“Nip it in the Bud:” A Time to Nip and Time to Refrain from Nipping

“Nip it in the Bud:” A Time to Nip and Time to Refrain from Nipping.

To be published in the Daily Journal Wednesday, August 23, 2023

The Andy Griffith Show, still shown worldwide after almost 63 years, has been a source of folk wisdom for three generations of viewers.  Some of us have seen the shows so many times that we can utter the next line.  Andy repeatedly said it was Don Knotts (Barney Fife) who made the show funny and successful.  One of Barney’s reactions when he became frustrated about something he would stringently say, “We have got to “Nip it in the bud! Nip it.” Barney was referring to everything from Thelma Lou’s dating behavior, to people speeding, to Otis’s drinking.  If you have never seen it, here is a link to one of his montages.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSyueBoC9mE

Many bad things, if “nipped in the bud,” can be solved when it is a minor issue rather than becoming large, and sometimes catastrophic.  Barney did not originate the phrase of course.  It first emerged hundreds of years ago.   The original phrase came from a Beaumony and Flecher play way back in 1606.  The original meaning revolved around the idea of stopping something depraved or bad early on.  For example, today stringently enforcing a school zone speed limit, before a child is hurt or killed.

We can all think of a long list of things that should be nipped in the bud!  But the opposite also needs consideration. Sometimes nipping something in the bud can result major in large lost opportunities.   First, let me give you a list of three things that most citizens believe should be nipped in the bud.  And then we’ll consider the other side of the coin. 

Drunk Driving.  Fortunately, the work of MADD- mothers against drunk driving has been relatively successful in slowing down the number of fatalities and injuries.  I remember years ago co-workers who were generally responsible, would sheepishly brag how drunk they got and still went out and drove.  That attitude has fortunately been nipped in recent years.

Rampant crime that is not prosecuted.  In too many cities across the U.S., failure to enforce the law against criminal gangs and mob crowds induced by social media has destroyed the very fabric of those communities.  In our recent visit to Portland, Oregon (one of the most gorgeous cities in the country) we heard disturbing news.  It was reported that major retailers such as Walmart and Target are leaving the city.  Worse yet, since Portland has worked hard to maintain its neighborhoods, small businesses are dying because of the crime.  So far elected officials have not done enough to nip it.

Unfair and untrue gossip.  Often considered the domain of women, men are just as bad.  For Andy Griffith fans I refer you to the episode where Aunt Bee and her friends set up Andy and the boys with a rumor that the men then spread.  The men believed that a shoe salesman was really a talent agent from New York. They traipsed in to perform for the agent. For example, Floyd the barber brought in his boy who could not play a lick on his saxophone.  Just as the shoe salesman was about to quit, he got the most orders ever. The men got unneeded expensive shoes. And Aunt Bee and her friends got the last laugh.

Too often, excuses are made about our gossip. We justify it by saying we are just sharing our concerns or observations.  I have, and no doubt many of you have been a “victim” of gossip. Remember how you felt the next time you are tempted to “share your concerns.”

Now the other side of nipping.  Many great potential ideas, programs, careers, and so forth get nipped early.  Unfortunately, we never recognize the damage done by nipping branches of opportunity before they can grow.

Killing aspirations.  From my personal experience, I can give you several cases where someone, for whatever reason, tried to nip what turned out to be masterfully successful.  One time when I was making a presentation about a new project, a high-level leader after the presentation was done, said while it all sounded good on paper, he was skeptical.  Fairly vetting projects and programs is part of leadership.  But had he said “I’m skeptical, but if anyone can do it, you can, and we want to give you support.” It would have left me challenged rather than a little dispirited. By the way, the promised funds never did come through. Nevertheless it was a resounding success.  Do not nip a potentially high payoff situation or idea with cynicism.

Nipping complaints that may be legitimate but ones leaders and managers don’t want to acknowledge.  It is easy to be negative and be a “Johnny Raincloud.”   But I have seen the potential damage of the mantra “Don’t bring me a problem, bring me a solution.” While, in general, that may be sound advice, the risk of nipping potential opportunities too early because a person does not have a solution can be shattering.  Problem identification and problem-solving often involve two very different skill sets.

New developing trends that could cause a total reset of your business environment or family situation.  In the late 1970s, the company I was working for was an early client of J.D. Power and Associates.  I remember Dave recounting his experience with the Big Three Automakers. In their arrogance, they believed they were kings of the hill.  Those little “toy”  cars from Japan were no threat in their view.  They nipped the possibility of any serious threat from Japan. But as a result GM, Ford, and Chrysler were devastated in the late 1970s and 1980s. 

Ironically a few years later, Dave told my former boss (who relayed the information to me) that there was a new car coming out of Korea- its name rhymed with Sunday.  Had the American automakers taken the threat seriously, they could have led the car revolution rather than almost being wiped out.

So how do we make judgments about stopping things early in a potentially destructive cycle, and how do we avoid killing budding ideas from being cut off.  It sounds so simple, but it takes wisdom, continuously checking our assumptions, getting additional views, and above all thinking.

As Ecclesiastes chapter 3 states, “For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.” This message was repeated in the 1965 song by the Byrd’s  “To everything turn, turn, turn. There is a season turn, turn, turn.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ga_M5Zdn4

In conclusion, it is the same with nipping. There is a time to nip and a time to refrain from nipping.

