Issue 49

FOCUS on Business

Every Generation…And the One Before and After return to top

There is a song with the lyrics “every generation blames the one before”.  If there isn’t a song which says “every generation resents the one after”, may be there should be.  This is seems to be especially true when it comes to women in the workplace or in leadership roles. Whether looking forward or backward in time.  Up the ladder or down.  Whether looking across the table, around the table, or around the world, how we as women lead in the organizations we are in – whether those organizations are personal or professional – determines how all of us succeed.

Regardless of our generation, our age, or any other demographic factors, we have a responsibility to lead from our strengths and our experiences.  It is not a responsibility to use those experiences as obstacles to success but as stepping stones for more success.  Step on them and use them to step UP and OVER what would get in our way. Just because others have cast stones (boulders, mountains, oceans, craters…) in our way and because our paths were not easy, it does not mean we in turn have to make it more difficult on those who follow.  If anything, the path we blazed should stay cleared.  Otherwise what was the point of blazing that trail?

If we say we are blazing trails and clearing paths for even playing fields, then we certainly cannot turn around and put in place other discriminatory practices and methods.  Why begin to act like those whom we fought so hard to supplant.  We are better than that!  If we aren’t, well we have no business being leaders.

I attended a conference for women in business some time ago.  Although the conference was not advertised as a minority conference, for all intents and purposes it was just that – a minority business women’s conference.  I would estimate less than 20% of the attendees were male and/or white, which is unusual for any event not specifically organized and marketed as such.  The dynamic of this event was interesting to participate in and to observe.  Rather than a celebration of advances, power, and milestones.  it was an angry event.  The keynote speaker gave a bitter, angry speech about being held back, and held down.  The speech was about what was wrong with the way things are and the way things were.

What the speaker didn’t address was that every person in the room was accountable for the future.  For future behavior, for empowerment, for promotion, for not discriminating, for a level playing field, for making sure the world of today and tomorrow was about leading well and leading fairly, based upon equality of capability and ability and qualifications.  Instead, the keynote speaker spoke of this as being a time to get retribution for all the wrongs which had been done.  It was a time to reverse roles and give the other side –  all men and white women – the same experiences.  Equality was not the objective until after retribution had been achieved.

On a smaller scale I’ve witnessed the same type of resentment, anger, or bitterness from women in senior leadership positions within organizations toward the up and coming women in the organizations.  Even women business owners who have every reason to support the women they have hired into key professional and leadership roles in their organization seem to sabotage and work against their own team members to make sure the path isn’t “too easy”.

What have we all been struggling for?  Perhaps we have forgotten it was to change things so that it would be no more difficult for a woman to compete and succeed than a man.  We envisioned a day when race and other demographic factors would be immaterial in the competitive arena.  We saw a time when being credible and capable meant equal consideration for a job.  May the best person win!

No one is entitled to discriminate against any other group due to any demographic characteristics.  As leaders of organizations – personal and professional – it is our obligation and duty to lead without bias and without “payback,” without making sure “it isn’t too easy because it sure wasn’t easy for us”.  The golden rule of doing unto others as we would have done unto us certainly applies to leadership and to dealing with each other in business.  Woman to woman, we need to step up and set an example once again for what leadership is and what it isn’t.  Leadership is non-discriminatory. Leadership is blazing a trail and making sure others can follow us and that they do!  Leadership is about making sure the next generation can give credit to the one before. recognizing its sacrifices and achievements.  Leadership means allowing those who follow to take the next step on not only the foundations that have been laid but also on each new level so we can all keeping building stronger organizations, more success.

“NORMAL” return to top

How many times have been asked “How are you?” and you have responded, “Fine”.  Hundreds?  Thousands?  Fine is a standard, polite response to a standard conditioned question of our societal programming.  What happens when someone responds with something other than a typical “fine” or “good”?  What happens when you get a real response?  “Well, let me tell you how my day has gone,” or even a “fantastic,” or “stupendous”?  What if you know the person and know that “fine” is really “F.I.N.E.” – an acronym for “freaked, irritated, neurotic, and exasperated”?

