Producing Great Work!

While reading the account of the Jewish people rebuilding their walls in the Old Testament books of Ezra and Nehemiah it occurred to me that all great works have several key elements. In order to produce a great work we must have focus, set goals, stay committed, persevere, and be flexible. The closer we stick to and apply these elements, the sooner we will produce a great work. Without following the steps we risk delay or even failure in reaching the desired result. Early in my sales career I was told “the things we focus on get done.” Any great work begins with deciding exactly what we are trying to accomplish. Many times the decision of what we want is more difficult than the task. When we get distracted it takes much longer than if we were to stay focused.

Once we get focused on what we want, goals must be set to reach each step toward fulfillment. The goals must be specific in nature and must be put in writing. Being both specific and in writing are great aids in remaining focused. Without the goals much time, assets, and effort can be wasted.

Once we have focused and set goals we must stay committed to the task. We must adopt the attitude that “a task worth starting is one worth completing.” A work not worth committing completely to should have been eliminated earlier and time not wasted. A wise man once said “the good things are the enemies of the best things because of lack of time.”

If we can’t commit to the idea we must move on to something we can commit ourselves to. Norman Albright once told me “No one has endurance like the man that sells insurance.” If that is true then it has been an asset for me in persevering in my plans. All kinds of distractions will come along. Some are urgent and must be taken care of while others must be cast aside. Other distractions will be important and cause short detours in our plans. In short order we must get back on the track that leads to project completion.

The final element in producing a great work is equally as important as the first four. Flexibility is a key to working out a successful conclusion to our plans. Seldom does a project go exactly the way it was envisioned. We must use judgment in what must stay in order to keep the integrity of a project and what may be given up in order to meet costs or other constraints. It will be worth it when the project is successful and we can feel the accomplishment of a job well done.

"Do overs" don't always happen!!

Most of us have benefited from time to time by being given a second chance. Something just didn’t go right when we first tried and then a door opened to give us another chance. We have heard all types of stories of failures turning into success. Our lives are much richer because people tried again and saw positive results. Even though second chances are great there at least three things that we don’t always get “do overs.” Time is something we don’t get a second chance at. We all have twenty- four hours in our day to get things done and we never see that time again. I remember hearing that as you get older time goes faster. I never understood how that could be, but as I get older I do experience how time moves by.

Our words are another area that we often don’t get another chance. Sometimes we say things in way that we might hold the words until we’ve thought of them more. Whether the words are oral or written we should think them through. Sometimes our words can get us into serious problems and take longer to resolve than it would have taken to think them through in the first place, Years ago our insurance agency was having a problem with one of our companies. I wrote a terse letter to an executive and as a consequence we had our contract cancelled. We had been thinking of discontinuing our association with the company so not much was lost, however I learned a valuable lesson. One of my partners advised that I should write the letter, put it away for three days in order to think about it , then get it out, and send it if I still wanted to. Great advice!

Opportunity is also an area where we may not have another chance. When he was preparing me to be a sales manager my mentor Paul Hutsey told me that preparation and opportunity usually don’t happen at the same time. He counseled me to always be improving myself so that when the opportunity I wanted presented itself I would get ample consideration. Over the last forty years I have found his wisdom to be very important as career opportunities unfolded. Sometimes opportunities get past us because we have the wrong attitude about them. They come disguised as problems and we fail to see the opportunity until it is too late. Former Pru Vice President Frank Astolfi called them prob-ortunnities. His view was every problem presented its own set of opportunities. Or, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But, whatever you do, don’t let opportunity pass you by.

Know Your Audience

Effective communication is extremely important in any organization. In order to have continuously good communication it is necessary to know the audience being addressed. Each audience presents its own set of challenges. Whether the communication is written or oral becoming effective at analyzing the audience makes the communication job easier. We use different semantics and different illustrations based on the makeup and experiences of a particular audience. For example, my use of professional jargon would be different if I were speaking to an insurance group as opposed to explaining insurance principles to a college insurance class. How much do they know or need to know about the topic is also very important in crafting effective messages?More time should be spent defining and explaining terminology with the less experienced group. The amount of information needed varies greatly between the two groups.

Another important issue is what the reader or listener’s initial reaction will be to the message. Using an attention getter appropriate to the audience enhances their attention and sets the stage for good communication. Several questions are important. Will the message be seen as highly important? Is the message best delivered by you or someone else? Is a more expert opinion likely to be better received? Any communication message or method will have obstacles. What specific obstacles must be overcome to communicate with a specific person or group? When presenting to a group of mixed experiences (most are) how do I keep the interest of some without boring others? What elements of the communication will have different acceptance within the group? Is there pre-communication information that, when shared, might remove some potential obstacles? Stressing benefits in a positive way can enhance message effectiveness. The old axiom WIIFM, “what’s in it for me”, is always an important aspect when addressing any audience.

