"Plenty of time"...

My wife says I watch a lot of sports on TV.  A lot!  Recently, I watched 3 basketball games on one day; 2 NBA and 1 college.  They all shared one thing in common. 

In all 3 games the score was close as the 4th quarter was winding down. The TV commentators for all 3 games kept emphasizing that the team behind had, "plenty of time" to catch up. The commentator for one of the NBA games insisted 55 seconds remaining in the game was an "eternity". 

Know what? All 3 teams that were behind - lost.  As it turned out there wasn't an “eternity”.  Not even “plenty of time” to catch up. 

Since our childhood and the story of Cinderella we have been impacted by managing/missing deadlines at home and work.  Especially at work; especially in the technology industry: 

Golub's Laws of Computerdom 

·         Fuzzy project objectives are used to avoid the embarrassment of estimating the corresponding costs.

·         A carelessly planned project takes three times longer to complete than expected; if carefully planned, it will take only twice as long.

·         Project teams detest weekly progress reporting because it so vividly manifests their lack of progress. 

Unknown Sage 

Even when drastic steps are attempted, our Unknown Sage tells us we will still run out of time: 

            Brooks' First Law 

Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later. 

In the sales profession December is synonymous with “Year End”.  Some salespeople tell themselves that they still have “plenty of time” to catch up on their quota.  Sometimes at “Year End” miracles happen.  Sometimes.  

Although I carried a sales quota for many decades, I vividly remember one year-end in particular.  After a premature promotion I found myself in over my head and time was running out.  That Unknown Sage warned me:

Axiom of Promotions 

What gets you promoted on one level will get you fired on another. 

As a last resort, I employed what I later coined the “Me-or-My-Successor” closing technique: 

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. 

In sales as in basketball when you find yourself behind - you're BEHIND!  Don't let anyone, not even me, tell you there’s still “plenty of time”. 

                                                            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 birthday…

Today is Christmas!  Of course, Christmas should be more consequential than just one day, true?  Nonetheless, I’m wishing you a day of peace, hope, joy and celebration with family and friends. 

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.  While we may not want to look back and celebrate all of what occurred in 2023, a little reminiscing on our blessings is in order.  Then we can look forward to an even better 2024! 

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 

And 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

Intensity…

I read Father, Son & Co. My Life At IBM And Beyond © by Thomas J. Watson Jr. recently.  I was hoping the book would concentrate on the “& Co.” part.  Turns out it was more of a biography about Thomas J. Watson and his son T.J.  I noticed Father and Son were “intense” – typical for people who become titans of their industry, true? 

Do you think Elon Musk is “intense” today?  He’s only the richest person in the world according to this list.  I know firsthand that Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle Corporation and #5 on the list, is intense.

At the start of my career, IBM was the dominant player in the technology business. In fact, they had been so dominant for so long that the Justice Department filed multiple anti-trust law suits against them for their monopolistic practices.  IBM spent tens of millions, probably hundreds of millions of dollars defending themselves even though their leadership knew they were in fact guilty of the unfair practices they were accused of. 

Fast forward to 2023.  I wrote a piece this year about technology ( Technology; past, present and future…).  So what does a technology titan of last century have to do with the hype and hoopla around Artificial Intelligence today?  Well, I believe it’s the process and NOT the technology that counts.  That was IBM’s opinion, too: 

In the history of IBM, technological innovation often wasn’t the thing that made us successful.  Unhappily there were many times when we came in second.  But technology turned out to be less important than sales and distribution methods.  Starting with UNIVAC, we consistently outsold people who had better technology because we knew how to put the story before the customer, how to install the machines successfully, and how to hang on to customers once we had them… That was where IBM had its monopoly.  No competitors ever paid enough attention to it… 

                   Thomas J. Watson Jr. 

IBM simultaneously mastered (as have other companies) selling the value of their solutions and not just dropping their price in the face of stiff competition.  Mike Weinberg in his book #Sales Truth © put it this way: 

If you need the lowest price to sell, then you aren't needed as a salesperson. 

