Choosing Value over Volume
I wasn’t exactly on the David Letterman Show. I was near it, I guess. In the Green Room eating candy while Tony Dungy was on set, actually.
After we arrived to a New York city street full of paparazzi, we were whisked into the studio and onto the elevator, finding ourselves with Paul Shaffer, Letterman’s longtime sidekick.
Tony nodded to Paul as we got on, and I don’t know if it was sleep-deprivation or trying to be clever (both, probably) but I said, “Tony, meet Artie Fufkin.”
Paul laughed, and then there were introductions all around. Paul actually introduced himself as “Paul” and not as “Artie,” his This is Spinal Tap character I referenced. His choice, I guess.
For those who haven’t seen it, This is Spinal Tap was Rob Reiner’s directorial debut (shortly before Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men, etc), and was a fake documentary of an English heavy metal band.
At one point in the movie, Christopher Guest, playing one of the band members, explains to Rob Reiner why their music is so loud, pointing to the knobs on their custom amplifier:
“The numbers all go to 11.”
“And most amps go to 10,” Reiner says. “So does that mean it’s louder?”
“Well, it’s one louder, isn’t it?” Guest replies. Case closed.
I’ve found that, like Guest’s character, some people mistake volume for value. They think outsized responses are called for. Being loud. Labeling everything as a crisis.
Before long, nothing is. Our organizations start tuning us out. And when we do feel the need to respond to a true crisis, to marshal everyone’s attention, to get that “extra push over the cliff,” as Guest says, there’s no 11 left…we’re already there.
Don’t fall into the trap of looking to be the loudest voice in the room or to chase gimmicks for attention.
What truly resonates—what creates impact—is depth, clarity, and authenticity.
That’s actually one louder.
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