Olina Qian

There is one Stanford’s Entrepreneurship podcast talked about Vision and Execution. They are trying to find out which one is more important. Their conclusion is execution is the key.

For me, I think Vision and Execution are both important. Vision can create a clear goal for you and ability of execution can help you get there. But lots of times, we are working on something, we do have a clear goal at beginning, but after time goes by, the enviroment changes, our situation changes too. So it is good to have appraisal sometimes to see if we are still aligning to our goal.

Here is a little inspiring story for you, hope it reminds you to take a break and appraise yourself tpp, before you go too far!

A little boy went into a drug store, reached for a soda carton and pulled it over to the telephone. He climbed onto the carton so that he could reach the buttons on the phone and proceeded to punch in ten-digits (phone numbers).

The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation:

Boy: ‘Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn?

Woman: (at the other end of the phone line): ‘I already have someone to cut my lawn.’

Boy: ‘Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price of the person who cuts your lawn now.’

Woman: I’m very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting my lawn.

Boy: (with more perseverance): ‘I’ll even sweep your curb and your sidewalk, so on Sunday you will have the prettiest lawn in all of Palm beach, Florida.’

Woman: No, thank you.

With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver.

The store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy.

Store Owner: ‘Son… I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job.’

Boy: ‘No thanks’.

Store Owner: But you were really pleading for one.

Boy: No Sir, I was just checking my performance at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady, I was talking to!’

This is what we call ‘Self Appraisal’ …