Think about it – selling inferior technology at profitable price-points.  IBM pioneered the way to do it and had an intensity about their selling process almost unparalleled at the time.  Almost. 

I competed against IBM in a “David vs. Goliath” matchup when I was an application sales rep at Oracle Corporation.  The market was shifting from mainframes (e.g. Goliath) to mini-computers (e.g. David) and I was on the David side.  I felt I had to match IBM’s level of intensity to stand a chance. 

I was selling Oracle Financials Version 1.0.  It was the latest and greatest technology, but we still needed to battle for every deal.  It required a level of intensity which Oracle became famous (perhaps infamous) for. I can remember to this day being called into George Robert’s office when he led the Chicago sales team and being told, “Gary, dial down the intensity”.  I was winning deals but George was concerned about the stress I was putting on myself (and others around me).                                       

Back to 2023… I continue to believe that intensity properly positioned in our selling process beats technological wizardry every day and twice on Sundays! 

OK George, I’m dialing down the intensity now HaHa! 

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.  

Tomorrow, America recognizes Pearl Harbor Day.  Eighty-two years ago, December 7, 1941, an emotionally 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 2023…where will we find the greater good from “recession”; “mid-term elections”; “ negative politics”; or “global warming”? 

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

Albert Einstein 

If the hyperbole of current events is similar to the highly-charged political discourse that followed the attack on Pearl Harbor, have we 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, technology devices and the way we consume entertainment and information.  The common enemy was their adversity 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 untied 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? 

Yes Marianne, 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.

Having Fun?

I can’t tell.  I’m a bit too far removed.  Let me ask you.  Are most people having fun in their jobs today?  I wonder. 

Yes, yes, “It all depends” as my Father-In-Law used to say.  I have been in jobs where I was unhappy and I wasn’t alone: 

Oh, you hate your job?  Why didn't you say so?  There's a support group for that.  It's called everybody, and they meet at the bar. 

Drew Carey 

Nonetheless during the vast majority of my career I have had a lot of fun.  I believe fun is a critical component for success.  When invited to review a client’s sales and business processes, I always ask their managers and leaders, “How fun are you to work for?” 

That Mary is the Under-Vice President of Expectation Deflations for the western semi-region tells you nothing.  That Mary is wicked smart, totally frank, and a trip to work with tells you everything. 

Rick Levine 

I’ve been fortunate to work for many managers and clients who were “… a trip to work with…”  I can remember to this day the first phone call I made to Doug Johnston, Owner of DataPro Solutions in Spokane, Washington and a company my company was interested in acquiring.  “He’s not available.” I was informed.  “He’s outside barbequing lunch for the company.”  I immediately thought, “How fun is THAT!” 

If you’re not fun and you have direct reports, this advice comes from the movie Stripes and the character Sargent Hulka who said, “Lighten up Francis.”

My career as a sales professional has been so much fun I’m continuing it via independent advisory engagements.  When I interact with business people I always come away learning something.  I suppose in some cases I’m actually re-learning what I used to know – used to do – but somehow wandered away from.  For me, these interactions are fun! 

Today, I worry about this perspective from the book Get Back In The Box©: 

Although we claim we want more leisure time, we are much more likely to find an opportunity for genuinely fulfilling engagement and learning at work.  Unfortunately, however, most work environments are not set up to maximize these experiences, and our attitude towards work keeps us from experiencing or remembering nearly any of it as fun.  The overall message we get from our workplaces is to produce more, complain less, and ignore stress. 

Douglas Rushkoff 

I sure hope we aren’t devolving into “… produce more, complain less, and ignore stress.”  

Many are focused on their career; receiving recognition; getting a pay increase; earning a promotion; ignoring stress!  Balancing those goals with maintaining meaningful relationships; enjoying our family; engaging in our favorite recreations can be a challenge.  How do you do it?  (And how are you doing at doing it?) 

