Things I learned from buying a new shaver

Buying a new shaver might seem like a somewhat trivial experience. But when I bought one, it gave me several reminders about life and leadership.

So, let’s take a deeper look at acquiring a new machine to groom my face and see what we can learn from it.

Learn from other people’s experience

First, I visited several sites online and read reviews of different shavers, both from so-called experts and everyday users. I like evaluating things before making a decision, and I appreciate how the Internet allows us to share our experiences with each other.

Know when to move from research to action

Just as analysis paralysis was about to strike, I decided it was time to visit some stores.

I planned ahead by finding stores that had the shavers I was considering in stock. I then looked for ones close to each other, so I would not spend unnecessary time, money and fuel driving between them.

Life lesson: Plan ahead while staying away from overanalyzing. Without some planning, you may waste valuable resources such as time, energy and trust. But if you overanalyze, you risk spending your life up on a shelf while life is happening beneath your feet.

Find what works for you

At the stores, I asked to hold two of the shavers, one in each store. They were a bit different, but one simply felt better in my hand.

I was convinced that both were good enough purchases. Now it was a matter of deciding which would work best for me. After considering the practical information, I went with the one that felt right in my hand.

Life lesson: Once you have gathered and considered the information, your own experience and preferences can also help you decide. Something that works well for someone else may not be the best fit for you.

Be willing to look again

I brought the shaver home and gave it a first run at my three-day scruff. It was nice and quiet, but the shave was not as good as I had anticipated.

I even told my wife that I might have made the wrong decision. Still, I decided to stick with it for a few days and give the new shaver another chance. As it turned out, I was also giving myself a second chance.

Someone once offered me a way of thinking about respect that has stayed with me: being willing to look again, beyond the first impression. I like that as a reminder, rather than as a literal definition of the word.

What might we discover if we were willing to look again, beyond our first impression?

Learning how to bring out the best

After that first use, I took the time to read the instruction booklet. Among other things, I learned that circular movements worked better with this shaver than straight ones.

That knowledge, coupled with getting to know the shaver and how to use it against different parts of my face, changed the experience.

After several shaves, I started feeling that this was the greatest shaver ever. Quiet, gentle on the skin and giving a great shave.

Life lesson: Sometimes we are quick to judge something or someone as falling below our expectations or failing to produce the desired results. Sometimes their performance also reflects the conditions we, as leaders, have helped create.

Before deciding that someone cannot do the job, it can be worth asking whether we have provided the clarity, support, tools and opportunities to learn that they need.

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