There are a lot of words in business: job descriptions, memos, briefings, meetings, quick updates (that last 45 minutes), more meetings. This flood of words create the impression that adults have endless attention spans, and that you can keep talking and people will keep listening.
This impression is wrong.
How many people do you know who consistently fail to make any progress because they are always trying to leap past all the folks who are actually working? I'm sad to say I know more than a few.
Our business world is filled with aspirational mumbo-jumbo, from the posters put up by HR to the latest pep talk given by your newest boss. Everyone aspires to be the best of the best. Besides Avis, I can't think of a business that advertised the fact it was number two.
That having been said, I'd be thrilled to: have a book that's number two on the New York Times bestseller list, help a client go from a startup to number two in their industry, or have one of my kids be number two in his or her class.