123121…ABC

Code?  No.  123121 is the last day of the year; the last day to “hit the number” for sales reps on a calendar year.  It’s the countdown to midnight; to accelerate our accelerators (maybe even to keep our job). 

ABC? 

ABC: Always be closing. Telling's not selling. 

Boiler Room 

Please share your favorite closing story.  Here are two of mine. 

I worked with a seasoned sales professional years ago at Integral Systems.  He needed one last deal to exceed his number and qualify for President’s Club.  His prospect was in New York and he started with the old “camp-out-close” - showing up at their office without an appointment; determined to see his prospect; camped out until he did; needed to close the deal.  The prospect played along. 

Unfortunately after agreeing to meet, his prospect wasn’t budging as my colleague tried every “ABC” tactic he knew - even an opt-out, side letter (unacceptable by today’s revenue recognition standards, but a common “last resort” back then).  At the end of a short but spirited interaction between my sales colleague and his prospect, the “because-it’s-my-day” close was born.  It likely went something like this: 

Prospect: 

“I’m sorry, but as I told you; our plan is to finalize our vendor selection in January.  Why should I buy from you today?” 

Sales Rep: 

“Well Sir; because today is my day; and you have an opportunity to make today a special day for me.  Some day it will be your day; and when that day arrives, someone will have the opportunity to make that day a special day for you.  But today is my day and that’s why you should buy today.” 

And his prospect did! 

Then there’s the variation of the “because-it’s-my-day” close, I like to call the “me-or-my-successor” close:   

As a sales professional, I carried a quota for over 30 years.  And I can remember my 2^nd quota year as clearly as any.  You see, in my first year, I was more lucky than good.  That led to a promotion, and a hefty quota increase for my second year – I was in over my head. 

After 26 weeks into my 2^nd year, I was put on a “performance warning”.  At the 39^th week, the Vice President of Sales was asking my Sales Manager to fire me.  Since my company had chosen to proactively promote me (perhaps a bit prematurely) at the start of the year, I asked my Sales Manager to give me 52 weeks to sell my annual quota. 

We agreed that at the end of the 52^nd week, if I was still below 100%, I would resign.  At the end of my 51^st week, I was at 75% and significantly behind the required sales dollars necessary to keep my job.  However, I had been working hard on a very large account. 

I called the executive at my prospect and asked, “Do you think you will accept our proposal?”  “Yes”, was his response.  “Excellent, thank you!”  I reacted.  And then I added, “Do you think you could place your order this week?”  When my prospect asked why, I said, “Because if you place your order next week, it will be with my successor.” 

And at the 52^nd weekly sales meeting, with the Vice President of Sales in attendance, I “roll-called” the second largest deal in the Region’s history; finished my 2^nd year at exactly 100% of my quota; and kept my job. 

123121… “ABC” everyone, “ABC”.  Bon chance! 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Christ’s birth…

Wishing you a day of peace, hope, joy and celebration with family and friends. 

Of course, Christmas is more than just one day, true?  Whatever our spiritual beliefs, may each of us find meaning to our life during this season in a way that lasts throughout the entire year.  We may not want to look back and celebrate all of what’s happened in 2021.  I’m sure we are looking forward to a better 2022!  

Lest there be any confusion, may we be reminded of that which was important this year, and that which wasn’t. 

We are reminded by bankers to be of good cheer: 

A little boy received a new drum for Christmas.  Shortly thereafter, his father came home from work and the mother told him, “I don’t think the man upstairs likes to hear Georgie play his new drum, but he’s certainly subtle about it.”  “How do you know”? asked the father.  “Well, this afternoon he gave Georgie a knife and asked him if he knew what was inside the drum.”  

Herbert Prochnow 

We are reminded by the gospel to be satisfied with who we are not what we bought: 

You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are – no more, no less.  That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.  

Matthew 5 

We are reminded by the novelists to remember (and be thankful for) our “fortunes”: 

Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. 

Charles Dickens 

I am reminded to offer His blessings to you and yours from me and mine. 

“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!” 

GAP

Sugar and spur…

Recently, I was in my weekly 1-on-1 with my manager.  She joined the company earlier in the year; from Canada; a horsewoman; I liked her from the get-go.  I was told we hired her because of her industry knowledge and experience with sales programs like the one I’m part of.  I suspect she did not suspect it would be her equestrian skills that would make the biggest impact on our professional relationship. 

When she was hired, I was the senior member of her team; in fact, I was the only member of her team!  I was also the senior member of our entire department.  In today’s technology sales field tenure can be as much of a liability as an asset.  Technology companies often look at someone with my years of experience the way the Bureau of Land Management of the US Government looks at wild horses roaming government land.  