I like this idea that Jerald M. Jellison offered in his book Managing the Dynamics of Change ©: 

Take a few minutes right now to make a list of what reinvigorate you. Yes, actually write it down because the miracle of activation comes from doing, not just thinking.  Now look at your monthly schedule. How much time have you been setting aside for these uplifting activities?  ... Do something soon - now. 

Please consider my perspective; I’ve been a career sales professional for more than 4 decades and it has been a blast!  If your career aspirations are more stressful than enjoyable you might just have to change professions.  Life’s too short. 

                                                            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 throughout the rest of the year but certainly November and Thanksgiving remind us of our blessings, don’t you agree?  So before I go any further - permit me to say, “Thank you”! 

Thank you for reading me.  Thank you for commenting on my little ditties.  Thank you for respecting my viewpoints; even those you disagree with.  Thank you for encouraging me to continue. 

I am blessed with many people 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 

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 can celebrate with family, friends, food, and fun… maybe even a little football during the Thanksgiving holiday.  Let’s take a few quiet moments to reflect on all we have to be thankful for: 

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

Gary A. Pokorn 

Thank you again and always. 

GAP 

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

The Sales Triangle…

How about a little basketball-business “crossover dribble” today?  I love basketball.  I’ve also tried to apply many basketball concepts to the business world throughout my career.  They are especially applicable in the sales profession. 

I was a Chicago Bulls fan during Michael Jordan’s NBA Championship years.  More than Jordan though, I’m a Phil Jackson fan.  Phil Jackson wasn’t Jordan’s first head coach in the NBA.  Michael didn’t win a championship before (or after) his time under Phil.  Know what?  That applies to Kobe Bryant, too  Even Shaquille O'Neal won just one of his four NBA championships under a coach other than Phil Jackson. 

Lest you believe Jackson’s success was confined to Chicago and LA, Phil won an NBA championship as a player on the New York Knicks, plus he coached a Continental Basketball Association championship along with earning Coach of the Year honors.  Phil Jackson knew how to win. 

According to Wikipedia, “Jackson is known for his use of Tex Winter's triangle offense as well as a holistic approach to coaching that was influenced by Eastern philosophy, garnering him the nickname "Zen Master".  True, I’m no Zen Master. My positivity is reinforced by our favorite, Unknown Sage: 

The pessimist may be right in the long run, but the optimist has a better time during the trip. 

The “Triangle Offense”?  THAT is something I continue to coach today, albeit as the “Sales Triangle”.  At a high level, the Sales Triangle has these corners; the When; the What; and the Who: 

 

Our sales managers (and for that matter all God’s children) love to focus on the When. “When will your deal close?” is a question we hear countless times throughout our sales career. Now I’m not saying the When is not a key component of the sales triangle. It’s just the When question is not a very effective approach to forecasting.  I’ll delve into forecasting tools, tactics and techniques another time. 

Next sits the What.  In my experience others on the operations side of my company often worry if we sales types have committed (or over-committed) some capability that stretches our product or service to its limits.  They don’t seem to appreciate that all of the “vanilla” deals are already sold.  The only ones left are those that have “hair”. 

Oh, our companies want our deals; and at full price thank you.  But too many times our colleagues don’t want the complexity or the demanding nature of the client.  They overlook: 

You can't just lust for a client's money - you have to take the client too. 

                   Gary A. Pokorn 

Yet IMHO, it’s the Who corner of the sales triangle that is the most overlooked; mis-managed; and too often taken for granted.  Something as simple, yet as important as knowing the “Who” can make the difference between winning the deal vs. playing that game we all hate called the “Loooong Loooose”.  David Yesford, Senior Vice President, Wilson Learning Worldwide put it this way: 

Sales representatives need to build and explore a network of multiple connections within their customer organizations in order to gain a full understanding of how the organization’s strategy plays out vertically and

horizontally across the organization. Salespeople who can bring a thoroughly informed perspective of the customer organization find that senior executives welcome their insights. 

