We are talking about improving our productivity by keeping the pests at bay. It’s a big job but absolutely necessary for success in business. The sixth natural strategy is called “secondary metabolites”. It’s where the plant uses chemical warfare to fight off pests, pathogens and fungus. The plant makes it unpleasant for the offender, even deadly if they persist.

So what’s the lesson here? Simple - Get serious. Don’t reward interruption. Make it costly to the perpetrator. Unfortunately a lot of folks can’t take a hint or even a gentle request so sometimes there has to be a price to pay for that interruption. It might be a stern word of correction, a warning or even withdrawing business from a nuisance vendor.

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 A very good friend of mine wanted to see some sales numbers from his sales department. The manager promised a quick response with a full report on all activity, complete with status, explanations, etc. Sounded good, but my friend said that a full report could confuse the issue. He only wanted to see the bare numbers. They would tell the story. Kind of like our last blog where Jesus asks his servants, “How much have you gained by trading?” He didn’t want a story. He wanted the numbers.

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