The Nerve to Say, “Get Out of My Rice Bowl”

To whom was this task assigned? You say it was assigned to me? If so, why are you meddling in a task assigned to me? This is a nice way of saying to a colleague, “get out of my rice bowl.” And you are thinking, “That’s what I should say to Jim or Jane.” However, you remain silent.

If the above scenario rings true for you; might I suggest that you answer this next question? What’s the price for not speaking up? Yes, what’s the personal, professional, and organizational price for not speaking up?

“But,” you say, “I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings.” Gosh, you think it is okay for them to put their nose in your business but it is not okay for you to suggest to them that they keep it out? How’s the logic of this working for you? For me, it’s not.

Conservatively, many organizations suffer from 20% productivity losses due to redundant efforts and organizational sabotage. With the above number, you can easily monetize the cost of another person getting into your rice bowl. Do these offenders deserve to squander that much of your company’s resources? I don’t think so.

What’s the personal price you pay for letting others get into your rice bowl?

A. Immobilization; getting nothing else done because of your anger.

B. Resentment; starting to take your frustrations out on others.

These prices are simply too high for any reasonable person. Since you are a reasonable person, what are you going to do?

No, going postal is not the answer. The answer is that you are going to learn how to stand up for yourself and be willing to tell others to get out of your rice bowl. You’ll be so much happier and more productive once you do. You start with admitting that you’ve been weak. People at work call you Matt, and walk all over you. That’s the past, not the future.

1. Say this to yourself, “I’m done taking dirt from one hole and putting it into another, then another, and another.” Excellent! How did that fell? You say it felt good? It’s going to feel even better when you stand up to Jim or Jane and politely tell them to stay out of your rice bowl. Spinning your wheels is just no fun.

2. Now say, “We’re done squandering resources around here.” Yes, when people in an organization are unwittingly conducting redundant activity—resources are truly being squandered. Adding insult to injury; too much opportunity has been lost.

3. Say, “The days of lost productivity are gone.” Rice bowl invaders are saboteurs of all things good in an organization. You want to do better, you want to improve your situation, and you want the madness to stop.

“But,” you say, “Jim or Jane will yell at me if I tell them to get out of my rice bowl.” I guarantee you this, if you do nothing; they will continue to walk all over you. However, if you repeat the three affirmations listed above, several times a day for just one week; your self-talk will change—for the better. It’s now up to you…

Mediocrity; It Drives Me Crazy!

Since I live in a metaphorical glass house, I’ll be the first to admit that I screw up—a lot. And, making a mistake is a far cry from simply being lazy. I’ll never forget the comment that my boss, Ray Kahn, made to me sometime in the late 1970s; “If you aren’t making mistakes, I don’t need you because you are not taking risks. However, if you keep making the same mistakes, I don’t need you because you are not learning.” These are very powerful words, and they have made a difference to me my entire adult life.

It’s Good Enough…

How many times have you heard this one? “It’s good enough for government work.” The government (pick one; federal, state, or local) might be deserving of this; however it need not be applied to your work. Every job has certain acceptable tolerances that are sufficient enough for the product or service to work properly.

What I’m talking about is outside the scope of acceptable tolerances. Is it acceptable for a school bus driver to only take a child half-way home? I don’t think so. So then why might it be acceptable for a worker to do his or her job in a half-ass manner? Do I want to buy a product or service that only does only half of what it is promised to do? Not so much.

I Just Can’t Stay Focused

Why should your lack of focus mean that I deserve an inferior product or service? Lack of focus, if not a medical condition, clearly stems from boredom and apathy. If someone has a medical condition that inhibits their lack of focus, you can be sure that I don’t want them operating heavy equipment or guarding confidential data.

I’m talking about the people that do not like their jobs so they go out drinking every night and stumble into work with cobwebs in their brain. I’m talking about the people that while are at work physically, they are mentally on vacation in Maui . I’m talking about the people that spend so much time with their noses in other people’s business, in the metaphorical “rice bowls” of their co-workers, that they have no time to do the jobs that they are assigned. I’m talking about the people that make the choice to defuse their focus. Who needs them?

