Clean Plate Club

Here are some ways to remain in the Clean Plate Club.

In elementary school everyone received the same amount of food. In life every person has the same amount of time. How you use time determines the benefit you receive. As a business person you instinctively know your limits.  Do not take on the project you do not have time to finish.  You may have the aptitude to handle the project but if you drop the ball you lose face and you have added no value.

When children are the lunch line there is an option to say, “No thank you, I do not want any of that.” Sometimes in business and in life we do not have the option before it is given to us, but we can look at the project and give it to the proper channels for a more expedient solution.  This is more than delegation this is distribution. There are others who can do more with what is on your plate than you can.

Sometimes in school we would have some undesirable food item and to get the reward we would have to finish everything all week. People would play the “hey look over there game” As soon as you would look away they would put some Brussel sprouts on your plate.  With projects and ideas you have to mindful of Brussel sprouts on your plate.  If it is not your problem, do not accept it.  People call me for advice from time to time, some good friends and some are business associates.   In these conversations I have to decide if I am helping or if they dumping a problem on me.  Mentally figuring solutions for business is an enterprise worthy of compensation. If you decide to eat the undesirable thing or handle a problem in business be sure to negotiate compensation. In elementary school, eating undesirable foods meant exchanging places in line for ice cream or maybe the whole cup of ice cream.

Joining the clean plate club is easy if you monitor your plate every day. Remember the rules and you will receive the reward…   Peace at the end of the week.

What example of the clean plate club have you demonstrated lately?