Understanding audience expectations can also help in the formulation of an effective message. Covering known positive aspects at the front sets the stage for successful communication. Trying to look at the issues from their perspective and answering known concerns help in keeping them engaged in and active in the communication. Dealing with individuals also calls for knowing as much as possible about your audience. The more you know, the better the communication possibility. What is important to them? What is their interest in the topic to being discussed? How will they react to the information you are passing on to them? In the final analysis whether it’s with a group or an individual effective communication yields more effective performance. When they understand what we want or expect they have a better chance of delivering our wishes.

Anticipating Solves Problems

So much of decision-making these days seems overly reactionary. We have a fire, and we react to it. We have another fire, and react to it. Reactionary management (business or personal) is always fighting fires and waiting for the next one. Much time and effort are wasted finding and testing solutions in a trial and error sequence. Reactionary management seems stuck cleaning up the past, while a proactive approach deals better with the present and future challenges.
Wise King Solomon wrote “there is nothing new under the sun.” Since every conceivable problem we might face has been faced before, we should become proactive rather than reactive in our decisions. Before problems come, we can use anticipation to have flexible solutions. We may be facing an issue for the first time, but we can be sure others have faced the same problem.

I have often heard complaints about history as a necessary study. Yet the person carefully watching the history of his or her business can avoid repeat mistakes. The Spanish writer Santayana wrote “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” By learning from decision history and that of past pitfalls, we can continuously form proactive solutions. People gain great levels of power when they can draw from their experiences and the experiences of others to formulate workable solutions.

When we have mastered the art of anticipation, we can even head off problems when they are lower in intensity. Having a historical perspective gives recognition of potential storms on the horizon. Personnel issues are especially critical ones to anticipate. When we know our people, we can often defuse a potentially serious problem before it explodes. One reason for reactionary decisions is the tendency to try to find someone to blame or a scapegoat for the problem. We may in reality have a solution but become more interested in looking good rather than solving the problem. The “it’s not my fault” syndrome sets in and overwhelms our ability to operate in a proactive fashion.

In the end, being proactive and learning to take initiative saves time and gets things done. Reactionary management often causes procrastination waiting for a perfect solution. A good example is in the area of recruiting. Recruiting should be a continuous process, and yet often we wait until we need someone before we start looking. If we anticipate and remain in a constant recruiting mode, we remove stress and the tendency to “settle” for less than the best potential recruit. Anticipation and being proactive help us recognize our responsibility to get things done and to get them done in a workable manner.

The Marks of Leadership

So much has been written about leadership and yet in all aspects of life having leaders is critical. Whether in government, business, schools, church, or in our families leaders are the difference in reaching goals, or falling short of attaining them. While leaders come in all shapes and sizes there are some common marks that all good leaders have shown. Certainly many items could be discussed, but we’ll just look at four of them this time.

One mark that hinders success in any endeavor is personal responsibility. Our culture seems to spawn many who simply won’t be accountable for their own actions. No matter what the topic someone or something else caused it. The old “not me” or, “it wasn’t my fault” syndrome is alive and well. Leaders take personal responsibility for their actions and for the results of those actions. Leaders also convey a sense importance in not playing the “blame game” by focusing on correcting the action and moving the project towards final success. They understand that years from now it won’t be important to remember who or what delayed the project, but just the bottom line: the final result.

A second mark of a leader is that he or she understands weakness. First, their own weakness and in turn the weaknesses of those being lead. Leaders face the fact that we all have weaknesses and can plan around them until development can soften or even remove the weakness. When a leader understands their weakness they can staff with a subordinate that can perform in that area. For example, a highly competent financial manager may need a person with marketing skills that he or she doesn’t possess. In addition, recognition of staff weaknesses gives the leader direction for training plans while at the same time showing the leader’s interest in getting to know the people individually.

Certainly an important mark of leadership is the zeal or passion they display in leading their team. Teams follow more readily when it is obvious the leader is enthusiastic about the task. The leader sets the stage and is the role model for the group. If there is a sense that the leader isn’t committed or is less than excited, even the most important tasks are doomed. Involving the team in the planning stages is one way to enhance the enthusiasm of both leader and follower.

