For 10 months, (a real estate agent) drove around with a corpse in her car. She never contacted police or tried to find the dead person’s relatives. Instead, as the body began to decompose, she spread baking soda on the floorboards to mask the smell.
Leaving aside for a second the pain this must be causing the dead woman’s family, as well as the real estate agent’s likely clinical insanity, there is something about this that strikes me as instructive.
It’s the bit about spreading baking soda to mask the smell.
It pains me to admit it, but I can identify with that impulse and recognize it in some of the organizations I’ve worked with: When faced with a big stinky problem, we don’t necessarily ignore it, we just sprinkle baking soda on it, and that allows us to keep going at least for a little while.
So, what have you been sprinkling baking soda on? Maybe today is a good day to do something about it before the problem gets so bad someone else has to call for backup.
Greg Swann says:
This wins my vote for the most perfect weblog post ever. Twist and twist and twist with no relief. Simply stunning.
November 1, 2010 — 11:34 am
John Rowles says:
Wow. Thanks Greg.
I’m glad I steered clear of the temptation to make a joke about the agent legally using the HOV lane…
November 1, 2010 — 12:08 pm
Brian Brady says:
My “big problem” is that I think agency-backed financing could seize. I’m finding ways to provide financing, without the government, as preparation.
November 2, 2010 — 8:57 am
Greg Swann says:
> I’m finding ways to provide financing, without the government, as preparation.
Good advice for Realtors, too: Lease-option, lease-purchase and seller carrybacks are all in our future.
November 2, 2010 — 9:19 am
Jim Whatley says:
John, You have it all wrong. She just wanted to look busy. “See, I have a client.”
Ben Franklin always made sure he had an audience before he would move paper in a wheelbarrow to and from the printing press. His thought was always make sure people see you busily working, the they assume you are good and hard working.
John why don’t you help us on the virtual black Friday webinar on salesmanship?
November 2, 2010 — 10:24 am
John Rowles says:
I know the market has been dead, but this woman took it to a new level.
(Sorry, just can’t help it. They wrote themselves…)
As for me holding a Webinar on salesmanship, as much as I appreciate that coming from a client, I’d have to defer to someone who knows what they are doing in real estate.
Maybe Greg would be interested?
November 2, 2010 — 10:49 am