The Buck Starts Here

Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president of the United States had a sign on his desk that read: "The Buck Stops Here". There was no mistake who was in charge, who would make the final decision or who would take ultimate responsibility should things go right or wrong during his administration.

Okay, now we know where the buck stops. But where does the buck start?

If you are in a revenue generation capacity and everyone in business is either directly or indirectly serving in that capacity, then we must accept that revenue generation is our responsibility. The Buck Starts With Us and those around us.

Before the buck can make its way into your pocket, it has to start somewhere and typically that beginning is centered in the mind of someone who has a great idea that can be executed well and satisfy a need.

After the great idea is adopted, the bucks necessary to make it a reality take a fairly predictable path. The buck moves from the conceptual stage, then to the number-crunching stage, then to the planning stage, on to production, to marketing and then to the selling stage and then to the collecting stage, then and only then, to the pockets of everyone involved.

The number of bucks you get is determined by the level of involvement you have in the process. If you want to make more bucks, get more involved. Your involvement may manifest in many ways including: the person who had the idea, the person who improved the idea, the individual involved in the planning or the processing, or the production, marketing, selling or the collecting. Your level of productive involvement may not result in immediate monetary gains, but the knowledge you gained by making your contribution will ultimately lead to increased earning opportunities resulting in more bucks for you!

You are either directly involved in generating bucks or you are directly involved in making designed efficiencies work, resulting in saving bucks. With either scenario, you are involved
in the ownership of making the company work better and make more bucks. The Buck has to start somewhere and it might as well start with you and everyone around you.

You Are Going to Have to Separate Yourself

Harry's makes disposable razors and there is absolutely nothing unique about that. There are literally hundreds
of companies manufacturing and selling razors all across the globe.

Harry's is a rather new business that has deliberately and strategically decided to get into a very old business.

Long before razors were an option, sea shells were often used to remove facial hair. Sometime around 3000 BC tools made from copper were developed along with razors that were made from this very pliable material. Back in the heyday of Alexander the Great old Alex used to encourage his soldiers to shave before a battle, as the enemy was likely to grab the beard of his opponent during combat.

Razors have been with us a very long time and Harry's is betting the future is bright. Especially with a their new idea crafted from someone else's extremely old idea.

Harry's did not invent the razor. Nor did Harry's enter the shaving market because there was a shortage of very good razors to choose from. In fact it is just the opposite. There are literally hundreds of razors on the market, many of them are very good and they keep getting better.

So why did Harry's introduce a new razor in an already congested market space? Because Harry's had a better idea or more specifically a unique value proposition that was easy to share.

Harry's bought their own German steel company. They say they build razors out of respect for quality craftsmanship, simple design, modern convenience (they ship directly to your door on a pre-determined schedule) and last but not least, costs. They also build razors to make money. In establishing their UVP ( Unique Value Proposition) Harry's has separated themselves from many other businesses that do the exact same thing, almost.

You don't have to have a revolutionary idea in order to separate yourself from the herd, but you must separate yourself from the heard. The path that should probably be pursued, is the path that someone else has already walked down. You need not come up with the original idea in order to make a difference, simply come up with a better way of doing what is already being done.

Businesses and individually need to separate from the crowd by determining what makes them different and then tell people, over and over again why that difference matters.

The Stickiness of Consistency

Sue Patrick is the model of consistency.

Sue Patrick is the owner of Sue Patrick's Store in Austin, Texas and she carries a vast array of really cool items including an extensive selection of high quality women's wear and accessories.  Her store is also the home to an incredible selection of Texas Longhorn stuff. So it is a "burnt orange wonderland on steroids" for Longhorn fans like me.

How do I know all of this? Because one of the consistent visual impressions that Sue Patrick employs, to promote her store and all of the really great items, is her advertising that appears, in full color,  on the pages of The Austin American Statesman. The "small-space" ad appears so often, it is as if it is an every day occurrence. And it may be. I have not taken the time to count the days of the week that I see her ad, but I read The Statesman every day, and it seems that her ad is in every edition!

What Sue has accomplished with her consistency is a level of branding that is only achieved through showing up in a place where her best potential customers congregate. The pages of The Statesman!

This is not about newspaper advertising, rather it is all about consistency. The Sue Patrick example is a powerful statement about the "stickiness of consistency" and the strength therein.