The final and possibly the most important mark of the leader is that of encouragement. Every person, no matter how strong, has times they need an encouraging word or a small helping hand in a task seemingly overwhelming. Former USD 465 Superintendent Bill Medley always wanted to “find them doing something good.” At that time we need to say a kind word, not later when they’ve forgotten the task. First, the leader must care, and then be willing to show they care. Two very important words for a leader are “Thank you.”

The Road to Nowhere

So many in our society seem to be content or intent upon heading down the road to nowhere, so I thought I’d take the time to help them. Below are ways to be successful at being unsuccessful. In case some want to change below are some suggestions how to get on the track to somewhere.

1. Avoid having a goal You should decide exactly what it is you'd like to accomplish; then remind yourself of that goal early and often. Whatever it is, write it down, picture it and share it with anyone else who you're counting on to help you accomplish it. Your goal isn't money, but what money can do. Create goals — both short-term and long-term — then decide how much money you'll need to reach them.

2. Continue spending more than you make Tracking and categorizing your expenses with a budget is the single greatest tool you have to accomplish your money-related goals. A plan that includes what you intend to spend on things like entertainment, food, housing, etc., vs. what you actually spend allows you to fine-tune your finances and find places to save..

3. Keep relating self-esteem to possessions Although we all know that money doesn't buy happiness, very few of us act that way. Instead, we seem to go out of our way to appear successful by driving the right car, living in the right house, and wearing the right clothes.

4. Starting to save large and late rather than small and soon The best time to save is right now and in comfortable amounts. Increase amounts early and be determined to keep with the plan.

5. Paying interest to buy things that drop in value There are only two situations where paying interest makes sense. The first is when the purchase goes up in value at a rate greater than the rate of interest you're paying to finance it. Another examples might be a business loan that's going to return more (at least potentially) than it costs in interest payments.

6. Buying a new car Everyone knows that cars drop 10-20 percent before you get them home from the showroom. If you're buying a car for transportation, it doesn't have to be either new or loaded. Cars are depreciating assets: the less you spend on one the better, especially if you're borrowing money to do it.

7. Buying more house than you need or can afford Some rules of thumb say spend 25 percent of your gross income on a mortgage, regardless of what size house you really need. When you buy more square feet than you're going to actually live in, you're required to insure them, furnish them, clean them, heat them, and cool them. All of that costs money, time and some level of stress. So all that is left is for you to choose the track you want to pursue. One is easy, the other more difficult. Remember, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Don’t try to do it all at once.

Gratitude: The Missing Ingredient

Everyone wants to be appreciated, whether a mother for all her effort or a worker for successfully completing the task. So often in the rush of getting things done we forget those having a part in the success. We take for granted the effort and then wonder why less enthusiasm is shown when we again enlist help. Leadership not only bears responsibility for getting things done, but also enlisting others in the effort. Effective leaders understand they cannot succeed by themselves.
The art of honest appreciation is important and leaders must know their staff and be aware of the specific needs of each member. In his classic book, “Leadership is An Art” Max DePree wrote “the first responsibility of a leader is to define reality, the last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant and a debtor.” It is in that servant attitude wrapped in the willingness to say and show thanks that a true leader shows his or her true gratitude. The workplace is not the only place that gratitude is the missing ingredient. In fact, the workplace is just a reflection of the general society.

We are, as a group, an ungrateful lot. We have more than any society in history and yet, we just want more. An example of our ingratitude is the way we receive and deal with gifts. In the past the gift was a sign of love and received with appreciation. Today, if the gift isn’t exactly what we want we return or exchange it. The spirit of the gift has died. In fact we collect lists and give gift cards because we already have so much we really need nothing. In my lifetime I have gone from taking the twenty yard hike to the outhouse and taking a bath in a metal bathtub to living in a wonderful house with indoor plumbing. However, just a week ago I found myself sitting in the dark without electricity and complaining about it. It brought back memories of coal oil lamps and dim, inconsistent lighting.

What a great life we have and how thankful we should be. We need not look far to find out how good we have it. Daily we see others less fortunate with physical or mental challenges. We have the right to live and work where we choose. We are limited only by our courage to decide what we want. We need to pause from time to time and show gratitude for all that we have been given.

Results: The Bottom Line

The measure of success in our business world and indeed our whole society is results. We are driven to accomplish tasks and in many cases strive to accomplish the results regardless of consequences. The reality is that achieving results only comes after dealing with four important principles.

First, we must realize that the great difficulty in life is not getting what we want, but deciding what we want. People change jobs, students change majors, and even couples change partners not knowing what they want and thus not seeing some favorable result. Those focused upon some goal decided have a much better chance at success and a satisfying result.

