years of experience. 

 

Most people are basically good. Few of them purposely do the wrong things, and then, it’s usually driven by insecurity or past painful outcomes. A small percentage (1-5%?) aren’t “good,” with deeply ingrained negative motives and behaviors, and those people hurt everyone else. I call it “poisoning the well” —from which everyone drinks. (The “problem people" identified in the Bonus Column, may—or may not—be fixable, depending on what their underlying motivations are.)

 

Consider your decisions carefully. Once you have decided, take action. Don’t hesitate. Get rid of them. Waiting makes the problem worse, not better. It’s not mean-spirited to fire them. By removing one “bad actor” you do a big favor the the 20, 50, or more, good people. Maybe the ‘bad actor" will find somewhere else where they fit better. Or worse, maybe they’ll find more “wells to poison.” (In today’s conflicted world, this message applies to “bad cops,” "bad clergy,” and anyone else who "poisons the well' over and over.)

 

Now you know what to do. What are you waiting for?

 

Best, JOHN

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BONUS COLUMN

Four kinds of problem people  ©John Mariotti 2004

In the age of the Internet, the computer, and the most exciting advances in information and telecommunications technology in history, there seem to be few limits to what networked microprocessors can do to help humans and businesses. Yet, despite all this technology, things still go wrong. Why? Because people get in the way. Either consciously or unconsciously, people sabotage systems and thwart progress. Here are four kinds of problem people to watch out for:

1. The over-promise and under-deliver type--This person wants to please you, knowing that what you are asking for is important and needs to be done. So he or she says, "Yes" to every request, agreeing to do more than is possible. These people may not realize that they lack the time, energy, resources, or knowhow to make it all happen. So what gets done is late, and a lot of things never get done. Their credibility suffers, along with their relationships with all of the recipients of their broken promises. Apologies are followed by new promises that also end up broken, despite the best of intentions.

Favorite line: "I'm sorry. I sure intended to get that done for you" and "I'll do better next time."

2. The not-invented-here (NIH) type--This individual understands that there are many different ways to accomplish things. But he or she often refuses to accept proposed solutions that were not created in his or her mind, group, department, etc. This is frequently an experienced person who has seen and done a lot of things--including some that did not turn out well because "someone else" created problems. As NIH types see it, there is a right way (theirs) to do things and all the other (wrong) ways. Active NIH people openly tell others why alternative approaches won't work, while passive ones work "underground," quietly resisting, ignoring, or sabotaging others' ideas. Operating mysteriously in the background, the passives are the worst of the lot.

Favorite line: "We tried that before and it didn't work" and "I know, I told 'them' about that months ago!"

3. The information hoarder--This person is a human "black hole, "sucking in information from various systems, subordinates, and peers—but sharing it only when it is to his or her advantage. Never caught without an answer, but always protective of their sources, these people regard their hoarded information as a source of power. Even their bosses have to dig hard to uncover important information that they've squirreled away. Peers get information only when they have something to give in return, or when it boosts the hoarder's reputation as a fountain of knowledge. Indispensable in a micro sense and disruptive in the larger scheme, the Internet and e-mail are slowly wiping out this species. But many of them still exist.

Favorite line: "Didn't you get that? I was sure I sent that information to you!"

4. The "no bad news" carrier--This type can put a favorable spin on any impending disaster. They just hate to give the boss bad news. They even hate to give peers or subordinates bad news. Fearful that delivering distressing reports somehow will reflect badly on them, they bury the worst of situations under a veil of minor good news. Or they just clam up, letting the bad news seep out elsewhere like an insidious oil slick. Even with strong encouragement to "tell it like it is," they will dress things up, making the situation seem better than it really is. The result is that remedial action is delayed, safety nets and alternative plans are not prepared, and others are blithely led down the road to failure—smiling to the bitter end.

Favorite lines: "I've got some good news and some bad news. Let me tell you the good news first" or "Gee, I thought I told you about that."

Certainly, in the world of business and management, you'll find many other types of saboteurs as well. Some mean well. Others are malicious. But all can cause untold damage. Beware!