Lessons for a father - Parkinson's Law (Part 2)

If you, as I do very much, like working on fun things, you would know the meaning of Mr. C. Northcote Parkinson's statement.

Widely appreciated as the Law Of Delay, it is just one of many ways that allows people like me to, possibly, not work on things we do not want to work on.

Let us be honest though, and not let our hopes wander. All of us work on things, daily, that we do not like to do. Even the best of parents would not like to change diapers. In a professional setting, no amount of leadership experience can make you like giving negative feedback or letting someone go. We do it because it needs to be done.

The law was laid out for bureaucrats but holds true in just about any setting. 

Take for example the fact that I have been delaying going to the doctor for many months now to get my physical done. Is it OK that I am doing that? No. I am delaying meeting up with my physician because I hate going to a doctor. I justify it by saying that I am in good physical condition and doctors would find something wrong that is really not there.That will not be the case, I am sure. It is just my unfair way of handling the issue.

Teaching our son to say a few words or count and working with our professional teams to get better can come across as something that can be put off to another day. That day will have its own set of challenges and by the time we are ready to do what needed to be done weeks ago, life would have moved on. Sadly, that is how it usually transpires.

So here is an extension of my previous post that gave me a lifetime to learn new things (read it here: Parkinson's Law (Part 1)). Even if we had all the time in the world to learn and get better at whatever it is that we do, it has to start somewhere and at some time. It seems like "NOW" is a very opportune moment.  

All thanks to Mr. Cyril Northcote Parkinson, formerly of the British Civil Service, of course.