We have all picked up a movie, publication or book that we thought would be good, and turned out disappointed by its contents.
We have all worked with people that we later regretted working with, but hind sight is 20-20. Looking back, at the time, we may not have known better.
A plumber called out to do a job may have totally different politics than the home owner whose house he is repairing. Should the plumber be condemned for repairing a problem, even if other problems exist?
Should the auto mechanic who is paid to change the tires refuse the job, because the engine needs a tune up and the interior of the vehicle needs cleaning?
The worker at McDonald’s is not responsible for serving hamburgers that could – if repeated and combined with numerous other food choices – result years later with someone ending up with clogged arteries.
If that McDonald’s employee can get a new job with a quality health food store, terrific! The health food store manager may shudder at the thought of fast foods. But if they look past the word McDonald’s on the resume, they might learn that this person did fine work. Can the experience at McDonald’s be a useful one?
Absolutely.
The closed mind by definition can’t learn.
We are all at times branded by a perceived association that may not exist.
If a media outlet is liberal, does it benefit their readers by having a conservative columnist?
I’ve often picked up sound ideas from professionals I disagreed with.
In fact, when I come in to do a turn-around for a client, one of the first things I have to do is observe what is currently being done. It may be dead wrong! But by observing (or reading 😉 from others, even if they are wrong about many things, the right approach may come to light.
You may also find some things that were good, even in the midst of chaos and confusion. Keep what is good, toss out what isn’t.
The mechanic whose job is to change the tires of the car may notice that the engine needs a tune up. He may offer to do that work, or to clean up and detail the dirty interior of the vehicle. But if the customer says, ‘No thanks, all I want are those new tires,’ that is what the mechanic does. We shouldn’t blame the mechanic for doing the job he was hired to do, if that part of the job was well done.
In the manufactured housing news, tips and views business, you shouldn’t check common sense at the door.
There are times when the most interesting commentary on American news comes from a source like the BBC.
Ask questions.
Probe for facts.
Sift past appearances and seek the truth of an issue or idea.
You may or may not like the source of an idea personally. While understandable, let’s not let the source of a good idea alone blind us.
I do not ask a mechanic about their politics or religious practices or the lack thereof. What I want to know is, can this person do the job well?
If someone is given the resources and authority needed to do a job and consistently can’t produce results, that is what they should be judged upon.
But the opposite is also true. When you find someone who manages to advance a cause or effort in spite of a lack of resources or sufficient support, bring that person on!
A look at the person, not some label hung upon a person.
All raw diamonds need cutting and polishing.
An open mind to ideas, even if we question the source.
First impressions may be right or wrong. The flashy cover on that DVD may conceal a dull video. The subtle or obscure cover may be hiding a gem. # #
L.A. ‘Tony’ Kovach, MHM – Publisher, Marketing Director and Industry Consultant
http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach
Manufactured Home Marketing Sales Management trade journal
www.MHMarketingSalesManagement.com aka MHMSM.com aka MHProNews.com
tony@mhmsm.com
847-730-3692