Mona lived down the hall from me in college. Never was a person more aptly named. She moaned constantly. Almost literally. She always had something to complain about. I’ve learned since that there is a surprisingly significant percentage of the population that always complains. They are the perpetual victims of life. Many people are occasional victims. In certain situations, they can’t see anything except great unfairness unfairly heaped upon them. I recommend that you avoid these victims of life. They sap your energy. Don’t hang out with them. Don’t seek input from them. And for goodness sakes, don’t hire them. They will just make everyone else miserable. And for those of you who feel unfairly victimized further by this recommendation, I suggest you get a grip. Figure out what you can do to improve your situation and then set about making those improvements. And for the myriad things you can’t control, it’s time to get over them and move on.
We are in a sea change. Business as usual is no longer business as usual. We will emerge, but we will not return. Significant changes will be evident. It is both the change and the pause that provide significant opportunities to those who are alert and agile.
Each morning when I leave my Las Vegas hotel suite, things are arranged the same way so I can work comfortably and efficiently. Chair, light and coffee table moved closer together so I can see to read and put my feet up. Second bathroom waste basket moved near the desk. Magazines, marketing materials, TV guides and remotes moved off the surfaces I need to use. You get the idea.
After attending a UMass hockey game, we stopped for a burger at a small tavern that we had enjoyed once before. We were by far the oldest people in the restaurant, which was not too surprising so late in a college town. Within minutes of taking our order, they turned on 2 giant speakers and flashing lights. They moved us to a different table in the corner and removed our original table along with all the others to create a dance floor. Jekyll and Hyde.
If you do nothing else to improve your odds of success in these crazy times, improve your responsiveness! Too many people are whining about the recession, complaining about a drop in business, and neglecting the single most important act to ensure credibility and more business: being responsive. I contacted the Boston Globe to ask a question about subscribing and got no response. Meanwhile, I am supposed to feel sorry for newspapers? Do they have any interest in increasing subscribers? Have they given up?
“Buy Local” is not a new phrase, but in this economy, it has new meaning. Lots of businesses could go under unless something suddenly changes for the better, a turn-around no one is predicting. Do we want those locked doors to be on the streets of the Pioneer Valley? Do we want to lose restaurants, stores, jobs and the many service providers who call us by name and bend over backward to help us out?
“The secret of successful retailing is to give your customers what they want. And really, if you think about it from your point of view as a customer, you want everything: a wide assortment of good-quality merchandise; the lowest possible prices; guaranteed satisfaction with what you buy; friendly, knowledgeable service; convenient hours; free parking; a pleasant shopping experience.” – Sam Walton (1918-1992) My most recent experience with the culture that Sam built that supposedly makes me No. 1, was a great example of Lip Service Innovation. I was in search of what amounts to plastic shoe boxes. The Walmart in Amherst, Massachusetts had two good choices, but not enough of either to get the set of 8 I needed. Without a matched set, stacking when empty would always be a problem.
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A recession, a slowdown, tough times – whatever you want to call it, things are not as bad as they sound. Consider the following: More than 9 out of every 10 people are still working. In the US alone, over 300 million people are still spending money on things they need and value. I ate out 3 nights in a row this week. Two restaurants were empty, one was packed. (Which do you suppose is focused on value and marketing?) The death knell for print media is repudiated by “The Week,” which “continues to grow at a healthy clip” according to Executive Editor Eric Effron.
“We can’t act now! Hold on to your cash! There is too much uncertainty.” Everyone is talking about uncertainty. Why? Uncertainty is normal. It is constant. In fact, nothing has ever been more certain than the constant presence of uncertainty. So why are we so preoccupied with uncertainty right now? Why do we allow ourselves to believe that anything is certain, stable or reliable when times are good? Why do the bad times take us so completely by surprise? Expecting uncertainty with open eyes provides the power to face it with calm.