Hope…

In the 1732 poem, An Essay on Man, it was written: 

Hope springs eternal. 

Alexander Pope 

Literally centuries before college football or the formation of the National Football League, Pope captured the sentiments that move to the forefront this exact time of year.  You see… it’s football season!  Yay! 

Exceeded only by we Die Hard, Cubs fans, NFL, college, high school, and fantasy football fans are the epitome of Pope’s description of hope.  Except at my Alma Mater.  Even though Knox College is undefeated in the head-to-head match against the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame (winning 12 to 5 in 1902), our football program in this century sucks.  

Jean Kerr tries to soften our despair: 

Hope is the feeling you have that the feeling you have isn’t permanent. 

Even so, there’s no hope for college football in Galesburg, IL this year.  But for our other teams we have great anticipation.  We sport our team’s logo-wear proudly and hope for a successful season.  More important than even football (if that’s possible), we fill each day with promise: 

Every day that we wake up is a good day.  Every breath that we take is filled with hope for a better day.  Every word that we speak is a chance to change what is bad into something good. 

Walter Mosley 

So, if our team falters this season, don’t despair.  Hope will spring again in 2027.  295 years after Alexander Pope’s eternal sentiments. 

GAP 

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

Dressed for the part…

My wife and I just returned from vacation.  We visited our niece Lisa and nephew David in the Ocean Park area of Maryland.  Due to Covid, it was the first time we flew on an airplane in over 3 years. 

During our visit my nephew David noticed even in retirement and dressed casually, I see many things through the lens of business.  After a full career I guess that's something not easily turned off.  It's fun though (for me at least).  In business, especially in the sales profession, things are often not what they appear.  It takes a keen and disciplined view, or as Yogi Berra put it: 

            You can see a lot by observing. 

Saturday evening we went to a free concert in their community.  The outdoor patio area was, as Lisa would say, "bumper-to-bumper" with people; their cars in the parking lot; and boats in the marina.  Eclipse, a Journey cover band played from 6 to 10 pm.  They had the Ocean Pines Yacht Club rockin'!  I was dressed for the part: 

In addition to the great music and even better company with Lisa and David, I always get a kick from people watching.  I especially enjoy watching those from my generation who are…  well … old.  We don’t think of ourselves as old and my wife hates that description.  She prefers "seniors" or perhaps "elderly", but never "old". 

At the outdoor venue with perfectly warm weather one, gray-haired lady was dressed casually for the part including a walking cane.  She was sitting near us and enjoying the band with a group of "seniors".  To the casual observer she might have appeared… well… old.  Some might even have had concerns whether she would be too frail to walk back to the parking lot.  However, when the band played "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leppard, not only was she on her feet dancing with her friends, but I was close enough to see she was enthusiastically singing along.  She knew all the words!  Truly, my generation rocks! 

That evening I received several compliments about my shirt.  My niece wondered if I brought it on vacation specifically because of the concert.  I replied it was part that, and part coincidence.  After thinking about it further I realized my nephew had something in his comment about my business lens.  You see, throughout my sales career I was always trying to "dress for the part". 

I'm not sure how it works in today's modern, virtual, work-from-home business settings.  You don’t see many men suited up; wearing a necktie; sporting polished Wingtips.  A former Generation X colleague of mine once said, "Gary, I'm in software sales.  I don’t even own a tie let alone wearing one to work."  

Not only did I suit-up most of my career, but I even added suspenders back in the day when I was selling Oracle Financials (version 1.0 in 1989).  The software was expensive and buggy as hell - but I was dressed for the part.  I suppose Oracle wanted our prospects to feel our software was more mature and reliable than merely "betaware".  Oracle sales execs set the tone and we all added suspenders to our suit, tie, and Wingtips attire. 

Today, about the only people you see wearing suspenders are those from my generation who are … well… old.  But if you observe them carefully I bet you will see - they can still rock! 

                                                            GAP 

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

Mandatory Mondays…

Good afternoon everyone; hey it’s Monday!  Hooray?  Are you EXCITED to get up; get going; start your week?  Is INSPIRATION important?  What charges your Monday morning batteries up? 

For many, Monday is still the traditional start of the work week.  Not for Moms with toddlers however; for them there is no such thing as the “start” or the “end” of a week, true?  Same can be said of farmers and ranchers.  It’s true at the other end of the spectrum, too.  We retirees don’t look at Monday’s the way we once did.  As time goes by, it can become even more blurry. 

I remember my Dad during his remaining time in assisted-living would often ask, “What day is it?” After working for 50 years and being retired for 20 years, I guess the day of the week was no longer something important to keep track of for him. 

On behalf of the rest of the working world, Monday usually kicks things off.  How do you start your week?  I remember a sales professional who liked to schedule client meetings for Monday mornings.  She would book back-to-back appointments.  The clients were happy to see her; the meetings were easy to prepare for; and she would almost always come away with additional business.  Besides, she said it got her up and going on Monday mornings; started her week off on the right foot.  She was FIRED UP by noon and ready to face the cold realities of cold prospects and cold calling for the rest of the week.  Yuck! 