The value of consistency cannot be over stated. When you become consistent at anything the people you are associating with begin to count on your predictable behavior. The outcome of the collective actions may yet be in question, but your contribution, based on what people have come to expect because of your consistency, is not the question.

Conversely some people are consistently inconsistent and have become known for this unpredictability. This causes a great deal of doubt regarding the worth of their contribution. Knowing what to expect from people and knowing what not to expect from people provides a clearer path towards the goal. Becoming and remaining productively consistent is one of the most important attributes you can have.

Please Dispose of Properly and Promptly

Seems that at one time or another we are all prone to hang onto things that have outlived their value of relative contribution. Perhaps it is sentimental reasons or we feel that the thing we are holding on to will resurrect into something that will make a meaningful contribution.

Golf clubs are that way. Every golfer worth their equipment-investment-salt has several golf clubs that are not in use but they hold onto them and naively believe that one day, a great golf light will shine and illuminate the true value of these relics.

Computer equipment is very much the same. Almost every business has, in a storeroom or closet, the following: old computers, monitors, printers, keyboards and cables that they look at with an investment eye, when the reality is that these items are essentially worthless, as time and technology have passed them by.

For some illogical reason the golfers can't bring themselves to discard the old clubs and the business person can't watch as old computer equipment is hauled away. The emotional separation is just too painful.

Holding on too long, for the wrong reason, is never a good idea. The best plans are more often than not altered and when that happens you may be faced with discarding something that previously held value. Change is unavoidable and allowing yourself to be flexible and focused will aid considerably in your quest to accomplish the tasks at hand. Change may render something obsolete that you or others sincerely believe is something you can't do without. Typically a closer evaluation, from a distance, will help you make the right decision. If you are too close to the forest, it is often said, you may not see the trees.

We all make a way, eventually. The end result may or may not be as initially intended but you can be better prepared emotionally to adapt if you understand that value attached to certain components may well decrease. Should that happen it is a good idea to let it go and make a way.

But do not act in haste. You must make sure that the time to discard has come or you may experience a less than desired outcome or even worse, an outcome that is counterproductive. Look before you leap into the discard bin.

Make It Take It Break It

When analyzing the generational transfer of "ideas-concieved",  "plans-initiated", "significant-accomplishments" and "success-manifest" there is a rather predictable transfer of "It."  This is as true in business and organizations as it is in families.

The first generation in this saga has great original ideas and endeavors to work a plan and modify the plan as circumstances and discoveries dictate in order to make "It" work. This generation views success through the lens of how the idea can be integrated into a working model achieving the desired outcome. They are moved to action and don't allow failures, of which there are likely many, to get in the way. These hearty individuals are fully committed to "The Idea". The monetary success and recognition are quiet often the result and not the sole motivation. They Make "It!"

The second generation assumes the success of the momentum created by the first generation and become caretakers, often not willing to risk the status quo. They keep doing things the way they observed the first generation doing them and do not consider that what they are actually witnessing is the cumulative result of ups and downs. Their journey is considerably less challenging and this can result in a lack of innovation and desire to improve. Their rewards are those they inherited with a minimum of effort and therefore they gradually become adverse to breaking a sweat. The inherited success becomes less stable because their thinking is not as passionate or as focused the thinking was with the first generation. They Take "It!"

The third generation ambles onto the scene having never been in a position of making things happen. They don't value the "how" as much as they value the "what". What they are getting is far more interesting than how they got it. When there is a bit of rough water in the inherited successes, they have no idea how to respond. Things not only don't grow, they begin to erode. The slide continues day by day and when they look up, they find themselves so far from where they need to be that irrational behavior takes over and they begin to jump from bad idea to bad idea. They Break "It!"

Wherever you are in your professional pursuit take time to consider the others that have come before you and how they overcame, through persistence and hard work and by making not only smart choices but hard decisions. You can take credit for your accomplishments and be proud of the things you achieved. But don't get so wrapped up in basking in your glory that you lose sight of the glorious things that happened long before you arrived on the scene. Make "It" better, don't Take "It" for granted or Break  "It" to pieces.

Thanks for Your Help, "No Problem"

Obviously when the employee saw me walk in the door they said to themselves: "Here comes trouble." How do I know this? Because, after our business was concluded and if they had done a satisfactory job,  when I said thank you, they responded; "No Problem."

