Jul 1st
Have you ever built anything out of wood? I built a beer pong table in 2007. I didn’t really need to, but I did it anyway. While I love a good party, I don’t really play a ton of beer pong.
At the time of this project, I was laid-off and feeling pretty useless. Christmas had passed and Santa had beefed up my toolbox with a new drill and circular saw. All I really wanted to do was try my new toys out. The table came out OK, but it reinforced my hunch that I should stick with social media and stay away from carpentry.
My Opa (German for grandpa) on the other hand is a VERY skilled carpenter. He builds furniture and houses and decks and just about anything for which he has a need. He’s really passionate about building things. Most of the time the process to get the end result is littered with a few German cuss words, but the end product always turns heads.
For wood working, my Opa has more tools than I do. But what’s worth more is his 60+ years of using all of those tools to build things of all shapes and sizes. Some if his tools are shiny and new, but he knows how to use what he has. Repetition over time has fed his experience which makes him amazing at his craft.
Five Random Thoughts on Tools
- Sometimes when people get a new hammer, they go into the garage and just start hammering. There’s no real reason to hammer. They just get excited about the new shiny tool. (Talk to Ryan Squire about this story. It’s his and he tells is much better.)
- Buying a new shiny hammer doesn’t necessarily mean that you will build better table. If that were true, Ikea and Crate & Barrel would probably be out of business.
- The more skilled and experienced the builder is, the more they will charge to build a table for you. You pay for what you get.
- Hammers don’t swing themselves. The craftsman provides the arms and aim.
- Some tools (like nail guns) let you build things much faster, but sacrifice a certain level of craftsmanship. Do you want a table next week, or a table with even legs?
Take this Away:
We invent tools to make certain tasks easier to manage. Tools help us do things faster, more efficiently, and easier. If our process becomes easier to manage and the people using the tools are dedicated and diligent, we accomplish more.
When you and your team are considering implementing social media as a part of your business tool set, start by looking at the tools and processes you already have in your tool box.
Where are the inefficiencies? What tasks take too much time or effort using the tools you have today? What information flow could you automate using new technology?
Talk to your people on the ground. Get their feedback and involve them in the process. Start small. Establish a baseline. Test a few variables. Evaluate results. Make the decision.
In the end, if you find a tool that makes sense for you and your company, embrace it. Learn how to use it. Teach others how to use it. And for God’s sake, make sure you use it yourself. Adoption starts at the top and trickles down through an organization. Without it, you’ll be spinning your wheels in the mud.
So, what tools are you considering? Why?
Join The Discussion!