The words we say and the meaning we attach to them may or may not mean the same to others.  We communicate with each other in context and subcontext.  We use expressions and body language.  We use our history and our previous conversations and communications to provide other meanings to our current communications.  Our words are not just what we are saying at this moment; they include the relationship and history of what has been said and what we know about what has gone on before.

The success of our communication may, therefore, be determined by a smile or a word.  It may also be determined by the relationships of those around us and the connections we have established with those who are participating in a meeting, an event, or whatever other type of communication is taking place.

Situation Normal

I’m not sure what the terminology actually means or the context in which it originated, but I’ve heard the terminology or status reported as “situation normal” somewhere.  Recently in my travels I encountered a colorful character who made me think about the phrase and about applying the term “normal.”  “Normal” is definitely a relative term. And this particular person, well somehow made me think of another person I met many years ago that said “fine” is really an acronym for most people if they would just admit it.

Situation “N.O.R.M.A.L.”

Acronyms. We all use them and I think the term “normal” lends itself to an application of treatment by acronym.  Normal by any other name is well, not. How would you spell normal?

N. Nice, neurotic, new, nitwit…
O. Outgoing, ongoing, outrageous, optimistic…
R. Responsive, realistic, revenue-oriented, reclusive…
M. Mature, multi-dimensional, milestone-dependent, myopic…
A. Alert, appropriate, allowable, attitudinal…
L. Logical, loquacious, likely, lackadaisical

What is NORMAL?

The spectrum of what is “NORMAL” is vast and varied.  Is it variety which enables us to succeed?  Is it variety which prevents us from succeeding?  The ability to create and package the unique capability of our product, our service, our technology and our capability is critical to the success of our organizations.  The ability to adapt and present our image in a manner which is an acceptable “package,” which fits within the spectrum of “NORMAL” is one aspect of business that challenges some more than others.  Standing out from the crowd in the competitive market place is desirable when it comes to “capability”.  If, however, we are talking about the other end of the scale, the place where you are perceived to be indifferent about what it takes to succeed, well, that definition of “normal” won’t get you where you may want to go.

Potential stakeholders – whether they are customers, investors, or strategic allies – all want to know that you are willing to work and work hard, to do what it takes to meet timelines and deliver on commitments.  If your “NORMAL” doesn’t include paying attention to the business aspect of getting a product to market and dealing with details such as accounting and marketing as well as the thousands of other things must be completed to be in business, then you better have someone in the organization who has those skills and abilities as part of their “NORMAL”.  You also better be committed to giving up enough control and authority for that other person to do those things and do them well.

If your “NORMAL” is being “optimistic” about how things will go, if you think your idea is going to solve all the world’s problems and everyone is going to come rushing to your door to hand you millions of investment dollars and millions more to buy your product, then you better find someone else who is REALSITIC as part of their “NORMAL”.  You need to find someone else who will pull together the market data, do the analysis, find the information on who will be interested in buying your product, who will be your competition, and how much money you will need to develop your product and get it to market.  This list could go on and on.  The bottom line is this:  you need balance for your business to succeed.  Optimism is great!  Realism is necessary.

You may believe your way of thinking and communicating is normal.  To be successful, however, certain things just need to happen, whether or not they are part of your “NORMAL.”.  Finding the right combination of “NORMAL” amongst your team means finding a balance which enables things to get done and done well.  Situation NORMAL…hmmm…Situation Successful!  Yeah I like that!

Lea Strickland GRABs for Success™ with Balance Magazine return to top

Cary, NC – Lea Strickland, MBA CMA CFM CBM, President/CEO of F.O.C.U.S. Resources, article entitled GRAB for Success – Gratitude, Resolve, Attitude, Belief™ A Guide for Getting Beyond the First Day of the New Year will appear in the January issue of Balance Magazine.

The article which provides an insight into the philosophy of the GRAB for Success™ Leadership Workshop Series provided by F.O.C.U.S. ™ Resources is all about achieving your objectives through attitude combined with action. Dreaming and doing.