Next, once a decision is made we must decide what we are willing to give or give up in order to gain what we say we want. We may have to spend time and/or money to get what we want. All possibilities in life come with an opportunity cost. When we choose one direction the resources used cannot be used for a different alternative. In reality, the question becomes, “how much am I willing to give to get what I say I want?”

Thirdly, we must learn to be totally responsible for the outcome at every stage. So often when problems do occur people try to shift blame and find a scapegoat. Then, if there is success they try to take more than their share of the credit. One concept I learned from a former manager is to always give credit and take blame. We exhibit how much we value others when we take this approach. At the very least we should admit our mistakes and move forward.

Finally, when the results are achieved we should share the rewards broadly and generously with those contributing to success. Sharing builds rapport and shows we value their contributions. The rewards should only be enjoyed when we have added service and value to others. When service and value are added our results tend to have longer life. Results will always be a requirement of our lives. Getting focused and understanding what we are giving up to achieve the results is important. Then taking responsibility for our actions and sharing the successes make the achievements more meaningful.

Times a Wastin"

I remember my Grandmother using that phrase years ago. At the time I didn’t understand what she meant. Years later I realized she was talking about just letting time slip by and not having anything to show for the time spent. Over the years I’ve come to call activities that rob us of our time “timewasters.” When we control these activities we enhance our ability to be productive and make good use of our time.

First, most of us have a tendency to spread ourselves too thin. We often try to do too much and end up with unfinished tasks. We must learn to set priorities in order to get the important tasks of the day completed.

Secondly, and related is the need to learn to delegate. It isn’t necessary ( or even possible) for us to do everything ourselves. We can have things done by others. This frees up time for our most important tasks and also develops confidence in those working with us.

Next, many of us find it very hard to say no. We get over our heads and spin our wheels at all our activities. No can be the most important word we have. It is important to do what we must do, the important items. After this we should then do what we want to do. After these two we should say no to other requests.

Still another time waster is being tied to the phone. One only need go to the store or a public activity and find people seemingly permanently attached to a cell phone. These are great tools, used properly, of communication. However, I suspect not all calls are of important nature and thus timewasters. A friend of mine bunches his calls and has a time each day to respond. The rest of his business day he works effectively and organizes his important tasks.

Our final timewaster is procrastination. We visited about this one earlier. Most of us never conquer the big P, we just win small battles from time to time. My limited success with procrastination has been to do unpleasant tasks first and to divide large jobs into smaller pieces and get bits completed, thus gaining momentum to complete the project. In reality few of us will totally control all five timewasters all the time. As we seriously work at these we improve our performance and develop habits that enable us to make use of our time more and more effectively. Then we have more time for work and leisure.

Vision...A Wonderful Thing

When I was eight years old my Dad and I were riding in a car on Orient Boulevard in Wichita. At some point Dad discovered I couldn’t read the large letters on the side of the Santa Fe boxcars. We scheduled an appointment and discovered I had 20/400 vision in my left eye and 20/300 in my right eye. In the following years I wore very thick coke bottle lenses for years. They provided no peripheral vision. Eventually I was able to wear contacts, but vision without them was still poor.

In 2004 and last month I had cataract surgery and now benefit from 20/20 or near 20/20 vision. Truly vision is a wonderful thing. In the corporate world vision is also important. The ability to visualize a dream, communicate the dream to followers, and then enlist them in the vision is essential to success. Absence of any of the three vision factors leaves organizations struggling for direction in the competitive business world. The ability to visualize a dream is often muddied by lack of decisiveness. Knowing what we want is more difficult than gaining the goal itself. We must be completely committed to the vision. Someone has said, “one man after a just and right cause becomes a majority.” The passion of the vision comes before the ability to enlist others. Communication of the vision is much easier when the leader is committed. Followers can sense sincerity from those in charge. They often don’t understand the full impact of the vision, but follow because of the clarity of purpose in leadership.

The communication and enlistment go hand in hand. The more that is communicated, the more complete the enlistment in the vision. Getting people to enlist in a vision also takes strategy. Using small victories to build momentum can be very effective. Taking on too much and failing has just the opposite effect. Once small tasks are accomplished harder ones can be attempted. Success builds confidence and is very important in the early stages of implementing a vision. One of my favorite quotes is from futurist Joel Barker, “Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with vision can change the world.”

Preparing for life

“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” This quote from the late tennis great Arthur Ashe is a key to success in business or life in general. What we continuously prepare and practice we become confident in and ultimately achieve success. When I started my business career Prudential had sales brochures that said, “The Future Belongs to Those who Prepare for It.”

