This Is Our “17 Seconds” Newsletter #121: 17 Seconds = Useful Info Quickly.
I’m a USAF veteran: attended MIT on an AFROTC scholarship, briefly flew jets until the Air Force asked me to stop doing that, turned down the opportunity to be an astronaut (which is another story for another day), then served out my active duty time at Hanscom Air Force Base. While at Hanscom AFB, my supervisors taught me that nobody is in charge of the career of Lieutenant Heels other than Lieutenant Heels, so if I wanted a new assignment/award/promotion, then I would have to nominate myself for said assignment/award/promotion, leaving my superior only having to sign on the dotted line (or not). Whether you call the skill self-advocacy, self-promotion, or tooting your own horn, I learned (or at least honed) that skill in the military.
So when a colleague recently asked me why I continue to do outreach to prospective clients, I told him that it’s because nobody is in charge of marketing Clocktower except for Clocktower.
Which brings me to the recent retirement of Angel Hernandez, by far the worst MLB umpire in my lifetime. In an age where technology has helped managers, players, and umpires do their jobs better, Angel Hernandez refused to use the technology and, as a result, never got better. His strike zone was wildly inconsistent. And he often seemed more interested in hurrying the game along than doing a good job. Here are some “highlights” of Angel Hernandez:
* MLB Angel Hernandez CRAZIEST Moments (2024-04-21)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxUlkZYNPgw
Before every MLB game that I watch, I pay attention to who is umpiring the game. Because there is only one reason that you know the name of an umpire: they screwed up badly.
Here is an example from 2010-06-02, before the dawn of instant replay. Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga was one out away from a perfect game when first base umpire Jim Joyce mistakenly called the runner safe. Jim Joyce’s name was well-known in Detroit after that game.
* Armando Galarraga – Only Hit Of Almost Perfect Game (2010-06-02)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfCfjT5BH9o
When you do your job, and do it well, then nobody knows your name.
When you do not do your job, or do it poorly, then everybody knows your name.
Clocktower’s record speaks for itself: in 20+ years, 40+ of our clients have been acquired for $6+ billion, but nobody is in charge of marketing Clocktower except for Clocktower.
Clocktower is like the MLB umpire whose name you do not know. Tell your pals.
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