Positive change is harder to see
Humans are wired to see negative change because we need to protect ourselves; a negative change is seen as a risk and a danger. Positive change is much more difficult to see; there's no risk involved.
Think about it this way: When there's a negative change with your data (e.g., a board member's email address is incorrect), it is a problem, everyone knows about it, and often we rush to fix it. When there's a positive change (e.g., all the board members' email addresses have been updated and are now 100% accurate), we rarely notice, and it's even more rare that we say anything about it.
This is why I recommend that data managers practice database public relations. Because positive change is much more difficult to see than negative change, we have to make a proactive effort to highlight all the positive change going on around us.
![]()
Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives
Consumer demands change and technology changes
Consumer demands change and technology changes When I work with clients on the selection of […]
Why I write
Why I write Thirty years ago, I started a new job as director of membership […]
DAN – The Data Analytics Network
DAN – The Data Analytics Network I’m a huge fan of users groups (both internal […]
Process before technology
Process before technology In a conversation with a client recently, I was reminded (yet again) […]
Opting out and communication preferences
Opting out and communication preferences Last week’s newsletter discussed the need for associations to collect mobile […]
Are you collecting mobile phone numbers? You should be.
Are you collecting mobile phone numbers? You should be. Are you collecting (and using) the […]
Spend less time on data management and more on higher value activities
Spend less time on data management and more on higher value activities Data management is very […]
Change anything you want, except your name!
Change anything you want, except your name! This is an oldy but a goody, but […]
If you don’t trust your vendor…
If you don’t trust your vendor… When I start an AMS selection project with a […]
Your RFP should go to no more than five vendors!
Your RFP should go to no more than five vendors! As a rule, when I […]
