Remember to turn it off...
Written by Anthony Demangone
As a law student, professors trained me to spot flaws in an argument. Someone would argue a point, and inevitably one of my ears would listen to the argument, while the other listened for mistakes to highlight.
As a young lawyer, everything reinforced this. Memo after memo returned to me filled with edits written in red ink. Â As I matured, the edits dropped off, but they still graced each memo. Â Everything was a contest. Â There was a winner, and a loser. A flaw..any flaw...could not go unaddressed.Â
As a manager, part of the job is to review work. Â We look for flaws. For ways to improve a document or process. Â
At some point in the day, your job ends and you return to the world. Â Unfortunately for me, a lifetime of being trained to look for flaws often follows me out the door.Â
A restaurant has terrible service. Â My wife suggests a household purchase. Â A friend recommends something. Â And it kicks in. Â I start critiquing things in my head. Â And sometimes those thoughts turn into words. I go back into Chief Operating Officer mode, trying to improve something or someone.Â
Pretty annoying, eh?
I need to remember to turn it off.Â
Have a great weekend, guys. Â