Running your railroad…

I was chatting with my dear friend Steve recently.  Initially a colleague; then client; today a friend and mentor.  I always enjoy his teachings on business and life.  We share many things in common; our “blue collar” views on work; our Christian faith; our career stops at ADP.  We were in dissimilar positions at ADP – he on the “operations side”’ me on the “sales side”.  

Steve is so mild-mannered; he chuckled when I told him I was surprised at his operations success; rising to Vice President and General Manager at ADP.  He shared with me why he succeeded.  Steve always helps me understand the “why”. 

He said one of his underlying beliefs was to treat every worker with dignity and respect.  He honored the value every job each person performed no matter how menial the tasks seemed to be.  Perhaps Steve was influenced by ADP’s legendary President & CEO, Josh Weston, who spoke of what matters in business: 

Every client matters.  Every employee matters.  And every employee interaction with every client matters. 

Steve believed each employee wanted to do a good job; was able to do a good job; and would do a good job if given the opportunity.  Could that have been Nashua Cavalier’s influence? 

Man's biggest mistake is to believe that he's working for someone else.   

Steve suggested I visit Cincinnati’s Union Terminal (link).  He told me the art deco in the terminal definitely had a great influence on him growing up.  Especially the way it depicts the history of America’s working people. 

There’s that tribute to working people again.  I like the connection to America’s railroads, too.  I have always loved trains.  It amazes me how our country has allowed our railroad system to stagnate as compared to Europe and Asia.  Railroads played such a key role in our country’s history – (here’s one example History.com). 

I also love the connection between the common worker and the success of a railroad (or the success of any business).  Who do you think plays the key role in train travel; the engineer; the conductor?  Here’s a point of view from a key worker, “behind the scenes”: 

You might know where you are and what you’re doing; and God knows where you are and what you’re doing; But if the Dispatcher doesn’t know where you are and what you’re doing, then you best be on good terms with God. 

                   Unknown Sage       

Totally applicable to any line of business today, true?  I write often about the importance of leadership communications.  I suspect a key to Steve’s leadership success lies in the hearts and minds of his followers as Napoleon Hill offered: 

I will induce others to serve me, because of my willingness to serve others. I will cause others to believe in me, because I will believe in them and in myself.       

There’s that word “believe”.  In my career, when I was working for someone who didn’t believe in me (or me in them), the thought of trains returned: 

This is a helluva way to run a railroad! 

                   Leonor F. Loree        

Leonor’s sentiments and the things we have all experienced recently might bring us back to that Unknown Sage: 

Due to recent cutbacks the light at the end of the tunnel will be turned off until further notice.

And all those train references and reminders brings me back to Steve.  I think he would coach us to work hard; treat others with respect; and believe! 

                                                            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 Dad…

Happy Father’s Day coming this Sunday!  Aren’t fathers and grandfathers great?  The memory of my father still brings a proud smile to my face (and my heart!).  If you’re lucky enough to have living fathers and grandfathers, give them a hug Sunday. 

We fathers are so proud when our children demonstrate the wisdom and common sense we hope we have instilled in them: 

Kid wisdom: 

When your Dad is mad at you and asks you, “Do I look stupid?”  Don't answer him. 

Michael 

Then there’s that occasional lack of wisdom and common sense, true?  In my case my older son likes snowboarding, aka “shredding”.  I wonder if it’s the slope he’s shredding, or his knees.  My younger son?  Well, he’s a horseman – ‘nuff said:  

The good news is my children are resilient.  Yours are too I bet.  (Passed down from their Dads perhaps?)  When Dads have to be tough with their children from time-to-time, the little ones of all ages know it’s not permanent - kids are smart: 

A flustered father, stressed out from his day at work, was unsuccessfully texting his kids to come in for dinner.  Finally, he walks out on his porch and yells for his kids to come in.  

At that point one youngster turns to his brother and asks, “I can’t remember, which one am I - Jesus Christ or God Dammit?” 

Unknown Sage 

Some Dads have a very entertaining view of the world.  Take Mike Jaeger’s: 

Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe and he'll believe you.  Tell him the plate you're handing him is very hot and he'll have to touch it to believe it.                 