They didn't say "no problem" because I was potentially a problem, they responded that way because they were in robot mode and really didn't think about any meaningful and unique response like; "You are welcome Dennis, we appreciate your business Dennis and hope to see you again soon." This may be a direct result of not really caring all that much about me as an individual, even though, I can assure you, it means a lot to me. I was in their particular business to do business with them and have a direct impact on the success of their business that I intentionally chose to do business with. I am loyal to those businesses that I choose to do business with, as long as they meet my expectations and until they treat me like everyone else. Not that I consider myself to be a special customer and demand special attention, I simply demand that I be treated as Dennis and not Jane Doe-Customer!

Walter Cronkite worked for United Press International as a young reporter. After a while Cronkite felt all of his stellar and hard worked merited a raise in pay. He took this "unique" idea to his supervisor and during his justification statement Cronkite stated that he had worked hard and his $125.00 weekly salary just wasn't very much money to him. His supervisor listened and responded by stating that Cronkite had indeed done a fine job and even though $125.00 weekly was not much money to Walter, it was to UPI! You see, Cronkite was looking through a one-way lens and everything reflected back to his individuality and not the greater picture of those with whom he was in business with. His motivation was all about Walter.

Make your motivation about helping others as individuals. The people you interact with may in fact be problematic, but until you walk in their shoes, don't make judgments. If there is a problem be a part of the solution and don't use the over used phrase "no problem" it is indifferent and insulting.

Simply Complicated

There is too much misguided effort and energy in the business and organizational world today that is looking for a problem to solve. Typically one would accept that there is a problem and then set in motion a plan to get the right players involved to clearly identify the cause and logical solution, all within a specified time frame. The next logical step would be to implement changes in processes, people or behaviors directed at making things simply work better, while keeping everyone informed.

Ross Perot started Electronic Data Systems (EDS) on a shoestring and with only a small amount of money. EDS grew into a monster of a success story and was later sold to General Motors (GM). Part of the purchase agreement included a place for Ross on the GM Board of Directors. The relationship didn't last very long. When Ross resigned from the board of GM a reporter asked him about the experience his response was direct and simple. He stated; "At EDS when  we see a snake we get a stick and kill it, at GM, when they see a snake, they form a committee."

People love to justify their existence by adding layers and layers between the folks actually doing the work and the decision makers. This happens far too often, especially when companies or organizations grow quickly. This phenomeon becomes a run away train. Once the complications of too many layers set in, because of too many cooks in the kitchen, it takes forever to get back to the simplicity of just getting the job done. The challenge of detecting all of the issues that are causing problems and making declarations based on fact and not opinions, becomes daunting and the detectives are likely to encounter man-made obstacle after obstacle and if they are not focused and supported, will be lead on a wild-goose-chase. They become understandably confused and dazed and get nowhere.

What often happens in this consuming and expensive environment is that some very good and dedicated employees and customers get run over or left behind and find themselves in a foreign place where they are expected to fend for themselves. When it comes to customers, there is no better example of this than the automated phone systems with computer generated operators. People doing business with people have paid for the right to deal with people.

Life is simply not that complicated but given the opportunity, and sufficient number of misguided people, I assure you it will quickly get that way!

Disruption Intrusive Trespasser

Face-to-face is without any doubt the most impactful process for accomplishing almost anything worthwhile.  Especially when real people are deeply involved and meaningful relationships must be cultivated and fostered. Face-to-face is also the riskiest and most uncertain in the beginning.

The best professional and personal relationships are built and maintained in person.

When you begin the face-to-face ongoing process of building relationships you are very likely going to be branded as a disruption, or intrusion and possible trespasser. This is a normal reaction from folks who have other issues to deal with and really don't appreciate the value you represent. Yet!

The most damaging response you can have to the negative reaction you are likely to encounter is to take it personally and possibly respond badly. People know when you are sincere and when you are not. There is typically nothing personal involved, other than your precieved value or, more precisely, lack of. The people you are face-to-face with early in the process, did not plan on investing any of their valuable time with you or anyone else they don't have a productive relationship with. They are too busy dealing with other more important matters and would appreciate it if you would just move on. You should be ready to do so and then, come back!

During the early stages of the relationship building process, you must anticipate this unwelcome reaction and be prepared to make whatever progress you are allowed to without becoming so annoying that you are not welcome back. Your goal is to develop a solid and mutually beneficial relationship that will endure based on commitment and value. The way you accomplish this goal is to first make clear the fact that you are sincere and are there to help and offer realistic solutions once problems are identified. Your solutions are backed up by your firm commitment to get to know the right people and the issues before you make any recommendations and to politely move on if you cannot positively contribute.

