Bouncing Along the Bottom
In the 1998 romantic comedy You’ve Got Mail, per www.imdb.com, “book superstore magnate Joe Fox and independent book shop owner Kathleen Kelly fall in love in the anonymity of the Internet, both blissfully unaware that he's trying to put her out of business.” During one of their email exchanges, Kathleen laments her inability to have the right words at the right time and ends up ruminating on the missed opportunity. (Something that I resonate with.) Joe warns her that this superpower has consequences. The email exchange goes like this:
Joe: “Someone provokes you, and instead of smiling, and moving on, you zing them. Hello, it’s Mr. Nasty. I’m sure you have no idea what I’m talking about.”
Kathleen: “No, I know what you mean, and I’m completely jealous. What happens to me when I’m provoked is that I get tongue-tied. My mind goes…blank. Then I spend all night tossing and turning trying to figure out what I should’ve said. What should I have said, for example, to the bottom-dweller who recently belittled my existence? (long pause) Nothing. Nothing. Even now. Even now, days later, I can’t figure it out.”
Joe: “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could pass all my zingers to you? And then I would never behave badly, and you could behave badly all the time. And we’d both be happy. But then, on the other hand I must warn you that when you finally have the pleasure of saying the thing you mean to say at the moment you mean to say it, remorse inevitably follows.”
I’m curious if this exchange hits you – if so, what position are you most likely in? The impulsive zinger-er, flummoxed befuddler, and/or the ruminator?
For me – a combination of all three! I most often have a response, but I don’t give it, then repeat my response over-and-over again to myself. Kind of like the girl at the high school dance that I wish I had asked to dance… Oh well, I’m sure I’m the only one!
I wanted to focus a bit on one hyphenated word in Kathleen’s reply – bottom-dweller, a derogatory term for someone who is opportunistic, seeks quick profit, or is perceived as low status. Does this description fit for bottom-feeding fish that spends it life feeding on or near the bottom of a lake, river, or ocean? A catfish or carp – eesch! How about bass, walleye, halibut; shrimp, lobster, or scallops? A matter of perspective?
Per Versailles News: Bottom feeders are fishy fish, “While the term ‘bottom-feeders’ sounds repulsive, they are considered to be extremely good for a healthy diet, because they spend their lives in mineral-rich waters.” Hmmm.
Google tells me you can catch bottom-feeder fish by bouncing a specialized sinker rig along the bottom, creating a disturbance that attracts fish, while regularly checking your rig to ensure it's not snagged or tangled. I concur regarding the frequent checking – as I have been “gooned” more than once in thinking I’ve hooked a prized walleye only to find out my rig has ensnared a weed or branch.
So why the bottom-bouncing theme? (Warning – segue ahead!) I’m cleaning up my sales funnel at work – reviewing the opportunities that I flagged as “key projects” – my hot targets for revenue growth, and an obvious reality is emerging. Many of my “key projects” haven’t advanced during the past six months, they are just bounding along the bottom, so to speak. Hmmm. If they are truly key projects – it’s time to re-adjust my rigging and regularly check for progress. If they are not truly key projects – rather, something that adds funnel girth, its time to adjust their priority and give them their proper due.
How about you? Do you have “key projects” that are bouncing along the bottom that should be re-assessed and re-prioritized?