Casual Fridays

Do it.

My brother-in-law and I had an interesting incident over Memorial Day weekend. We were having a party for my son’s first birthday. So, we went to Albertson’s to pick up my son’s birthday cake and some propane for my grill.

After we paid for everything, the clerk tells the grocery bagger to help us exchange my empty propane tank for a full one.

Bagger: (Blank look) I don’t know how to do that.

Clerk: Ask Suzie.

Bagger: (Blank look)

Clerk: Suzie? Can you help him exchange propane for these customers?

Suzie: Sure. (pulls out and holds up keys) Here are the keys, you know where the tanks are.

Bagger: (Blank look) I don’t know how to do that.

Suzie: (Scary look) You’ve got to be kidding me. They just gave me these keys this morning and I’ve been doing it all day.

Bagger: (Blank look)

Then Suzie helped us.

Wanna hear the REALLY ironic part?

The baggers name was “Will”.

I think his middle name is “Not”.

Update: Looks like Mike Wagner at Own Your Brand ran into his own “Will” recently. He’s asking for suggestions to overcome the “$30,000 Toothbrush Scandle”.

Maybe we can volley suggestions back-and-forth on how brand managers can overcome issues like Albertson’s Will and the Mike’s Toothbrush Nazi.

Over at Businesspundit, Rob points to a research project that claims employee satisfaction efforts do not bear the fruit we anticipate. Read Rob’s take and let me know what you think.

It boils down to whether we hire happy people, or we try to make our employees happy. Is job satisfaction and performance tied into your employee’s personalities or the environment you create?

Bonus Question

Does the environment you create attract employees of the proper personality?

One of my favorite posts (that I’ve written anyways) was Ideas vs. Opinions. I don’t know that it was 100% accurate, but I think the message was right on.

I’d like to expound on this idea some more. So here’s a new comparison chart. I hope you find this helpful.

I think the biggest “challenge” to challenging is knowing how to do so without patronizing.

I gave this new presentation to a great group of guys and gals at the Forestry On The Grow Conference this morning.

It’s a little comparison of Dotcom vs. Web 2.0. I enjoyed the challenge of putting it together and will probably load a version of it on my blog soon.

…act like you’ve been there before.

Sorry for the technical difficulties over the last week. I actually lost two posts from last Friday in the process.

But it’s good to know I’m not the only one with 404 issues.

Unrelated: I’m taking my son camping this weekend, so my posts today will be sparce. But I can’t wait to spend some quality time my 4 year-old boy. Special times.

I love these 12 principles of self-leadership from Rosa Sayat Lifehacker.

This is my favorite

5. Learn to love ideas and experiments. Turn them into pilot programs that preface impulsive decisions. Everything was impossible until the first person did i

It’s Friday again.

I’m sitting in front of my computer with several ideas to blog.

Honestly, I don’t want to.

Not because I don’t like blogging.

Not because I don’t like writing.

Mostly because they’re good ideas.

Not great ideas.

Not world-changing ideas.

It’s the kind of stuff you’ll read, possibly enjoy, but in the end… you’ll go back to sipping your coffee and checking your email.

What a waste!

(of my time and yours)

CRAP! [sudden realization of how long I've been writing without a true impact]

I used to write because I felt inspired.  My first blog was about spirituality, inspiration, and musings.

Then I began blogging about business and marketing ideas that were bouncing around in my head.  I needed a place for them to crystalize.

Now, I think I blog because it’s Friday.

It’s Friday and I promised my readers I would update on Fridays.

Did you hear that sound?

That was the sound of passion getting sucked right outta me.

I’m not complaining.

Things are good.

I’m not depressed… at all.

In fact, I feel more lucid and excited than usual.

I simply WANT IT BACK!!!!!

So forget Fridays.

If I get inspired on Monday, I’m going to post it.

I think my passion has a short shelf life.  No preservatives added.  Gotta use it now or it spoils.

If I’m not inspired on Friday, I’m not going to try to drum something up.

I love writing.  I love blogging.  I love marketing and business ideas.  Heck, I love ideas!  And I love participating in a community of other idea-lovers.

Well, now that I’ve let that tiger out of the cage, let’s see what happens.

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…to buy this later.

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