“We’re all told that getting “grabby” isn’t good.  On the contrary, when you GRAB for Success™ and do it with strong principles and the right mindset.  It’s good to get “GRABby!” says Strickland. “The more GRABitude I can keep in my daily life and stay focused, the more I get done.  The more I accomplish and the more positive I am.  It isn’t always easy and the article tells you how to get through those not so easy times.”

Ms. Strickland will be providing more on the ability to GRAB for Success™ through articles, workshops, and an upcoming book.  One-on-one development sessions and small group workshops and seminars are also available.

About Balance Magazine -Committed to being the essential resource for today's busy, baby boomer woman. Strives to inspire, celebrate, empower, enlighten, entertain and bring forth a positive attitude to reflect the energy of health, wealth and happiness. Balance Magazine is available on the at www.balancemagazine.com.

Shearing the Sheep return to top

Lately a number of my colleagues and I have been discussing and writing about the decline of standards of business (and personal) behavior.  Whether it is someone who takes services and doesn't pay for them, enters into a contract and subsequently breaks it, or takes advantage of a relationship to gain intellectual property, the standard of business behavior certainly seems to be on the decline.

Frequently when financial pressures rise to a level that desperation and ego override the right/wrong decision-making criteria, the need or want for financial gain leads people to sacrifice long-term potential for short-term gain.  Recently someone shared with me the following quote which really gets to the heart of this behavior.

"You can shear a sheep many times, but can skin it only once."

The quote graphically encapsulates the message that you can make money in smaller amounts and maintain the potential to continue to make money or you can get a one time windfall and kill the relationship - closing the door to future revenue streams.  Which is your approach to building your revenues and your business?

It may seem counterintuitive, but maximizing revenues today may not be the best objective or strategy for the long term viability of your business.  Business growth has become synonymous with market share, per unit stock price, gross revenues.  Regrettably, the focus of "value" is on current results.  The measures of sustainability, innovation, and competitiveness aren't as readily examined or considered.

There is an emphasis on performance measures which reward only the sale made today, versus those which motivate the sale of today and the perspective of a "life-long" customer.  This often leads to organizations looking for the easy money, the low hanging fruit, the quick return instead of seeking the "sale" that fits the customer best and will in the long term lead to more business from that customer and through referrals from that customer.

Building a viable business requires the ability to connect with and retain your existing customer base.  A hit-and-run mentality toward customer relationships leaves many casualties and increases your "market" risk.  Organizations remember their experiences.  They talk about how well the product and the service met their needs.

They talk even more about how they were convinced to buy something which had no value for them.  They can give long dissertations on the lack of customer service and how no one paid attention to them until they wanted to make the next sale.

Tending the flock of your prospects and current customers requires understanding that "what's in it for me" is an opportunity to do the following:
• increase in sales dollars over the life of the relationship with the client on existing products and services
• increase sales through word of mouth marketing from happy customers
• be first in line for the next order when the customer has a new need, problem, or issue
• be a trusted advisor to clients on your area of expertise

To take the analogy of shearing a sheep to it's logical conclusion:  it isn't enough merely to show up in the field when it is time to gather the flock and pull out the clippers.  The flock must be cared for and tended.  It must be guarded to keep predators away.  It must be supplied with a healthy diet and a good climate for the flock to grow, have a healthy fleece, and thrive.

You Are Right, You Do Not Have to Do Anything return to top

From the eMail box:

My business partner and I are having a debate.  He says that we need to pay attention to the accounting for our business.  I say we outsourced, so we have no worries and don’t have to do anything.  Who’s right?

You are right.  You don’t have to do a thing, IF you don’t care about what is going on with your business!

It’s just a feeling, but from your e-mail question it seems as if you aren’t comfortable with the numbers and just want that part of the business to go away.  You want to let someone else worry about it.  Unfortunately, just because someone else is handling the transactions, you aren’t off the hook.

The people handling your accounting may be of the highest integrity and skill.  They aren’t, however, liable or accountable for your businesses decisions and activities.  They are simply recording the activity and information you provide.  They are responsible for making sure the information as you provide it is captured into financial reports, but it is based on what you say you are doing.