In the west the BLM manages herds of wild horses with the verb “manage” being a bit of a stretch.  The American Mustang is a proud symbol of our country’s beauty, heritage, and power.  Mustangs have no natural predators.  After they reach the age of five, the “wild” in their name cannot be gentled. 

My wife and son adopted three, two-year old mustangs from the BLM many years ago and gentled them.  The last is meandering the pasture outside our back door; thirty-one years old and still majestic:  

With great skill and patience they trained our mustangs to perform in parades and shows across the western states.  Me?  Well let’s say I make a good stable hand.  I love the smell of horse manure in the corral.  In the office?  Not so much. 

When working with our mustangs day in and day out, my wife and son employed unending patience maintaining their calm temperament even in the face of their horse “blowing up” from time to time; readily offering the “sugar”.  However, horses as herd animals constantly test the pecking order; even with their owners.  So occasionally my wife or my son would show their horse the “spur” just to ensure everyone knew who was the top of the pecking order in our little, family herd. 

When my manager first joined the company, she was generous with the “sugar” during our interactions. Her style was such that I told my wife if my new manager was not the nicest person I had ever met, she was in the top five.  I on the other hand?  Tested the pecking order. 

I wasn’t deliberately trying to buck the initiatives my department was pursuing but my demeanor wasn’t something to be proud of.  Perhaps pride was the source of my poop-in-the-face attitude.  None of my “issues” were significant; nothing material; nothing that couldn’t be easily addressed.  I suppose I was simply a little “wild”. 

The other day was another day with a bit of an undercurrent in our 1-to-1 meeting.  That’s when she showed me the “spur”.  It wasn’t much; never has to be with a skillful equestrian.  But it was enough to remind me that horse and rider are best as one; best when in sync; best when working together as a team.  Later that very afternoon she noticed and commented on my 180º change to a positive contributor during a team meeting.  

Yes, mustangs and tenured sales professionals can develop an occasional stubborn streak.  When they do, just show them a little “spur”.  It’s OK. 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Common enemies…

“OK Pokorn”, you might be thinking… “How will you correlate that title with peace and positivity?”  Well, there is actually great power found in emotional negativity that can be harnessed for the greater good.  It is the appeal to the greater good that we should remember.  

Yesterday we recognized Pearl Harbor Day.  December 7, 1941, an emotional, negative event occurred that summoned a powerful, driving force for the greater good.  From a factual standpoint according to Google: 

In total, 2,335 Americans died and 1,143 were wounded. 

Nothing remarkable in the annals of bloody combat, or even the bloody headlines of today, true?  But the highly-charged political discourse that followed, epitomized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Infamy Speech”, (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infamy_Speech ) united our country against a common enemy. 

Negative emotions can be a powerful, driving force.  But always a force for the greater good?  With the difficult events that have occurred almost daily throughout 2021…where will we find the greater good from “pandemic”; “economic downturn”; “ political strife”; or “global warming”? 

The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.  

Albert Einstein 

The hyperbole of current events may be similar to the highly-charged political discourse that followed the attack on Pearl Harbor.  But have we Americans become our own common enemies today?  Are we willing to think differently? 

I always feel good when everyone says I'm nuts because it's a sign that we're trying to do something innovative.  

Larry Ellison 

Thinking differently may offer us hope, but different does not have to be radical; dis-uniting;  or mean-spirited.  Our thinking should create more friends and allies than it does enemies.  Back to Larry: 

On the other hand, when people say you’re nuts, you just might be nuts… You don't want people saying you’re nuts too often - once every three or four years is good.  Any more than that, and you should be worried because no one's smart enough to have a good idea more than once every three or four years. 

In the business world we often see evidence of power when a company unites against common enemies.  Steve Jobs continuously crusaded to be taken seriously – until Apple rose to dominate personal, personal technology devices and the way we all consume entertainment and information.  The common enemy was their adversity when facing marketplace disrespect.  That negative, driving force drove Apple to astronomical heights. 

"ADVERSITY”: 

Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant.  

Horace 

The American Red Cross inspired from the carnage of our Civil War, formerly launched in 1881 in Washington D.C.  This powerful organization is also united against common enemies – the devastated; the wounded; the needy; the destitute. 

Yes, there are many common enemies that coupled with the negative, emotional reactions they stimulate give rise to harnessing power for the greater good:  

In every community, there is work to be done. 

In every nation, there are wounds to heal. 

In every heart, there is the power to do it. 

Marianne Williamson 

Here’s to Pearly Harbor Day and all the power it generated to propel our country forward in the face of common enemies.  What lessons have we learned?  How will we propel America and our fellow Americans, forward this December in the face of today’s common enemies?  