Phil Jackson’s teams leveraged the triangle offense and consistently won championships.  Perhaps mastering the sales triangle, especially the org chart corner, can do the same for us. 

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’m fascinated by cowboys and the great traditions of the American West.  Now, I’m no cowboy.  Nonetheless, I think we all could make a big difference in our daily lives if we heeded the advice found in one of my favorite books Cowboy Ethics © by James P. Owen: 

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

I’ve always believed it’s not how much you make; it’s how much you save.  Balancing income and expenses is certainly a huge challenge but “net worth” is a worthy difference. 

My son Kevin makes a difference in his life.  He does it the cowboy way; hard work; modest life style; knowing what’s important.  Before reaching his 40^th birthday (next Tuesday) he has achieved what others say is becoming out of reach.  Because he always pays his own way he has reached an “American Dream”… owning a house on 2 acres of property in Wyoming – MORTAGE FREE! 

I thought you might like this present I gave him for his birthday several years ago.  It's based on his cowboy (and rodeo) experiences and the opening to chapter seven of 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 and making a difference.  My son 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.

Checklist? Check…

We went on a vacation this past September.  We always enjoyed going on vacation; even more so perhaps back in the day when I was working fulltime: 

A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you've been taking. 

Earl Wilson 

When preparing for our trips we use a checklist.  I’m a huge fan of checklists.  I suppose I developed this appreciation during my 40+ years as a sales professional.  In his book The Checklist Manifesto©, Atul Gawande put it best, this way: 

You want people to make sure to get the stupid stuff right.  Yet you also want to leave room for craft and judgment and the ability to respond to unexpected difficulties that arise along the way. 

“…get the stupid stuff right…”  I love that! 

In my experience, one of the most common opportunities for issues to “arise along the way”  comes during that phase of the software selling motion referred to as “The Demo”.  There are terrific resource available to those of us involved with product demonstrations.  One of my favorites is this Self-Evaluation Form provided by Julie Hansen.  However, Atul might say to Julie, it’s actually what happens before the demo that counts. 

I can remember to this day a demo I was scheduled to deliver to the Missouri Dairy Association back in 1985 (the Dark Ages).  They were interested in hiring my company to craft a custom “Personal System” but for dairy cows vs. actual people.  (I know, right?)  Because it was a custom project, I worked with my development team to go over MDA’s specs and come up with a workable solution. 

Once we thought we were ready, I traveled to Springfield, Missouri to demonstrate a mock-up.  Before leaving on the trip, I checked and doubled checked that I knew the log-in to our development system; I had my demo flow scripted and rehearsed; I brought a “Memorandum of Understanding” outlining the parameters of the project (e.g. price; development timeline; implementation; training; ongoing support; the works).  I didn’t have an actual checklist, but I was confident I had all my bases covered. 

Arriving at the prospect’s offices the first thing I realized was I was the only one suited-up.  Cowboy hats, belt buckles, and boots were preferred by my prospect.  I totally missed the “stupid stuff” about checking on appropriate attire.  However, they were accommodating (amused, too I bet!) and we settled in to a cramped and dusty office for the meeting. 

I successfully logged in and tested my connection to our development system (located in Chicago).  Everything was going according to plan.  That’s when Atul’s “unexpected difficulties” arose.  A message was broadcasted across my screen that the HQ IT staff would be “rebooting the development system in 5 minutes.  It will be offline for the next 2 hours”!

You guessed it…  in all of my preparation I forgot to confirm the development system would be available at that specific date and time.  (We never took the demo system down during business hours.  I assumed… well… you know how that saying goes!)  I was unable to reach the development team in time to prevent the impending doom.  As we were all were gathered around my PC we watched the system (and my deal) go dark. 

That trip contributed to my fledgling Dark Ages Computing ® library of experiences and my growing appreciation for checklists. 

When I returned …  I was ready for a vacation! 