Looking back on those days, how true that statement was. The successful people I’ve met through the years, no matter what their calling, seemed always to be ready for the task before them. The preparation idea was reinforced in training meetings by the statement, “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.” Once my manager accompanied me on a sales interview and after I butchered the interview badly he offered some sage advice, “adlibs are for amateurs.” Once again the importance of preparation had been illustrated.

Years earlier my 5th grade teacher, Pearl Alexander, had given her classes lessons in preparation for life in at least three areas. First, she taught us the importance of good penmanship. We worked regularly on cursive writing and the importance of neatness in our writing. She would cringe today if she could see my current writing quality, especially when I am hurried. Next, she had an uncanny ability to teach basic mathematical fundamentals. Daily she did math drills with multiplication tables and other concepts. She had each of us exhibit our skills at the blackboard until we were confident and in doing so instilled ability to understand numbers and their relationship to each other. Lastly, and most importantly, she challenged us to look for important concepts learned in our activities. Once we had identified these concepts she had us think about how we might use the ideas learned. These were preparations that would benefit and follow me throughout life. So often in life we aren’t confident or are unsure of our ability to perform a task. Often these feelings come from lack of preparation on our part. In the end we all need to keep in mind the old Boy Scout motto, “Be prepared!”

Getting From Here to There

In February I reach a milestone I didn’t think would ever come. I become full Social Security age, old double six. Back in the late ‘60’s I remember how far away my “there” seemed (it was 65 in those days). Now my “there” has managed to come and I’ve given thought to some of the ideas that seemed to work for me. Hopefully, some of you in the “here” can fit them in your own way and help to achieve your future financial goals.

1. Find work you enjoy. Confucius said, “Find a job you enjoy and you’ll never work a day in your life.” While any work has its frustrations and bad moments, doing something you enjoy and that is meaningful to you, makes those trials worth it. Over the last half of my life my work has been more like a hobby than work, a true blessing.

2. Pay yourself second. I know. I know. All the books say pay yourself first. As a conservative Christian I feel my first responsibility is to support the local church I’ve chosen to join and also their worldwide ministries. Then pay yourself. Early in my career I was introduced to a pamphlet, “The Richest Man in Babylon.” He became rich by setting aside ten percent of all his growth to take care of his future.

3. Stop and smell the coffee. Many financial plans fail because people forget to also enjoy themselves along the way. In elementary school I remember the old axiom “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” All saving and no enjoyment of our labor eventually frustrates us and we end by throwing up our hands and giving up. Take time to enjoy the journey from “here” to “there.”

4. Understand adjustments must happen. Plans seldom happen exactly the way we set them. We must be flexible. My original plan included retiring from Prudential at age 60, I left the company at age 52. Things needed to be adjusted. Incomes change, families change, obligations change, and we must change with them.

5. Pay it forward. Never get so focused on the plan that it becomes all about you. One of life’s greatest purposes is in helping and meeting the needs of others. Some of my fondest moments were on the board of USD 465, trying to improve education of our children. The eternal law of sowing and reaping always works, its eternal. You can never give more than you’ll get back. Often the payment is in the satisfaction in seeing the results of being generous.

Five Rules to Live By

In mid-December I took my Mother to visit her wound doctor in Wichita. While waiting I noticed a little wall plaque titled “Rules to Live By.” No credit for the ideas was given, but the lesson to me was clear, these were rules we can all benefit from in the New Year and beyond.

1. Never give up! As I read this I thought of one of Winston Churchill’s greatest and shortest speeches to a graduating class. The late British Prime Minister’s speech was a mere nine words. “Never give up! Never give up! Never give up! What great advice as we start a new year. We all start a project or have an idea, only to finally move on leaving unfinished what was started with enthusiasm.

2. Be nice to one another. Our mothers tried to show us this from childhood. Nice begets nice. Honey attracts better than vinegar. Yet, in our self-focused society we leave this practice and buy into “I must look out for myself, no one else will.”

3. Think good thoughts. James Allen, in his classic book “As A Man Thinketh” taught that our thoughts construct our actions, so good thoughts are necessary to yield good results. We spend too much time thinking why we can’t rather than why we can.

4. Try to do better. Whatever the behavior, we can make an effort to do better. Often we try to change too much, when small improvements over time would be more successful. The Japanese have the concept of “kaizen,” or small, continuous improvement that we could use to help us do better.

5. Say please and thank you. The word “please” softens an order to a request and gets a much more willing response. “Thank you” helps convey a sense of appreciation that reinforces the behavior. I can remember my wife telling our girls, “Say please,” now say “thank you.” It was and still is great advice. These five rules, practiced regularly, will bring more friends, increase customer satisfaction, and generally give us a happier life. They really expand from “The Golden Rule,” that we should “do unto others as we would have them do unto us.”

