Friday, August 8, 2008

The $133 Problem: Missing the Obvious

Pulled over for an expired inspection sticker (on the Turnpike - not parked somewhere) ... and had to get the citation because 8 months past due. Now this sticker is in my sight line every day but I didn't even notice it was past the expiration month, and actually don't think about it. So I was fined $133 and had 2 days to correct (which I did).

So how does that happen? Any type of "missing the obvious" error immediately makes me wonder what other obvious things might also be missed. So I'm doing inventory on all the projects I'm working on to see what might need to be done, that isn't. Or what needs to be completed, and isn't even thought about. From time to time things drop off my "to-do" list that shouldn't have - they just didn't make the transition.

My advice to avoid the $133 problem (or worse) ... well, check your inspection date. Next, go through your most recent meeting minutes and see if there's anything that isn't being done that needs to be done. Check your records for upcoming meetings and see what hasn't happened. Sometimes you can just miss the obvious. And sometimes there's a cost, or a price, to pay.

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