The person doing your accounting (paying the bills, generating payroll checks) is recording the activity of your business based upon documents you provide.  You are responsible for making sure all the relevant information gets to the person AND that the result of that information is correct.  The IRS doesn’t take the excuse that you gave all the pieces of paper to the accountant and he/she was supposed to get it right.

Another important point, whether it is someone preparing your taxes, paying the bills, or handling one of the multitude of accounting or financial tasks for your business, you are responsible for the oversight and monitoring what goes on.  One of the main reasons is IT IS YOUR BUSINESS.  Not the accountants’.

Another reason is this: the accountant isn’t there with you to see what business you are doing, so you have to know if the numbers are reflecting what is happening.  This is also true because as trustworthy as your current accountant and your other team members might be, things change and you need to know what transactions are happening in your business – what checks are being written, to whom and for what.  You need to know how much cash is on hand and how much you are going to need to meet payroll and other bills.

Getting comfortable understanding and reviewing the financial information of your business is one of the least popular tasks of business owners.  The numbers can be very intimidating, especially if you think you have to understand the how of doing accounting.

You don’t have to understand debits and credits. You do need to understand the accounts that are used and the financial statements that result if you are to manage your business to the best effect.  It also isn’t wise for one partner or owner to have sole visibility and review of the financial information.  Every owner or manager needs to have some level of familiarity with the numbers and the financial results.

So you are right – you do not have to do anything.  Your partner is also correct, and you will ultimately have a better performing and stronger company if you BOTH keep your fingers on the pulse of your business – know the numbers.

Defining “Green” in Business and Life return to top

It was pointed out to me the other day that the evolution of the word “green” has taken place.  Being green used to mean being new.  Being green could also mean being sick, like “being green around the gills” when you feel like you are going to well you know.  In previous decades and, may I say centuries, things that were green tended to be associated with being old or past their prime due to mold and decay (okay if you can’t picture this immediately, flash back to the days of dormitory refrigerators and bachelor living).

Green has also been associated with money.  Green backs.  Green for profitability.

Green is now about being environmentally friendly and aware.  Green is still also about profitability and opportunity.  It is, whether some like to admit it or not, a capitalistic world economy – even in communist countries!

Green for Green’s Sake – But Which Green?

This question has been asked in analyzing the markets and companies:  “How can you tell if a company is truly dedicated to the principles of environmental conservation and “truly green” versus in it purely for “the green” - profits?”  Well, it is a great question.  Another is this:  “Does it matter why, if the result is the same?”  If companies are profitable and succeed due to their commitment to environmentally friendly products and operations, and that results in other companies entering the market and “mimicking” the behavior and the products, does it matter if they truly believe in what they are doing or is it just that they do it?

Buying Credits and Consuming Resources – What’s Up with That?

I must confess that I don’t understand the concept of carbon offset purchases.  It reminds me of my days in corporate cost savings accounting where various departments would get credits for not doing things they never intended to do.  So they would take cost reduction credits on the budgets as proposed which would reduce the overall numbers.  They would, in fact, not reduce the actual dollars required to be spent or have any real dollar impact on the company.  No resources saved.  No costs truly avoided.  No real cost savings.  All paper and theoretical mathematics – someone didn’t do something and someone else “paid” to take the credit, but the overall resource expenditures stayed the same.  So, how does one company using the same level of resources it always has, and another having a lower consumption rate (again which it always had), and the exchange of cash between the two actually change the world-wide total of resources consumed?  It seems an awful lot like that magic paper shuffling and mathematical “magic” I saw early in my corporate career with a bit of capital market exchange of cash added to the mix.  I think it really just moved from one column to another with cash exchanged. Because I haven’t studied the process or the accounting, so if someone has all the details on how these carbon credits reduce pollution and consumption of resources, please do call me with the full story.

Where Was I – Oh, How Green Are We?

