Saturday, January 07, 2017

50/50 by (me!) sandra, tvgp

see how I never shut up.  -blame the blogosphere.

***

we are in trial phase, experimenting with a new social media tool online.  we = general manager; not sure how old, but.. the reason age matters at all, I will explain very shortly

she is a grandmother, and has 23 years experience at Alden Lane.  I am, just shy of turning 51.  and Vanessa is a 20-something.   the reason age and experience are very relevant here is because..

I will switch here to only speaking for myself..   I know..   I know I have a certain resistance to the latest/greatest technologies..  bells/whistles..   while i am simultaneously the very grateful beneficiary of all kinds of awesome technologies/applications/programs..

so, for me personally, I count on my young adult children, or these 20-somethings, or in this very specific case, Vanessa, to..   weigh in on whether something is truly valuable, or just expensive, with more bells than i'll ever actually, in a practical way need to ring, and whistles that look pretty, but when you go to blow..  no sound comes out; but a bill still shows up...

and teens, and 20-somethings have almost no resistance to the latest/greatest, and will stand in very long lines, or wait for hours to click on a button which gives them access to..

but,

I say 50/50..   because, while I am aware my age   -50-   is a liability when it comes to accurately analyzing new technology tools

my age   -50-  is also quite an asset, in the way that..   even though technology has evolved, there are some certain business practices, sales techniques/strategies, glossy brochure, fast talking, skip this, bullshit that, practices that are very old and quite predictable..

the younger ones are learning as they go..    oh, they said it would do this.. but it doesn't;  they said it would cost this much..  but its costing me way more...  they said it would be this fast, but it gets stuck all time..    they promised this/but gave me that..

that's where experience/wisdom come in quite handy and valuable..

so, I will personally default to her, while I offer..   a closer look at and into the promises being made about performance and cost vs. the actual and very practical way it will be used, and the real price.

but my antennas are upwrite.

because   "oh.. well, they do play with the words a little bit there.."  he tells us, via online audio conference/class, "... they say, ...up to..      but you will have to pay more per each user"

and  -up to-  cerebral hyperlinks for me personally to a very ugly exchange, and an on the spot quitting of a job...  for very good reason.  I wont repeat the story here, but the term is synonymous with

bullshit.  I hate it.

I do not play the  -up to-  game.    and it helps me remember just how much bullshit you must constantly wade through to get to truth and facts..

so, I had to work hard at not shutting down, and turning off in the very moment I heard him say those words..

and then,

that was followed shortly thereafter by..

with,   -well, a few "exceptions.."

like, yes.. it can do this..     but just not that     -where the THAT is why you were even interested in the first place..

know what I mean.        -and the thing it does do best..   is that productive for us? or distracting and counterproductive, ultimately...

50/50.    but i'm almost, may I point out here:   51.

so, for me personally, the 50 goes toward yes; the 51 to no thank you.   but I yield final answer/decision...


In Jesus   -aren't you glad there are no advertisements in the Bible-  name,   

and they are FREE..    no money/motivated sales pitches to wade through...

 ***

MY THOUGHTS on keeping an eye on the competition..

here is my analogy:    who is your actual competition?  competitor?   -for real.

if you are looking at NIKE, for example

             -because you too are selling running shoes..       

but NIKE's budget; executives; locations; resources are    -NIKE size & NIKE quality

while yours are..

not.


                if you end up feeling less than by comparison..  frustrated...  out-done..   unable...  jealous... sad or slightly depressed

then keeping your eye on the competition is counterproductive.  don't compare your homemade website to one that has thousands of dollars invested in..

don't compare your spouse to the Victoria secret model or Bill Gates; dont compare your high school level art project against Michelangelo..         be careful about apple to apple vs.  apple to apple tree orchard

-at all times, be doing the best you can with the budget/resources you actually have available.
         the test is if you feel inspired and motivated..  vs. discouraged and frustrated when you eye who you are identifying as competition

it is important to properly assess who is a competitor vs. just who happens to be in the same industry.  those are not two in the same.

everyone has seen

how, in the race..   

sometimes it is the very act of looking over and/or behind and not forward

that ends up costing.            -0nce you determine who your competition is..

how much time is being devoted to keeping the eye?   can that time be used more creatively/productively or is it, in fact yielding wonderful results?

important questions..      and you may ask   up to 3.   /while I only answer 1.


In Jesus didn't waste much times' name...  amen.


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