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.