Wind, water, sun, coal, gas, oil, plants, soil, minerals – limited resources.  Precious resources.  If we grow it, the land and water in which it grows must be cared for.  Land and water are scarce, precious, and precarious resources.  They can be over-farmed and are subject to contamination, drought, flood, fire, and other natural disasters.  The competition between fuel crops and food crops can and will have significant impact on economic markets and food supplies as each farmer and country make choices as to what to grow and supply.  As each makes choices on how to produce the largest crops – fertilizers, irrigation, clearing of forests for more land to farm…

Wind farms with the complaints of how “ugly” they are to look at and the “not in my backyard” attitudes…  Coal mining with the inherent dangers and the need for improved safety and clean coal technology.  The issues and opportunities and the need for planning and a well thought “Green Energy and Economic Strategy” cannot be overemphasized.  For the right reasons whether they are environmental or economic, both have to be long term perspectives, for they will both reap the most good recognizing that everyone is green – new to this issue in the fullest and broadest sense of the issues, opportunities, and scope as it impacts emerging countries and established economies.

We Know Less Than We Think – Certainty is Uncertain

Thinking green. Living green.  Going green. All require understanding that there is no one answer.  Capitalistic motives may in fact provide faster answers and more efficient methods than all the regulations and emotional motives could.  There is a fiduciary role that mankind undoubtedly has to the world and to its occupants.  The role of economies that have already “advanced” technologically is not to find a way to hold back the rest of the world’s development.  It is not to make presumptive theories and call them fact.  It is not to be short-sighted and narrow-minded in opinion and blast any view that is not in agreement with the current “accepted” theories and methods.  If there is to be an answer that is truly viable, for all nations and all times, then it must be one that is capable of being sustained by all nations and for all nations and for all times.  The current approaches, both old and new, cannot be sustained.  They do not recognize the limitations and constraints that exist or that they create for nations and people that are advancing and have a right to advance technologically, politically, and in every other way.  They are going green for survival. Green is opportunity and life.  It is survival.  It is food.  It is growth.  It is the world at its best and it is evolving.  It is profits.  It is energy.  It is change.  It must be sustainable. It must be more than one man’s vision, one group’s message, one theory or belief. If we are to succeed at being good stewards of anything, then we must recognize that the only certainty we have in understanding our world is that there is much more we don’t know about what has happened, is happening, and will happen than we do know.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum return to top

Many of you may know that in addition to writing and consulting I also do speaking engagements.  The topics vary depending upon the venue and the audience, of course.  Generally, I know the topic in fairly specific terms well in advance of an appearance.  I also usually have some idea of the audience and the venue.  There are occasions when I will agree to speak at events or forums where things are less well defined than others.  Those occasions are generally smaller formats and less formal meetings where the presentations are going to be more town hall meeting than keynote speech or expert topic lecture.

There have been few occasions where I have had the unexpected pleasure of having almost every aspect of the speaking engagement change.  Let me tell you – when it happens you better be prepared to laugh and to talk, because a funny thing happened on the way to the forum this time.

The Means and Method

“We’d like you to speak at our national conference.  We’d also like you to be part of a panel at the event.”  Well that is what the e-mail stated and I still have it.  Thank God, or I would doubt my sanity!  Could you suggest some topics for your individual talk which should last 45 minutes to an hour.  The panel will be another session of at least 30 minutes.  Sure…here are three topics.  You pick…

We’d like topic B.  Okay.  Topic B it is.  Here is a 25 word description of the topic for your brochure, my bio, and the company logo, etc. and my invoice for the speakers fee and per diem.

Good News!  You Don’t Have to Pay to Attend

“We are pleased to let you know the conference organizers have decided not to charge you for attending the conference since you will be speaking. Also, we’ve negotiated a discount for your room. Please complete the conference registration form and be sure to get your hotel reservation made before the discount expires!”

By the Way…We Can’t Find Your…

“Could you please send us the name of your topic and a description by Friday?  Oh, and please be sure to register for the event!  Remember, you don’t have to pay as a speaker but you do have to register!”