The Plaque, "What's up with that doc?"

Fredrick Bean Avery, better known as, Tex Avery is internationally recognized for his ground breaking creative ideas in animated films or "cartoons" as his work was commonly referred to. Tex was born in Taylor, Texas February 26, 1908. Tex worked for Warner Brothers and Metro Golden Mayer where he created or improved such delightful characters as: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig. He made Bugs Bunny more memorable by adding; "What's up doc" to Bug's  frequent dialogue. He was especially proud of enhancing the viewer experience by having the animated characters speak directly to the audience and thereby greatly improving the experience, leaving a lasting impact.

The City of Taylor held a Tex Avery Day during at which the unveiling of the Tex Avery official State of Texas plaque was unveiled. The city has placed the plaque in a high traffic area for all to see, learn from and enjoy.

Tex did not embark on his remarkable career to get a plaque. He did what he did because he loved it and he wanted to make a difference. Surely, Tex failed more than he succeeded, as most successful people do, but his passion kept him headed in the right and ultimately very successful direction.

You cannot get caught up in doing things just for the external rewards. If you do you will surely lose sight of what your efforts and accomplishments will ultimately contribute to. Whatever you do, do it with a sense of contribution and desire to make a difference. The impact, positive or negative,  will have far reaching benefits that will aid others. Even if you do something wrong, you will be credited with teaching others what not to do and in the end, that may be more important that teaching others how to do it right. Others will not make the  same mistake because you indirectly taught what not to do. There is indeed an up-side to every down-side.

Plaques are nice but they are not necessary to prove that your and your activities made a lasting impression. Plaques are not why Tex did what he did. He did it because he loved it and aspired to be great. The results speak for themselves, the plaque is merely icing on the cake.

The Fight We Won

The small hard lump just under the right side of my chin was diagnosed on three separate occasions, within a six-month period, as simply a swollen gland likely caused by allergies and such. The diagnosis was logical since I was visiting the doc to get some relief from the symptoms associated with a recurring sinus infection or an allergic attack. Shortly after the third diagnosis, I called the doc and said we need to revisit this issue as I felt there was something much more than just a swollen gland. She agreed and sent me on to a general surgeon who took one look, felt around the area and stated that he would not make any attempt to correct the issue. He sent me directly to the Ear Nose and Throat Doc.

The Ear Nose and Throat doc preformed a thorough exam and requested a needle biopsy. As he and I were waiting in the exam room for the technician to come in and do the biopsy, I asked him what his gut told him. He said; "My gut tells me you have malignant cancer." His thirty plus yeas of experience, my age and gender and the reality that this was more common that one might think, led him to that conclusion and he was right.

The diagnosis of stage four squamous cell carcinoma (described by my doc as a garden variety of cancer) was a bit unsettling as you might imagine. My tonsil proved to be the primary source of the cancer. 

The experience that followed is too detailed and vast to share in this brief space and that is good since having the disease is not what this is about, it is about winning the fight. It is mostly about teamwork. I was blessed to have a great team of doctors and an unstoppable advocate. My advocate was and is my wonderful wife, Norma. She is the strongest, make that toughest, person I know and during this fight she proved that time and time again. When she asked questions, she got answers! In fact, because she was so intimately involved in the fight, the medical professionals began asking her questions about how I was doing and quit asking me!

After a tonsillectomy (OUCH!) the implanting of a feeding tube, seven hours of neck surgery (modified radical neck dissection) eight chemo therapy treatments, forty radiation treatments and seven-months off of work we steadfastly continued the process of winning the fight, day-by-day. Eight years have passed since my last treatment and we are victorious. We won!

This is not about me. This is about facing a tough situation head on, the team members that were engaged and the collective winning of the fight. Whatever you are facing, you are not and should not not face it alone. When you are facing a tough fight, look around and rally the troops. We won together, because we fought together and we continue to win together and you can too!

Community Strong

Informed communities are strong communities.

Many folks in communities are connected well enough to the community to care enough to be proactive in staying on top of changes and other happenings that may have an impact on their community and their lives. Typically and for many years the local newspaper has been the sole trusted provider of unique community information. Newspapers must deliver truth in all kinds of news and information, including advertising. The "unique-trusted-information" task is a formidable one.

