Commons sense vs. following steps (And why common sense always wins)

It’s easy to follow steps.

Do A, then B, and that gets you C. You can repeat this cycle over and over again and as long as you have discipline, you can excel at it. But it’s not the most valuable skill – because most people can perfect repetitive work.

I used to do that when I first worked at a call center that specialized in fundraising. I would follow a “script” and I would always get mediocre results. The introduction of myself on the call was “A’, the “scripted material” was B and the request for donations was C.

It’s get a little harder when you encounter change in the steps.

For example, do A, D comes into play, do F, then that gets you to C.

Think about it, if someone is upset with your organization, do you really stick to the “scripted material” if it doesn’t address their pain?

It’s important to have discipline, but don’t be blinded by structure. Use your common sense and you’ll be better for it.