The People that Work for Me Suck

I’ll never forget the comment an acquaintance of mine made when I visited his hardware store in my town. He told me that he had awful employees. I asked him who hired these folks and he replied, “I did.” Wow! Isn’t a person responsible for the quality of employees that he or she hires—apparently not—per this guy’s philosophy? My friend Larry Winget says, “If your life sucks, you suck.” Stinging words are they not? But, are the words true? I think they are.

While there are wonderful persons that run businesses and supervise workers, there are a few here and there that need to get fired. I’m not talking about the great leaders but rather the idiots that daily masquerade as decent human beings. I’m talking about bosses that couldn’t find their way out of a paper bag if their life depended on it, yet they are responsible for others. Bosses like this bring the worst out in themselves and the people they supervise. These bosses are truly deserving of an old fashion tar and feathering party.

What Does It Matter?

If you have given up on life, it doesn’t matter—just fake a back injury and live on welfare the rest of your life. Or, as I’ve heard it said far too many times; just get a government job. However, doing at the very least a good job and better yet a great job should matter to every American. The days of US nomination in industry are long gone. There is competition, for your job, scattered among the far corners of the globe—it matters!

Perhaps one of the reasons that Jim Collins’ book, Good to Great did so well is the fact that Americans love their heroes? I completely believe that it is the mandate of any employer to create an environment of success in which their employees can succeed. And it is the responsibility of every American worker to excel to their highest lever—otherwise don’t whine when jobs are sent off-shore or illegal aliens are hired because they will work for nickels rather than dollars.

What does it matter? It should, and must, matter a lot. If it doesn’t matter, what kind of a crap-hole country are we leaving to our children? It matters to me.

Personal Freedoms and Social Engineering Through Taxation

Personal Freedoms
If your rights stop at my nose, and my rights stop at yours, then why do we have so many "nanny laws" in the USA? I always wear my seat belt because I think it is a good idea, not because the State of California says that I must. Nonetheless, the State does say that I must. I do not ride a motorcycle, however I would prefer to decide if I need a helmet. I could go on but you get the idea. Do the state and federal legislators think I need a baby sitter? Or have they become addicted to the opiate of lobbyist dollars and have sold out my freedoms to special interest groups?

Social Engineering Through Taxation
Is it really fair for the various states and federal governments to discriminate against its citizenry? You would most likely say no. However, do you mind the obscene taxes on alcohol and tobacco? Is that not discrimination? Just by virtue of the increased taxes on these items, the governments are taking away my personal freedoms. Legislative bodies are perhaps afraid to say, "You cannot have this." but are emboldened to tax the hell out of these items. Where does the proverbial "slippery slope" begin and end here? If government really needs the money, then make street drugs legal and tax the hell out of them. Sorry, the street gangs and lobbyists would not like that idea.

If you are excited about nanny laws and social engineering through taxation; this is your time. If not, what do you plan to do about it?

Not Finding a Job?

How are you doing with your job search? Finding yourself stuck? Sure thing; as are so many in the same place. So, is it access or is it value that's the problem? Or could it be that your industry simply does not know you?

Access

I know, you have exhausted all your contacts on Linkedin and your friends at Facebook, and still have nothing to show for it. Guess what, they are to crazy-busy to care about your situation. Joined all the Internet job search sites but they keep sending you the wrong stuff? What did you expect? How about this; do it the old fashioned way...go knock on doors...nobody is doing that. Why? Laziness is my guess. Knock on what doors? Visit any business or municipality within a 60 mile radius that you have any kind of a hint that you might be a fit. I believe this should be your number one strategy. Are you willing to knock on doors?

