(Y)our Mediocre Work Affects Whole Country or Why Slovakia Needs to Wake Up Before It Is Too Late

Hiya SCG,

you might have noticed pretty modest amount of my shipping and insights this week. It was caused by very intensive 3 days, which moved me and transformed me again. I will not go into details much, as I am still digesting lessons learned from it and how it has affected me. But briefly, I have turned down assignment and have given up couple of thousands Euro of income for next month, because I could not risk my name and credibility to deliver work, which is not top-notch. (requirement was to do it “just like that”…)

Am I insane? No! We Are Insane!

We are absolutely insane, if we are expecting to get different results, when doing same thing over and over. Am I insane, that I have said no? Many would say a loud yes and would happily ship mediocre work and then cash the money. What a big deal, right?Well, I believe it is a huge deal!

FYI: Your work affects more people than you can imagine.

Accepting to be mediocre and complaint decision maker (every job you do, you are a decision maker in it, you decide how you will deliver your art) , is doing so much harm to you, people around you, organization you work in and whole society and even to a whole nation; that is why title of this shipment says that Slovakia Needs to Wake Up Before It Is Too Late.

How can your work affect whole country?

Life cycle of national damage caused by mediocrity can go like this:

-> management designs a product which is not having proper features, which does not solve any customer’s problem (but plan is full filled, product will be rolled out)

-> compliant marketing department cannot (does not) want to see its flaws (what for the hassle, let it go live)

-> sales people receive mediocre training for pitching this product and of course crazy targets for selling it

-> c ustomers (us) are bombarded by yet another direct mail and we are interrupted by listening to prescribed phone calls about this unprepared product, which we don’t need

-> this level of service and quality of a product will become standard on the market

-> whole country is thinking it is OK and that we have to accept it as a standard….

We Have A Problem and We Are Part of the Solution

If you have found yourself in any stage of the process above, you are responsible for outcome as well! Keeping quiet and not speaking up about possibilities to improve whole process is the worst thing you can do. Seeing “wrongness” and not saying it loud is foundation of for very blurry future and for many passionate professionals it is an exit sign to leave Slovakia, ASAP…

What Happens When You Speak Up and Say: “Emperor is naked!”

Expect silence or offense. I did speak up, when I have been composing for 4 hours a long email with conclusions and recommendations for improving the situation for the client.  I have not heard from them since and I doubt I will ever have. Be prepared for it, no change happens over night, but li ttle seed of a change was planted.

You still might think I am totally out of my mind to invest 3 full days of my life, give away for free consulting report, which other consultants would charge fat fees for and be totally exhausted after 3 days on the road and from all of the emotional labor I gave into it.

Why did I Do That All This “Non-Sense”?

Because, mission I am on is far greater than myself and if Slovakia, will not start to care  and show its people other ways we are doomed… If companies will not care about their employees, then employees will not give a damn about their customers, and then upset customers will be very unpleasant to be around for their close people – unhappy, bitter nation is not a way for Slovakia’s sustainable growth based on true values.

We must save almost extinct professional artists in Slovakia, before they will run away from here, because they are in hazard to survive, here…

I and Slovakia need your help!

We have so much talent and potential lying here in dust, let’s dust out our lost national spirit!

And I am prepared to be misunderstood.

😉

SCG, who will join me on this journey?

And, if you know about clients who have guts to appreciate art, do let me know.

Thank you for reading this shipment.

i.