In every community, there is work to be done.  In our hearts and minds, we all have the power to do it! 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Daily Improvements…

Here’s to today, and every day – good, great, or better.  Ok, some days are not great.  But that’s just some days.  We can and do overcome those days: 

Forever trust in who we are; and nothing else matters. 

                        Metallica 

Words we can live by – from a heavy metal band of all sources!  Of course, I think they are my age.  Is gray haired, heavy metal still relevant? 

I find myself doing a lot of self-reflection during this time of year.  I like to recap my accomplishments; begin thinking about next year’s Annual Achievement Plan; start income tax preparations (yuck!).  Like a lot of employees, I just went through annual benefits enrollment at my company; and I’m feeling the warmth from my family and friends as we prepare to celebrate the year-end holidays.  

Nonetheless, I always feel a bit uneasy.  An Unknown Sage once said, 

People can be divided into three groups:

1. Those who make things happen,

2. Those who watch things happen, and

3. Those who wonder what's happening. 

I do feel a bit clueless from time to time. (Lord knows my wife and children typically think of me as being stuck in the 3^rd group.)  You should be there to see the reactions of my daughter-in-law as she gets to know me.  The phrase “acquired taste” comes to mind.  However, a lot of my persona is just my shtick.  Don’t tell her.  

I really do try to focus on staying present in the first group; making things happen; finding success.  I know it’s not easy for many of us.  Like many of you, I’ve always had to work for a living – I mean the blue collar type of work – I mean taking the long way around the barn – I mean overcoming setbacks.  Now don’t get me wrong; I’m very much a white collar, sales professional.  It’s just that to meet my goals usually takes me longer than my friends and colleagues who are blessed with great talent.  They have figured out how to work smart, not just hard.  Me?  Well, maybe I dip into that 3^rd group more frequently than I’d like to admit. 

No complaints though.  Success is defined in many ways and is a very personal matter.  When you have great self-confidence you are successful, yes?  That’s why one of my favorite hobbies is writing.  I like the way it helps me channel random, positive thoughts and the way positive reinforcement helps me maximize my productivity.  I’ve always believed no matter how I feel just showing up puts me on the path towards success.  

I know not every day is a stellar day.  According to Ashleigh Brilliant (and I agree with her): 

I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.   

Nonetheless, I’m doing the best I can; giving what I’ve got; facing each day – one day at a time.   That’s how I’ve tried to approach my career pursuits and my personal goals.  When I pause at this time of year to reflect for a moment on what I’ve been able to accomplish, it’s a nice boost to my self-confidence (even if my boss and my family still think I’m a little weird!). 

So here’s to today – good, great, or better:                        

Success never rests.  On your worst days, be good.  And on your best days, be great.  And on every other day, get better. 

                             Carmen Mariano 

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

                                                                        GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Thank you again and always…

‘Tis the season of thankfulness.  Not that we should wait during the rest of the year to say, “Thank you”, but certainly November and December remind us of our blessings, don’t you agree?  So before going any further - permit me to say, “Thank you”! 

Thankfully, I am blessed with family, friends, clients and colleagues who enrich my life beyond count.  Thankfully, smart people have put counting in the proper perspective: 

Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted. 

Albert Einstein 

Thankfully, I have readers who accept my periodic posts and reciprocate with responses of appreciation towards my little ditties.  

I can’t count all that I am thankful for; nor all of the times I have wanted to thank someone for their kindness.  But I am thankful for sure.  I’m thankful for living in Denver – most of the time anyway: 

Welcome to Denver:  

The morning rush hour is from 5:00 to 10:00 AM. The evening rush hour is from 3:00 to 7:00 PM.  Friday's rush hour starts on Thursday.

Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere.  Denver has its own version.  The car or truck with the loudest muffler goes next at a 4-way stop.  The truck with the biggest tires goes after that.  Blue-haired, green-haired, or cranberry-haired ladies driving anything have the right of way all of the time.

North and South only vaguely resemble the real direction of certain streets.  University and Colorado are two boulevards that run parallel.  Geometry evidently not working at altitude, these streets intersect south of C470.

Highway 285 runs North, South, East and West and every direction in between; it can be found in every section of the Denver area making navigation very interesting.  You can turn west onto southbound 285; you can turn north onto westbound C470; and you can drive southeast on the Northwest Parkway.  This is why Denver uses the additional driving directions of “out”, “up”, “in”, “down”, and sometimes “over”.

Construction barrels are permanent, and are simply moved around in the middle of the night to make the next day’s drive more challenging.  When you see an orange cone, you must stop and then move ahead slowly until there are no more cones.  There need not be construction, just cones.

