Diagnosis: Company

“What kind of iPad should I get?”

Being known as 3e geeeky, I get asked that question at least once a week.

I know they want an easy answer. Something like, “Black 32gig wifi,” but I always start my advice by answering their question with a question of my own:

“How do you plan to use it?”

I mention this because I’m always anxious when meeting a new client – as we are this week in Tennessee – that they’ll expect easy answers to complex questions and simple fixes to compound problems.

We want easy answers, don’t we?

We crave black and white.

We like life being a gumball machine – coin goes in, gum comes out … everytime. Safe. Predictable. Just like magic.

The problem is – companies aren’t easy or simple. Life ain’t a gumball machine and things are rarely black and white.

Questions usually lead to more questions, don’t they? Or, at least, they should.

That’s the doctor’s most important job, isn’t it? The diagnosis.

Sometimes, I’m an iPad doctor. Sometimes a company doctor.

I mention this because today, when touring our new client’s training room, I spied this on one of their white boards. When I saw it, I knew we were going to be okay. They don’t tell people “Black 32gig wifi” either.