Take the Opportunity!!

The first six weeks of 2014 have been tough for me personally and for my family. Our family lost my last Aunt and last Uncle on my Mother’s side of the family. In addition one of my best friends of my Prudential years passed away. These events turned my thoughts to opportunity and how we take advantage or sometimes waste them. As author John Maxwell says, “Time lost is time lost!” Let’s discuss the importance of opportunity and taking the opportunity!

Life presents us with many opportunities. Some are small others are great. At times we can think about the possibilities and others present themselves quickly and are soon gone by. Sometimes we have control and sometimes things are out of our control. In mid-January I had made a decision to attend my aunt’s funeral in Louisiana. Two hundred miles down the road I hit a deer and limped home disappointed, but relieved that only the car and the deer had been damaged. An opportunity lost, but out of my control.

The great basketball coach John Wooden was quoted as saying, “When opportunity comes it is too late to prepare for it.” We need to make sure to prepare so that when opportunity comes we can take advantage of it. Wooden’s thought was close to a statement made by my original manager Paul Hutsey, who told me, “being ready for a promotion and an opening for promotion don’t always come at the same time, so make sure you are ready when the opening does occur.”

The preparation time is a chance to improve our self and even to develop the skill for improving others. When opportunity does present itself we have a greater possibility of taking advantage of the situation and having a successful venture. Lack of use of the preparation time could cause us to have to pass on an opportunity that may never present itself again. We must be in the position to seize the opportunity or risk regretting the lost chance far into our future.

Often some of our great opportunities present themselves as problems occurring in our personal or business lives. A friend of mine once described what he called a “problor-tunity,” the fact that a problem is simply an opportunity for us to show our problem solving ability. Without problems, and ultimately their solution, our skills might not be necessary. Taking the opportunity and solving problems sets us apart from those unable or unwilling to take the opportunity.

Choices! Choices! Choices!

Every day we have choices to make in our life. Some are important ones and others are just routine and thus easy. On many occasions I have heard my wife, Sharon, counsel our Grandchildren “Make good choices!” What an important piece of advice this is! Hopefully they will keep her advice in the back of their mind to draw upon when needed.

With my wife’s advice in mind let’s talk about some important principles to keep in mind concerning choices. First, we’ll all make good and bad choices so how do we deal with them? When bad choices happen learn from them or adjust them and move forward. Benefit from some of my Dad’s sage advice, “This too will pass.” When good choices happen enjoy them and understand that they won’t last forever! The twists and turns of life will take us in another direction and call for another choice.

Next, learn to take responsibility for bad choices. Too much time is spent on “the blame game”, trying to transfer fault for our poor choices to someone else. Several years ago at a seminar I attended a speaker said “you’re your only problem baby: and you’re the only solution.” On the other side of the coin when you’ve made a good choice that has good results don’t forget to give credit to those helping your success.

Additionally, seek advice when making important choices. There are people who have walked the same road before you, benefit from their experience. Wise King Solomon said “there is nothing new under the sun.” Realize that we don’t have to “reinvent the wheel” every time we make a choice. In the long run we can learn from others and ultimately from our own experiences.

Finally, it is our choices that determine our level of success in life. Each good choice we make takes us to a new level of maturity. When we make a bad choice we need to “get up, dust ourselves off, and start all over again.” Basketball coaching legend John Wooden once said “There are choices in life in nearly everything you do, so keep in mind the choices that you make makes you!”

Are You Listening?

We have more communications methods today than ever before. We have smart phones, dumb phones, Facebook, Twitter, and on and on. Yet with all the technology we really don’t communicate well. The great missing element is our lack of the ability to listen. Listening personalizes what is a very impersonal communication world.

It’s really no mystery why we aren’t good at listening. In school we spend hours and hours learning to read, write, and even a good amount of time in speaking. Yet little time on the art of listening. In my own experience I have nearly 300 hours of college preparation that includes one, yes ONE hour devoted to listening. Most of us learned how to listen by trial and error.
So what’s the big deal? Why should we be concerned about becoming a good listener. It’s more fun to talk and let others be impressed with what we know. What are the benefits we gain from listening? I’m glad you asked! Let’s consider just four really large benefits of listening.