If someone has their turn signal on, wave them to the shoulder immediately to let them know it has been accidentally activated.

If it’s 70 degrees, Thanksgiving is probably next week; if it’s snowing, it’s probably the weekend after Memorial Day.

If you stop at a yellow light, you will be rear-ended or cussed-out.  A red light means four more cars can go through.  Not three; not five.  Four.  Never honk at anyone.  Ever.  Seriously.  Never yield at a “Yield” sign.  The yield sign is like an appendix; it once had a purpose but nobody can remember what it was.

Just because a street on the east side of town has the same name as a street on the west side of town doesn’t mean they’re connected.  

Unknown Sage 

Thankfully, we will spend time with family, friends, food, and fun with a little football during the Thanksgiving holiday.  We will take a few quiet moments to reflect on all we have to be thankful for, too: 

Thank you Lord.  I may never have a lot; but I have always had enough. 

Gary A. Pokorn 

Thankfully, we can still give thanks this Thanksgiving. 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Circus…

I was thinking about childhood enrichment and employee engagement.  Yep… daydreaming on the job again! 

I think childhood should be a collection of in-person experiences that enrich a child’s life while igniting one’s imagination.  I’m worried that kids today live online and endure serious, adult-level expectations our society thrusts on them.  When a child clowns around at school, is that good or bad? 

Kids used to play in the neighborhood where adventure, exploration and fun were as simple as catching fireflies at dusk; limited only by the requirement of being home when the streetlights came on.  Today - we have killed off the fireflies.  I rarely see gatherings of children playing outside; capitulation symbolized by the American Heart Association’s “Play 60” appeal. 

Children used to learn about the magic of entertainment and the wonder of wild animals at a circus: 

When the circus comes to town, go see it.  It’s the circus – does everything need explaining?                           

Robert Fulghum 

We have killed off the circus.  I know, animal rights… animal cruelty… I understand.  But was there no room for compromise?  With all our advancement and all our resources couldn’t we find a way to protect the animals while still preserving the awe and excitement of the circus for our children? 

I’m not sure… maybe the circus lives on in my mind; others have deemed me a clown.  Maybe I’m the cause of a little dissent, occasional disruption, and hopefully a little clowning around at work.  I’d like to believe it’s not my fault: 

     If you hire clowns; expect a circus. 

                         Unknown Sage 

Do passionate employees appreciate proclamations about employee engagement and career advancement on company Zoom meetings?  Or do we feel we’ve become circus animals in the eyes of the ultra-rich CEOs? 

As one IT Professional put it; “We've been reorganized, restructured, re-engineered, right-sized, down-sized, up-sized, TQM'ed, and MBO'ed, and if I hear the word empowered once more, I swear I'm gonna scream!" 

Geoffrey James 

Well, if we have a job in 2021 we are blessed.  It’s just that in 1979 I remember my company gave every single employee a turkey for Thanksgiving; 

every     

single     

employee  

That gesture cost less than $15 per employee.  Yet, the timing of the treat came during the peak of our production; toughest sales quotas; greatest strain on customer service; increased stress on our families.  Our executives thought a little token would be appreciated.  It was. 

I remember Ray Marlinga (General Manager of the company where I started my sales career) added a hand-written note to every sales rep’s monthly commission statement.  Jim Yesko (VP of Sales and a huge influence on my career) would occasionally say, “Let’s grab a beer” when he saw I was struggling. 

Have we allowed Covid to kill off the personal touch?  Will the circus ever come back to town? 

I know it’s hard to lead passionate employees today.  Tokens of appreciation are hard to expense.  I suppose the clown comparison is a stretch.  And I really do appreciate the periodic “Wellness Days” my company has instituted. 

If you’re a CEO, a manager, a colleague, a parent, or even a neighbor, let’s all try to add a little fun back into our daily routine.  Let’s do it for the children; let’s do it for the kid and the clown that (hopefully) still resides somewhere in all of us. 

And the next time you go to shake my hand beware – I may be wearing a buzzer LOL! 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

To our cowboys …

I blogged once about being yourself, costumes, and self-improvement.  I said for Halloween that year I wore an American Cowboy costume to my wife’s Halloween party.  I also confessed that I’m no cowboy.  

I’m fascinated by cowboys and the traditions of the American West.  Businesses executives and leaders in this country could make things better for all of us if more of them heeded the advice found in one of my favorite books (and a source for more than a few quotes when writing these little ditties) Cowboy Ethics © by James P. Owen: 

I have come to realize that anybody can make money; it is much harder to make a difference. 

The book was a gift from a client of mine from several years ago, Steve Major.  Working for Steve made a difference in my life.  His leadership ethics made a positive impact on the lives of many other people that worked for him, too. 