To Get Things Done...Prioritize!!

We all have so many activities going on it seems like sometimes we just spin our wheels. The things we want to do often conflict with the things we need to do. Often we choose the pleasant activities and then run out of time for what we really need to get done. Several years ago I heard a statement that “the good things are the enemies of the best things because of lack of time.”

There are all kinds of choices we can make, but we do have limits on our time. Each of us must decide what’s important and place those items at the front. In his classic book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” Stephen Covey talks at length about “Putting First Things First.” Covey calls some tasks important and others urgent. Often the urgent get in the way of the important. While in the short term we must deal with urgent issues, long term success demands consistently being effective at our important issues. An example of an urgent issue would be discovering I have a flat tire and also have an appointment in Wichita in two hours. The tire must be fixed! One hour has been lost to an urgent need.

Absent the crisis I might have taken care of an important activity, such as preparation for my 8:00 class. Now I must shuffle my schedule and prioritize my time in reaction to the events of the day. Each day and week has its own scheduling adventures. We make our plans, set our priorities, and then remain flexible. The importance of prioritizing is that when our schedule falls apart we know the important tasks still needing attention. One last important topic in prioritizing is knowing when to work and when to play. Our society seems to get the greatest joy out of watching overpaid athletes play their games. While they succeed (at least monetarily) we become couch potatoes, often putting off much more important activities, such as actually having a conversation with each other.

I have discovered that there is more to life than sports. Rather than spend six hours watching NFL football, I spend 10-15 minutes seeing all the highlights on ESPN. That choice on my part leaves over five hours in my Sunday to share with my wife. We can have both activities by deciding what is important and prioritizing. In recent years my sports watching activities have been mainly confined to Southwestern College athletic events, mainly basketball. This started when I had several student athletes in classes and my wife and I began attending. Soon the events became family events with from one to four of my grandchildren attending with us. These became double-duty events as I enjoy the games and get to share them with our grandchildren. One activity didn’t have to give way to another, they just became blended.

Practice Your Practice!!

I had always heard the old axiom “practice makes perfect.” It sounded good, but then a wise man told me that “perfect practice makes perfect.” If we practice a bad habit or method we will never be as good as we could be. Either way, to become and remain good at what we do we must practice. Whether we are I sales, education, medicine, or any other field we must put to work the fundamentals of our chosen field. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard or overheard someone say “I wish I could ………as well as you can.

I remember thinking that about someone with great skill at the piano. I proved unwilling to put the time in to build a the skill. It seems like we think there should be a magic pill to take. There is! The magic pill is hard work and staying with the task of developing, then with the task of maintaining. Several years ago my manager accompanied me on some sales calls and interviews. At the end of the day, when I had wandered aimlessly from idea to idea, he simply said, “adlibs are for amateurs.” At that moment, I committed to never entering any project without being prepared.

People that commit to practicing the fundamentals tend to win. I heard a member of the 1983 Super Bowl Champion Washington Redskins say that Coach Joe Gibbs was fanatical about execution of the fundamentals. Blocking and tackling drills over and over until the techniques were mastered. We all have practices, repeated often, that lead to high skill levels. As we see teams succeed and others fail there is often only a small difference, just a small margin. Three years ago the Southwestern men’s basketball team had an 18-12 record, losing five games by 1-3 points, while making about 60% of their free throws. A 67% success spread out over those games would have yielded 3-5 more victories. Free throws are just a small fundamental, but a very important one when the game is close. It’s easy to focus on sensational looking dunks or three point shots, but many games are won or lost at the one point line.

In sports, or business, or life in general it all comes down to a famous saying, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.” In his classic book “Think and Grow Rich” author Napoleon Hill talks about the three tenets of what he called The Law of Compensation. According to Hill we are ultimately compensated based upon the need for the work we do, our ability to perform the work, and the difficulty the employer would have in replacing us. Two of those three tenets are directly affected by our commitment to “practicing our practice.”

A Strong and Quiet Man

Almost from the time my family moved to Winfield we have been friends with Pat and Gene Snell. With his passing the memories of all the good times came flooding into my mind. Gene was not a public person, but a quiet and gentle man. Even with that he was a strong man, a man of faith, and a man of loyalty and commitment to those people and causes he loved. Long before I knew him Gene served his country honorably in the Army during the Korean War. He faithfully attended the Veteran’s Week in Branson to renew old friendships and his service. Upon returning home he worked at various jobs before starting forty year printing career with the Winfield Daily Courier.

