A Pint Between Friends

I hope my British friends do not take offense to this, but the current measurement system in England is confusing. Milk brought to the house by the infamous milkman is in pints, but the milk sold in stores is in liters. “Petrol” stations sell gas in liters and advertise the price in gallons. The distance between cities is in miles, but other road signs are in meters. Of course, beer is sold in pints! Everyone just knows when you walk to British pub and to ask for a pint.

It is not uncommon to have local rules that dictate measurement. Most people do not know that the volume of a UK pint is not the same volume of a USA pint. One UK pint is equal to 1.20 USA pints. A pint in the US is about twenty percent smaller by volume than a pint in the UK. If a “pint” of beer is ordered in London, it is going to be about twenty percent larger than a pint of beer in the USA. When my British friends order a pint of beer in the USA, they typically spend some time examining the size of the glass. They often comment, “This doesn’t look right.” They know something is wrong, but they just can’t identify it; they just can’t put their finger on it.

I have had CEOs tell me the same thing about their software organizations. They tell me, “Things just don’t look right.” Malcom Galdwell points out in his book Blink that intuition is often right, especially for those with a lot of experience. The problem is that it is difficult to persuade someone based just upon intuition. In the end, everyone should be able to explain and answer the question, “How do you know what you know?” Without measurement, many people get attached to their beliefs and embrace all the emotions that go with their opinions. In the absence of measurement and data, the person with the highest pay grade wins the argument that is based upon opinion.

I was consulting for the United States Marine Corps. In the meeting there were several officers of a variety of ranks, and I was the only civilian. The senior office was a two star general who started off the meeting looking at me by saying, “In the Marine Corp we wear our intelligence on our collars. I know I am smarter than anyone else in this room with the exception of you.” The he asked, “Are you smarter than me?” The room was dead silent. I decided this was the appropriate time for a silly quip, and I responded, “I think you are a pretty smart guy because you hired me.” The general laughed and said, “I like this guy.” In the absence of data, the person with highest rank wins the argument. In the Marines it is obvious who wins the debate of ideas. The general demanded facts and figures so appropriate decisions could be made. Everyone understood when it came down to an argument of opinion that the general won and there was no point in even making an attempt to argue. In the corporate world, the same thing happens; because the person with the highest pay grade is going to win all arguments of opinion.