Currently struggling with one section of my local company who dont
understand what I am on about. I am certain that although I need to
spend a little money the return in terms of money saved/workhours
saved will very easily more than justify the few dollars I need to
spend.  The people that matter cant yet see it and it is really like
the saying "Cant see the wood for the trees"; just ridiculous in my
opinion that they cant see past the very short term loss of the small
amount spent. What analogies therefore( just a couple will do) could I
use to show how utterly mean and short sighted they are in not seeing
that spending a few pennies will get them many times the same value
back.  I have a couple in mind but was looking for something pretty
clever that even perhaps evoked the sort of dry humour that Bryan is
good at.  E.G something like the situation where those lousy
questioners get a great extremely comprehensive answer back for the
tiny 2 or three dollars thay have paid but then bemoan the fact that
it cost them  those cupla dollars rather than see the great value they
have just got for peanuts.Well something like that at least.

 Give it a ago anyway as I am not that pedantic about it

---

Clarification of Question by johnfrommelbourne-ga on 15 Apr 2004 09:01 PDT

Thanks for having a go at my question whoever you may be but plesae
note that down here at the bottom of Australia it is now exactly 2am
and I have to go to bed so could not actually do any clarifications
from this point on, sorry.

 JFM

Hi, John

Many, many years ago, I used to work in the finance department of
various big companies and they loved presentations (that nobody really
understood) incorporating stuff such as Discounted Cash Flow.

But I soon discovered that my job was simply to make the figures LOOK
right - even though, in some cases, I knew that the project was
stupid.

I got pretty good at this and I quickly zoomed up the Corporate Ladder.

Eventually, I was promoted to Chief Executive where I excelled at
tearing such rubbish to pieces.

Nevertheless, I recognised that money needed to be invested on basic
essentials like plant refurbishment, automation and stuff that would
improve productivity and quality. The benefits were impossible to
quantify but I felt, intuitively, that they were right.

So, I adapted the discredited techniques to PROVE the viability of the
investments that I wanted to make.

Happily, I was right and everything turned out much better than I had
ever imagined with fantastic results on the bottom line.

Of course, after the event EVERYBODY took credit for the improvements
but what mattered was that I knew the truth.

So, my advice is this:

If you feel that something is intuitively right then lie outrageously
to get your way.

And if you don't ... Well, at least, you've done your best.

Hope this helps!

All the Best

Bryan

My grandfather, who operated a small farm, used to say this of investment:

If you don't plant a seed, you won't get a crop.

There's an old saying "You have to spend a penny to save a pound" (or
"to save a dollar.")

Here's another thought ...

At first, if ever I got a great idea, I would gather my gang together
and say, 'I've got a great idea ...'

Big mistake. Their eyes would blank out and they all then set out to
make sure that my great idea didn't work.

So, latterly, whenever I got a great idea, I would pose the problem
that it was designed to solve and ask the gang for solutions.

Eventually, someone would hit on my great idea and I would jump up and
down in excitement. 'What a great idea!' I would scream.

Of course, whenever someone thinks that they've thought of a great
idea all by themselves they will move heaven and earth to make it
happen.

It's harder initially but easier and more effective overall.

(If you will agree to pay my First Class return fare from London to
Melbourne plus 2 weeks in a top hotel, I'll be pleasantly surprised.
But what a great idea, John!)
 
Regards

Bryan

Yes and thanks Pink One and Bryan. Two comments of yours Bryan I think
are particularly relevant and worth  passing on to up and comers.
Firstly you are spot on about taking the humble way of trying to steer
others towards your idea at which point they take it on with a real
zest and vigour cutting out a lot of selling work for the orignal
thinker of idea. Secondly you are right when you show that there is no
mathamatics or formula to show that refurbishments, equipment changes
are going yto add to bottom line or improve attendance or whatever,
rather it is just anintuitional thing; but  how hard it is to get
numbers driven people to se it that way

John

It was a really great idea of yours to provide me with a return air
ticket to Melbourne.

How soon can we do it?

Bryan

Bryan,

I have owned 2 businesses which comprised 17 years of my adult working
life.  Besides making me giggle, your comments are right on the mark. 
Thanks for the day brighteners...

~~Cynthia

John

If your budget can stand it, please make that two tickets.

I suspect that Cynthia might be persuaded to join us.

Bryan

Tickets?  a suitcase full of something mysterious, maybe cash?  I like
the sound of it already...