Re: Better people

Harvey Newstrom (newstrom@newstaffinc.com)
Tue, 8 Jun 1999 01:44:11 -0400



From: O'Regan, Emlyn <Emlyn.ORegan@actew.com.au> To: <extropians@extropy.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 1999 1:06 am
Subject: RE: Better people

> > Try parsing this sentence
> > "95% of goods in the shop were above the average price of goods in the
> > shop"
> >
> > make sense?
> >
> Yep. 5% of the goods are really cheap (the stuff that I buy).

Agreed. The store can sell 95 items that cost one dollar and 5 items that cost half a dollar. The average price is 0.975 dollars. "95% of goods in the shop were above the average price of goods in the shop." No problem there.

Now try this one: A large corporation who gives me my security consulting assignments just changed the definition of "meeting objectives" for the year. Our new objectives are that "we will exceed objectives." I'm not sure if by exceeding objectives, I am now merely meeting them. Nor am I sure how to exceed them anymore. The explanation of the new policy also stated that unlike last year, because of the higher standards, most employees will be rated below average, while only a few will make it up to average ratings.