My son Kevin continues to make a difference in my life.  We are celebrating his birthday this coming Sunday – I thought you might like this present I gave him a few years ago.  This is the opening to chapter seven in my book, The Peace & Power of a Positive Perspective©.  Enjoy! 

              Chapter VII: Cowboy Up – You’ll Get Through It! 

Dedicated to the American Cowboy – may we all learn to be more like them.  

Now, I’m no cowboy; but I know one. 

Cowboys are quiet, polite - men of few words; comfortable just listening while others around them bark at the moon nonstop. 

No, I’m no cowboy; but I’ve heard one. 

Cowboys have a reserve of strength far and above the average person – physical strength to be sure; but also great emotional strength.  

I’m definitely no cowboy; but I’ve seen one. 

Cowboys have the ability to remain in control even while every living thing around them, man and beast, spooks in mortal fear.  

True, I’m no cowboy; but I’ve been protected by one. 

Cowboys remain focused even with adrenaline rushing through their veins when they’re bull riding, or racing flat out, one-handed on horseback, to rope an escaping calf. 

Yes, I’m no cowboy; but I’ve lived with one. 

Cowboys are fearless especially at the age of 15 when they look down in the shoot and prepare to mount a bare back bucking bronco at their very first high school rodeo competition. 

Absolutely, I’m no cowboy; but I’ve filmed one looking down that very shoot. 

Cowboys always believe they can.  The cowboy feels that sigh of relief when he’s all twisted up in the dirt, having fallen off a stumbling horse and the rodeo announcer comes on the PA system and says, “Well folks, he’ll have an option for a re-ride.” 

So, I’m no cowboy, but I’ve sat next to his Mother in the stands when we heard that rodeo announcer come over the P.A. System to say, “Well folks, he’ll have an option for a re-ride.” And as the announcer glanced down to the stands to see her reaction he quickly added, “But his Mother says NO!” 

You see, I know a lot about cowboys.  That’s why I’m so sure I’m not one.  No, I’m no cowboy, but my son Kevin is.  And every day I try to be a little bit more like him. 

Yes, American cowboys are still among us.  My son Kevin is one of them.  Happy birthday Kevin!  I love you, Dad. 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Good ‘nough…

I was thinking about the skill master craftsmen have.  About the personal commitment these professionals have to their profession.  How they care more about doing the job right than about how much they get paid.  How they care more than their boss does; or their co-workers do; or even their customers do.  Master craftsmen do the job right because that’s the only way they know how to do it. 

My Father-in-Law was a master craftsman.  He was the trim-carpenter for a builder in the 1960s and 1970s who built million dollar homes in the western suburbs of Chicago.  As you might imagine, a million dollar house in 1970 was some house!  My Father-In-Law specialized in the final trim work; everything visible – woodwork, doors, windows, recesses, cabinets.  For a million dollars back then?  Perfection was expected.  

But he didn’t mind those expectations.  You see, as a master craftsman perfection was his expectation and that’s all that really mattered to him.  The satisfaction of doing the job right was why he did what he did.   His peace of mind when he went home everyday came from knowing this.  Pride in his work.  No worries; no pretending; no cover-ups; no excuses; no office politics.  Peace-of mind from a job well done - that was his personal reward (that, and a martini before dinner). 

Decades later, I wonder if these master craftsmen still exist in our fast-paced, automated, outsourced, technology-laden society.  Gerald M. Weinberg thinks not 

Weinberg's Law 

If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization. 

Do you feel the same way?  Are we losing our pride and skill of true craftsmanship in our white-collar professions?  Certainly, if we think about the eye doctor we are about to turn our two, and only two, eyes over to for Lasix surgery – we definitely hope he or she is like my Father-In-Law, true?  Are other positions with our companies any less important?  Shouldn’t our clients count on us all to be master craftsmen?  Shouldn’t we? 

I like to compare white-collar and blue-collar pursuits.  It has always seemed to me that one key component to success in a white-collar job is maintaining a blue-collar mentality.  Doing the job right the first time should be more important than our title, don’t you think?  (That, and a martini before dinner.)  But can we avoid the good ‘nough syndrome? 

            Good enough never is. 

James C. Collins 

Take a plumber, for instance.  Ever notice that plumbers don’t use a hammer in their job?  Many don’t even carry a hammer in their grip.  In just about every other trade, an amateur hack can “get it close” and then pull out a hammer and “knock it into place”.  This is called “Good ‘nough – let’s go home.”  Plumbers?  Not a chance!  Good ‘nough equals a leak – which is why we called a plumber in the first place.  No martini at home for them yet. 

