Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Where have all the MAD people gone?

Hello again listeners

As the title suggests I am hoping someone out there can help me to locate people who have a tendency towards MAD. To define this more clearly I am not referring to the individuals who are unfortunately deemed by society to be clinically insane, but rather a group of likeminded people who in this modern day and age are still capable of applying Meticulous Attention to Detail (MAD).

Growing up some of the most common phrases used by my eminent tutors all revolved around this concept:
“The Devil is in the Detail” “Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves” “Reward is proportionate to the level of commitment that is applied” and so on. This same underlying philosophy continued through my early career no matter what diverse roles or occupation I happened to be in at the time. Everyone I worked with whether out on a road digging a trench or within an Insurance house tallying foreign currency back in sterling amounts accepted the principle as truth, even though many opted out of applying it to their own development (which naturally arrested any hope of career development at that juncture)!

However at some point (and this is where it gets tricky) the concept of anyone needing to follow the well-trodden path of MADNESS (Meticulous Attention to Detail Necessitates Endless Scrutiny of Subject-matter) gradually disappeared from the collective public consciousness, along with worshiping pagan deities, leaving over a period of time a cold and confusing world for its millions of devotees.

Like John the Baptist for many years now I have wandered the planet in the hope of once more finding enclaves of followers to re-establish a society where applying the principles of MADNESS is once more the core foundation that all things are built from.

Although on occasion my hope has been lifted by finding an odd individual that has either previously worshipped at the altar of MADNESS or can understand the concepts and outcomes that MAD will provide them with throughout their lives and careers, they have been few and far between.

In recent times I find it more and more difficult within the professional service and consultancy environments that I inhabit to deal with the issues, problems, lost business and lack of respect that the majority of ignoramuses create as a result of being incapable of applying the principles of MAD within their daily professional existence. Regardless of how much time I have spent preaching on the subject or demonstrating in detail the fallout from a lack of MADNESS being applied to any given situation, still the nettle is not grasped!

If through a lack of MAD application even the smallest of emails or sales propositions is allowed to be propagated into a customer or even worse public domain, why would its recipient then believe as an organisation you are capable of servicing or operating their core business for them. Now imagine multiplying the potential consequences of the example up to say not applying MAD to the design of a Space Shuttle or even servicing vital life support equipment? To create a successful business or career and see either flourish over an extended period required MAD to be applied at every minute of every day to every task in hand. Only when this becomes a sub conscience act can anyone really refer to themselves as “professional”.

Give me twelve disciples of the principles of MAD and I will give you a world class Service or Business Operation.

Oh and if anyone knows of where I can find the nine I am currently missing please let me know.