“Could the garment and appliance industries be in cahoots together, creating an artificial sock demand to keep us buying?” ~Tom Bodett

The legendary sock-monster is a source of much debate and mystery.  Where does the other sock go?  You put 3 pairs of socks in a load of laundry, and you get back 3 single socks, none matching one another.  I found a way around this conundrum.  Buy a 6-pack of identical socks, and at least when you wash them, you can pair up the 6 individual ones to make 3 pairs!  The sock-monster is a force of nature – you can’t beat it, but you might be able to think around it to your satisfaction.

As leaders, when you have team members come up against a force of nature, or a given set of circumstances that cannot be changed, encourage them to think outside the box.  You may be…