I once worked in an office full of super helpful people.
In this helpful office, everyone responded to everyone else’s needs. Everyone offered an opinion. Everyone was there to help everyone else. In the helpful office someone once blurted out, “I need a light bulb.”
For the next 15 minutes the entire office searched their draws, look through their things and called around looking for a light bulb. We don’t even use light bulbs. Alas, someone found a light bulb in an adjacent office! Mission complete, right?
Wrong, mission distracted.
The office I work in now isn’t helpful. This office is much better. People are focused on their task. If one of our professionals is directly asked for help, help is given. If we have an opinion, we offer it but only if it supports the mission.
In my super productive office, you can find your own light bulb.
The point here is, you want people to be focused on getting important shit done. You want focus on quadrants 1&2. Not looking for the simple task to distract (quadrant 4); even if the distraction is hidden under the guise of helpfulness.
Work in the dark if you have to, but stay focused on the mission.
