Fireproof Pants for Your Business!

“Pants On Fire!”

I could never understand why we said that at school, or at play.
Except that it rhymed with “Liar”
So, I guess that was alright then.

There are many things we pass on to each other. Then to our children.
Innocent things (songs and rhymes and sayings) which don’t make the blindest bit of sense.

(Like the phrase “Blindest bit of sense.”
I mean, that phrase doesn’t make the…
OK. enough!)

All through our lives we pass on chunks of nonsense to each other.
Bits of assumptions.
Bits of unsubstantiated ‘knowledge’.
Bits of half truths.
Bits of myths.

Sometimes, bits of downright untruths.
Given the glories of the internet… make that a deluge of devastating, insupportable untruths.

(“Pants On Fire!”)

A classic myth – spread worldwide by the Wise and Knowledgeable for decades has been… The 21 Day Habit myth.
You know the one:
”It takes 21 days to form a habit”

Complete nonsense, of course.
Any research shows that it’s simply not the case.

But the phrase is easy to remember.
And the number is nice and convenient (particularly if you love playing cards).

And, the truth is…
If enough people say it.
Well, it must be the truth! Yes?

I heard the same kind of myth enthused with energy at a conference many years ago.
”45% of clients said that they would provide referrals, if they were asked.
(So, let me now teach you how to ask.)”

Great news!

Except, during 2011, the research report I read (for Financial Planners) demonstrated this:
”Yeah. That might be true.
But – in practice – only 2% of clients agree that was why they provided referrals to their Financial Planner!”

Whoops!

Now, nobody is telling fibs.
Nobody’s pants at risk there, right?

It’s just that the truth is devastatingly different to the myth.

Which does make you wonder, doesn’t it?
Just how many assumptions, myths and half-truths have we blissfully allowed to guide our steps. Mine. Yours.
Maybe for decades?!

More importantly…
If we’re leading a business, or a team (making big decisions, on which people’s livelihoods depend)…
Who is regularly challenging our thinking?

You know. Checking we have our fireproof pants on?