You can’t talk shit done now or ever. In the not too distant future, it could be that face-to-face meetings are a thing of the past or a least a rarity. Seminars, conferences, and presentations might all be digital— where people join the conversation by logging into an event, sitting around pseudo-tables or milling about in holographic virtual worlds.
50,000 years ago men and women sat around fires and shared stories, discussed the day’s events, and considered the future. The truths is, whether it’s the past, present, or tomorrow, talk too often leads to more talk and little action.
Without Action, It’s Only Chatter like Monkeys in the Canopy
Communication from yesterday, today, and tomorrow have this in common, talk without action is for the most part ineffectual. Regardless of the medium, whether it’s petroglyphs or neural interfaces, it’s only talk until something is done.
One might argue that planning, organizing, and brainstorming, are forms of talk that can lead to action, and you’d be correct, but how often have any of us sat in a meeting, where plans were formed, and yet never actualized?
Would You Rather Watch Paint Dry?
In America today the most recognized waste of time in the workplace is meetings. Studies, reports, and surveys share that the majority of workers in the USA would rather do almost anything than attend meetings. Inc.com 17% of employees would rather watch paint dry than sit through a meeting.
Why is that? Is it because meetings lack agendas, include unneeded personnel, and too often become rambling lectures? Yes, and more, but it’s not only meetings, its training sessions, conferences, symposiums, and demonstrations.
What If You Could Make a Difference?
What if every meeting, instruction, and forum concluded with a plan of action? And what if that plan of action was implemented, followed up, and revised as needed? What if the participants of these sessions knew that a plan of activities was the goal of the gathering? If that were the case would you rather watch paint dry or be part of the action planning process?
You Can’t Talk Stuff Done, It’s Been Tried
Nope, you can’t talk stuff done. Talk without action doesn’t accomplish much. Throughout history, it has been those who have taken action who have changed the world. It’s the same with your industry, and your business. Are you ready to add action to your words or do you want to talk about it some more?
From weekly updates to companywide mission statements, businesses fail when there is too much talk and not enough action. If you’d like to learn more about why this happens, how to fix it, and actions to take, read my book, You Can’t Talk Shit Done
How Can I Help You?
I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me.
Does your business have a management training plan? Businesses and universities use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook, a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. I’m also available to conduct training.
Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash
