What do you do when something unexpected happens? You probably pay more attention. That's quite natural. Paying more attention when something unexpected happens is a simple survival skill.

Dealing with the unexpected is said to be the most difficult aspect of business life. My experience has taught me the opposite. The most difficult thing to manage is the expected. Read that again: The most difficult thing to manage is the expected.

Let's face it. Business is boring. It's the same nonsense over and over, day after day.

It's like driving the same car, on the same road, to the same destination at the same time every day. You must do it. And if you take your eye off what you're doing, bad things can happen.

The most successful managers I have worked with were those who had the discipline to focus on the same detail, over and over, day after day.

By the way, paying attention to the unexpected is one reason why sales people give more attention to new customers than to their existing ones. Doing so is not only bad for business, it's also bad manners.

About the Author

James Henry McIntosh is a Chief Nonsense Officer. He advises executives on dealing with nonsense at work in the hope that this will make them, their teams and their organizations more effective. When this gets the better of him, he retreats to writing and public speaking until his confidence returns. He has been repeating this cycle for more than 20 years without seriously hurting anyone. Sign up for free newsletter on http://www.nonsenseatwork.com