Monsters under the bed

One universal truth about children: at some point every one of them is afraid of monsters under the bed. The common fear, and parental knowledge of it, helped Disney and Pixar gross more than $560 million in 2001 with the release of the movie Monsters Inc. The fear and film came to mind Friday night during an episode of the television show Shark Tank, the business show on ABC (not to be confused with Shark Week on the Discovery Channel).

One of the products pitched by an entrepreneur to the “shark” investors was called Fairytale Wishes. It is a spray that helps children handle common childhood fears, like monsters under their beds. Simply spray the monster repellant, and the child has less anxiety about the monsters and can have sweet dreams.

My brain has been stuck on that spray ever since viewing the show a few days ago.

In thinking about the kids and monsters, wouldn’t it be better to help children understand there are no monsters in their rooms? Or, maybe once reason and logic don’t sink in, a bubble-gum scented magic potion is all a kid will accept?

Are we ever like that? Do smart adults ever imagine monsters? Or, do we ever prefer to avoid looking under the bed and rely on the easy answer instead? After all, if that spray works, it sure would be easier for a scared child to spray the room than to look under the bed. He might come face-to-face with the mean monster if he looked for it!

Are we like that: afraid to face what scares us? When is it time to put down the fairy spray and face the monsters, whatever they are?

What are the monsters in your business? What do you need to do to face the fright?

Everyone is different, but there are a few things to consider:

1. Stay informed so you manage with facts. Rely on internal communications and your own sources for factual information.
2. Refrain from listening to emotional rants. Others’ emotional rants are more likely to upset you and cause you to lose focus than they are to help. Remember, the television news is full of opinionated hosts more than objective journalists. Be selective and don’t let someone else cause you to panic. We would tell kids not to be afraid of the monsters under someone else’s bed, right?
3. Assess your skills. Understand your strengths and how they can contribute to current projects. If your skills are outdated, use any down time to improve. It is always wise to ensure your skills are updated and relevant.
4. Communicate your strengths and offer to help other teams if possible. The fact is, doing so internally is not possible for everyone. Help internally or help get external clients so you can employ your strengths there. Whether internal or external, if your skills are updated and relevant, someone will need them.
5. Network. The purpose of networking is to share information. The exchange of information can help you position yourself as favorably as possible, no matter what happens.

The more imminent the change, the more I keep thinking about the monsters under the bed. Is it better to know they aren’t there than to take silly steps to demolish them? Or, is it better to take the steps just in case?

I’m not sure but I might check in to that Fairytale Wishes spray. One of the products is Super Hero Spray, for those days when you need a boost of courage. I wonder if there is a quantity discount…