Value

Organizations everywhere are looking to develop profit centers and reduce cost centers. As an example, sales persons contribute to profit. Everyone else contributes to cost. Wait a minute, is this true? It is; in the minds of most business leaders. Your job is to shift their mind set. If you are simply asking for a job--get in line. However, if you can be innovative and creative in describing the monetary gain an organization would realize by bringing you on board--you will catch the interest of business leaders. In this economic environment, why in the world would you want to add to an organization's cost when you can add to their profit?

Industry Recognition

If you are a recognizable name in your industry or specific skill profession, you will have a better chance of catching something with your "net." Some specific activities that will get you notice:

1. Send news releases that have specific information relating to your industry's or profession's current events to your local newspapers, magazines, and cable news shows.
2. Write articles (about 500-800 words) and submit them to industry or profession specific publications.
3. Join industry or profession specific groups at Linkedin. Daily answer questions posted by others--even if you have to do some specific research to get the answer. This way you will show up as a leading resource for others.

Will the Real Leader Please Stand?

Today’s organizational leaders have much working against their success. Sometimes leaders can be their own worst enemy. However, this is not cause to crawl under a rock and hunker down for the duration of these difficult times. Sure, the press almost daily is exposing yet another dishonest corporate executive, especially in the financial industries, but that’s not you. Today, more than ever, is the time for action—for demonstrating to your employees that you have a plan—even if you don’t. Get out of sluggishness and into action, today!

Make Your Rain Making Visible

Similar to the Native American rain dances of old, they were never performed in isolation, but in view of the tribe; to give the members of the tribe hope—your people need to see you leading the charge in action, not just in words. To build confidence within the people of your organization, they have to visually see your efforts to turn things around, including your personal rain making efforts. This gives them the hope they need to persevere during the current cuts, challenges, and fears caused by today’s economic realities.

This lesson was learned at Mitsubishi Motor Sales of North America, in the early 1990s—the executives learned the hard way; wasting one entire year in their efforts to change the organizational culture. The lesson learned was simple: people believe what they see, not what they hear. The executives were telling everyone what they wanted to happen but were not living the vision themselves.

What’s Old Might be New

In your effort to develop new markets, new applications, and/or new products and services, how much time have you spent? It has been said by persons wiser than I, that most people spend more time planning their vacation than they spend planning their life. What about the success of your organization? How much time have you spent in REAL product/market development strategic planning sessions? For most, not much is the honest answer.

Who can help? The quick answer is: your suppliers, your employees, and your customers. Sometimes innovation is a happy accident and sometimes it is the result of intense organizational processes, individual champions, and intellectual properties—and most times, a result of tireless hard work. What are you doing to innovate?

Your Responsibility and Accountability

Let’s face it; nobody really enjoys the mirror being brought up close. However, in times like we are now facing, that is exactly what is needed. No matter how good a leader you might be, you know that you can do better. Listed below are some of the pitfalls, conscious or unconscious, to leading in a recession:

• Not being aware of the depth of your organization’s situation.
• Not having a “rainy day” contingency plan.
• Not being open to innovation in market, product, and process.
• Not honestly looking in the mirror.
• Living off past glory.
• Expecting others to act as rain makers.
• Hunkering down expecting the current economic situation to quickly blow over.

Your “to do” list should include the following:

• Honest evaluation of your organizations current situation through the traditional SWOT analysis process with your company’s stakeholders; first your employees, then with your suppliers, and last with your customers. Generally the SWOT analysis is done only in the bubble of the executive suite, thereby missing needed additional perspectives.
• Step it up and lead the charge, even if it is only activity for activity’s sake. Activity begets enthusiasm, if positioned correctly and your employees see that you are putting in the time.
• Look to other industries for answers in as much as you can adapt ideas. It is foolish to think you can adopt, however adaptation is an important form of innovation that will serve you well.

Plant this thought in your subconscious mind: your employees have been there for you, helping you to make your organization what it had been. Don’t you think you owe it to them to show up and rebuild? It’s their livelihood also!

Our Sow, Does She Have Too Many Nipples?

