So I was talking to my teenage son who is real excited as he is about to apply for his driver’s permit. That is a big step in any young man’s life. It is a prelude to a Driver’s License. The power to cruise around, without parent supervision, and obey the rules of the road, while, very carefully, not speed. Or maybe the power to go look for girls and blast the stereo, I think that is his motivation; oh, to be young and have hair again.

Anyway, as I was talking to him and I could not stop laughing, I thought about the fact that in business, just as in life, we have to be very careful in our instructions and how we request things. Case in point is the following. We are reviewing his application which took him about 30 minutes to complete – you know he does not want to get one wrong because then I will be on top of him letting him know he is not ready to drive; that is the fun cruelty of being a dad.

As we are looking down at the list we get to the question and one of them states, Do you want to be an organ donor? He crossed no. It startled me I must admit it because all of us at home that drive are organ donors. So I ask him, why don’t you want to be an organ donor? He looks at me with his face in disgust and fear at the same time, and he says: “no way man, not me” I said, why not, it is a good thing, he defiantly gets up and paces around the table and tells me, “nope. not gonna happen, not me, nope”. I must admit I am baffled and disappointed. How could this young man not want to donate organs to those in need if he is not going to need them. And then it hits me…. wait for it. I tell him, you do realize you will be dead when they take them, and then, I see his expression change and relief possesses him with skepticism and he replies, “are you sure, I need you to be sure”…

I could not take it anymore and I laughed until I cried a little. If we do not explain things well to a young man that has never filled out his form, and did not explain what the procedure consists of, who is wrong: us or him. Well, I think we all share the blame a little. I am happy to report that he changed his answer and he is now a proud organ donor. I am also proud to report that I did not have to convince him. I am sad to report that I will rub it in until he is an old man and this story has just become public knowledge. Kids are great, hopefully we as entrepreneurs give out instructions clearly to those who work with us if not we can expect horrified looks as well.

Keep Calm and Stay Humble…