Leading up to Y2K (the unrealized computer meltdown long foretold for the year 2000), my recommendation to Electronic Data Systems was this: Don’t win contracts with scare tactics; telling people a potential disaster is barreling down on them. At least, not directly. Rather, suggest their competitors might not be as smart as they are, not smart enough, in other words, to hire EDS and thus avoid calamity.

“Perhaps your competition’s not giving year 2000 their full attention. (But let’s not rush to correct them just yet.)”