First, when we listen we build trust. Someone told me once “people don’t really care how much you know until they know how much you care.” When we listen we convey that we care and our caring builds the start of a level of trust. Trust is foundation of building upon a strong relationship. Solomon wrote that “for a man to have friends he must show himself friendly.” Listening is a great way to show ourselves friendly.

Next, listening enables learning. When we are talking we learn little, but listening helps us learn what others know and thus expand our information. By listening and asking questions we can learn great amounts. If we actually get into a conversation with two people listening the learning possibilities are endless. Sharing our knowledge expands both parties involved.

Third, listening facilitates understanding. Many of the current communication devices cause misunderstanding. Emails or texts often leave a false impression. You can’t tell if they’re smiling, scowling, or possibly upset. Listening enhances feedback and thus strengthens understanding. We have a better understanding of the message being conveyed when effective listening is practiced. When we understand each other our communications become more meaningful.

Finally, listening creates a connection. In the current world of virtual connection, we actually have little real connection. Listening creates a bond that connects us in a meaningful way into the future. Listening is the key to building a network that enhances both our personal and business relationships. When lasting connections are made everyone benefits. Are you listening?

November: The Month of Thanks

November seems to bring out some of the best in us. It seems we pause to be thankful more than at other times. We reflect on the early settlement and founding traditions of our great country. Sometimes we fall short in expanding our thought to other areas we have for being thankful. I’ll share a few of mine and hopefully spur your own reflections.

• Freedom to worship as I choose. No oppressive government telling me when and where and how I should worship the God I choose to serve. The founding fathers were clear in providing us the freedom of religion, not the freedom from religion. Others have the same freedom to make the same or different choices.

• Freedom to change the direction of our governance at the ballot box and not by armed force. We’ve had this right for over two hundred years and earlier this month once again witnessed our democracy in action. Other than an occasional glitch our election process runs relatively smoothly.

• The advantage of being born an American. What a privilege to be a native citizen of this great land. Our poorest are rich compared to the poor in other lands and yet our obligation is to care about and for our poor.

• The freedom to live where I choose. The only restrictions are my choice and my ability to support the choices I make. We have lived in several places and found good and bad in each one. How we have lived and been treated has been more about how we have responded rather than how others have responded to us.

• The freedom of choosing my life’s work. I am personally thankful to have had two very rewarding careers. Most of my life was spent in sales and marketing, while my latter years are blessed with the opportunity to teach and help develop others.

• The blessing of good health. We take this for granted until we look around and see the suffering of others. Age changes this and so it’s important that we take advantage of opportunities while we have this great asset.

• I’ve saved the best for last, I’m thankful for my wonderful family. My wife of 48years this month, Sharon, and three beautiful daughters, six grandchildren, and our extended family as well. I’m additionally thankful for my parents who loved and gave me everything I needed for a successful life.

So, those are just a few of mine. Now sit down and think of what you have to be thankful for. The list will be endless.

Where Are You Living?

I recently heard speaker and writer John Maxwell say that each of us “spend our lives either preparing or repairing.” The question I had for myself was “Where are you living?” I finally came to the conclusion that to be successful in any venture we must be continuously doing both. Preparing and repairing are a seemingly never ending cycle.

One of the most important activities in life is preparation. Since we have so many aspects to our lives, preparation seems to just go on and on. I often think of the old Boy Scout motto “Be prepared.” I was only a scout for a short period, but was an Eagle Scout counselor for a couple of years. The time I spent in scouting taught me the importance of preparation.

I can never really think about preparation without thinking of the first time I had a sales appointment with my Prudential Manager, Paul Hutsey. After about thirty or forty minutes of aimless wandering through a disorganized sales interview, we left without the sale. In the car Paul told me “adlibs are for amateurs” reinforcing once again the importance of preparation. I developed an organized sales presentation that could be adjusted to my potential audiences.

No matter how well one prepares most of the time adjustments must be made. Plans seldom work exactly as laid out. So then, the repairing begins. We revise the plan to fit the situation and often revise it several times. Over time, experience makes it so the repairs are smaller and shorter in duration. During the preparation stage we become able to anticipate potential roadblocks and have alternative plans to follow. We often prepare and repair at the same time.

