They Say I'm Extreme

(From Seth Godin’s The BigMoo )

They say I’m extreme.
I say I’m a realist.

They say I demand too much.
I say they accept mediocrity and continuous improvement too readily.

They say, “We can’t handle this much change:”I say, “Your job and career are in jeopardy; what other options do you have?”

They say, “What’s wrong with a ‘good product’?”
I say, “Wal-Mart or China or both are about to eat your lunch. Why can’t you provide instead a fabulous experience?”

They say, “Take a deep breath. Be calm.”
I say, “Tell it to Wal-Mart. Tell it to China. Tell it to India. Tell it to Dell. Tell it to Microsoft.”

They say the Web is a useful tool.
I say the Web changes everything. Now.

They say, “We need an initiative.”
I say, “We need a dream. And dreamers.”

They say great design is “nice”.
I say great design is necessary.

They say, “Effective governance is important.”
I say bold, brash boards that are representative of the market served – more than a token woman or two and an empty seat for the “forthcoming Hispanic” – are an imperative. Now.

They say, “Plan it.”
I say, “Do it”.

They say, “We need more steady, loyal employees.”
I say, “We need more ‘freaks’ who routinely tell those in charge to take a flying leap…before it’s too late.”

They say, “We need Good People.”
I say, “We need Quirky Talent.”

They say, “We like people who, with steely determination, say, ‘I can make it better’.”
I say, “I love people who, with a certain maniacal gleam in their eye, perhaps even a giggle, say, ‘I can turn the world upside down. Watch me!’”

They say, “Sure, we need change.”
I say we need revolution now.

They say, “Fast follower.”
I say, “Battered and bruised leader.”

They say, “Conglomerate and imitate!”
I say, “Create and innovate!”

They say, “Market share.”
I say, “Market creation.”

They say, “Improve and maintain.”
I say, “Destroy and reimagine.”

They say, “Normal.”
I say, “Weird.”

They say, “Happy balance.”
I say, “Creative tension.”

They say they favor a “team that works and lives in harmony.”
I say, “Give me a raucous brawl among the most creative people imaginable.”

They say, “Peace, brother.”
I say, “Bruise my feelings. Flatten my ego. Save my job.”

They say, “Basic black.”
I say, “Technicolor rules!”

They say, “We need happy customers.”
I say, “Give me pushy, needy, nasty, provocative customers.”

They say, “We seek Harvard M.B.A.s.”
I say, “I seek certificate-free ‘Ph.D.S’ from the School of Hard Knocks.”

They say they want recruits with “spotless records.”
I say, “the spots are what matter most.”

They say, “Integrity is important.”
I say, “Tell the unvarnished truth, all the time…or take a hike.”

They say diversity is a “good thing.”
I say diversity is breath of fresh, creative air – absolutely necessary for economic salvation in perilous times.

They say it’s “daunting.”
I say it’s “a hoot.”

They say, “Zero defects.”
I say, “A day without a screwup or two is a day pissed away.”

They say, “Think about it.”
I say, “Try it.”

They say, “Plan it.”
I say, “Test it.”

They say, “Radical change takes a decade.”
I say, “Radical change takes a minute.”

They say, “Times are changing.”
I say, “Everything has already changed. Tomorrow is the first day of your revolution…or you’re toast.”

They say, “We can’t all be revolutionaries.”
I say, “Why not?”

They say, “We can’t all be a brand.”
I say, “Why not?”

They say this is just a rant.
I say this is just reality.