When I mention our sow, of course I mean the United States Government. I believe we can truly thank our elected federal officials for doing such a fantastic job of bringing home the bacon. If one were to visit www.cfda.gov, one would find the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.

We Did It to Ourselves?

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance website proudly illustrated for the electorate is a pie chart at which Americans should marvel at the work done for them by their elected officials. This pie chart will inform you of “…a full listing of all the Federal programs available to State and local governments (including the District of Columbia); federally-recognized Indian tribal governments; Territories (and possessions) of the United States; domestic public, quasi-public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions; specialized groups; and individuals.”

The pie chart (May 1 2009 updated) lists:

34% Department of Health and Human Services

21% Department of Agriculture

19% Department of the Interior

12% Department of Education

11% Department of Housing and Urban Development

Bringing Home Too Much Bacon?

An agency search at the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance website yields 63 agencies. While some make perfect sense for their existence, others will definitely make you wonder. Further searches reveal 1893 programs listed and 3229 Regional offices. One might argue the point that this is a demonstration of both government excess and patrician payoff. I’m sure you can list a number of recent anecdotal examples government excess and squander-style spending from your own circles of friends, colleagues, and clients.

Perception is Reality

While I’m confidant that our Federal politicians could, via double-speak, justify every agency and every program—they would have to, or why do these agencies and programs exist? However, I believe that most reasonable and curious Americans would do a double take at the way our government spends our tax dollars.

Even if many of the agencies and programs are justifiable, which I believe they are not, there is still the ingrained perception of the American citizenry of gross government waste, incompetence, and protectionism. Does this mean that everyone that works for the government is incompetent? Of course not! I have met, and worked with a number of committed government employees that are fabulous at their jobs—many of the supervisors—not so much.

The Important Issue

I have stated in my seminars and workshops for years, “If you hire a lousy employee, you deserve who you hired.” The same goes for elected officials. We have done it to ourselves. Just to mention a few examples: single issue voters, uninformed voters, ignorant and uneducated voters, voters in denial, voters expecting reciprocity for their vote, exclusive-party voters, and (my favorite) self-interest exclusive voters.

At some point a society has to stop sewing more nipples on the community sow. Our sow can only allow so many to suckle before the sow goes dry. It appears to me that such a day may be soon approaching.

Our Responsibility to Give a Portion

I received a response from Paul Knecht about a recent comment I made. Paul states this about giving, “There is a rule. It was taught to the earliest Jews and is still taught to those who follow Judaism and Christianity. The landowners and their gatherers were told to not harvest all of the crops but to leave some standing so the poor, widows and foreigners could harvest also. There is an expectation that the haves share with the ‘have nots’".

While Paul makes an excellent argument, the question is how much to leave behind for the poor to harvest? My argument is not the idea of voluntarily leaving a little for the poor but rather the fact that the various taxing entities (Federal, state and local governments) in the USA pilfering an outrageous percentage of one’s crop. Paul’s example, to my knowledge, does not state exactly how much to leave, and I cannot imagine a farmer leaving 30-40% of their crop for the poor to harvest. That’s the “total rate” at which the greater majority of successful Americans are taxed today.

The Pendulum’s Swing

Should a society help those that are truly and honestly in need? I believe so. However, just because one stubs their toe, they do not need a $900 ambulance ride to the hospital—a ride and an emergency room visit that is paid by the local taxpayers. In a society, when the benefits to the needy outpace the earning capability of the able bodied, something is truly wrong. The sow definitely has too many nipples.

The question becomes, “How did we get where are?” Perhaps the answer is that for many it was easier and more expedient to write a check to the needy than to lend them a helping hand? Then it was necessary to pay people to organize the handling of the checks. Then a time came when the checks were expected. Today, those checks are demanded!

At some point one has to stand up and say, “Enough!” At some point one also has to say, “Enough” to the politicians. Politicians see their job as being responsible to “bring home the bacon.” Do You? Perhaps the time has come for Americans to no longer give to those that only ask and refuse to do?