Don Daake, MBA, Ph.D., is a Professor Emeritus at Olivet, specializing in strategic planning and marketing research.  He holds a B.S. from Kansas State University, an MBA from the University of Iowa, and a Ph.D. in Strategy from Florida State University.    Dr. Daake has presented papers at more than 20 conferences from Vancouver, BC to Orlando and has published several peer reviewed journal articles. He is a past national president of the Christian Business Faculty Association.

Pace Yourself! The Middle Ground between Indolence and Burnout

Special Thanks to JimBiwer for the idea this column is based on.

pace yourself reminder – handwriting on an isolated sticky note

Pace Yourself!  The Middle Ground between Indolence and Burnout

Published in the Kankakee Daily Journal Wednesday August 9, 2023

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the times when my mother would say to me when I was being a little cranky, discontented, bored, or uncooperative “You are being a Contrary Joe.” I pled guilty!  Even today, I still sometimes get contrary.  I also recall another expression she used but one that was more positive. When she saw somebody working hard, fast, and intensely she would say about them (and sometimes me) “We were going a pace.”  While optimistic, there was the implied caution of overdoing it.

One of my high school classmates, Jim B. from Minneapolis, Minnesota maintains our class Website, which lists significant life events, class get togethers, and so forth.  Because of his central point of contact, he is Facebook friends with many of us, including me.  I notice that when he sends birthday greetings or other responses, he usually ends the response with the phrase, “Pace yourself!”  I have read that many times and it usually makes me stop and smile a bit.  But the other day, it hit me this is critical life advice.

Get going! Chances are we all know some family member, friend, acquaintance, store clerk, or business person we would wish would move faster.  We want them to pick up the pace!  Classic TV fans will remember the great line from the opening song of “Petticoat Junction” about Edgar Buchanan.  “And there’s Uncle Joe, he’s moving kind of slow at the Junction.” Most of us don’t want to be compared to Uncle Joe, the nice, but conniving trickster who works hard at avoiding exertion.

These days and likely always, different generations complain about others.  We might hear from, Millennials and now Generation Zers, “Those old codger Boomers simply don’t get technology, and they drive so slow that even a drunk turtle could beat them.  Generation Xers (once known as the Slacker generation) are moving into middle and high-level managerial sessions and complain about how lethargic and unmotivated those entering the workforce are today.  And so it goes.

A robust and productive economy requires hard-working, productive people.  But when I was still teaching college students, I know many of them saw their parents stressed out all the time, rarely at home, and trying to keep up with the Joneses.  We had many discussions about work-life balance.  Of course, as a professor, I had to remind them that they must earn the right to create a work-life balance and not expect immediate 3-4 weeks of vacation, and never working nights and weekends.  But in the defense of these students I must say that we boomers too often led the way in being overstressed and swallowing various prescription drugs.  So they do have a point.

So are people today any better than in the past in learning the “Pace themselves.” Well, yes and no.  I don’t think the pressures have lessened much in this era of worker shortages, high inflation, ever-rising expectations and new technologies.  Think about those starting their career or are even mid-career these days.  Naveen Jain remarks, “We are now living in a fast-paced technological era where every skill that we teach our children becomes obsolete in the 10 to 15 years due to exponentially growing technological advances.”  Pacing ourselves can be tough in this environment.

Betterup.com states, “And what moves faster than your work environment?  A fast-paced environment isn’t for everyone, but some people thrive amidst chaos and pressure.  It could just be another aspect of your dream job, and you knew that while reading the job description.  At the same time, the tight deadlines, long hours, and high pressure eat away at your work-life balance.”

When it comes down to it, pacing ourselves has to be a very personal decision.  What is the appropriate pace will vary a great deal for people.  But an important factor in deciding on the best pace is the consideration of others in your life.  Loving your work to the point of becoming a “workaholic” doesn’t just affect you.  It can affect your family, other employees, and your personal relationships.

On the other hand, chances are you, like me, have worked with someone who claims they will never put work first.  In fact, they are lazy and expect other people to carry their workload.  Whether as an employee or even the boss, they destroy morale. These are the Uncle Joe’s and Aunt Josephine’s.

Let me suggest 6 critical questions in pacing yourself and finding the middle ground appropriate to you and those in your life.

1)        Does the pace you set for yourself fully fulfill your responsibilities?

2)        Does your pace consider others in your life?

3)        In pacing yourself, is it all about me or others and me.

4)        Is your pace sustainable?  In other words, can you avoid burnout?

5)        Does your pace make you happy or overly stressed and unhappy?

6)        Does your pace balance the mind, spirit, and body effectively?

Many psychologists will affirm that merely monitoring our behaviors can change them for the better if they are based on life values that are carefully thought out.  Even after reading my friend’s light-hearted “Pace yourself” all these years, I realized recently that this is wisdom at its best. As always, the advice I give

or, in this case, pass along from Jim B. is first and foremost directed to me. I hope you and I can both be more thoughtful about our pace this week.

Don Daake, MBA, Ph.D., is a Professor Emeritus at Olivet, specializing in strategic planning and marketing research.  He holds a B.S. from Kansas State University, an MBA from the University of Iowa, and a Ph.D. in Strategy from Florida State University.