Inspection is a bitch…

I was chatting with a friend and colleague of mine recently.  He has risen through the ranks to the level of Vice President.  Only a very few at my company earn their way up the “corporate ladder”.  He called, as he has been doing once or twice each year to ask, “What would Gary do…?” 

My friend has never managed Directors and Managers before.  He has been one, but now he’s their VP.  Being promoted over former peers can be awkward.  Some of his former peers are his friends; some feel they should have been promoted instead of him; you know… the usual 😊 

Nonetheless, now he’s in charge; setting the direction and the priorities of his team; expecting his Directors and Managers to implement said direction and priorities.  Adding to the challenge is his front-line salespeople across his entire organization average less than 3 years of experience.  Big quota; many expectations; young and inexperienced salespeople… now what? 

His ask was simple, “Gary, what do you think is the single most important thing I should focus on?”  My response was simple too… just not easy to do.  “Inspection”. 

Inspection is a skill that I don’t see being talked about in the volumes and volumes of today’s social media posts.  I suspect that’s because “inspection is a bitch”!  No one, myself included, enjoys being inspected.  No one deserves to be ignored either.  Not all inspection is negative, but they’re best done specifically.  It takes skill navigating between correction and acclaim. 

When inspection is done right it creates an uncomfortable level of tension between the inspector and the inspectee.  I believe it’s within those moments of tension that learning takes place.  Unfortunately, inspection is too often overlooked: 

Perhaps the greatest mistake I've seen executives make is to confuse expectations with inspection. 

Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. 

To this day, I can remember the single worst business meeting of my entire career.  It took place in Cleveland at a time when I was a Sales Director.  The previous year we achieved a President’s Club performance and I was promoted from a Manager to a Director.  But that was then as they say… 

The meeting in Cleveland was our periodic “Operations Review” by my Division VP and the National VP, along with members of the sales operations staff.  We were given a template to prepare our information for review.  It was obvious, my team’s current year performance was going to make this Ops Review (aka inspection) a bitch. 

I went into the meeting poorly prepared.  Worse, although my Division VP offered to coach me ahead of time, I was too proud; too overconfident from the previous year to accept his offer.  Add-in a few technical difficulties of getting my presentation set-up in the conference room and the stage was set for the single worst business meeting I’ve had in my entire career. 

These two Vice Presidents’ approach was not an interrogation; nor were they mean-spirited.  These same people approved my promotion the year before.  But…  they could see all the weaknesses in my team’s performance – and my corresponding leadership – and they directed their inspection in a methodical… specific… relentless… no B.S. accepted… no excuses… nowhere to hide… way… to insure (after 2 tough hours) I saw my weaknesses, too. 

Yep, that inspection was a bitch.  And THAT was when my learning took place on the importance of inspecting what we expect.  Do you inspect? Or just expect? 

GAP 

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

Dates never forgotten…

September 11, 2001 - we still remember.  What dates are never forgotten for you?  

In the novel, A Tale of Two Cities © is the contrast, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times…” both occurring at the same time.  For Americans, 9/11 2001 seems like a demarcation point between the best of times before that morning and the worst of times after.  That’s when terrorism literally collided into freedom. 

Do you remember where you were when news of the planes crashing into the World Trade Centers in New York was broadcast?  I always will.  In a flash our generation was tested on what we can endure during the worst of times.  December 7, 1945 tested my parent’s generation; October 24-29, 1929 tested my grandparents’.  On a more personal level April 20, 1999 was the worst of times for my home town. 

It’s amazing what we can accomplish during the best of times; and what we can endure during the worst of times.  The bad times help us appreciate and enjoy the good times.  Here’s how Ernest Hemingway phrased it: 

Life breaks us.  And when we heal, we’re stronger on the broken parts. 

Our ability to gain strength from adversity should come as no surprise, though.  Our ancestry is made of up generations who endured and then grew stronger. Is today’s adversity comparable to theirs? 

