Everybody does it. When you’re in the middle of something, whatever it may be, words describing the success or failure of your actions emerge almost uncontrollably from your mouth and, at least if you’re like me, the entire thing transpires without even mildly attracting your attention.
Earlier today, I watched someone give a presentation (that’s the not-so-interesting part). What was interesting, however, is that every time that the presenter mispronounced a word or made a mistake, that mistake was followed with a very short monologue on what the presenter had done wrong.
As far as presenters go, this isn’t something that’s limited to anyone in particular. I’ve seen distinguished speakers pull the same routine time-and-time again (albeit with less frequency).
Following directions isn’t always a “bad thing.” In fact, sometimes it’s almost a necessity. Take the fine print on the back of your prescription, for example. It’s probably not a good idea to decide that this is your best opportunity to defy the status quo and do something different. You should probably just play along.
In the world of business however, “playing along” is a sure fire way to end up at the bottom of the food chain. Innovation doesn’t happen by following a set of guidelines and directions; it happens because someone, somewhere was willing to stand up and ignore the directions on how to do something in search of doing it in an entirely different way.
Since I was a kid, I’ve always hated the idea of being paraded through the endless charade of basic concepts that everyone knows (or should know) don’t work out so perfectly most of the time. My disposition against “the basic” has resulted in arguments with teachers, figures of authority, friends, relatives, and strangers at Starbucks. At heart though, the biggest problem with basic is that, by design, it is meant to follow some set of rules. But, as we learn from an early age, rules are made to be broken.
Apr 23, 2009 
