Bill Matthies

The 5 Percent-ers
May 7, 2007

“‘Gadfly’ is a term for people who upset the status quo by posing upsetting or novel questions, or attempt to stimulate innovation by proving an irritant.” — Wikipedia

I like that and try to be one as much as possible, hopefully stopping short of becoming an “irritant,” an outcome I can ill afford as a consultant. But better to be that as opposed to continuing to do the same old things and repeating myself, which I know I occasionally do. (I said occasionally I do that. Repeat myself occasionally.)

Another more flattering term for gadflies might be “thinkers,” presuming: 1) they tell others what they think and of greater importance, and 2) what they think is new and potentially innovative possibly leading to something better than what currently exists. That is good and we need more of them and their thoughts in our business lives.

I meet hundreds of people in business each year, and I would guess that less than one out of 20 are thinkers. You know them when you meet them. They are often different but are not always charismatic, edgy, intolerant, intelligent, and they are always, always thinking. They are keen observers of the reality that confronts them and are constantly challenging, looking to change things hopefully for the better, sometimes not.

They are in their business lives what the Hell’s Angels are to motorcyclists. The 1 percent-ers (Hell's Angels), or, in the case of business, maybe the 5 percent-ers.

I work with many clients including some thinkers, including one in particular who rarely accepts what I do as good enough. He gives positive feedback, pays his bills on time and is civil in his requests, but we never “finish.” We are always talking about how to change things. How to improve whatever is important to him. I wish all who I worked with were like him.

Posted by Bill Matthies on May 7, 2007 | Comments (0)