Ending On A High Note
This became front and center with the advent of American Idol.
Start the song standing at the microphone, take the mic off the stand during the first chorus, make the second verse as short as possible, and then hit the highest note you can at the end of the second chorus, no outro.
As long as that last note gets belted out the crowd will cheer.
TV may have worn out this trope but there’s a reason it works.
Ending on a high note, literally or metaphorically, just makes sense.
Victories And Disappointments
Big Meetings For Small Changes
Asking the question ‘how do we make things better around here’ is a great conversation to dive into and get serious about.
It might even warrant calling a meeting, having a big brainstorm session, reading up on great organizations and leaders.
But remember that all this big important effort and intention might only result in a tiny idea being implemented…as opposed to an overhaul of every minute of every work day.
Consider this…
The boss decides to come in five minutes early and make the coffee.
It sends a message about being on time. It sends a message about serving and caring. It smells good when the others walk in. The others feel taken care of. The others learn if they get there a couple minutes early they can have some extra relaxed time with the boss. We’re all drinking coffee…together. It becomes a shared interest.
It’s easy to think that big meetings should equal big changes. But often times big changes are small.
The Broken Vase
You can’t control how the vase breaks.
The breaking is sudden and explosive.
It probably shouldn’t have been so close to the edge. Playing volleyball in the vicinity wasn’t a good idea. And not many things that fall from that high up onto a concrete floor are going to survive anyway.
The pieces are scattered far and wide.
Now it’s time to decide whether to put the vase back together or buy a new one.
Metaphorically speaking.
Who You Hang With
If you want to get good at painting, hang out with painters.
If you want to get paint jobs, hang out with trim carpenters.
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If you want to get good at bass, hang with bass players.
If you want bass gigs, hang with drummers…or band leaders.
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If you want to get good at three point shooting, hang with the shooters.
If you want to be the three point shooter in a game, find a team of post players.