2-3-4 Friday
‘Seeking to spark the most potential within you per word of any online newsletter’
1 thought
During the annual general meeting of Multi-Chem 3 weeks
ago, someone asked the directors, what they were doing with the plastic circuit board (PCB) business.
The company had transited away from the PCB business, into distributing cybersecurity software. That was now making 99% of their revenues.
You would have thought the natural thing to do would be to close down that PCB business, sack everyone else, and make a business-minded, rational decision. But when I heard the director share about their decision to slowly wind it
down, I was surprised.
We’ve had many long term staff of that company, who’ve been with us for many years.
They are now closing retirement and we can now wind down the business in the coming year.
They were keeping the staff to ensure that they still had a job, even when the role may not necessarily make the company the most money.
Companies don’t just make money, they provide a livelihood to staff. And sometimes, even
companies make decisions that aren’t necessarily the most efficient.
There is a place for inefficiencies in our lives. Buffers. Places where we are not maximising the returns on what we do.
For example:
- Not trying to maximise every waking moment with checking emails, clearing work messages etc.
- The in-between times when you wait for a bus, someone to arrive, and there’s the urge to flip out your phone and quickly find something to do
- Trying to
get the highest return on every dollar you invest
How do we be comfortable with inefficiencies? As hard as this advice sounds, maybe we can take a lesson from Multi-Chem. To recognise the value of being kind to others.
This newsletter has spoken many times about the value of being kind to oneself. But to others?
Not much. How does sustaining inefficiencies allow you to be kind to others, and is there really a point to
that?
I would argue that when we allow for inefficiencies in our lives, when we stop trying to squeeze the value of every resource (time, money, people), then others start finding us a pleasure to work and be with.
What does this mean?
1 talk
Sometimes, inefficiencies help you be more effective.
1 tip
Recently someone said my behaviour was rather selfish. That I thought about myself
most times and little about others.
I wondered how this impression came about.
I would think that I am kind and considerate, caring, and empathetic.
In that situation with my friend, I was late. But in past weeks, I’ve also realised that I’ve been asking favours of others, without wondering what it would be like to receive such an ask.
In simple words I’ve been an asshole. And now I was feeling jaded of constantly initiating meetings
with others, and angry that no one wanted to hang out with me.
Perhaps today, that’s you (not the asshole bit, but the lonely bit). You find yourself lonely, tired, and wondering why no one is asking you out.
You wonder why no one initiates a conversation with you over WhatsApp.
You wonder why you’re seemingly alone, most times.
Maybe the reason isn’t that you’re bad. It’s just that the impression of you is not that
great. How do you change that? Maybe start by showing a little kindness to someone else, starting by leaving more buffers in your life.
Things to try?
- Leave 2 weekday nights free each week, rather than stuffing every night with activity
- Set healthy expectations from the beginning - if you’re a bad at replies, say it from the outset - I usually reply in 72 hours, so please don’t take it personally when I reply late.
- Before you ask a friend for a
favour, ask yourself what favours you’ve done for a friend. It’s not a trade, but you should at least have deposited something into the friendship account before you take something out.
What do you do to be kind to others? You can simply reply this message.
John
Live Young, Live Well - Work Your Love
Think
others might benefit? I’m counting on you. Forward this on.