Gene was not a complicated person. He loved his God, his family, his church, his friends, and sports of many kinds. Wildcat Nation is weaker with Gene’s passing. I’m not sure I ever met a bigger sports fan than Gene and especially K-State basketball and football. I seldom saw him without his purple hat with the Power Cat. Still Gene’s biggest loves were his wife Pat and their family and his church. Gene had been a member for several years when I came to MSBC and served on the Missions Committee, Trustees and taught for years in the Toddler Department. Even when his illness began Gene faithfully attended his church.

We played some basketball and softball together in the early days of our friendship. The last few years we’ve visited about sports, went out to dinner, and played cards on Friday nights with other friends. Church was still our greatest contact and many times Pat and Gene sat just behind us as we worshipped. Gene is in a far better place today, far from the pain and suffering of his last days in this life. Whenever I see a K-State article or play cards again I’ll think of Gene. And smile!!

K.I.S.S. and a Consistent Message

One of the most important issues for a new business (or a new product/service) is the task of building awareness. Potential customers must be made aware of the company or its offering in order to encourage product trial. Without high levels of awareness sales potential cannot be realized. Promotion is important to any effort in bringing about awareness. A key component of promotion is the development and building of a consistent message.

Companies accomplish a consistent message by using slogans, jingles, or a catchy brand name or symbol. “Just do it” (Nike) and “When you care enough to send the very best” (Hallmark) are just a couple slogan examples that helped build 95%+ brand recognition for their companies. The “Morton Salt girl” and the “Prudential rock” yield a high level of recognition through years of repetitive use. Seeing the Morton symbol reminds us “when it rains, it pours.” Prudential’s symbol reinforces that the company “has the strength of the Rock of Gibraltar.” These messages have remained consistent over several decades and have been proven effective.

The old K.I.S.S adage- keep it simple stupid, or more nicely put, keep it short and simple- is really true in promotion. Fast, hard-hitting, and memorable lines are important. After all, we only have seconds to make an impression that will achieve a favorable customer response. We must make sure we covey a desired message on that first contact. For high name recognition in our local market the simple, consistent message starts to answer three key concerns. What do we have to offer? How will it fulfill their wants or needs? How are we different from others offering similar services? In the final analysis WIIFM prevails. We all want to know “What’s in it for me?”

Mentoring: A Key to Success

Insurance executive Alfred E.N. Gray wrote and delivered an excellent speech he called “The Common Denominator of Success.” Mr. Gray stated that successful people “form the habit of doing the things failures won’t do.” It isn’t that they wanted to do the things either, they just did them. I agree with Mr. Gray’s proposition, but think success can be further enhanced by the use of mentors. Mentors put the practical touch on a task at hand by giving directions, demonstrating method, observing, and giving prompt feedback.

I was fortunate to have several mentors in my business and personal life. These individuals took time and spent much energy in enhancing my opportunity for success. My first sales manager, Jim Cinotto, took me to my agency in Northwest Wichita and modeled the behavior he expected from an agent. He showed me how to sell, but taught me a far more important life lesson. During an interview a lady asked a question, and Jim without hesitating said, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” As a 23 year veteran I thought he knew everything, but he showed the maturity to not bluff his way, but get a correct answer.

Years later, when I wrote a book one of the chapters was titled “I Don’t Know, but I’ll Find Out.” I sent Jim a copy of the book and he called me one evening. He didn’t remember the incident, but told me he was,” just doing his job.” He said I had repaid him. When I asked how I had repaid him, he said by doing the same thing for other young people. I was now aware that it is not only important to have a mentor, but also to be one. Life has many cycles and I believe one of them is helping and being helped. Our organizations, small or large, become strong and remain strong by the use of mentors. Mentors shorten the time needed for a task and increase the human resource value of our companies.

Attitude: The Magic Word

The late, great radio commentator Earl Nightengale called attitude “The magic Word” in his “Lead the Field” audio series. Nightengale was correct because our attitude sets the course for life’s journey. Years ago, in a presentation, I compared attitude to altitude. In an airplane we rise to certain altitudes for a safe and comfortable flight. Our attitude also sets a safe and comfortable voyage that determines what we are able to accomplish in life. We’ve all heard “he has a bad attitude” or “she has a great outlook on life.”

It’s often stated that someone needs “an attitude adjustment.” Changing an attitude or an outlook on life is easy to talk about, but much more difficult to accomplish. Our attitude is comprised of all our thoughts, feelings, and ultimately, our actions. In order to change our results (attitude) we must change those thoughts, feelings, and actions which have been ingrained in our being over many years. Our thoughts are the key to beginning the change that will result in an attitude change.