Recent results from a National Newspaper Association reader survey reveals several very important realities about your community newspaper. Hands down, your local newspaper works better at delivering trusted community information than any other vehicle.

Across America and in a community near you:

• 67% of residents in small communities regularlly read local newspapers
• 42% selected the community newspaper as their preferred single source of local information 
• No other single source came close
• 94% agreed that the local community newspapers were very informative
• 80% said that they and their families look forward to reading their local community newspaper
• 78% relied on the community newspaper for local news and information
• 25% of readers regularly read all of the community newspaper, 45% read most of the community newspaper and 30% read some of the community newspaper
• The "pass-along"rate (the number of adults who read a single copy) is 2.48 readers per copy
• 76% of readers say that the local newspapers advertising and advertising-inserts help them make better buying decisions
• 82% said they preferred ads in the local community newspaper as opposed to the Internet

These results are reflective of an engaged readership in communities across America and are likely representative of your community. Proving that you and your local community newspapers are vitally relevant and  important to your local community.

Unlimited Limitations

Everyone is limited and therefore everyone has unlimited possibilities.

The talents and capabilities we were given make up our limitations. What we do with those talents and capabilities makeup the unlimited heights to which we all can climb.

I would love to dunk a basketball, shoot sub-par golf on a consistent basis, out run a Cheetah, but alas none of these unrealistic goals are going to materialize. The only remote possibility is that I might, one day, shoot below par on an easy golf course, but I am not going to score that well on the tough courses, playing from the back tees the way the pros do.  Dunking a basketball and out running a Cheetah is not within my capabilities, so why spend any time or energy wishing I could. Or worse, spend time and energy trying to get better at something that is not in the hand of cards I was dealt.

There are unlimited possibilities within your limitations, that when attempted or achieved will enhance your skill-set and add to your self esteem and self worth. When you get better, others get better around you, simply because you improved. Realistic success is contagious. Positive and calculated steps are exceptional events that will enhance your meaningful accomplishments.

Then there are limited and unrealistic possibilities that you should not waste time or thought on. These negative and unexceptional events are truly a drain on your unlimited possibilities. Time invested wishing for something that is not and will never be within your capabilities can product a very destructive and negative reality. Fretting over why you were not gifted with a magical voice, 195 IQ or Cheetah speed will surely lead you astray and divert you off the path you should be on.

Life is filled with wonderful opportunities that you can enjoy professionally and personally and you will accomplish some things in a unique fashion better than anyone else. You have the opportunity to focus on what you can do best, because you are uniquely and wonderfully you. In the experience you will discover that what you have what you have already done and what you can do and what you will overcome in the process defines who you are.

The possibilities are unlimited within your identified and accepted limitations.

On Something or Toward Something

Are you working on something or toward something?

There is a vast chasm between the people who work on something and the people that work toward something. They are as opposite as apples are to oranges. Working on something means that you are making a forced effort to accomplish a meaningless task required of you and then, reluctantly, move on to the next meaningless square. The steps required to get to a place of vision when you are working toward something look very similar to the steps taken when you are working on something. The difference lies in the attitude, ultimate outcome and the desire to dedicatedly make a lasting impact, independent of the percived size of that impact. Working toward something means you proudly put your signature on it. Working on something means you unknowingly put your signature on it. Either way, your name is on it.

Just take a look at every great accomplishment in history and behind these monumental productive steps  you will find a group of dedicated people, often lead by a visionary individual, working toward something. They did not allow temporary setbacks to dissuade them, they overcame and moved on toward the goal that they continually kept in sight. Working toward something is much more fulfilling than working on something.

A survey by a national newspaper asked respondents one question; "Do you like your job." Astonishingly over 70% of the people stated that they did not like their job and many went on to say that they are counting the days until they can retire. We have all seen, first hand, people we know that retire without anything to do and how they decline quickly. If you are not working toward something while you are employed how can you expect to be fulfilled when you are not working. The answer is all to simple. People that work toward something in their professional lives almost always work toward something when they retire.

If you cannot find something to work toward professionally find something worthwhile to work toward in your community. Working is work when you are working on something and work does not exist when you are working toward something. The difference is as stark as comparing apples to oranges.

Timing

Timing is everything.