What’s your approach?  Reading the paper?  A work-out is the favorite week-starter for another friend of mine.  She’s up at 5am and hits the gym before 6am.  How about you?  Are you a Monday morning work-out fanatic?

As a recent retiree I’m lucky to have a flexible schedule.  I have time to feed the horses; have breakfast with my wife; or go to coffee and write.  When my kids were young it seemed I was always running behind.  No time to eat a sit-down breakfast or go to coffee.  Our favorite, Unknown Sage quotes Wolter: 

Wolter's Law:

If you have the time, you won't have the money.  If you have the money, you won’t have the time.

Starbucks is a favorite stop on the way to work Monday mornings for many.  Fodder-4-Thought overheard this order:

Venti, sugar-free, non-fat, vanilla soy, double shot, decaf, no foam, extra hot, Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with light whip and extra syrup, please.

(OK.  Taking a breath now.)  Perhaps it’s bagels and cream cheese from Panera Bread.  Do you bring a dozen in for the office?  Maybe breakfast burritos?  Back in the day, my favorite was Lamar’s Donuts.  Not quite the popular, health-conscious cuisine of today, I admit.  Do you have special Monday morning menu morsels?  

Motivation can be particularly important for “Mandatory Mondays”, yes?  What helps me GET MOTIVATED is loud, hard-rock or heavy metal music.  If it’s Monday morning, then it’s mandatory Metallica. Fast-paced, head-banging music really revs me up!  The louder the better; plus, some of their lyrics can penetrate one’s soul:

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

Trust me; it’s simply who I am.  What’s your Mandatory Monday morning musical mantra?  Well, whatever it is or whatever your routine is you might as well put your trust in it – nothing else really matters. 

OK everyone it’s Monday – boots and saddles.  Let’s rock ‘n roll!

GAP

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

Book titles...

I was commiserating with a colleague of mine about work stuff a while back.  You know - the usual complaints followers have about leaders and the HQ staff: 

Corporate Staff: 

Known in some quarters as Sea Gulls for reasons relating to their propensity to fly round the country leaving their mark wherever they have alighted. 

Norman R. Augustine 

During our chit-chat she said we could write a book and that led to an impromptu, humorous bit of brainstorming on book titles about bad leadership.  I offered, "You can't make this shit up" as a title idea.  That was what a friend and former colleague of mine, Jim Robertson, used to say when faced with maddening, corporate bureaucracy: 

I don’t know why anyone would shell out lots of money for a computer game when you can have more fun and a greater challenge playing CSCP - Circumvent the Stupid Corporate Policy. 

Dan Danborn 

She countered with, "I wasn't going to drink today but", and our little game was on!  I came back with this little ditty from my friend Robin Nicholson when her company was acquired back in the day, "Same circus, different clowns". 

Why were we going through this banter, you might ask?  Well, other than sharing a little comic relief I got nothin'.  Here’s a couple more from the Corporate Staff’s steering committee, "We're lost, but we're making good time"; and from the front-line workers, "MBA's; seldom right; never in doubt". 

Now to be fair, we all know that leading a company is extremely challenging.  I mean for one thing leaders have to deal with employees like me and my colleague who can sour on company B.S. which leads to a loss of trust for our cause.  (Side note:  My colleague at the time of this exchange is now my former colleague – deciding to leave and join a new circus.  Me?  I chose to stay to try to make a difference.  But I digress…) 

Leaders always have the opportunity to gain (or re-gain) our trust.  I’d rather rise every morning charged up to go to work!  Wouldn’t you?  I’d prefer to trust that my contributions make a difference.  Trust – definitely a force multiplier:

There is one thing that is common to every individual, relationship, team, family, organization, nation, economy, and civilization throughout the world - one thing which, if removed, will destroy the most powerful government, the most successful business, the most thriving economy, the most influential leadership, the greatest friendship, the strongest character, the deepest love. 

On the other hand, if developed and leveraged, that one thing has the potential to create unparalleled success and prosperity in every dimension of life...  That one thing is trust. 

Stephen M.R. Covey 

That’s the good news for leaders (and their staff).  Many, many followers really do want to follow; really want to be engaged; really are ready to excel.  We just need a little… well… trust: 

Surround yourself with people of integrity, and get out of their way.  The right people will feel far more pressure to perform well when they are trusted. 

          Jim Anderson 

And there are plenty of book titles to help leaders lead.  Even leading people like me LOL!  Because I know there are also many book titles directed at my profession - the sales profession - one goes like this, "The salesman promised you WHAT??!!" 

After all, "turnabout is fair play" for leaders.  (Oh, and that book title? It’s already taken.) 

GAP 

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