Meeting the challenge of today’s economy!
BY PETER SCHOR
Showroom specialist
Meeting the challenge of today’s economy!
I hope you, your families and friends celebrated the 4th of July watching parades and fireworks, and enjoying barbecues and summer weather! Most of all, I am hoping that you were in gratitude for the freedom that we all have in this great country of ours, and give blessings to our brave military and their families, here and abroad.
My wife and I and many other people sponsored and served up a “Pizza, Salad and All the Fixings” for a July 4th celebration for 310+ spouses and children (over 700 people) and their families at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. There were also over 125 volunteers participating in the event, who came to be of “most sincerest and genuine service.” Many businesses stepped forward and donated much-needed goods and money.
The best part of giving back to our troops and their families is to inspire other people to take leadership in their communities to support our troops and their families, who take such a big toll back home. I think that collectively we all should care about our troops and their families — regardless of our political views. It was my personal “BEST” July 4th holiday!
There is a story I was told by Steven Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and numerous other profound books, some 20 some years ago. The story called, “The Hundredth Monkey,” was told at his five-day Leadership School that I attended. It is a story recounting what scientists did in 1952 on the remote Island of Koshima, Japan. There were monkeys were living on the island that made a dramatic change forever. It took around the 100th monkey doing something different for everyone to embrace the change. There are “pages upon pages” on the internet about this phenomenon, which is what is really about what is needed to bring about “social change.” You can find this short story and worthwhile reading at www.wowzone.com/monkey.html.
Current economic climate – meeting the challenge!
Many places that you go, people are talking about how tough things are in the economy, and the media continues to blast us on a daily basis regarding unemployment, foreclosures, big name businesses that are closing their doors; and any information they can put together to let us know how bad things are out there. The big question is, “what are you going to do about it?”
You can jump on the doom and gloom bandwagon and say “Woe is me” and do nothing or you can make a choice to do something about it. This isn’t the first time we have faced this situation, and it probably won’t be the last. Do you honestly believe that supporting the negative frame of mind thinking, that things are going to get better?
Think success! Take positive action. There are people and companies out there that have chosen not to participate in the recession. They are thinking and acting like winners. They are focused on — and talking about — success rather than failure or survival. They are focused on making things happen rather than waiting for things to happen to them. They are planning for success and they are executing the plan.
In these days of really hard work, uncertainty and crisis, it’s good to remember the following words from Albert Einstein: “Let’s not pretend that things will change if we keep doing the same things. A crisis can be a real blessing to any person, to any nation. For all crises bring progress. Creativity is born from anguish, just like the day is born from the dark night. It’s in the crises that inventiveness is born, as well as discoveries and big strategies.”
Here are some things that I recommend to you:
• Avoid negative media, such as news — TV, newspapers, and radio especially when you first wake up and before you go to bed. If you watch TV news or read the newspaper, one-half hour a day will keep you well informed.
• Avoid negative gossip and stories of gloom and doom with fellow workers, family and friends. They become negative toxic to your attitude and ability to think clearly. Don’t condemn, criticize or complain. Look for solutions!
• Identify the resources you will need to help overcome the obstacles you face. Many resources do not cost money. I.E: Go back to The Wholesaler magazine (www.thewholesaler.com) archives and source out the many showroom articles with numerous great tips that cost little or no money. In my showroom column, January 2008, there were 33 things listed that you can do to make things better in your showroom. The #2 tip was having an “Outcall Service.” Create an outcall service charging a few per hour to come go to consumers homes to determine what will fit in their applications. The cost is refundable against the purchase of the goods by the consumer or through your recommended trade resources. Use your showroom trade partners to participate in this service.
• Since 2004, I have been writing showroom columns based on proven factual information extracted from the most successful showrooms in the USA and Canada – both plumbing wholesaler and DPH types. For some of you may think I am a “horse ass”, please don’t let this get in your way from going back in The Wholesaler magazine showroom articles on their web site, creating better results for you and you showroom.
• Read, listen or watch something positive, inspirational, motivational, educational or spiritual every day. Rent a sport movie that is uplifting and inspiring. Some of my favorites are: Facing The Giants (football), my all-time favorite; The Final Season (baseball) staring Sean Astin, of the Rudy movie fame. It even has a web site www.finalseason.com; The Express (The Ernie Davis Story); Remember The Titans (Denzel Washington); The Blind Side (Sandra Bullock) and many others.
• Have an attitude of gratitude. Stay focused on everything you should be grateful for.
• Look for solutions! Rather than identifying the problems, write down your solutions. Set a time frame which to accomplish the,
• Goals — Set short term, intermediate, and long term. Zig Ziglar said, “Obstacles are things we see when we take our eyes off our goals”. Work smarter.
• Embrace change — Learn how to embrace. Some of you and your companies over the 25 years in showroom education, want to make me wrong, so you are right, so you do not have to change! Most of the things I advocated about showrooms in the late 80s, 90s, and in 2000 forward have happened. All of what I was trying to do is have you position yourself to capitalize on it before it happened and be the leaders most of you are!
• Think, talk and act like a winner! We are in a great industry!
Peter Schor, president of Dynamic Results Inc, is a bath/plumbing industry speaker, educator, author, columnist and consultant in the many segments of our industry. For the past 20 years, he conducted seminars and speaks at numerous conventions. Schor has great expertise in the field of showrooms and hotel bathrooms and has won many industry awards. He also consults manufacturers in taking their products to market in the areas of sales, marketing and public relations. Schor can be reached at 1302 Longhorn Lane, Lincoln, CA. 95648, phone 916/408-5346, fax: 916/408-5899. e-mail pschor@dynamicresultsinc.com or visit his web site: www.dynamicresultsonline.com.