February is Looking Good

Cigar PEG

I was in Orlando last weekend holding the annual general meeting for the non-profit charity that I run; Cigar PEG, Inc. I went into the weekend with quite a bit of anticipation because of some relationship challenges we had been having with the National Speakers Association; at whose annual convention the charity holds a fund raising cigar party & celebrity auction. I really wasn’t sure if my staff (all volunteer) and supporters were still with me—pleasantly enough, by the end of the weekend it became very clear to me that most are on board. I’m now looking forward to a fabulous party this summer.

Key West Advanced Speaker/Consultant Event

In Orlando, I was quite pleased that Mike Staver, Joachim De Posada, Myra Corrello, and Paul “DrJ” Jacobson were willing to allow me to video their testimonial about their feelings from last year’s event. This advanced speaker/consultant event started as a Cigar PEG activity but has been shifted to a commercial enterprise of Rigsbee Enterprises, Inc.

Member ROI for Associations & Societies

Wow, in less than a month this Linkedin group that I started on MLK Day has passed the 200 member mark. The quick member increase demonstrates to me that there is a huge desire among the professional staff at trade associations and professional societies to do the best job possible of creating and delivering member value—the challenge for these organizations is still, how to determine the yearly sustainable real dollar value/ROI of membership?

Relationship Glue

The Relationship Glue group at Facebook now has over 500 members. I would really like to see this group grow quicker as I believe that everyone needs a little relationship reminder now and then—in both romance and in business. This is a topic that I continually find myself very passionate.

Today

It is a beautiful sunny Saturday in Southern California. I’m heading out to cut flowers for my wife, Regina—getting ready for Valentine’s Day. I’m also excited about having lunch in Los Angeles today with a high school buddy—OMG, this June will be 40 years.

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?