For many of us who did not suffer a direct loss of loved ones from these tragic events, our hardships now come in the form of inconvenience and economics.  We work harder today to keep up than we did before; travel has become more difficult; guns are all too prevalent in our society; and in 2020 along came a virus.  Racial injustice has reached a boiling point. 

Things we once dreamed of seem further from our reach.  We have extended our resources close to the breaking point.   But for America, that’s nothing new.  Our country has been on the brink; had parts broken; and healed back stronger for as long as we have been a country.  Were the hardships of the Revolution, the Civil War, the Viet Nam War, the Civil Rights Movement, or any other national, local, personal, or family crisis less hard? 

We are again facing threats to our way of life; and indeed many of our life’s ways need to change.  We are strong enough to do it because we come from generations of strength - families who struggled to make for this country, for their families, and for themselves the best of times.  Like past generations, Americans today will have to re-earn the better things in life.  We must re-learn what those better things are: 

To really enjoy the better things in life, one must first have experienced the things they are better than.  

Oscar Holmolka 

So Friday we will reflect on that never forgotten, life-changing event now known as 9/11.  Like the day an American walked on the moon, or the night the USA Olympic hockey team won the gold medal to Al Michaels’ famous words broadcast around the world, “Do you believe in miracles?”  Our Unknown Sage reminds us: 

The First Rule of Life: 

The best things in life aren't things.       

America endured October 24, 1929 and the Great Depression; grew stronger after the December 7^th, 1941 Pearl Harbor attack; my hometown stands firm following the 4/20/1999 Columbine shooting; we’ve overcome 9/11/2001.  Today, I believe Americans can re-unite in spite of what happened 5/25/2020.  

Dates never forgotten.                                 

GAP 

Did you like this little ditty?  You might enjoy my past posts too: www.TheQuoteGuys.com

Favorite memory…

College students are returning to class (in person or virtually).  It reminds me of my last visit to my alma mater which has been a couple of years ago now.  It brings back this memory… 

“What is your favorite memory?”  

There I was… face to face with an 18-year-old freshman between classes when I returned to my college for Homecoming weekend.  I was one of several returning alums; I’m not sure why she singled me out. 

Arriving early for Homecoming is my inside joke.  I like to say I do something Fridays now that I rarely did as an undergraduate – I actually attend classes.  This year’s visit started with a multi-dimensional calculus class at 8 am.  Hello!  

Perhaps this freshman, just 10 weeks into her undergraduate pursuits, singled me out because she saw the Athletic Hall of Fame patch on my jacket.  She was wearing her high school Letter Jacket – maybe sports were a source of shared favorite memories? 

Regardless, I was unprepared; caught off guard; even a little embarrassed.    When called on I actually couldn’t remember any favorite memories from my college experience other than the way my basketball coach Harley Knosher and his wife Peg “adopted” me during my trying times.  

Do you remember your favorite college memory?  Perhaps you were a member of a Club?  Here’s how the Physics Club promoted their membership: 

Unfortunately, when I was in college I didn’t have a Club. 

Oh I was involved.  Played on the men’s’ basketball team; started; was a co-captain; yet all the while distant from my teammates.  Having been addicted to nicotine since the age of twelve, smoking was not exactly an accepted activity.  While my teammates would gather after practice for social engagement and comradery, I would excuse myself - remove myself - and seek solitude while feeding my habit.  No Club for that. 

I joined a fraternity – Phi Gamma Delta.  I even lived in the Fiji house for part of a year.  I developed a life-long friendship with my upper classman, fraternity brother, and roommate, Bob Lindsay.  But I didn’t finish out the year living in the fraternity house and participating in the wide range of Greek comradery.  

While my fraternity brothers were reveling in those activities that help adolescents transcend into adulthood, I was already in an advanced placement program.  March of my sophomore year; at the age of 20; I married my high school sweetheart (she, 19).  There was no Club on campus for young newlyweds. 

I was admitted to college because of my high school academic accomplishments.  I was smart – but I wasn’t disciplined - and that weakness hit hard. 