Not exactly... because it does not matter how timely you are, if you are not ready. Professional golfers will tell you it is not strength alone that aids them in hitting the golf ball a mile, it is about speed and timing. When their club passes through the swing plane, while executing the swing they have practiced for years, the club head speed is impressive and the timing of the torque they create with their body is accurately applied. The results is a golf ball that seems to leave earthly gravitational pull and enter into outer space and goes on and on and on.

Getting ready is every bit as valuable as being in sync with all of your ability. The question is not will you be at the right place at the right time. Rather the question is, will you be prepared when opportunity presents itself when you find yourself in the right place at the right time. A famous and very successful college football coach was asked about winning and his response was; "It is not if we win or lose that matters, what really matters is, are we willing to get ready to win." The coach knew that focusing on winning was not going to help his team be successful. What the team needed to focus on was getting ready to win.

When you commit to doing what is necessary to get ready and then the opportunity presents itself, you can take full advantage of what comes your way. You get ready by doing the little things that make up the big things. John Wooden, the legendary head basketball coach at UCLA, won 10 national championships. Every freshman that came to play at UCLA learned from Coach Wooden how to put his socks on and how to tie their basketball shoes. Coach Wooden had learned that improperly tied shoes often lead to disabling blisters and he knew that you can't be ready to play basketball if you can't walk because you are in pain from preventable blisters. He
knew that maximizing the value of timing was about getting ready. You get ready by putting your socks and shoes on properly. Then when the time is right, you win!

Irritating

Pearls are the result of an oyster overcoming an irritation. A piece of foreign matter is somehow introduced to the inside of the shell where it begins irritating the oyster and until the oyster takes action, the irritation continues. The oyster begins the slow continuous process of covering the irritant with nacre, which is the substance that covers the inside of the oyster shell. Over time and with consistent effort, the oyster turns the irritant into a pearl. As the oyster grows the pearl grows. The oyster would surely expel the irritant if it were able, but since it cannot it is forced to make the best of the irritating situation or go oyster-crazy. Some of the most beautiful and elegant jewelry ever made consist of pearls, which began their existence as an irritant.

The same can be said about some people and situations in personal and professional life. They are irritating. The irritation typically begins as a rather small matter but often grows into a monster of an issue because it goes ignored, often because of the desire to avoid confrontation. The value judgment starts to come into play because of the irritation and decisions are made that are intended to eliminate the irritation rather than round the irritating corners off and perhaps develop a pearl of an outcome.

There are going to be times when things and people that are beyond your control pop up and begin to irritate you. These are the opportunities to take an irritant and gradually smooth out the cutting surfaces and create a smooth pearl of an outcome. Consider irritants as opportunities, otherwise you may become one yourself.

Who Is Fooling Who

I remember when not everyone in college passed. I remember when there were fewer really good
grades than the other kind. I remember a time when you had to really push hard in college to make excellent grades and the accomplishments were really special, because there were fewer making A's than the other letter-grades that, by design, represented a lower level of accomplishment.

Today it just ain't so. A study conducted by professors, Stuart Rojstaczer and Christopher Healy, revealed that in 1960 the most common grade in college given nationwide was a C. In fact D's and F's accounted for more grades combined than A's which were given at a rate of 15%. Today the largest percentage of grades, across a wide range of schools, are A's, The reality is not real. 73% of all college grades are either A or B (43% are A's). Are we to assume that the students of today are really that much smarter than those of days past? Should we surmise that the college students of today are really buckling down, not wed to their smart phones and taking no academic prisoners? I don't think so.

What this says about higher learning on a massive scale is that these students are living in a bubble that someone designed. Who knows what the intention is but it will be painfully obvious what the results are once the veil of academia is lifted and the application of the knowledge acquired is necessary to thrive or just survive.

Once these coddled young adults get in the business world, a rude awakening likely awaits. Because these students were excelling in their previous protected environment according to the grades they were given, and watched in admiration and awe as the grass grew greener right under their studious feet, the new reality may be hard to accept. They will find that the business world is a bit more demanding. Out here if you don't really produce you really fail and nothing is going to stop that from happening except the focused efforts that produce at the required levels of expectations.

To they who are making really good grades because you earned them, stay the course because the disciplined behavioral foundations you are utilizing to make the grade now, will pay off later in your professional endeavors. There are many schools to choose from that do grade students well and fairly and they produce the type of prepared individual that will be in a position to make positive contributions.