An example of preparing and repairing is the script of plays that a football team has for its first couple of offensive series. If the plays are highly effective early, few adjustments (repairs) are made. If the team struggles with the early plays then more are used and maybe even additional plays added. Repairs are determined by the plans early success levels.

Years ago I heard someone say “poor planning prevents peak performance.” Sometimes poor planning is really just being unable or unwilling to make repairs to the plan as it goes off track. We get so invested in our idea that it is hard to change to an alternative. Subtle adjustments can make a faltering plan achieve our desired results. It’s all in the understanding of the importance of preparing and then repairing!

What's Your Brand?

In the earlier history of our country branding became an important aspect. Cattle were hog-tied and a permanent brand placed upon them to prove where they belonged. The brand protected the owner from rustlers trying to encroach upon another’s property. Although not nearly as physically painful, branding and protecting our brand is still important in today’s society.

Branding identifies who we are, what our culture is and what we do. Branding becomes how we are known to others. Every person or organization is identified by certain qualities or characteristics. Considerable time and money is spent establishing and maintaining the brand. In 2012, and for the ninth year in a row, Proctor and Gamble spent more on advertising than any other company with $3 billion spent. The company started in 1837 and is well-known and yet continues identifying and protecting their brand. Three activities are essential for success in branding; we’ll explore each of them.

First we must pick what our brand will be. How do we want to be known? What is important to us? What are the qualities necessary to be successful? We will live with these choices throughout our lives or careers so care needs to be taken. It is important to choose well because the brand we communicate tends to stick with us: positively or negatively.

Second, we must consistently exhibit the qualities and characteristics chosen. These will be how we are identified to our friends or customers. We want these to stick so this is how we’ll be known and come across. They should accurately reflect who we are or where we are trying to go. We should try to remove any guesswork and have a clear picture of who we are and what we want to become.

Finally, once the brand is fine-tuned we must continuously protect our brand. Part of the protection is to be true to the characteristics chosen as important and also flexible enough when times or conditions warrant changes. Deviation from the brand can be devastating and confuse those around us. Not recognizing changing times can also hurt. Sears was late in reacting to Wal-Mart’s variety of product selection in their stores and fell from being the nation’s number one retailer.

We live with our brand for a long time. Research shows that people often spend more time planning a two week vacation than establishing a plan (brand) for their lives or careers. Rather than a hit or miss approach we need a plan for our brand!!
Contact Chuck at: chuck.wright@sckans.edu

Life's Certainties

All the time I was growing up I remember hearing that only two things were certain in life: death and taxes. My insurance career has taught me that death is truly certain; my observations in life have taught me taxes, not so much. Many don’t pay taxes, many avoid paying taxes, some evade paying taxes, and a few even go to jail for not paying taxes. Is there then just one certainty in human life, namely death?

It seems to me that at there are at least three other certainties in life. We will explore those and try to see how overcoming each of them will make life much more pleasant. Our contribution to our society and even our personal success is impacted by how we face these issues so let’s begin our discussion.

CERTAINTY #1: IF YOU DON’T GO AFTER WHAT YOU WANT, YOU’LL NEVER GET IT!! Someone has written “he (or she) who hesitates is lost.” Unfortunately some not only hesitate, but they never start. Others get into the start-stop routine and barely ever get past starting. When we have decided what we want the next step is to go for it! We fear failure, and yet, failing to try assures failure. John Greenleaf Whittier had it right when he wrote that the saddest words were “it might have been.”

CERTAINTY # 2: IF YOU DO NOT ASK THE ANSWER WILL ALWAYS BE NO!! My insurance career proved that to me early. My manager Paul Hutsey told me that asking and getting a no brought me to closer to the next yes. Yes answers were what made the difference so just ignore the nos and move on!! Jesus Himself agreed with this when He said “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” in Matthew 7:7.

CERTAINTY #3: IF YOU DON”T PUT ONE FOOT FORWARD YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN THE SAME PLACE!! As the Chinese proverb says, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This is closely related to the first certainty, but a little different. This one is more directed toward our “comfort zone” and realizing that life’s adventure is in exploring new places, thoughts, or ideas. Adjustments may have to be made along the way, but life’s joy is about the journey, not the destination!

We will all face each of the certainties many times in various aspects of our lives. In order to succeed (or fail) in life depends upon how we handle the encounters.