Responsibility—You Have Got to be Kidding

Some Americans say it is the responsibility of the super-rich to be socially conscious by frequently demonstrating their benevolence. Why is this so—who made that rule? Simply by virtue of their ability to create wealth or possibly because of their birth; they are mandated to redistribute wealth—why?

What about self-reliance? When did that go out of vogue?

How about the American privilege to succeed or fail? Must everyone have a safety net placed two inches below their feet? Don’t you think such a safety net will dismantle one’s desire to succeed—one’s passion to succeed—one’s will to succeed? Where does responsibility fit in? Why must fish be given to the lazy? Isn’t it better to teach them how to fish?

I personally believe in paying community rent. I’ve done this my entire adult life; volunteering for youth fraternal groups, social service clubs, youth sports and today, running a 501 (c) (3) charity that I started a few years ago. However, I did this of my own free will and accord. Nobody held a gun to my head and made me do it.

For over a decade, I served concurrently as an American Youth Soccer Organization referee and a United States Soccer Federation referee—the former position for pay, and the latter as a volunteer. Frequently I would be asked why I would referee for free when I could be down the street being paid. I did both. I paid my community rent. And, it was my choice.

It’s All About Choice

Choice is the issue—my choice to volunteer to make a difference, or my choice not to volunteer. When the day comes that I’m forced to volunteer, my passion to make a difference will disappear. I recall descriptions shared with me by my Austrian friends, of Soviet era East Germany, with bails of hay sitting in fields uncollected and rotting because they were never picked up by the State. With passion gone, nobody cared to deal with the problem, because it was the State’s problem.

Apparently, America is on the path of risk taking aversion. Be clear on the idea that I’m not damning the persons that truly need a helping hand. However, I am damning the persons that are, daily, suckling at the nipple of the sow by the name of The United States Government or that of state and local governments. At some point citizenry must contribute to their society—one cannot forever take. If one chooses to take, and not contribute, they have not lived up to their responsibility and in my opinion, have not earned the privileges enjoyed by contributors to said society. Why on earth do freeloaders deserve a free ride?

Safety Comes With a Price

America is a relatively safe country. And for those that desire to earn their way, can select from countless communities in which to live. During my tenure as a soccer referee, I found it a privilege to safely spend a Saturday with local youth, enjoying the beautiful community in which I live, and not having to worry, as countless do in third-world countries, about improvised explosive devises (IED) exploding around me.

As with safety; infrastructure, higher education, geo-political clout, and freedom comes with a price. While my hat is sincerely off to all great Americans that have served their country in military service, there are also additional ways to serve one’s country—lead by example; demonstrate personal responsibility. Live an exemplary life by contributing well-adjusted offspring to society, by making a difference in one’s community, and by exhibiting financial responsibility.

With Privilege Comes Responsibility

This is where the rubber meets the road. Sure, we all want stuff—that’s the American ideal of consumption. And consumption feeds capitalism, our country’s economic system—and that is okay. Capitalism allows the citizenry to achieve or fail. While societal safety nets can serve, safety nets cannot be a society’s ideal, goal, or standard method of operation. People must be allowed to experience the anguish of failure in order to truly savor the sweetness of success. In America, we are afforded the privilege of freedom—freedom to succeed or fail.

Do we have the right to take away one’s passion? We do it by continually intruding on the lives of our citizenry with either social, financial, or emotional safety nets. My greatest fear for America is that we are teaching our citizens to depend on the federal, state, and local governments for their daily sustenance and shelter. If this trend continues, will there be any Americans still working? At what point will we disassemble our great democracy and fall into the carcass similar to our neighbor to the south? Shouldn’t it be your and my responsibility to stand up for the concept and ideal of privilege through responsibility as opposed to privilege on the backs of others?

Ed’s World

As I have continually stated, I live in a glass house and have not always lived up to the ideals that I espouse. However, I do not slit my wrists with a desire to bleed out in my bathtub, but rather pick myself up when failure rears its head in my life and try to do things differently, and with the sincere desire to do better. can do this too—leading by example can be your wonderful contribution to society.

