The Truth About Band-Aids
I love to run. But the further I run the more blisters my feet get. They don’t make me incapable of running the next day, but they do make the process more uncomfortable. I can put a band-aid over a blister, but that’s just a short term fix. It’s a solution that becomes obsolete the first time you run through a puddle, get your foot wet, and it slides off (the band-aid, not your foot.)
Are you putting band-aids on all the problems in your life?
When you have a monumental fight with a friend do you change your phone number instead of talking through the problems? Do you purchase Hydroxycut instead of re-evaluating your caloric intake and amount of exercise? Are you guilty of going through the motions in an unsatisfying relationship because it’s easier than hurting someone’s feelings and admitting there’s someone else?
Is your company using band-aids to patchwork all its shortcomings?
Instead of flexible processes that empower employees to get their work done more efficiently, are you instructed to create template after template of techniques that become negligible the second the market shifts or something changes? The vast majority of templates are band-aids that take valuable time to create; time better spent developing a culture that speaks for itself.
Solutions?
The point is these solutions are not the kind you acquire from a book, an expensive seminar, a high priced consultant, or a fancy band-aid, even the ones Nelly wears.
You have to first turn the lens on yourself, examine the way you think about yourself and the problems you’re encountering. Try and solve the underlying problem by changing your stride, getting a better pair of shoes, or wearing thicker socks, because at some point you’re going to realize that no matter how many band-aids you use the symptoms will keep popping up elsewhere.
By then it might be too late!
Are you guilty of using band-aids to solve your problems? Are there examples of businesses/corporations/teams that haven’t figured out the problem isn’t on the surface? What techniques do you employ when you encounter nagging blisters in work? In relationship? In life?
Tweet This: (Copy & Paste into Twitter)
The Truth About Band-Aids — http://bit.ly/JlXFZ
If you enjoyed this post and the insight from my AWESOME readers please consider subscribing to receive future updates or connecting with me via Twitter or LinkedIn
Popularity: 1% [?]
I think that this is an important distinction to make when trying something new. So many things in life can seem like long term solutions on the surface, but in reality are just band-aids.
When talking about social media, I think some people try to use it as a band-aid. They decide that paying someone to tweet good things about their product is cheaper and easier than improving their below average product.
Sometimes in life I am guilty of this as well. When my schedule runs thin and I don’t get enough sleep, I will go for a quick caffeine fix instead of taking a nap. Great insight, Ryan. This is definitely an idea that needs to be considered.
Benjamin´s last blog ..Are you known as a problem solver?
[Reply]
admin Reply:
August 26th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
@Benjamin – You bring up an excellent point with respect to social media being a band aid. It’s happening more than the brands that are doing it care to admit, and more than most people not intimately tied to this space will ever notice.
And we’re ALL guilty of the caffeine fix. Without Coca-Cola Classic I’m convinced I’d have nice abs.
[Reply]
What about the cool band-aids with rainbows and teenage mutant ninja turtles on them?
In all seriousness, it’s true. We put band aids on symptoms of problems that often require a more in-depth analysis.
But it’s also important to know when you can’t and shouldn’t fix and readjust the band-aid. Maybe your skill set isn’t right for your current job. Maybe your current relationship really is not healthy and even abusive. It’s important to differentiate between knowing when to dig deeper and truly fix the issue and when (especially from a relationship standpoint) it’s time to leave and try something new.
I’m really diggin’ the analogy, Ryan.
[Reply]
Susan Pogorzelski Reply:
August 21st, 2009 at 8:47 am
“What about the cool band-aids with rainbows and teenage mutant ninja turtles on them?”
They’ve been replaced with pictures of Bratz cartoons and sparkly, unkempt vampires
Susan Pogorzelski´s last blog ..Let Your Troubles Fall Behind You
[Reply]
admin Reply:
August 26th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
I’ll start by pretending I know what the hell kind of band aid Susan was talking about.
Then I’ll ask if you changed your e-mail Carla, or if that was -really- the first time you’ve ever commented on my blog? WOW.
Finally, I think that’s a GREAT point. If you’re an arthritic 65 year old with no cartilage left in your knees, a brace is a band aid. But no matter how you change your stride or how support gear you buy, it’s probably time to start swimming laps, riding a bike or doing something less impactful.
What a great contribution!
[Reply]
Love this post, Ryan.
I think that sometimes the symptom is so painful that it’s all we can focus on which makes it so easy to believe that it’s the real problem. Even when it isn’t. For example, couples who come in for counseling because of an affair think the problem in the relationship is an affair. The job of the counselor is to help them see that an affair is simply a symptom of a bigger problem that already exists in the relationship (fear of intimacy, an escape move, etc.) If the couple can’t deal with that bigger problem the affairs are going to keep happening.
Anyways, great analogy!
Marie´s last blog ..Annoying Husband Behavior #3
[Reply]
admin Reply:
August 26th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
I love my readers. Everyone’s coming up with such phenomenal examples of this phenomenon at work. I don’t condone cheating, I never will, BUT I always say MOST people (there exceptions to every rule) don’t just cheat for the hell of it, they cheat because something is wrong with their relationship.
I really appreciate you stopping by and sharing that Marie!
