We all love one-liners. They are the grist of the comedy mill for many comedians—from classic performers like Henny Youngman and Rodney Dangerfield through hundreds of late night monologues from Letterman and Leno to Fallon.

What do one-liners have to do with gaining a competitive edge in the benefits business? These relatively simple thoughts can provide a valuable, thought-provoking stimulus. As an example, last month I closed with a one-liner: “The future is a great place to do business.” I first heard that around 30 years ago, and every so often I think over what I am doing to help make the future become that great place.

For years I've kept a journal of these thoughts as they occur to me. I look at them many times a year for inspiration. Here are some selections:

Don't brag about how experienced you are at fixing problems for your customers.
Quit having smart people do dumb things.
No matter how often you water a blade of grass, it won't grow up to be an oak tree.
The work is more important than the idea.
Every kid wants to play in the other kid's sandbox.
The future will never be less complicated than today.
Think about the needs of others first.
Make the transition from activity-based processes to process-based activity.
A road full of bumps and potholes could average out to be smooth; be wary of averages.
Questions often have many answers; be sure to choose the right one.
Short questions often have long answers.
Tell customers what to expect and then live up to the expectations.
It's better to run a casino than to throw dice for a living.
End each day with less paper than at the start.
The greener grass may be under your feet.
If you want to be special you had better do something special; just being special is not enough.
There are always better ideas but the best ideas are ones that help customers now.

I hope at least a few of these one-liners stimulate thought. My personal favorite is a line from Mark Twain, which I paraphrase as: “The fool says do not put all your eggs in one basket. The wise man says put all your eggs in the basket and then watch that basket.” That has always reminded me not to lose focus, which in our attention-deprived world is an essential attribute.

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Love in the time of one-liners

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