Recent Articles from David Sneed
Leading by lying
Want to get your people on board to implement a new process or product? Present it so the staff believes that success is only a matter of course. No need to talk about the hurdles you face, or the competition, or the risks. Those are your problems, not theirs.
Say what? Keep it simple!
All companies—and all managers of people—and everyone who writes for the public— should consider the reasons behind simplified communication. English is complicated; you and I define words with varying degrees of certitude. And I’ve never even heard of some of your words, let alone know what you m...
Riding the rails
If you think a day and a half on a train sounds boring, you’re right. But kids are at their best when they have nothing to do but exist. Phone service is spotty, so you get to be a substitute for their friends. They’ll talk to you, and you can just be together. That’s pretty nice.
Rip-off or just good business?
Economists say that the price of X is determined by the market. If you’re willing to pay $34 for an ice cream cone, then:
a) That's what it’s worth, and
b) That's what I should charge.
A superstar’s lament
Dear Boss, Do you want to keep me? I’ve been here for two years and I’m a good employee. I usually come to work early; and I do what you ask me to do. But more than that, I do things you don’t even know to ask of me. I attend to customers with a pure heart and a smile on my face. I’m always watch...
E-hail — yes!
Well ‘phone app developer’ Uber says they aren’t a taxi company. That’s a little odd, considering you can e-hail Uber from your smart phone and, within minutes, a car shows up to pour you home from the bar. Sounds like a cab to me. Only problem is: Uber ignores Colorado taxi regulations....
The Uncle NIMBY syndrome
I know a guy who lives in West Arvada between Indiana and Highway 93. Every time I see him – let’s call him Uncle Nimby – I get to hear about how “they’re trying to force C470 through the neighborhood.” He exaggerates a bit. It’s three miles away. Usually, he’s happy because some recent study […]
The happiest man in America
While America was booting up for the First World War, Bobby Mitchell was trying on his birthday suit. That was 97 years ago. During the Great Depression he became a barber. In 1981, Mr. Mitchell cut my hair for the first time in his ancient shop on the deserted main street of downtown Columbia, North […]
Follow first — then lead
If you want to lead, you must first learn to follow. Ben Franklin said that. And if you want to be a corporal in the Marines, you have to be a private first. How about a famous chef? You’ll peel potatoes long before you’re the next Wolfgang Puck. And you’ll learn to wash dishes and […]
Sinking to expectations: The power of the positive
A tragedy was unfolding at the booth behind me: Waitress: And what can I get for him, Chicken Tenders? Mom: No, he doesn’t like those. Waitress: Hamburger? Mom: Uh, no; he’s a picky eater. Do you have a kid’s quesadilla? Waitress: How about a grilled cheese? It comes with carrots or fries. Mom: No, he […]
Love letter to the Stock Show
I went to the Stock Show with my daughter – a tradition for us since ‘98. I like the show, I really do. But for the last few years we’ve been too old for the kid stuff and too city for the cowboy stuff, so we walk around making jokes instead. Natalie: Dad, Why don’t […]
Confessions of a micromanager
And now a tale of micromanagement: In the interests of domestic harmony, I washed the dishes and asked Natalie, my 14-year-old, to vacuum the living room. It was comforting to hear the roar and clump as she dragged Ms. Hoover across the sky blue shag. “I’m done, Dad!” she beamed from her toes, arms behind […]