We Love Our Excuses

Excuses reign supreme within the under achiever’s personal stand for both business and life—this doesn’t have to be. While I personally blame my three older sisters for all the problems in my life, the universe doesn’t care. All that matters to the universe is my definitive action.

I Need Help

Here is an overused word; “Please help me,” “I could use a little help,” “Can you help me out?” We are so used to asking for help that we have become co-dependent in the many facets of our lives. Ever thought of doing it yourself? Back in the 1980s Lifespring, an outcropping of Est, taught countless thousands that “hope with the how” was a hallow promise. Twenty some odd years later, I think they were right.

Exploring help and hope reveals why so many people in today’s society have excuses for everything. From the proverbial, “The dog ate my homework” to the tiresome old saw, “It’s not my job” we find ourselves mired in mediocrity—and it is not necessary. So what do you say, what’s your favorite excuse?

It’s My Boss’ Fault

When did your boss become responsible for your success? “When I was hired,” you say—really? So your boss gave you an opportunity to achieve and your failure is on his or her back? I don’t think so! Granted, there are some real idiots that have climber their way to extreme levels of personal incompetence in overseeing others; however they are not as prevalent as many would have their friends believe.

Sure, union workers have absolutely no motivation to achieve, but they are not reading this article. You are. Today, now, is the time to give it up. Stop blaming your boss and start looking in the mirror. If you are lucky enough to still have a job you can be responsible enough to make a difference at your place of work.

They Don’t Like Me

“They don’t like me in this department,” you say—so what! They are not paid to like you. And, you are not paid to like them. However, everyone is paid to be professional, responsible, courteous, and respectful of one another. If co-workers are truly sabotaging your effectiveness and success, then you have something about which to complain. If not, suck it up and get your job done. Do you think your company’s off-shore competitors coddle their employees? I don’t think so! Oh, you didn’t realize that your company has off-shire competitors—wake up. Everybody has off-shore competitors.

This Job Just Isn’t Fulfilling

“This job doesn’t float my boat,” you say? OMG, it’s not 1985. Sure thing; we all want a fulfilling position and some of us are lucky enough to have such a job—or were smart enough to select a career they love. While you might read volumes about X-gen and Y-gen workers and about all their demands, most of that went out the door when the recession started. As a matter of fact, many boomers lost so much of their retirement in the collapse that thousands are delaying their retirement or are returning to work. I’m not suggesting that employers go back to pre-1920 policies of worker abuse but I am suggesting that we are in a time of balance. I realize that many believe the Federal Government will take care of their needs, but that is not a constitutional charge of the government. And at some point the money will run out–dramatically reducing entitlement programs. My suggestion is this; if you have a job, be appreciative and work hard to serve your employer.

I’m the Wrong Color, or Gender, or…

“The world is against me,” you say? Have you noticed who the President of the United Stated of America is? He sure is not a bald old White man. It is time to get off the tired excuse of your skin color, gender, country of origin. If your English is lousy, I’ll give you that one…if you’ll accept that your lousy English is a matter of choice rather than a condition of your birth.

I admit that I see racism and bigotry frequently in business environments; I’ll also state that I see it emanating from people of all walks of life and not just one group of people. My take; the citizenry of the United States of America have become so sensitive to race, gender, sexual orientation, political, and religious issues that they have allowed themselves to effectively become immobilized. Don’t you ever get tired of whining? I sure do.

Where Are We Going?

Where is America going? Your guess is as good as mine. I will state this however; Capitalism breeds entrepreneurialism and entrepreneurialism is the sustenance salvation available to you, me, and to any American, just for the taking. So what’s your excuse?

