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Best and Worst

Guest post by: Jim Stovall

Article Overview: In most areas of human endeavor, we are not judged in a vacuum, but instead, we are judged in comparison to the performances of others. Sometimes it is hard to quantify a mediocre performance, but when something is the absolute worst or the very best, it is easy to identify, evaluate, and learn from.

Best and Worst

In most areas of human endeavor, we are not judged in a vacuum, but instead, we are judged in comparison to the performances of others. Sometimes it is hard to quantify a mediocre performance, but when something is the absolute worst or the very best, it is easy to identify, evaluate, and learn from.

Recently, I released a new book entitled 100 Worst Bosses. In this book, the lessons are obvious, because the people we studied have flaws that are so apparent. Now I need your help with my next book, 100 Worst Employees.

All of us have had an employee or a co-worker who was either nonproductive or even counterproductive. Once again, I believe we will be able to learn from the very worst how to be our very best.

To submit your story anonymously, just go to the 100 Worst Employees website. If your worst employee story is used in the book, you will receive a free autographed copy of 100 Worst Employees.

If we are going to get what we want out of life, we've got to know where we want to go and be willing to surround ourselves with people who will get us there.

As we face double-digit unemployment and the economic conditions squeeze all organizations and individuals, it is imperative that we put together a winning team. Like any other team, an organization can be identified with, and drug down to the level of, its weakest team member. An organization may produce great products, deliver them in a timely manner, and provide the highest level of service; but if one person in the chain fails to meet the organization's standards, that organization will quickly have the reputation of its worst employee.

Think of a bad experience you have had with a restaurant, hotel, or airline. If you will break it down, you will realize that your whole impression of the organization boiled down to just a few people or possibly only one individual. In 100 Worst Employees, we will highlight some of these real-life, horrific performances--not merely to make fun of these people, but to learn how not to repeat their mistakes. If you want to be the best, you have to begin to understand and eliminate the worst.

As you go through your day today, think of the best and worst people you have worked with in the past. You can learn from both.

Today's the day!

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Article Tags: dealing with difficult bosses, ideas for new managers, jim stovall, worst bosses



Related Forum Posts
Re: What is your worst / best month? - Best: October, November, April Worst: January, February, July
Re: What is your worst / best month? - Best = January, February and March. Worst = April (tac season) July and August (vacations).
Re: What is your worst / best month? - Best months for my business are historically March/April/May & August/Sept/Oct Worst months: December/January (Holidays) & June/July (Vacations) I see our traffic go way up during the good months and way down during the bad months. Very cyclic. Keep in mind, my clients buy businesses and no one thinks of doing that during the holiday or during vacation.
Re: What would you like to see be invented? - [quote="christew":akzjeuhi] I use un-official ones with no trouble. Its just a plastic box with ink in it and a microchip. Don't trust the propaganda from the printer manufacturers about the official cartridges. Worst that has happened is one cartridge that did not work, and one that was blocked. But thats pretty rare and given how much cheaper they are it still costs loads less.[/quote:akzjeuhi] I was afraid that they would mess up my printer somehow. At least that's what I was told would happen. [quote:akzjeuhi]Not the epson one I am currently using.[/quote:akzjeuhi] As far as I know only HP printers do it. [quote:akzjeuhi]My other feature I forgot to add was that installation is as simple as plugging it in.[/quote:akzjeuhi] Ahh yes, the installation time is outrageous.
Re: What would you like to see be invented? - [quote="Alan Mater":2nt28bju]Amen to that. Luckily my new printer's cartridges are about half the cost of my old printer's, but still, they're expensive enough. And, I don't trust the unofficial cartridges.[/quote:2nt28bju] I use un-official ones with no trouble. Its just a plastic box with ink in it and a microchip. Don't trust the propaganda from the printer manufacturers about the official cartridges. Worst that has happened is one cartridge that did not work, and one that was blocked. But thats pretty rare and given how much cheaper they are it still costs loads less. [quote:2nt28bju]There are printers that use separate cartridges for each color, but that's even more expensive. It would at least let you use the other colors if one runs out, though.[/quote:2nt28bju] Not the epson one I am currently using. My other feature I forgot to add was that installation is as simple as plugging it in.


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