Volume XXII, Number 2 (Issue 1058) January 8, 2024
S’mores
I am betting that given today’s title you are expecting me to launch into a riff and reflection on the wonderful treat made of graham crackers, chocolate squares, and roasted marshmallows. If so, you will be disappointed, for as much as I enjoy those fun to make and even more fun to eat treats made while sitting around a campfire, that is not where I am headed. Instead, I want to focus our attention on that four- letter word more.
As if you need the lesson, the dictionary tells us more is amazingly versatile. Depending upon its usage, it can be an adjective, adverb, noun, or pronoun. As such it can mean something additional, form a comparison, indicate a number, or reference a greater amount. Not bad for four little letters.
For instance, if you have occasion to go grocery shopping you have undoubtedly noticed that the more you buy of a particular item, the less you tend to pay per ounce or unit. Economies of scale in more ways than one. You have also undoubtedly heard the expression “sometimes less is more,” indicating that brevity (being succinct) can and often is more impactful than some long-winded explanation or diatribe. I constantly have to keep that last rule of thumb in mind as I have a tendency to ramble – taking one hundred words to explain something when fewer will often do the trick. Thus, for today at least, I will try to keep my observations about more more to the point starting with:
More skills training leads to fewer errors.
More product knowledge results in better customer service.
More innovation preserves relevancy.
More delegation of authority (autonomy) leads to quicker response time.
More autonomy also permits larger spans of control (thereby reducing the number of supervisors and managers needed) whereas less delegated authority makes for bottlenecks, smaller spans of control, and causes considerable frustration for all involved.
More effective communication leaves less room for misunderstandings.
More genuine praise and recognition leads to lower turnover.
More grace reduces fear, resentment, and strife.
More empathy and compassion builds bridges.
More diversity of opinion results in more robust decisions and better outcomes. More personal accountability enhances trust.
More clarity reduces hesitation as well as wasted efforts (missteps). More opportunities benefit everyone.
And, in the event you happen to be or have reason to borrow from a financial institution:
More equity means less leverage.
More liquidity means less risk (but also lower returns much of the time).
By now you should get my drift. But to be clear, while thinking, sharing, and doing more may require more investment at the outset, the dividends earned by doing the right things in the right way usually costs less in the long term. Hopefully, today’s batch of S’mores got you to thinking about the relationship between more and less in the same way it did me in the wee hours of Friday morning.
Soli Deo Gloria
“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” Proverbs 11:25
J. Keith Hughey
Mobile: (210)260-0955
E-mail: keith@jkeithhughey.com Website: www.jkeithhughey.com
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