Dads today take great pride in continuing to provide a home for their families, even as the definition of “home” evolves: 

Home, nowadays, is a place where part of the family waits ‘til the rest of the family brings the car back.  

Earl Wilson 

Because my sons have children in their lives, I get to be the grandfather now!   Being the grandfather has responsibilities, too: 

Sometimes the only difference we can make is passing our wisdom on to someone else who will make the bigger difference.  

Linda B. Gray 

The older I get the more appreciative I am of the love and devotion I received from my father.   He wanted his sons to make a difference.  He also wanted us to be patient with his quirks.  I remember after my Mom died, my Dad ate his dinners at the hospital cafeteria two blocks from his house.  It might have been for the convenience; maybe for the memory of the last place he saw his wife alive. 

He ate dinner there every evening for over twenty years.  It was such an extended period of time that the employees thought Al Pokorn actually worked there.  One summer, he was even invited to their company picnic!  I didn’t mind this innocent charade.  But when he won a TV in the employee raffle, I told him he had to give it back! 

Dads are all a little quirky I suppose.  Today when my children use one of my colloquialisms or demonstrate a family value or tradition that has been passed down from father to son, it brings a proud smile to my face (and my heart)! 

So, here’s to my Dad; and your Dad; and everyone’s Dad.  They have helped us all make a difference – definitely a tradition to be passed down. 

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.

Behaving badly?

I’ve been chatting with friends, former clients, and colleagues about the current situation in business and the attention being paid to all of the employees who are quitting their jobs.  Technically I suppose, I am part of the departure although my excuse is retirement. 

Truth be told, I could have continued working.  My best friend plans to work until he’s 75.  In my case though, if I stayed I would have been working just for the money – and money is no longer as precious to me as it once was:  

Time isn't money, after all - it's more personal and more important.  Once I asked a friend to help me with a project, and I added, “Of course, I'll pay you for your time.”  He smiled, “I'm afraid your money is a poor substitute for my time."  

Floyd Allen 

Even as a younger man I would not stay in a job where I was unhappy no matter how much money I was making.  Is that why so many people, seemingly so unhappy, are leaving their jobs today?  Is it so bad in the workplace?  

“Bad” is nothing new.  Our favorite Unknown Sage has been coaching us about bad for years; in many cases tongue in cheek: 

Universal Law 

Anything that begins well ends badly. Anything that begins badly ends worse. 

In my career, I switched out of a bad job on more than one occasion.  I attributed part of that to the nomadic nature of the technology sales profession.  In other circumstances I felt I was just in a bad situation.  And sometimes I simply failed. Other times… 

A common catalyst behind some of my bad situations was the attitudes and behaviors of my managers and company leaders (aka “company culture”).  Kim Scott wrote in her book Radical Candor © how bad behavior can actually lead to advancement: 

… people who behave badly begin to win, rising in the company.  When confronted with a powerful jerk, many people retreat to Manipulative Insincerity, more out of instinctive self-protectiveness than intentional wrongdoing.  In this kind of environment, there’s an incentive to retreat to Manipulative Insincerity in front of those who are more senior to them, and resort to Obnoxious Aggression with those who are less powerful.  The culture becomes toxic – many kissing up and kicking down, few willing to speak the truth to power.  This kind of behavior won’t kill a company right away.  Instead, it leads to a slow, painful death of innovation, and lives of quiet desperation.  

WOW!  That’s a lot to take in!  “Manipulative Insincerity”?  “Obnoxious Aggression”?  “Kissing up and kicking down”?  I must admit, it sounds familiar.  I certainly hope Kim is speaking to the exception vs. the rule.  

In his book, The Speed of Trust © , Stephen M.R. Covey offers a different observation about bad catalysts that can cause employees to quit: 

Low trust causes friction, whether it is caused by unethical behavior or by ethical but incompetent behavior (because even good intentions can never take the place of bad judgment). 

I agree, good intentions don’t count very much anymore.  I’m not sure they ever did.  

