This week, I've got another crazy idea for you... and it just applies to so many things and I think it's a lesson or a saying that we've all heard many times in our lives that tries to get us to really focus on the right thing to do or the right thing to believe in.
Square pegs do not fit in round holes. This really doesn't ever do much except cause problems later for you and possibly for the square peg that you're trying to jam into that round hole. So I want you to think about a couple of things. I want you to think if you're out there prospecting and you're trying to make a square peg, prospect/suspect, fit into the round hole of your high-quality service and product offerings... not everybody's right for you, and we've got to admit, look, that's just not the right fit for what we're trying to do. That's a square peg opportunity and square peg opportunities always turn into service problems, pricing problems, loyalty problems. They're just not a good fit and just because they want to be your customer, doesn't mean they should be your customer.
Another place where I really want people to think about it is in relationships. Look, we can get enamored with people that seem to show the right energy, they say the right things, they have the right look, they tell you how much they want to work with you, or work for you, and you get caught up in their excitement. So caught up that you don't want to ask the right questions about why they're not going to just be hands in glove and accommodate what you, your organization, and your culture requires.
I don't think there's anything more painful than watching a square peg employee try to fit into a round hole opportunity with a company or another employer. So I always want people to think about, is this really the way I want this to fit, or am I trying to force something just because it's easier than looking for another opportunity, talking to another candidate, going through the challenge of training someone that really wants to be there and really culturally fits with your organization, your personality, your values and your view of the world and trying to make it up and ignore the facts just will never make that square peg anything different than it is.
So I really want people to think about it today... stop wasting time trying to say "if I just push a little bit harder, I think this will go in and everything will be all right". I ain't going there with you. It doesn't work. Stop trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear and think you've done the right work.
So square pegs, there's great square pegs out there, but you really don't need the wrong square peg on your team, in your organization, or disrupting your life. That makes work even harder than it needs to be. So be judicious, be deliberate. Don't let your heart override your head when it matters most. Make sure you've got the right fit for the right time.
It's tough, but you can do it. Keep looking. You've got it.
