“Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do” – Steve Jobs

Finding Focus

The meeting on Monday was attended by seven little people.

Grumpy requested an add to staff; he wanted to have Serious join the group. Sneezy sneezed. Bashful turned red. Happy was looking out the window and not listening. Sleepy jerked to attention, adjusting his Ray-Bans. Dopey, raising his hand, wanted to know why we were meeting on a Sunday. Doc rationalized the addition. He was all for Serious, but only if we would hire his friend Curious. The idea of adding Serious and Curious at the same time was intriguing.

I called HR and had the requisition forms filled out. “Curious’ name sounds very familiar, she might have worked here before the last big layoff,” said HR. I told HR: “Serious will have to bring a megaphone to the office. Part of his job description will be to stand on his desk, position the megaphone to face the cubicles, and shout Focus every forty-five minutes. We should never have fired Focus.”

Focus had been fired four years ago, he was missed at the end of the day when bits of ideas were lost. He was missed when the pile of books started and not finished were ankle deep. He was especially missed when the paints were not used or had dried on a few brushes.

Now he would be able to be called with Efficiency (scratch that, Efficiency had been fired too—the very same week). “We really don’t have enough in the budget to go out and look for Focus; the number of incentives and perks he would require will be enormous. He may have moved to some Nordic country where he is more loved. Who would blame him?” HR said.

The question remains: will we find Focus by just shouting his name?

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