Performers are performers

Pick your favorite comedian. Why would you pay to see him (or her) perform? Well, for one, he's funny. But for another, he has to stay "fresh." You won't pay to hear the same material over and over. Staying fresh is a sign that the performer is passionate about his craft, that he's growing, developing, improving.

That was the beauty of great bands like the Beatles. Always something new, always progressing, always a reason to buy their new music. Never the same song with a different title. Never cashing in by dumbing-down their work.

Same thing at the office. A performer can "play well" and say the right things for awhile. But it gets old hearing the same cliche or office-speak or seeing the same behavior over and over again.

We're all performers. We need to make sure we're not stale - not singing the same song over and over again. Everyone around us knows it when we do; we have to face it ourselves.

The best way I know to do it is to catch yourself when you're saying the same thing over and over again - and question it. What am I really saying? Am I "mailing it in," or am I really, truly being sincere about my work or my idea or my assessment of the situation?

I'd rather be too critical of myself then have others do it for me.

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com