[Reply]
Great post, Ryan! I wonder if we aren’t living in a time where we automatically go for that quick-fix, where it’s easier to cover situations up, to ignore them or disregard them completely, rather than work to find a suitable solution.
I think we see that happening more and more now — from corporations spinning PR in the news (and Ben’s excellent example of companies and their use of social media) to people giving up on relationships rather than trying to make it work. I wonder if it’s because we’ve become a society that is so fast-paced, so “now,” so results-oriented, that we skip ahead and look for the end goal rather than taking the time and discovering the best solution to getting there.
Sometimes it seems like the easiest way out is the most viable solution. It’s not — there really are no quick-fixes and, if there are, they rarely last.
Interesting post, Ryan…Love the analogy as well, but it leaves you thinking if it isn’t the result of a larger issue at hand.
Susan Pogorzelski´s last blog ..Let Your Troubles Fall Behind You
[Reply]
admin Reply:
August 28th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
I think our “fast-paced” society is definitely part of the problem. There’s numerous examples of this, with athletes taking steroids immediately coming to mind. Think about the thousands of people flocking to the internet trying to find ways to get rich without actually working. Scams anyone?
Another potential component of the problem is how much we compare ourselves to others now. They’re making more money, have a bigger house, drive a nicer car… that leads us to try the quick fix to achieve that status as well. Most people don’t see all the hard work it took for that person to get there.
[Reply]
Some people like to cut off the entire foot to solve the problem, but most choose this method (which is equally bad).
You need to step back take a look at the situation objectively and see if anything exists that you could do differently. If not? Endure the pain.
If something is wrong? Might want to take a pit stop and reevaluate.
Stuart Foster´s last blog ..Jerk Doesn’t Look Good On You
[Reply]
admin Reply:
August 28th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Accurate. Succinct. I like it.
[Reply]
You tapped into your inner psychologist/business analyst with this one huh?
I know you and I have discussed this, but since you referenced it above, I completely agree that templates are band-aids. A company should truly develop processes, which can be slightly altered as the market and technology change. A template is in effect a script. If things require a script to change, that means an entire rewrite…not as simple as changed a single component out of an overall scheme.
Jake Rosen´s last blog ..Friday Fun With Widgets III-Make Yourself a Simpsons Character
[Reply]
admin Reply:
August 28th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Well, not exactly the psychologist you are, but you know my business acumen is far superior, at least til you go back to school.
Moral of the story:
Templates = Bad, Waste of Time
Processes = Much more affective.
Case in point. Netflix’s Culture SlideShow. Brilliance.
[Reply]
Hi Ryan
I’m not so sure band-aids are all that bad for 2 reasons:
- There are situations when we have to go with a temp solution, like when you’re running.
When ‘action now’ is required, its better to do what’s possible and then refine/ replace, rather than ponder over the perfect solution.
Perfection is sometimes the [painful] enemy of the possible]
- Many ‘accidental’ discoveries started out as band aids!
My view is its more effective to respond ‘on time’ to the demands of the situation.
Cheers,
Anita Lobo
[Reply]
admin Reply:
August 30th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Per usual, you bring up an excellent point Anita, one both Elisa and Patrick touch on below.
You’re right in that sometimes band-aids are necessary, and that perfection is often an enemy. If everyone waited for perfection there’d never be an awesome new invention, idea, book, etc.
But I think that band-aids should always be a temporary solution, and NEVER the first part of a new strategy. You can fix something with a band-aid, but damn sure don’t build anything with them. That’s where the big mistakes come from… instead of starting with the right materials some brands opt to start with band-aids for anticipated problems. Therein lies problem.
[Reply]
I’m not sure that Band-Aids are ALL bad. I mean when you’re breaking in new running shoes or adventuring onto a different trail/terrain you are bound to get some blisters and cuts. You’ve gotta put the Band Aids on to keep plugging along until you can figure out what needs to be “tweaked” to stop it from happening in the future. But if you just kept running the same trail with bad shoes and didn’t cover the blisters they could get worse/infected/etc.
I don’t think that a quick fix to get through until you can figure out a solution is always a bad thing. If you use the “quick fix” to be your end result, however, things will go very badly very quickly.
Elisa´s last blog ..Why Every Guy Needs A Girl…Friend
[Reply]
admin Reply:
August 30th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Well said Elisa and to reiterate what I said to Anita above. Not only should they not be the end result, but they also can’t be the starting point either. Unfortunately I witness some companies starting with band-aids.
[Reply]
Band Aids are only useful as last resorts. You have a blister, crap, put on a band aid for now but figure out why you are getting those blisters so you don’t need one later. They are useful when crisis hits, as Elisa points out, but should be avoided at all costs.
Patrick Ambron´s last blog ..Reduce Your Chances of Getting Laid Off In a Down Economy
[Reply]
admin Reply:
August 30th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Always appreciate your contributions Patrick, and this one is no different. A solid summary of some of the key points in this discussion. Looking forward to more great things from Brand Yourself!
[Reply]
[...] So, you can’t just slap a band-aid on a broken leg, you need to treat it and heal it. Right, Ryan? If I had an actual band-aid for every time I came across a band-aid analogy, well, I’d be [...]
October 29th, 2009 at 7:16 am