"Are you dumb enough?"

You need to be smarter. Not a day goes by when we don't either hear this or feel it internally in relation to ourselves. We need to be smarter. As managers and owners we should also have all the answers. The very structure of our operations delivers employees to our feet awaiting all-knowing insight and direction. This request from our teams pushes us ever onward in the quest to be smarter.
Being smart. It's hard work for most of us to keep up with being so smart. It's been proven that it's hard work for people of all ages.

In Psychology Today, a recent study showed that kids praised for "being smart" were much more likely to avoid risk, including trying something new, than kids praised for "working hard."

I think it's because kids were worried about losing the designation of "being smart" when they know they would like to be considered "smart".
No need to ask. Being so smart puts us in the position of "not needing to ask." If we are so smart, why bother? You're certainly smarter now than last year, so why even consider someone else's point of view. We've always done it this way. She's just like that. He'll never be any better at his job. I know how this works. I've already tried that. They don't buy from us.

You could stand to be a bit dumber. There are plenty of days when I could stand to be dumber. The beauty of being dumb is that people have to explain things to you, and you have a great excuse to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and grow your people.

If your employees complete their list and return to you like puppies instead of finding the next thing to do, it's because you trained them that way. They haven't needed to be smarter, because you're so gosh darn brilliant.

I can specifically ask 'dumb' questions of suppliers, farming practices, application rates, and equipment purchases on the farm side because I don't live on that side of our business. Every once in a while it's great that I'm so dumb!

Dumb-down your marketing. In real application, marketing is a place where it pays to be dumb. Many of us forget that to a new customer, it's as if our business, attractions, experiences and products have dropped out of space! They have no idea where the "2-acre block" is! They have no idea what a "Picture Find Station" is! They have no idea what to expect once they buy their ticket!

I'd wager that half of all marketing messages sound like the school teacher from the "Peanuts" cartoon to people in our marketing area. They have no idea what "12-acres of family fun" is supposed to look like, let alone what it should mean to them!

Are you dumb enough? To practice getting dumber, think of explaining your attraction to someone from outer space; someone with no background on this PLANET.

Try it: Here's a standard message: We have a corn maze, pumpkin patch, apple picking, and wagon rides. Three hours of classic fall harvest fun!"

Really? What's corn? What's a maze? Why would I care?! Is a pumpkin patch a way to repair a broken pumpkin? Why would I want a pumpkin anyway? Why do you tease apples? Is three hours a good value? It sounds so short? What's classic about fall? Why is harvest a celebration anyway? Fun? I think I got that one at least.

Read your brochures, web site and ads. Circle the jargon, specialized words, and agriculture-specific language.

Try to get dumber. The next time you hear yourself say, "that's how we always do it." Ask yourself why that is? See if you can play dumb with a supplier or vendor this week. Try to NOT know the answer before someone is done asking the question this week.

We recently were dumb enough to ask why we were spending $3,000 a year with a scout council on advertising - we couldn't find an answer other than we always had done it. Not bad return for one dumb question!

As they used to say in the seatbelt commercials, "You could learn a lot from a dummy."

Have a great week. - Hugh

PS If you missed the "Goal without a plan is a wish" live event, we recorded it for you to view anytime!

Reach us at: www.mazecatalog.com