Take Two Pills to Cure a Dreaded Infectious Disease

Take Two Pills to Cure a Dreaded Infectious Disease

There is a terrible disease that infects businesses. It can happen at any time to any company. The disease is “stale-itis”. It is an infection starts as a business stagnates and spreads when it becomes stale. Ideas and strategies that once were so current, even visionary, become tired; so last century. The staff, once so energetic and ambitious, become de-motivated and de-energized. Products and services, once exactly what the target market wanted and needed, have been surpassed by competitors.

Observing and diagnosing “stale-itis” is easy. We can observe the pace of activity slowing; people move zombie-like, voices drone on and on. There is no sense of urgency. Everything is relaxed and casual just going through the motions. Everything is “good enough.”

“Stale-itis” is a creeping disease. It starts quietly, with a stale idea that is considered “good enough” and it goes unchallenged then slowly, slowly grows and spreads, eventually rotting a company to the core. If left untreated it can be fatal. Fortunately there is a simple anecdote.

The solution is a prescription for two little pills – the little blue one is “Challengamyicin,” the little yellow one is “Goalasprin.” “Goalasprin” helps the business create meaningful goals while “Challengamyicin” inspires the team to meet the challenge. You take one first thing in the morning, the second, after breakfast. That way, you will be fortified against the infection by the time you get to work in the morning. Once those pills are absorbed into the system, ideas that used to be “good enough” just aren’t acceptable. They are honed and sharpened. A new sense of urgency raises the bar that the competition is not prepared to leap over. The faster pace causes clients to instantly bond tighter and tighter because they know there isn’t a vendor out there that will consistently do more for them and offer more value. The reinvigorated company creates new and better ways of serving the clientele.

Take a “stale-itis” self-diagnosis once a quarter. Determine if the infection possibly inhabits your company. If things are slowing down reinspire, rechallenge, respond with “Challengamyicin” and “Goalasprin” then call me in the morning.