Kelvin Broadus

As kids, most of us at one time played the game of "Hot Potato." This is a game where a group of people stand together, often in a circle, and throw a ball back and forth to each other as though it is a hot potato that will burn their hands if held too long. In fact, I believe that it limits the players to holding the ball no more than about two seconds, and if they either hold it too long or drop it, they are out.

While this is a fun game for children, it translates to a poor principle of service in the business world. Unfortunately though, many times you will see people playing "hot potato" with their projects, assignments, tasks, by always trying to dish the work to someone else and never taking responsibility for it themselves. Or when it does actually land in their hands and they have no one to pass it to, they "drop the ball."

As professionals, it is important to leave the games alone. A very wise man by the name of Paul once declared: "When I was a child, I spoke as a child; I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things." And just as in this statement, as adults that are professionals, we too have to put away this childish game in our work lives. At some point, to be successful, we have to accept that understanding that "the buck stops here," put on our gloves, and deal with whatever tasks become our responsibility. For in business where there is no "I" in team, the ball is no longer a toy but a bowling ball and if it is dropped, EVERYBODY's toes get crushed. The "hot potato" must be held unto and completed if the benefits are to be gained.