Comments on: I use small barriers to avoid kooks

By: MsBluebells

MsBluebells — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 17:44:04 +0000

Interesting. I use this a lot if people or things hassle me in small ways I refuse to engage with them. Especially over the net. I have a very low threshold for being hassled. Life is short.

By: J. Christian

J. Christian — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 20:42:16 +0000

I was shocked when I found out that most people DO NOT send hand-written "Thank You's" after interviewing for a perspective job/graduate school.

Small barrier.

I even send hand written thank yous to the secretaries who arrange the travel/interviews. It's a small thing, but they often hold sway over decisions. It's one more personal point of contact that shows that you really care. It doesn't take that long, and it cost 39 cents.

I shuddered when a friend said she was going to EMAIL a thank you to a professor she interviewed with for a PhD program! With a program where you will spend an incredible amount of time with someone - not to mention where the acceptance rate is SO low - I think a hand-written gesture is in order. And what if the professor never checks email? (This is known to happen).

Small barrier. Invisible, not purposely set, but one I consider to ALWAYS be there.

By: K

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 17:49:56 +0000

Kooks?

I prefer to call them tourists.

I agree life’s too short to spend time on tourists.

Heck, life’s too short to hold hands.

If it’s a long drawn out process to get them up to speed, how do you think they’ll ever keep up?

By: Kirubakaran

Kirubakaran — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 03:37:14 +0000

I agree with you.

When I tell people of my own age that I am running a startup myself (I try to avoid this in the first place), everyone wants to “join the effort” in one way or the other. And they insist. But so far I’ve seen that they only end up wasting my time I applied something very similar to your idea – without being aware that I was doing this – and it did work. Very effective at keeing the chaff away.

By: Jared Goralnick

Jared Goralnick — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 03:29:03 +0000

Excellent thought. Perhaps an equally valuable lesson is to look at it from the opposite perspective: few people will actually take the time to scale the small hurdle. If you are one of the few that does then you’ll stand out from the crowd. If you meet or exceed someone’s expectations for a follow-up you’ll be in such a minority that you’ll usually get a response or a friend for later on. And, if you don’t get a response, don’t stop there, send another email a week or two later, maybe with a link to an article they might like. Just about everyone will write back at this point. Aim for lunch next and you’re in.

Even more: if there’s someone you want to get to know further, make it clear that you will email/call them. Not vice versa, even if they say they’ll call. Lesson 1 in business: people don’t email/call you when they say they will. So why bother to wait for them or to accept their “I’ll get in touch.” Set the expectation that you’ll be the one and then do it. You’ll do better in business. You’ll even do better meeting women with this approach… Great tip, Ramit!

By: Milind

Milind — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 22:29:14 +0000

Love the post.

Putting up “barriers” also forces managers to focus on behaviors they care about and will look for in the people working for them. Managers who do this successfully will find people who are, just as you say, “far more interested and better qualified”. Managers who can’t do this are no good to work for anyway!

By: Ramit Sethi

Ramit Sethi — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 02:46:44 +0000

Hey Paul. Thanks for the comment but I have to totally disagree. I’m like the easiest person to get in touch with–my email address is plastered all over my sites, and I answer every one. I’m flattered and I LOVE it when anyone comes up just to meet.

This post was about when someone comes up in a business context and specifically asks to work together. Then I sometimes use small barriers.

By: Paul Lopes

Paul Lopes — Sat, 18 Feb 2006 18:46:11 +0000

Sometimes people just find you interesting enough that they want to make “contact”. It’s hard to tell someone whom you admire you like their writing without sounding like a complete suck-up or kook. I know that I try to talk shop in those situations (maybe not the best approach). You have a business I have a business, something we have in common so lets talk…

People are nervous enough and then you throw up a “barrier” and it makes it obvious you don’t want to talk so they back away slowly, not trying to offend you any further. SO… Does that mean they’re a kook or that you’re just a cocky-son-of-a-gun? I guess that’s what we love about you:)

By: Jared Iverson

Jared Iverson — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 19:03:57 +0000

I agree completely. Barriers are essential when you’re trying to find the right people to join your organiztion (whether it’s college or hiring for your business). When we were looking for programmers for our company the barrier we created was to greatly down-play the compensation and the company’s projected profits. We wanted programmers who were more passionate about the product and the company vision than they were about the money. It helped a lot during the higher process to find the right people.