GAP 

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

Yes… I’m “up there”…

Like so many of you, a lot of changes have occurred in my life recently.  Retirement (and the “fixed income” that comes with it).  Changing careers (from employee to freelance sales/business consulting).  Sickness and death among too many friends and family members.  I even attended my 50-year high school class reunion.  Although it’s a very humdrum topic, at my age, it’s hard not to think about my age. 

This recent post on Facebook caught my attention – did you see it?  At first I cringed at the title; but after reading it through, I realized it’s true! 

They call us ”The Elderly”

·         We were born in the 40-50-60’s.

·         We grew up in the 50-60-70's.

·         We studied in the 60-70-80's.

·         We were dating in the 70-80-90's.

·         We got married and discovered the world in the 70-80-90's.

·         We ventured into the 80-90’s.

·         We stabilized in the 2000’s.

·         We got wiser in the 2010’s.

·         And we are going firmly through and beyond 2020’s.

·         Turns out we've lived through EIGHT different decades...

·         TWO different centuries...

·         We have gone from the telephone with an operator for long-distance calls to video calls to anywhere in the world.

·         We have gone from slides to YouTube, from vinyl records to online music, from handwritten letters to email and WhatsApp.

·         From live matches on the radio, to black and white TV, color TV and then to 3D HD TV.

·         We went to the Video store and now we watch Netflix.

·         We got to know the first computers, punch cards, floppy disks and now we have gigabytes and megabytes on our smartphones.

·         We wore shorts throughout our childhood and then long trousers, Oxfords, flares, shell suits & blue jeans.

·         We dodged infantile paralysis, meningitis, polio, tuberculosis, swine flu and now COVID-19.

·         We rode skates, tricycles, bicycles, mopeds, gas cars, diesel trucks and now we drive hybrids or electric.

·         They could describe us as “exennials”; people who were born in that world of the fifties, who had an analog childhood and a digital adulthood.

·         Our generation has literally lived through and witnessed more than any other in every dimension of life.

·         It is our generation that has literally adapted to “CHANGE”.

Unknown Sage 

An “analog childhood and a digital adulthood…”  I love that phrase!

One of my friends and mentors said he admired that I was “still in play”.  That’s a wonderful compliment!  It reminded me of this little ditty from our favorite, Unknown sage: 

It’s not how old you are, but how you are old. 

So yes, I’m “up there” in age during an age when being “up there” has different levels of respect (or disrespect) all depending.  Unfortunately, in Corporate America today ageism is alive and well.  Yes, we are going to place a huge burden on social security and Medicare.  To those younger than us we say, “get over it”.  Re-read the list above about our generation and I think you’ll agree, we’ve earned it. 

Someday you too may be lucky enough to be called “elderly”.  When that day comes, those of us left standing will welcome you new “Oldtimers”.  Ah yes, Oldtimers… Much has been said about Oldtimers.  Richard J. Needham put it this way: 

It’s easier to have the vigor of youth when you’re old than the wisdom of age when you’re young. 

I am certainly trying to maintain said vigor. 

So here’s to being “up there”.  The good news is we’re saving room at the top for you. 

                                                            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; Autumn; October … I love this time of the year.  I love the colors and smells of October.  October reminds me of high school; football; dating.  Do you remember your first high school sweetheart? 

High school is a very special and memorable time for teenagers; it certainly was for me.  (Still is.)  It was a different time; an innocent time.  I always enjoyed the month of October when I was in high school – Homecoming; Halloween; dating; parties (most chaperoned, a few not). 

Fifty three years ago, this very time of the year, I went to a party at Glenn Vician parents’ house.  It was at that party where I hung out with the prettiest girl in my high school.  It was there that I asked her out on a first date.  I guess both events went well enough because here we are fifty three years later we are still together.  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 and as much as I still enjoy re-reading it every October: 

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 Pom-Pom Team member.  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 every day, 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. 

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 (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.  Totally ironic, 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. 

Over the summer 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 my 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; others don’t. 

Here’s a 5+ minute movie clip about high school, an underdog team, and their coach’s expectation about giving one's best: Facing the Giants

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, former 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 if we 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.