Ever notice the details of the job that’s done at work?  Lots and lots of leaks, yes?  Are they just leaks, or is it starting to rain.  Anyone spot Noah?  But I digress… 

Seems to me it’s becoming too convenient to adopt the “good ‘nough” approach these days.  We can rationalize this because we are sometimes surrounded by leaks – who will notice one more?  Well, if we were master craftsmen like my Father-In-Law was, the answer to that question is - we would. 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Managing Up …

This phrase has caught my attention.  I’m not quite sure what to make of “managing up”.  

Having been a manager in my career I’m certainly familiar with the phrase “managing down” LOL!  Hopefully, I was reasonable in my approach but I know I was focused on getting my direct reports to get the job done.  

You know what makes leadership?  It is the ability to get men to do what they don’t want to do, and like it. 

Harry S. Truman 

Managing people is challenging and we’ve all worked for “one of those bosses”, true?  I’m sure some of my direct reports would say that of me.  But when I hear the phrase “managing up” and the context it is often used in I wonder if it implies ways of avoiding the work our manager has assigned us to do.  

That said, John G. Miller reminds us there are examples of managing up that are actually a very good thing: 

            It was a beautiful day when I stopped into a Rock Bottom Restaurant for a quick lunch. The place was jammed.  I was happy to grab the one stool they had available at the bar. A few minutes after I sat down, a young man carrying a tray full of dirty dishes hurried by on how ay to the kitchen.  Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed me, stopped, came back, and said, "Sir, have you been helped?" 

     "No, I haven't," I said. "And I'm in a bit of a hurry.  But all I really want is a salad and maybe a couple of rolls." 

     "I can get you that, sir. What would you like to drink?" 

     "I'll have a Diet Coke, please." 

     "Oh, I'm sorry, sir, we have Pepsi products.  Would that be all right?" 

     "Ah, no thanks", I said with a smile. "I'll just have water with lemon, please." 

     "Great, I'll be back."  He disappeared. 

     Moments later he returned with the salad, the rolls, and the water. I thanked him, and he was quickly gone again, leaving me to enjoy my meal, a satisfied customer. 

     Suddenly, there was a blur of activity off to my left, the "wind of enthusiasm" blew behind me, and the, over my right shoulder stretched the "long arm of service" delivering a twenty-ounce, bottle, frosty on the outside, cold on the inside, of - you guessed it - Diet Coke! 

     "Wow!" I said. "Thank you!" 

     "You're welcome", he said with a smile, and hurried off again. 

     My first thought was Hire this man! Talk about going the extra mile!  And the more I thought about the outstanding thing he'd just done, the more I wanted to talk to him.  So, as soon as I could get his attention, I waived him over. 

     "Excuse me, I thought you didn't sell Coke", I said. 

     "That's right, sir, we don't." 

     "Well where did this come from?" 

     "The grocery store around the corner."  I was taken aback. 

     "Who paid for it?"  I asked. 

     "I did, sir; just a dollar." 

     By then I was thinking profound and professional thoughts like cool! But what I said was, "Come on, you've been awfully busy.  How did you have time to get it?" 

  Smiling and seemingly growing taller before my eyes, he said, "I didn't, sir. I sent my manager!" 

Well there you go – from the customer’s perspective they don’t care who is managing who as long as the job gets done. 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

High School Sweethearts…

Fall; October; football; high school; Homecoming – do you remember your first high school sweetheart?  High school is a very special and memorable time for teenagers; it certainly was for me.  And I always enjoyed the autumn season when I was in high school – Homecoming; Halloween; dating; parties (most chaperoned, some not). 

Fifty-one years ago, this very time of the year, I asked the prettiest girl in my high school out on a first date.  I guess it went well enough because here we are fifty-one years later, and I’m still awe-struck by the glow of her beauty. 

I hope you enjoy this opening to Chapter XII True North, of my book, The Peace & Power of a Positive Perspective © as much I enjoyed writing it: 

Dedicated to… a crisp night in October; with a slight breeze blowing through bare trees – waiting for the coming winter.   Close your eyes.  Can you smell remnants of autumn leaves burning?  

To winning the homecoming football game.  To being carefree. To a Saturday night party at the teenager’s house whose parents are away.  Can you hear the kids having fun in the kitchen; the basement; and the backyard, all to the beat of the Rolling Stones?  

To couches, blue jeans and sweaters.  To the floor lamp reflecting on her blond hair making it shimmer with silvery streaks of light.  To the nervous small talk of a teenage boy in the presence of a varsity cheerleader.  To the patience of the teenage girl sitting on the couch with the captain of the varsity basketball team.  Can you remember when you could actually hear your heart throbbing? 