Well suffice it to say my fellow retirees and I are counting on the current companies, leaders and employees to figure things out.  Otherwise, we may have to go back to work.  And who knows?  Maybe it was our generation of workers that began those workplace habits of behaving badly to begin with, 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. 

We remember…

I never served in the military.  I can only imagine the commitment, self-sacrifice, and bravery our country’s veterans must have had to preserve our way of life.  It continues with those who serve today. 

Memorial Day is a “day of remembrance”.  As the struggle for our freedom continues we pause to remember those who served; who sacrificed; who died; for America; for our America; for our nation of great opportunity. 

According to Wikipedia the history of remembrance goes back over 150 years: 

In 1868, General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic called for a "Decoration Day", which was widely celebrated. By 1890, every Northern state had adopted it as a holiday. The World Wars turned it into a generalized day of remembrance, instead of just for the Civil War. 

Though we Americans are addressing many difficulties today, this is nothing new.  In the book Pickett’s Charge ©, Robert E. Lee said this in that Civil War battlefield aftermath: 

We must expect reverses, even defeats.  They are sent to teach us wisdom and prudence, to call forth greater energies, and to prevent our falling into greater disasters. 

Step-by-step, we continue to overcome our reverses.  Step-by-step, we gain wisdom and prudence from our defeats.  Step-by-step we strive to prevent greater disasters.  All while maintaining a certain sense of American humor and ingenuity: 

     Consider how far a step-by-step approach took American diplomat Charles Thayer in negotiating with a German prison director at the outbreak of World War II…

     He (the prison director) had the British vice-consul brought from his cell, and one by one I handed over items: pajamas, shirts, socks, and a toilet kit...

     I then produced a bottle of sherry, explaining that the vice-consul should have it served before his luncheon.  The director said nothing, but took the bottle submissively. 

     Next I produced a bottle of champagne which, I said, should be properly iced with the vice-consul's dinner.  The director shifted uneasily but remained silent. 

     Next came a bottle of gin, another of vermouth, and a cocktail shaker.  This, I explained, was for the vice-consul's evening martini.  “Now you take one part of vermouth.” I began, “and four parts of gin, add plenty of ice”.

     “Verdammit!” the director exploded.  “I am willing to serve sherry and champagne and even gin to this prisoner, but he can damn well mix his own martinis!”

     By taking a step-by-step approach, Thayer substantially accomplished his mission. 

William Ury 

Only in America do cultures of diversity live together so united.  Truly, we have our differences and there is plenty of strife.  Americans have much work to do in the pursuit of a more perfect union. Still, we benefit today from those who came before us.  They gave us great opportunities. 

But what are we making of our opportunities?  What opportunities (and debts) will we leave for our future generations? 

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 

We will pause our work on Monday to honor the men and women of our armed forces; especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice: 

On Memorial Day let’s remember.  Then let’s go back to work Tuesday – working to overcome our difficulties; working to leverage our opportunities; working to preserve our way of life for future generations. 

Yes Marianne, “In every heart, there is 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 life can be wrought with significant issues, true?  Among the most difficult is mental health.  Unfortunately, someone with a mental health ailment often must deal with it themself.  I know such a someone. 

Many of us have control over our moods; but not all ...  Let’s recognize those amazing people who try to face each day “doing alright”: 

     Like Eric.  I have known Eric for 46 years yesterday – his birthday.  Over that period Eric’s Mom and Dad have shared some of his most joyous occasions; and some of his most upsetting events; and in between these highs and lows Eric would tell you that he has been doing alright.  And for Eric, doing alright shows how amazing he truly is.

     You see, Eric is the strongest person I know.  I’ll give you an example.  Close your eyes and return to the happiest day of your life – feel how you felt during your most exhilarating moments.  OK, now think back to how you felt on your saddest, darkest, most depressed day ever.  Just set those mental bookmarks in your mind’s eye.  There is an unbelievably wide and powerful range of human emotion, yes?

     For most of us, we migrate from our highest highs and our lowest lows slowly; with long, “recovery” spans of simply feeling average in between.  Unfortunately, Eric is different; his mood swings back and forth, between euphoric highs and debilitating lows in a matter of minutes - multiple times - every hour!  Now picture your life with his type of mood swings – as if our other challenges aren’t enough to deal with.