ISSA/BSCAI Alliance—It’s a Great Idea

Before we delve into the ISSA/BSCAI alliance and why it is a great idea; let us first explore why alliances in generally are a great idea. The quick answer is; leveraging what you have, along with others, to get more than your fair share. In my first book, The Art of Partnering, I defined alliances as two or more entities coming together to synergistically solve their problems. In leveraging your core competencies with others, the below benefits will be yours. ISSA President, Bob Stahurski, says, “ISSA and BSCAI members alike are now welcome at one another’s show. This will facilitate better supply chain relationships by allowing distributors and contractors to better learn each others’ language.”

Alliances require work—so you might be thinking, “What’s in it for me?”

Benefits to companies and organizations from alliance development:

1. Cost savings
2. Leveraging resources
3. Increased capabilities
4. Increased speed to market
5. Creating economies of scale
6. Innovations
7. Improved communication

The conduits through which the benefits are delivered:

1. Supply chain efficiencies
2. Effective procurement
3. Distribution
4. Research and development
5. Sales and marketing
6. Co-Branding products and events
7. Cross-promotions
8. Effectively blocking giant competitors from entering new markets or gobbling up competitors.
9. Risk sharing

Will the ISSA/BSCAI alliance help individual members to receive the above benefits? Perhaps some of the benefits will come directly and perhaps some indirectly? One thing is for sure, when two alliance powerhouses (Smith Bucklin and ISSA) come together to develop synergies, the members will better learn how to employ alliance relationship for themselves.

The ISSA/BSCAI Alliance—a Great Idea

Finally the timing was right, the players were right, and all involved had the desire to build trust in exploring a mutually-beneficial relationship. “For an alliance to be successful, first there must be mutual trust, the relationship has to be good for both, and while the value might not be 50-50, the relationship cannot hurt either party,” stated John Garfinkel, ISSA Executive Director.

BSCAI Executive Director, Maurice “Moe” Desmarais, mentioned, “Now that BSCAI is managed by Smith Bucklin, the amount of resources and alliance knowledge available to BSCAI and its partners is vast.” As an example, Smith Bucklin has a Distributors Practice Group which is comprised on nine distributor associations managed by Smith Bucklin where the sharing of best practices has become common place. Smith Bucklin is also involved with the Association Education Alliance. Alliance is in the DNA of Smith Bucklin.

ISSA has also demonstrated alliance successes and capabilities in its DNA. Case in point, John Garfinkel mentioned the relationship ISSA enjoys with Amsterdam RAI in producing the ISSA/INTERCLEAN shows in the USA & Europe. ISSA, back as far as 1997, developed this alliance to keep Reed Elsevier, the largest trade show company in the world, out of the USA—an alliance to beat Goliath. The two organizations made the industry more open, became global, and enjoy revenue sharing. ISSA also works with more than 75 associations, alliances, and government agencies around the world to represent the cleaning industry.

The down and dirty is that this alliance will make both associations more relevant with their core membership and industry leaders at large. Through the activity of associations partnering, increased diverse groups are enabled to come together to explore and develop industry innovations, to learn, and to grow.

Challenges Overcome in Building the Alliance

• Each association needed to maintain their own unique individuality while coming together for the betterment of both memberships; putting doubts and suspicions aside.
• Association staffs had to map the competencies of each association then overlay to find weaknesses and strengths to determine which would be best suited for various activities.
• There is a natural inclination, of Boards of Directors, to micromanage the alliance development process. Bob Stahurski, ISSA President, commends both boards for focusing on the strategic and allowing the staff from each association to work together to hammer out the details of the alliance.
• Association Executive Directors not feeling exposed and threatened can be a huge stumbling block in the process of associations exploring alliance relationships; fortunately this was not the case with either.

Alliance Direct Member Benefit

I find that with most associations, the following statement rings true: Association board members and volunteer leaders get more value from their association membership than to rank and file members, only because of their accelerated participation and knowledge of programs and services. With this in mind, it is crucial for ISSA and BSCAI members alike, to know what some of the member benefits are that is a direct result from the alliance. Ernie Clark, BSCAI President says, “Now members have access to what both organizations offer.”