To throw pillows, which come in handy when the small talk runs out – what else can a young boy do?  And to playful pillow fights; which lead to gentle wrestling and ultimately to that first kiss. Remember how delicate she felt in your arms – the hint of her perfume – the taste of her lips? 

To first dates – dinner and a movie.  To the movie Catch 22 and the Oriental Theatre in downtown Chicago.  To dating the prettiest girl in your high school; to falling in love; to asking her father’s permission for her hand in marriage.  Were you ever so nervous? 

To the tears welling up in my eyes even as I write this short memoire.  To all those emotions; all the happiness; all those hopes and all those dreams; some fulfilled, some yet to be; and all that I can remember today as if it just happened yesterday – that I will remember everyday, as long as I live.  How can someone be so lucky? 

To 1970 - and that Saturday night in October in Elmhurst where I kissed Debbie for the very first time.  And to the friend’s house whose parents were out – to their couch, their floor lamp, to their throw pillows; and to the Rolling Stones music.  Can you imagine being so young, so infatuated, and so in love?  

I still am.  

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Columbus Day…

It’s been 10 years since I ventured out into the social media world for the very first time.  I know I wasn’t the original “explorer”, but it was still a big move for me.  In recognition of Columbus Day, permit me to share a re-post of one of my original posts from back then - beginning with:  

People told Columbus the world was flat.  He didn’t insist it was round.  He got in a boat. 

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How cool was that!  No debate; no argument; no headlines; no hype.  They said, “Impossible!” he said, “Get me to a boat!”  Then Columbus got in that boat (funded by the original venture capitalist); and proved his point.  

I know many say today that Columbus spread violence, slavery, and disease as a by-product of his bravery and exploration.  I wonder 500 years from now what they will be saying we spread?  But that’s a different debate for some other time. 

I prefer to celebrate this example of Columbus’ commitment to success!  “Hey Chris, the world is flat you know.  If you go out there, you’ll sail right off the table into oblivion.”  “That’s OK”, he might have said, “I think we’ll be all right.” 

What about you?  What are “they” saying you cannot do?  Do you agree with them?  Are you staying close to shore keeping land in sight to feel secure?  Or are you looking out across the vast ocean and on to your future?  Are you debating – or are you doing?  Where are you turning for the fuel to maintain your positive, can-do attitude?  

It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up. 

Babe Ruth 

If you’re reading this, then you’re in my boat.  Welcome to The Peace & Power of a Positive Perspective©.  The next time you’re having one of “those days”, filled with too much negativity from “them”, come back aboard for a little positive reinforcement. 

I’m using social media as my vessel – it is the 21^st century after all.  Some people today might say, “Gary; Linked In, Face Book, Snapchat, Twitter are fun and all; but a vehicle for ongoing business-to-business, business?  Impossible!”  Well, what do I know?  

I’ve spent decades in my career practicing professional selling skills.  You know – permission-based prospecting; discovering the customer’s goals; presenting solutions; closing the deal?  Remember?  Are any of those skills relevant today?

Best-selling business author Jim Collins wrote: 

The Tyranny of the OR vs the Genius of the AND. 

To me, it’s not social media – OR – the old way.  I think social media is important.

But, I also believe that building trust still plays a key role in the customers’ success; and in turn, our success.  I believe that knowing what you’re doing is still critical to a salesperson’s achievement.  Being a product expert + a technology expert + a competitive expert + a businessperson are the key characteristics our customers value.  But, what do I know? 

Similar to Christopher Columbus, no one can predict ahead of time what changes the online world will bring to the future of the sales profession.  I’m certainly not going to argue about it.  I’m just getting in my social media boat and setting sail – I believe I won’t fall off the face of the earth. 

I hope you join me for the voyage.  Bring a friend!  After all: 

No sense in being pessimistic.  It wouldn’t work anyway. 

Unknown Sage 

Here’s to the New World.  Thanks again Chris! 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Giving our best…

Football is my favorite sport.  A bit ironic I suppose, because football is the epitome of a time in my life that I did not give my best.  Actually, it was worse than that.  It was the one time in all my competitive pursuits (in athletics or in business) that I quit.  I’ve lost many times; won my share too; quit once.

I quit my high school football team two weeks into the start of my junior year season.  It was the only time in my life that my Mom told me I disappointed her.  I can remember going into the head coach’s office to quit as if it was yesterday.  A bit ironic I suppose, because after being a starter and co-captain my freshman and sophomore years, I was not even planning to play my junior year.  I planned to focus on basketball. 

The coach called and asked me to reconsider.  I agreed, but when I showed up I wasn’t prepared to give my best.  He and his coaches weren’t prepared to coach me up either.  At the age of sixteen, I decided that quitting was the only escape.  I’ve regretted it to this day.  It’s not the not-playing that I regret; it’s the not giving my best.