     Rapid Cycling – that’s the technical term for Eric and others who suffer from Bi-Polar Disorder.  And Eric lives every day with this unwelcome guest.  Medical science is not much help.  Bi-Polar Disorder is an affliction of the brain; and very difficult to properly diagnose and treat.  Trial and error, mostly.  That means people with Bi-Polar Disorder typically wind up dealing with this on their own.

     Most can’t hold down a steady job.  Eric can – and he has consistently been a “go to” person for his company.  He is a skilled tradesman; good with customers; dependable; hard working; shows up no matter what; a positive attitude that no job is too tough; that’s Eric.  Most people with Bi-Polar Disorder can’t live independently.  Eric does – and if you met him, you would never know the internal turmoil he is living with.  He has a pleasant personality; a great smile; a nice sense of humor; knowledgeable of current events; just like the rest of us.

     But Eric isn’t really like the rest of us.  Just getting up and facing the day; every day; takes enormous strength.  And he offers no excuses – never has.  Eric has earned success and experienced failure.  No matter; Eric treats each day anew, the best he possibly can. And when you greet him saying, “Hi. How you doing?”  you will almost always hear him say, “I’m doing alright”.

     If Eric does alright each and every day even though feeling these uncontrollable mood swings – should we do any less?

     No, I don’t have Bi-Polar Disorder, but it lives next door. And though I don’t have it, I can see first-hand the strength Eric has as he lives with it.  I’m very proud to say that Eric is my son.  And one day I hope to learn the source of his amazing strength so I too can be, “doing alright”. 

GAP 

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

Success…

How do you define “success”?  Is your success the result of your dedication and effort.  Do you make things happen?  Or does the phrase, “right place; right time” apply?  It’s OK.  Our favorite, 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 myself feel a bit clueless from time to time (and Lord knows my wife and family think of me as being permanently associated with Group 3, HaHa!).  I really do try to focus on the first group; making things happen; driving my own success.  I know it’s not easy.  

Like many of you, I’ve always worked for a living – I mean blue collar type of work – I mean taking the long way – I mean overcoming setbacks.  Regardless of the sales year I had, I tried to follow this African Proverb credited to none other than Mother Nature:

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.  It knows it   must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.     Every morning a lion wakes up.  It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve.  It doesn’t matter    whether you are a lion or a gazelle. When the sun comes up,   you better start running. 

Now don’t get me wrong; I was very much a white collar, sales professional.  It’s just that meeting my goals usually took me longer than my friends and colleagues who are blessed with greater talent.  They figured out how to work smart, not just hard.  Me?  Well, maybe I dipped into that 3^rd group more frequently than I’d like to admit.  I know I tasted failure on many occasions: 

It seems to me that the largest impediment to a healthy attitude toward failure is our inability to distinguish between just plain being stupid and failing on the way to great success.

Unknown Sage 

I’ve always believed that thinking positively, optimistically, with great self-confidence was a “healthy attitude toward failure”.  That’s why one of my favorite hobbies is writing.  I like the way it helps me channel random input from various Thought Leaders coupled with a positive attitude that can lead to, “failing on the way to great success”. 

I know that success is defined various ways and is a very personal matter.  I remember working for Mike Martone, ADP National Accounts VP of Sales, “back in the day”.  The National Accounts Division was “killin' it”.  I too, was enjoying some of the best sales achievements of my entire career.  It would have been easy for me – and Mike – to be satisfied with our success.  That’s when he delivered his "I'll be satisfied when..." presentation at a company-wide sales meeting.  

Rather than dwelling on our success, he had a different message.  Mike brought a list of five or ten additional goals and he prefaced each with the repetitive line, “I’ll be satisfied when we…”.  Then he described his expectations emphasizing his definition of success was achieving those additional goals.  That’s when I started thinking of success as a journey; not a destination. 

Carmen Mariano seems to agree and offers us this view: 

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

So here’s to today – good, great, or better.  We best get up early; start running; make things happen; true? 

GAP 

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