Jim’s Musings - Contemplating the Tea Kettle

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Here the teakettle sits on the stovetop polished to a gleaming reflection. But it’s lonely. No one pays any attention to it. It sits unused as a relic from the past.

In current day life when hot water is required the microwave (right above the kettle) heats whatever is needed in less time and using less energy. Yet the kettle remains more out of habit than necessity, perhaps reminiscent of earlier more relaxed days when life was slower.

But now there is little need for the kettle. Yet it occupies valuable space and in fact is put aside many times as the need for more usable utensils are pressed into service. It would be more efficient if the kettle were stored in the attic or garage rather than cluttering up the workspace.

As I survey my surroundings I wonder how many teakettles I have:

·      There is that paper calendar that I print out faithfully every Friday to plan the next week’s work and never thought of again while I consult the calendar on my laptop or iPhone.

·      ·Of course there is the desk clock that I check daily to ensure it is maintaining the same time as the computer.

·      ·How about that software long forgotten and unused

·      Then there’s the old PC that’s creaky and only used because it houses historical Quick Books info

·      Side by side with the PC is the printer that only works with the old PC

Some day I’ll put that teakettle in the attic. . .

Jim is an expert business coach and a respected advisor to management and financial executives. He draws on his long-term business leadership background to help CEOs grow revenue, increase profits, improve performance.