Key Ingredients and Chewed Remains

We’ve all seen the motivational/inspirational postings on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  Or if you go old school, there’s always the motivational posters hung in the conference rooms and common areas.  Feeling motivated yet?  Doubt it.  While there’s an endless number of extrinsic motivating factors in today’s world, I contend the vast majority of them are just white noise.  None of them motivate/inspire you to actually take action.  Why?  My experience is that motivation generally comes from within.  The motivational postings may give you a warm and fuzzy for a few seconds or look nice on a wall, but that’s about it.  The demotivation posters, on the other hand, are hilarious.  Art meets Dilbert.  So what’s left?  Plenty.  Instead of coming at it from a motivational standpoint, let’s try the self-awareness angle.





We’ve all heard chefs talk about the key ingredient in recipes.  Some even keep them a secret.  The key ingredient brings everything together in a recipe.  Without the key ingredient, the recipe never reaches its full potential.  At best, it's 2nd rate.  At worst, the chewed remains end up in your napkin.  There are many key ingredients in today's working world.  The more we are aware of and understand the key ingredients, the less likely we'll be to overlook them.  Recipe without key ingredients equals chewed remains.  Here's my take on some recipes, key ingredients and chewed remains from the working world.  Enjoy. 

Goals without reality check equals inaction.

Decision making without confidence equals panic.

Sales without cash flow equals charity.

Dreamer without determination equals quitter.

Teamwork without empathy equals dysfunction.

Meetings without agendas equals inefficiency.

Management without leadership equals turnover.

Enthusiasm without vacation equals burnout.

Spending without accountability equals government.

Ideas without execution equals academia.

Career without enjoyment equals job.