Confirming the Event Details

Excuse me.  The agenda doesn’t show a panel group and there seems to be three people scheduled to speak in a two hour time block.  Each of us has been told to prepare a one hour presentation…could you clarify how long my time slot is and when you want me to start?
“Oh, well…I think you should do 30 minutes…and we decided not to do the panel.  We don’t pay speakers or their expenses we just don’t charge you for attending. Thanks so much! Oh and we aren’t using the hotel we told you to book in, so you need to change your hotel reservation to this other hotel by the end of business today. It is such a good thing you called us!”

The Booth, The Exhibit, The Handouts, The Door!

Yes, I’m the speaker for the topic “A Credible and Capable Organization – Doing Your Best to Be Visible in the Right Way”. Could you point me to my exhibit table so I can get set up and also show me where the auditorium I’ll be using for the presentation?

“Oh, you’re here.  Why…I just left you a message an hour ago.  We decided to change your topic. We’re just so excited and we know you will be too!  We thought it would be so much better if we called your topic:  “Immediate Visibility!” After all it sums it up – that’s what “right away” means!”… “Hmm…oh and we sold your booth to someone else because we ran out of space and they really wanted one.  And you’re only speaking for 30 minutes because one of our state senators is running for office and he REALLY wanted to talk to the group since the local TV channels are going to be here, so you understand…

Professional on the Way to the…

The names have been omitted and events have been edited and combined to conceal the identities of the true perpetrators, to protect the innocent bystanders of these groups and not to embarrass the guilty parties, though arguably they probably wouldn’t recognize themselves.  Some people wonder why anyone would go ahead and keep the commitment to speak at any event if things go this wrong prior to the event or even walking in the door to the event…to date my philosophy has been the attendees of the events are the true customers and they will know only that the speaker didn’t show, that they were disappointed by the speaker.  They won’t know the event coordinator failed to pay the speaker, didn’t book the speaker a hotel room and airline ticket, or changed the speaker’s topic on the program.

One of my worst experiences as a speaker occurred when I agreed to be a last-minute substitute at an IT/Banking conference in St. Louis.  The group organizing the conference promised to get me the original speaker’s notes, information on the audience, venue, and the topic of the conference…all before I arrived at the event.  Keep in mind that I agreed to substitute as the keynote one week before the event was to take place…I never received any information on the event prior to leaving to speak.  I even arrived at the airport to find NO TICKET at been booked…When I arrived at the hotel, I learned room had not been transferred into my name from the original speaker.  I got the room taken care of and found…I can’t have room service or any charges because…they hadn’t been authorized when the room was transferred from the previous speaker’s reservation to me.  No information was waiting for me at the desk…I still had no information on the conference, attendees, purpose, or the other speakers notes…I did finally have a topic…the name of a piece of legislation…Needless to say that was the worst keynote of my life!  Thank God I got paid in advance!

Most people would have turned around at the airport ticket counter when the ticket wasn’t waiting or maybe even before, when the information on the event didn’t arrive.  But for the audience, the show must go on.  I’ve gotten better on the way to the forum adapting to the idiosyncrasies and outright failures of various events and organizers.  I can adapt.  I can ad lib.  I can edit and expand on topics as necessary.  I can also laugh with my audience and learn about them by watching how they react to what I’m saying in the moment.  After all, the talks are about them and what the audience needs, not what I’ve planned to say or what the organizers have decided to call the topic.

Make the Connection to the Forum

Next week is another venue and another topic.  It is also another instance where the organizers have changed the topic title, the length, and, well, let’s just say the similarities to the scenario above are substantial.  I know from the e-mails and the calls I’ve had from people who will be attending that they are looking forward to my presentation.  So I’ll be there for them.  I’ll have fun on the way to the forum and I’ll connect with the audience, and it will be about them.  It doesn’t matter what they’ve called the presentation.  It doesn’t matter if they’ve mangled the description or misplaced the bio for the fourth or fifth or sixth time.  I’ll be there delivering and demonstrating capability and credibility.  I’ll keep my commitments and my promises to my customers. The forum is a conduit, not a customer.

Copyright © 2008 F.O.C.U.S. Resource, Inc.