My lack of discipline resulted in academic probation after my 1^st term sophomore year.  I had to attend summer school to get off of probation.  You guessed it – no Summer School Club. 

The good news is I graduated in four years and was debt free, too!  True, I graduated in the bottom half of my class.  Who has ever heard of a Club for we bottom-half folk?  Of course, our S.T.E.M. brethren know that: 

Statistically speaking, approximately one-half of all graduates fall in the bottom half of each graduating class. 

At least I left with a degree, a wife, and a sense of humor!  

So when this young, impressionable freshman asked me for my favorite memory, I could offer only a vague reference to the “overall experience”.  Hopefully, she found another alum that provided a better answer. 

GAP 

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

Commitment and consistency…

 

I came across a 2017 speech by Denzel Washington - on YouTube of course 😊  He offered compelling words to the next generation in his industry aka the young people:  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBGb40yh4SY).  A few of his statements stood out to me: 

…without commitment you’ll never start…  without consistency, you’ll never finish… 

It made me think about the next generation of technology sales professionals aka the young people.  My company has literally “bet the ranch” on the selling capabilities of our next generation of sellers.  Commitment and consistency will certainly be key elements in their (and our) success. 

I was part of said “next generation”  once - three generations ago LOL!  Throughout my career for myself and for those I have led, managed, mentored, and coached I developed my own “philosophy”: 

            Adversity clarifies commitment 

I took Denzel’s comments about consistency to mean that working at our profession is a career-long requirement.  Working begets consistency; consistency begets opportunities to finish our career; and adversity hardens us for the realities of ups and downs.  Denzel put it this way: 

            Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship. 

If we find ourselves in an “easy” job, that may mean something’s wrong.  I’ve seen too many people throughout my career “switch to glide”.  Either because they feel they’ve mastered their trade or worse, they lose the motivation they had in the beginning.  To keep progressing and succeeding requires we avoid that common “off ramp”:

I once heard someone joke that the road to success is marked with many tempting parking places. 

Harvey Mackay 

Knowing how hard success can be to come by, consistent success is certainly an achievement to be proud of.  I have spoken often about the power of process I learned from a boys’ high school cross country coach in my hometown of Elmhurst, Illinois.  

I didn’t run cross country, but I studied the success of Joe Newton’s York High School teams over the course of 40 years.  It wasn’t his athletes -  he turned over 25% of his runners every year; 100% every 4 years through graduation.  There was something else he did to achieve these amazing results between 1961 and 2000: 

t  Dual meet winning percentage (York vs. one opponent); York won 94% of those meets;      94%!

t  Conference championships (York vs.8-10 other high schools); York won 37 out of 40 years

t  State of Illinois race performance (York vs. all high school teams in Illinois)- York’s results;

Ø  State championships      21 out of 40 years

Ø  State runner-up          10 out of 40 years

Ø  Total Top 5 finishes     37 out of 40 years

Ø  Total Top 10 finishes    39 out of 40 years

t  National competition* - York’s results;          

Ø  National championships   20 out of 40 years

Ø  Total Top 3 finishes     33 out of 40 years    

* As recorded by the “Cross Country US Postal” organization and including more than 10,100 high schools throughout the USA. 

Something else indeed. 

Finally, Denzel cited the Japanese Proverb: 

            Fall down seven times.  Stand up eight. 

I can personally attest to this.  Although beginning without experience, throughout my career I have remained committed, coachable, and tough enough to make it through all of the falling down and standing up parts.

As I witness the passing of my sales profession on to the next generation  of “up and comers”, Denzel’s advice on commitment, hard work and consistency resonated with me.  I hope it does with them, too. 

GAP 

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

“Trusted”?

A few years ago, I read The Speed of Trust © by Stephen M.R. Covey after friend of mine shared his copy from a company training session on team-building. 

“Trust” is a word often (over) used in my profession.  Many salespeople refer to themselves as a “trusted advisor”.  I don’t – I’m a sales professional; and the customer can tell the difference. 