1. Six regional workshops are now planned for the spring of 2009 with an emphasis on green standards. Having regional workshops makes attendance much easier and less costly.
2. OSHA compliance safety programs through the joint collation with an emphasis on reducing injuries. One association sharing resources with the other.
3. ISSA and BSCAI will participate by hosting a booth at one another’s expos making member recruitment and information dissemination more effective.
4. Better access to end users for manufacturers for research, focus groups, and meaningful discourse—and vice versa.
5. Increase in association(s) strength through idea sharing, best practices, minimizing staff overlap and certification workload. More bang for your membership dollar.
6. More attendees at each expo, benefiting manufacturers, distributors, and contractors alike. Larger shows deliver more benefit to all that attend. More education, better education, and access to industry partners.
7. Access to additional education, best practices, and other proprietary information of both associations for accelerated business development.
8. Certifications; both for the company and the person that are offered by both associations are in the process of examination for overlap certifications.
9. Potential joint membership cost benefits; ultimately not paying double dues.
10. More powerful voice for affecting legislation through lobbying and advocacy.
11. For ISSA members, there will be more buyers at the shows, thereby decreasing selling costs.

“This alliance has been long in coming,” stated Maurice “Moe” Desmarais, “through a meeting of the minds and cooperation, this alliance will be successful and will assist both organizations in offering services that have, in the past, been considered beyond the mission of each organization.”

Alliances for ISSA and BSCAI Members to Consider for Themselves

Alliances offer great benefit in serving national customers. Bob Stahurski is very pleased with the results of his alliance, ChemBlend International (www.chemblendllc.com), developed with nine non-competing manufacturers. ChemBlend International provides seamless and uniform nationwide private branding for US and Canadian janitorial, food service, institutional, industrial and consumer chemical markets. Bob states, “In janitorial and food service where freight is a substantial factor, our organization can cost effectively serve national customers on a regional basis.”

Kevin Shurn, president at Superior Maintenance Co., Elizabethtown , KY, and a long time BSCAI member has been part of The National Service Alliance, LLC (NSA), for over a decade (www.nansa.org).

This alliance, of which BSCAI’s incoming president, Stan Dubin’s organization, Harvard Maintenance, Inc., is a managing partner. NSA is a building service organization committed to servicing national corporations with high-quality, cost-effective facility solutions while maintaining "hands-on" management. Operating since 1996, the NSA was formed by strong quality and service oriented regional service providers aligned for the purpose of providing their services to national corporations through a single source. Today there are approximately 40 building service contracting companies involved, up from just over 20 companies in 2000.

The Art and Science of Alliance Development

The science of alliance development and implementation is the below listed seven steps:

1. Monitor
2. Educate
3. Select Alliance Type and Structure
4. Organize
5. Agreement
6. Implementation
7. Maintenance

In order for you to build alliances that will profit your company, employ the above steps in all alliance development. During these seven steps, various departments and staff should be involved. And, while you will notice below that I suggest an overlap, this overlap of personnel involvement is necessary to assure alliance success.

1-4 is the “Find It” phase (research & acquisition)

3-6 is the “Get It” phase (corporate business development)

4-7 is the “Create Value” phase (alliance management)

The art of alliance development and implementation is the behaviors exhibited by all those involved in the alliance:

1. Bridge building; focus on getting things done as opposed to obsessing on being right.
2. Continually make Relationship Bank Deposits because when things go wrong, and they will, it’s the positive Relationship Bank Deposits that you’ll draw upon for assistance and understanding.
3. Quality communication to overcome challenges. Some of the natural alliance development and implementation road blocks are: Trust, Hidden Agendas, Unrealistic Expectations, Poor Communication, and Culture Clashes.

John Garfinkel suggests, “This alliance will bring customers’ various needs forward; manufacturers and distributors will learn better how to serve.” Ernie Clark summed it up well, “With new days come new challenges; which will hopefully bring new mind sets.”