The Danger of Shiny Object Obsession: A Lesson from the Cosby Show

30 years ago this week, the first episode of The Cosby Show aired on NBC. When Theo came home with four Ds on his report card, he said it was no problem – you don’t need good grades to get a job and live like regular people.

Cliff, America’s favorite TV dad, gave Theo a now legendary lesson in real world economics with Monopoly money.

Yes, that was 30 years ago. Yes, we’re that old.

Fast forward to season two, episode two, when Rudy and her friend, Peter, decide to make jelly with Cliff’s new juicer. When juice sprays all over the kitchen, the two kids flee the scene.

Rudy eventually admits her guilt to her mom, Claire, who says to Rudy:

Appliances can be real hard to resist sometimes. They’re shiny. They make terrific noises. They’ve got those buttons that light up. That’s why your father likes them.

But do you know that machines can be dangerous and you could get hurt?

Of course, Rudy wasn’t the only guilty party in this episode. Cliff had an obsession with new appliances. He bought this stainless steel wonder based on the promise that it was maintenance-free and would provide nutritious drinks for just pennies a day.

This is why Claire rightfully charged Cliff with contributing the delinquency of a six-year-old.

Part of our job as business owners is to not give into temptation like Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable.

Shiny objects can come in many forms, from social media platforms and advertising services to automation tools and WordPress plugins.

Shiny objects don’t have to be marketing-related. They could be the latest gadgets, like tablets, smartphones and smartwatches. They could be cloud-based business services, security software or productivity suites (ie: Microsoft Office).

Unlike the early years of The Cosby Show, new shiny objects are now being introduced almost every day. The key is to determine which ones you must have, which ones are nice to have, and which ones should be ignored.

There are few, if any, shiny objects that you absolutely must have.

When I say “absolutely must have,” I’m talking about something that is essential for your business to function and grow.

For example, I consider a website an essential business tool, although 45 percent of businesses might disagree with me.

Websites are hardly new, but new themes and functionality are being unveiled all of the time. These tools might fall into the “nice to have” category.

Shiny objects deserve a look if they’re capable of delivering real business value.

Maybe you’ve discovered “nice to haves” that can help you create a competitive advantage or a new revenue stream, make life easier for your customers, improve productivity or reduce costs.

If that’s the case, they should be prioritized based on how much value they can deliver and how they can help you achieve specific business goals.

If you’ve done your research and determined that such a shiny object is worth the time and money required to purchase and use it effectively, move it to the “must have” category. If you can’t prove its value, monitor it for a while and keep an eye out for new data.

Or move on.

The consequences of shiny object obsession can be disastrous.

Rudy was sentenced to clean the low parts of the kitchen, and Cliff was banned from even touching new appliances.

They got off relatively easy. Will your business be so lucky?

The biggest problem with becoming obsessed with shiny objects is that they become distractions. They take your eye off the ball.

Shiny objects drain time and resources, both of which come with a heavy price tag. Both would be better allocated to the proven core business processes for running, marketing and growing your business.

You will not be able to use every shiny object. And you shouldn’t try to use every shiny object.

Don’t make the mistake of equating shiny objects with innovation. True innovation delivers value. Shiny objects, in most case, prevent you from delivering value.

If you’re intrigued by the snazzy email from some huckster who promises to increase your sales by 20 percent, ask for proof. Not promises or assumptions, but hard data. If there is no data that can prove the business value of a shiny object, don’t waste your time.

Instead of chasing something that’s unproven, focus on what has been proven to work. And try to do it better.