Quote of the Day

August 29, 2007, 10:13 PM UTC

Here is our Quote of the Day, which I will henceforth be offering not every day, mind you, but every day I feel that I come across a quote worthy to be the Quote of the Day.

This Quote of the Day comes from Lorraine from Salt Lake City, Utah, who commented on my inclusion of Business Analyst in our growing collection of bulls**t jobs. This one was offered by a reader in Pennsylvania based, presumably, on his experience with members of that profession. “The Business Analyst is the facilitator of time consuming numbness,” wrote our reader. “As simple as a monkey opening a banana.”

Lorraine took issue with that, and offered our Quote of the Day, “If you don’t need a banana to be peeled, then don’t hire the monkey.”

Thanks, Lorraine, for a truly great observation. Like all terrific zingers like this one, I’m not quite sure what it means, but I plan to offer it in meetings. Like, when somebody has a problem with something I’m doing, or some strategy I’m suggesting, or anything that’s been done by one of my people, I’m going to lean back in my chair, look at them with quizzical interest, and say, “If you don’t need a banana to be peeled, then don’t hire the monkey.” I’m interested in what kind of response that will bring, but I have a feeling it’s going to stop whoever is in my face stone cold.

You try it. Tell me how it plays.

And thanks, Lorraine from Salt Lake City, for offering our Quote of the Day, you win… my eternal gratitude! That’s gotta be worth something!

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