Covey shared this customer perspective:           

I don’t think you have a full trusting relationship until you are actually at the point that you deliver success repeatedly.  When one of my major suppliers says we want to have a trusting relationship, I think, “What a lot of rubbish that is!”  I turn around and say, “I don’t trust you.  I am not going to trust you until you repeatedly deliver success to me.”  

Peter Lowe 

What do you think?  Is it possible that our customers and prospects don’t trust us?  Covey’s research (among many other sources) suggests they don’t.  At least, not until we “repeatedly deliver success…”  

When I first started out in the business my company (ADP) held sales meetings every Tuesday at 5pm (“Roll Call”).  Afterwards, we strolled across the street to a neighborhood “gin mill” (Nancy’s).  Beers; boasts; and weekly war stories were exchanged until closing hour.  That was the setting junior sales reps like me learned the profession from seasoned veterans. 

Except one seasoned veteran, Bob Ackerman.  Bob was one of the top sales reps in our office.  Polished; professional; Bob spoke well; dressed well; showed all the evidence of success.  For my first 6 months on the job, he didn’t have a single conversation with me.  If I approached him, he would literally and rudely walk away.  It would have been easy to say he was impersonal; arrogant; a jerk.  Turned out – just the opposite. 

One Tuesday evening after our sales meeting; 6 months to the week of my start date; Bob approached me with a beer and said, “Gary, great week – congratulations!  Tell me all about it.”  And from that week forward, Bob trusted me. 

I didn’t have the stroke that night to ask Bob, “WTF”?  But after a period of time the opportunity arose, and I asked him why he was so cold when I first started.  Turns out – it was a matter of trust. 

You see, Bob was successful during an era when sales rep turnover was even higher than today.  “Draw vs. commission” was the standard compensation plan; no base salary.  A modest weekly draw smoothed cash flow. The draw was deducted from our monthly commission check.  (Trusted – 30 days at a time.)  A classic “What have you done lately?” environment. 

If we didn’t earn enough commissions to cover our draw, the next month the draw was cut in half.  Two months in a row, and the draw was eliminated.  We never got to month three.  Trust without results didn’t go very far back then – still doesn’t.

Bob had seen plenty of sales reps come and fail.  He told me he used to get to know the new people; he used to coach them a little bit; tried to help them out.  When they failed it hurt his feelings.  So rather than continuing to feel hurt, he withdrew; he waited to see if we made it 6 months.  

The moral of Peter and Bob’s stories?  To earn the position of “trusted advisor” we must produce.  Trust doesn’t beget results – it’s just the opposite – results begets trust. 

        GAP 

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

Pressure is privilege…

 

The Denver Broncos recently reported to training camp.  There was the usual sports media attention and hype over the team’s potential and upcoming season.  Since winning the Super Bowl in 2016, the Broncos have not been very competitive.  Of course, our current pandemic is wreaking havoc on all level of sports, recreation, and everyday life so who knows what the 2020-2021 NFL season will bring.

Speaking of “wreaking havoc”, the Denver Broncos’ outside linebacker, Von Miller, has been an All-Pro and Super Bowl MVP defensive force over the years.  However, since 2016 even he has not played to a havoc-wreaking level of expectation.  Often times as leaders and star players go, so does the rest of the team (in business as well as sports). 

During his pre-season interview Von said this year would be different.  He said he has been studying the commitment to greatness other athletes such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant had made to lead their teams to multiple championships.  He was inspired.

Von elaborated that in past years he thought being a “quiet leader” was good enough.  Von is known for his laid-back personality and his fun-loving lifestyle away from football.  He felt his leadership responsibility was simply to play his best during the season.  Von said he’s learning greatest requires so much more than that.

If the Broncos expect to compete at a championship level, their best players will have to lead them.  Von is the best of their best.  He acknowledged that the accolades he’s earned with his play on the field have also brought added pressure to lead his team to a higher level of performance.  In the past, he preferred to leave that added pressure to others.  This year?

