Maintaining the standards

If you have a relationship, work in a team or just live alone for that matter, you'll understand the magic of maintenance. My friend doesn't. He spends more maintaining his car than he does on his relationship. I remember that phase of my first marriage well.

Maintenance isn't valentines day! Valentines day is the equivalent of the smash repair shop. Maintenance is 360 days a year. Yes, there are a few days off - like birthdays and Christmas and other special breaks where you get to indulge yourself, But not many.

Maintenance is as much about avoiding damage as it is about putting in more fuel. I mean, you need to put petrol in the car constantly or it'll fail. It's the same with love and business teams, you need to reward and recognize good things. Reinforce positives.

But if you put sugar in the petrol tank of the car, it fails immediately. This is the sort of maintenance and care many people fail to recognize. I'll list a few "sugar in the petrol tanks" firstly for love and secondly for business teams.

1: Sugar in the petrol tank of love

Wanting to improve your partner by making suggestions they didn't ask for
Comparing your partner to some tv person and your partner coming off second best
Thinking about how much pleasure you get rather than give (always less)
Giving affection only when you feel the need to get some back.

2. Sugar in the petrol tank of BUSINESS

Not wanting to improve your team and not making suggestions they didn't ask for
Not comparing your team to some ideal and thinking your team is doing great
Thinking about how much pleasure you give rather than what pleasure they give you
Giving acknowledgement when you don't feel the need to get some back

What can you see above that's absolute genius?