Our conscious mind takes in our various thoughts through our senses of sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell. The conscious mind works as a judge and can freely accept or reject the thoughts. Once a thought is accepted it is passed on to the subconscious mind, which can only accept the idea and turn it into a feeling or perception. These feelings then control our actions which govern our body, leading to results. It becomes an important task in changing our attitude and thus our results to take in only those thoughts that will result in moving us towards desired outcomes. As the output of a computer is determined by its input, so our attitude is determined by focusing on those thoughts that move us in a positive direction (or in some cases focusing on the negative and getting exactly what we don’t want).

World War II concentration camp survivor Viktor Frankyl stated in his classic book “Man’s Search for Meaning” that “the last of the human freedoms is man’s ability to choose his attitude of mind.” Attitude then; like where we live, or who we love, is a choice. By choosing our thoughts we choose our attitude. The old Bing Crosby favorite was correct: You have to ACCENTUATE the positive, ELIMINATE the negative, latch on to the affirmative, and don’t mess with Mister In-between.

Failing In Order to Succeed

It seems to me our culture is youth-centered, technology-based, and success-oriented. Most of the time this works well for us, but it can cause high levels of frustration. In our fast-paced, microwave society we can leave the impression with our children, students, and employees that they must succeed at everything and that success must come immediately. We only need look at our history and our culture to see that success seldom comes the first time and often only after many failures. We’ll use a few examples of those who achieved high level of success after countless encounters with failure.

Our 16th President, Abe Lincoln, ran for office at least thirteen times, winning only three of the offices he attempted to gain. In fact, he lost more than one of the offices to fellow Illinoisan, Stephen Douglas; the man he defeated for President in the election of 1860. How much different might our country have been if Lincoln had given up after election number twelve. Almost any poll or selection of great presidents places Lincoln in the top two or three, usually at the very top.

As a young cartoonist Walt Disney’s Laugh-o-gram animation company in Kansas City, failed and he was burdened by indebtedness. Disney moved to California and with his brother Roy started a new company. Their first two films were not successful, and film rights were lost due to bad business decisions. After observing a family of mice, Disney came up with a new cartoon idea. Mickey Mouse was born and scores of films and several theme parks were the result of his pressing on. In his later years Disney used to laugh that,”It all started from a mouse.”

Pro Football Hall of Fame coach, Don Shula, left the Baltimore Colts to start a new team in Miami. After early losing seasons, he developed the mantra “Failure isn’t fatal… and success isn’t final.” Shula encouraged being aggressive and trying new ideas, even with the possibility of failing. He also knew that once success was attained work would have to continue in order to stay on top. In reality we only become a failure when we quit and stop trying. Failing is a natural part of the success process. Maybe this was best stated by the late Chicago insurance millionaire W. Clement Stone in his book “The Success System That Never Fails” when he stated “Success is achieved by those who try and keep trying.”

Procrastination: The Bane of Accomplishment

Throughout the ages more has been written and less has been resolved about procrastination than most other topics. In “Man’s Search for Meaning” Viktor Frankyl wrote “after all is said and done, there is more said than done.” We all know when we SHOULD do something and yet we often don’t get to action. Why is it that we so often put off what we know we should do? Fear of failure, lack of time, enormity of task, and many other excuses are offered for our inaction.

The truth is those most proficient at avoiding procrastination accomplish more, have more spare time, are under less pressure, and generally seem happier. Nothing is more frustrating than to try to enjoy an activity with a nagging thought of what we should be doing. The fruit of procrastination is poor productivity, broken promises, incomplete projects, and ever- lengthening to do lists. Often tasks accumulated, though small in individual nature, become mountains that require large blocks of time feeding our tendency to do nothing. How then do we overcome the urge to put off until tomorrow what we should have done today? Deciding to take on the task NOW is the starting point.

Identifying that unattractive task and doing it or starting it gives the momentum and impetus to complete. During these latter years of my career I have enjoyed teaching various business classes. The interaction with students has been fantastic, but I hate grading papers. My students have one solution, don’t assign the papers. My solution is to come home and get started grading the papers. Most of the time once the grading starts it becomes an enjoyable process. When finished there is a sense of achievement that makes the next task easier. Complex, time consuming tasks are often the ones we put off, waiting for a block of time sufficient to complete the project. An old manager of mine often said “by the yard it’s hard, by the inch it’s a cinch.” Using little blocks of time to eliminate parts of the task is an important way to get things done and make good use of our time. A wise man once was asked when was a good time to get started and responded, “Do it now.” That’s a great way to overcome procrastination, “Do it NOW!”