I bet there have been special coaches and mentors who have had a positive impact on your life.  Coaches come in all shapes and sizes and use a wide variety of styles and techniques.  Some coaches resonate with us; some don’t. 

Here’s a 6 minute video about a high school, an underdog team, and their coach’s expectation about giving our best: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3wnK-Cphgs

Probably not a technique that transfers into the business world today - but the message does, true?  Yes, the sporting world is different than the business world.  Nonetheless, we don’t have to go it alone.  Even the best-of-the-best have coaches.

In business, our favorite, Unknown Sage offers this:

Common misconceptions about coaching in the marketplace: 

• “Coaching is primarily for correcting behavior” - If we only coach people when they do something wrong, we have missed the point.  It’s about building not fixing.
• “Coaching requires giving up power and control” – The manager relies more on influence. The person is still accountable.
• “Coaching takes too much time” – Coaching takes too much time if you don’t do enough of it and you don’t do it correctly.
• “Coaching is soft stuff” – The manager who avoids soft stuff usually does so because it is so hard.  The work is easy; people are difficult.
• “Coaching is laissez-faire management” – Freedom in the workplace, actually just about anywhere, is rooted in strict discipline.
• “Coaching is simply being a good cheerleader” – A good manager has the courage and inner strength when needed to tell people the truth.
• “Coaching is like therapy” – To be a good manager and coach one does need a basic understanding of human behavior and motivation, but therapy has no place in your relationship with the people you are leading.

Coaches enjoy occasional accolades, too.  The best I ever heard was a tribute to Bum Phillips, head coach of the then, Houston Oilers.  It was once said of Bum:

He could take his and beat yours - and then he could take yours and beat his. 

As a coach, he was able to get his players to give their best; they had no quit.  Imagine – what could we accomplish today if we just committed to giving our best? 

GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Social Value…

Two thought leaders led a session for our sales organization a while back - they described how to establish an image of high social value in the eye of a prospect even if a sales rep is inexperienced.  As it turns out, several of their stated "do's", I don't - LOL! 

We have many thought leaders these days.   Wikipedia (a thought leader aggregator) offers: 

Thought Leader can be recognized as an authority in a specific field and whose expertise is sought and often rewarded,… that can be an expert, a historical figure, or a 'wise person' with worldly impact. 

Truly, we’ve had thought leaders; trendsetters; pathfinders; profits; oracles; voodoo-doctors; sages; and soothsayers throughout the ages.  I wonder if we followers in the 21^st century have that same feeling about those thought leaders as the Romans did: 

It seems to me that no soothsayer should be able to look at another soothsayer without laughing. 

Cicero 

Lest you think I am trying to position myself as a thought leader, please don’t.  Some have referred to me as an expert but I would reluctantly agree to that moniker solely based on Niels Bohn’s definition: 

An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made in a very narrow field. 

Mostly, I like to poke fun at thought leaders such as the two that offered their views on how to gain high social value in the eyes of our clients and prospects.  Let the fun-poking continue! 

One of their tips was to not respond quickly to an incoming email or text.  They said making the client or prospect wait helps create the impression you are very busy which increases your social value.  (No, I couldn’t tell if they were laughing.)  As it turns out, this was not a new idea either. 

In 1976 I took a job with Dean Witter as an “Investment Banker” (aka a stockbroker; aka a securities peddler).  When our phone rang we were trained to let it ring 3 times before answering.  Then, we were trained to use this greeting, “Are you calling to place an order?”  If the caller was not calling to place an order we were instructed to say, “Please hold” and then wait 60 seconds before picking the call back up and engaging the caller with whatever the reason was they were calling us for in the first place. 

In 1976, it wasn’t referred to as “social value”.  It simply was designed as a disguise for a new broker who was mostly sitting around; prospecting all day long; trying to avoid starvation; when someone called in. 

I made that mistake and countless other mistakes over the years to earn Niels Bohn’s “expert” definition in my sales field.  For those of you more interested in “business value” vs. “social value”, permit me to offer a few more fruits from my many mistakes: 

• Never keep a client or prospect waiting.
• Always be prompt and prepared.
• Always follow through and follow-up, even if it is merely, “I’m still working on it.”
• Pay attention even if they are multi-tasking.
• Always speak clearly and avoid the use of jargon, acronyms, or techno-speak.
• Most importantly, always keep Lao-Tsu’s thought leadership foremost; 

To know that you do not know is the best 

I know the two presenters are successful consultants that my company paid to teach our salespeople social value techniques.  Maybe they’ve helped by steering our people in Niels Bohn’s direction. 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.