Someone had to finally say it
There’s one difference between genuine criminals and the incompetent… Criminals are actually effective — but the damage done by incompetence is equally deplorable.
If you’ve ever met someone genuinely useless in your life, you’ve encountered the zen-like state you need to achieve in order to stop yourself from being mean.
Today, in an effort to fix what we can in this world, I’ve made a small guide for those who find themselves making the same mistakes again and again.
Step #1. Take f*cking notes
99% of incompetence is the recipient failing to follow, what you consider to be, simple instructions.
This is usually because they did not take notes.
For example, we’ve all met that waiter/waitress who considers themselves to have a Rainman-level memory. Then forgets the key details of your order.
Inside you scream…
Don’t let someone give you their entire f**cking order, with undeserved confidence — and then proceed to forget it all. Write it down!
Let’s be honest, it’s a first-world problem, but it still makes us all irate.
Why? Because the price never falls when the accuracy does.
You’re encouraged to pay more for good service, but you aren’t encouraged to pay less for bad service.
Simple solution, from the restaurant to the office, if someone is giving you instructions of any kind — just take notes.
Step #2. Think of a Few Possible Solutions
When faced with a problem, it’s often encouraged to think of a potential solution before asking someone else for one.
In fact, you can go one step further than that and think of multiple adequate solutions and pick your favorite.
It could be:
The simplest solution.
The fastest solution.
The cheapest solution.
Whichever you choose, it’s often best to ask yourself “what would ‘the person that I’m about to ask for a solution’ suggest to do?”
Then just do that.
Step #3. Think past the Scenario and the Potential Ramifications of Your Next action
Great problem solvers ponder if their solution will cause any other foreseen problems. If it’s likely to, they don’t act on that potential solution at all. They think of something else entirely. Why?
In some cases, common-sense solutions cause further issues. Think of an oil fire in the kitchen. The obvious solution for the uninitiated would be to pour water on it… But that would make the fire worse & far more ferocious.
Slow down and don’t be reactive. Make every action you take, count. Don’t just shoot first and ask questions later.
By following these 3 simple steps you’ll erode your reputation for incompetence and be well on your way to being known as ‘effective’.
We all make mistakes, but remembering the steps above will reduce the frequency of those mistakes — improving your life as well as all the lives you impact on a daily basis.