            Pressure is privilege

It’s true - when you have the talent, ability, and opportunity to lead, that role comes with increased pressure.  To have others follow you is a privilege. 

Here’s one example from someone whose story is inspiring to Von Miller:

I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career.  I’ve lost almost 300 games.  Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed.  I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.  And that is why I succeed. 

                 Michael Jordan

 I worked for an awe-inspiring sales leader once.  Dan Callahan was revered at Integral Systems.  Every employee I met at the company spoke of Dan in a way I had never heard before or since in my entire career; every employee.

I asked Susan Welcome, a manager at Integral about this reverence for Dan.  She told me when the company first started out, Dan was a sales rep.  On more than one occasion Dan along with everyone else at the company knew when he went out on road trip to close a deal if he did not bring back the signed contract AND pre-payment for the software the company would not be able to fund payroll.

Dan “carried” so much more than just the pressure of his sales quota; the fate of his companies’ employees was in the balance on his ability to close deals.  Yet to meet him, he had this calm, youthful, choirboy persona – he never talked about the pressures he faced during Integral’s early years.  He just went about his business of being the best - and leading the best - every single day.  The greats don’t work for just money.  They accept, “pressure is privilege”.

GAP

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

February 1996…

When it was announced Charlie Daniels would be the commencement speaker at UNC-Wilmington…, some students opposed it, questioning the selection of a speaker who didn’t graduate from college. He wrote this 4 months before graduation:

I would like to clear up a few points about my addressing your class at commencement exercises, points which I feel have been distorted by a few overzealous, uninformed, pseudo-journalists.

My professional life is a matter of documented public record and easily obtainable. No need to discuss that.

Having been born in Wilmington, I consider it an honor to be asked to speak to you on one of the biggest days of your lives, and I accepted the honor with gratitude and humility. I cannot speak to you of lofty academic ideals nor scholarly pursuits because I have neither entree nor credential for that world.

The truth is I come to you from the street, from reality, the very same place you’re all headed if you plan to make a living in this ever-changing, difficult, show-me world, and when your college days are just a memory and your diploma hangs beneath dusty glass or some office wall, you will still have to deal with that world on its own terms every working day of your lives.

Let me tell you why I thought I was invited to speak to your graduating class. My career spans almost 40 years and you don’t go through 40 years of hard work and unrelenting competition without learning a few things.

My qualifications are humble but extensive and diverse. I’ve stood at the 38th Parallel and looked across into the hostile eyes of the North Korean border guards. I’ve been catapulted from the deck of an aircraft carrier in the middle of the Adriatic Sea and ridden across the frozen wastes of Greenland on an Eskimo dog sled. I’ve taken a hammer and chisel to the Berlin Wall and performed with symphony orchestras. I’ve had conversations with Presidents and walked the halls of Congress lobbying for legislation in which I believe. I’ve flown on the Concorde and acted in motion pictures.

I’ve seen the royal palaces of Europe and the hovels of Hong Kong.

I’ve seen the Mona Lisa and stared in awe at the timeless works of Vincent Van Gogh.

I’ve gathered cattle in the Big Bend country of Texas and met some of the wisest people I know at campfires in the middle of nowhere. I was privileged to have conversations with Alex Hailey and Louis L’Amour. I’ve appeared with The Rolling Stones, worked in the recording studio with Bob Dylan and two of the Beatles. I’ve been married to the same woman for over thirty years and raised a son who did, by the way, go to college. I’ve kept 20 people gainfully and steadily employed for over 20 years.

I am not a man of letters, I readily admit to that. But is being a man of letters the only thing which qualifies one to speak to a group of men and women who are about to enter the real world? My world.

My address will not be delivered in the beautiful strains of poetry of a Maya Angelou or with the technical expertise of a Tom Clancy, but I can tell you where some of the land mines are hidden, the shortest path to the top of the mountain and the quickest way down. Been there, done that.

          Charlie Daniels

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