What’s your story?

Hi! Welcome back.  Today I’d like to finish my review of the book Nuts! Southwest Airline’s Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success by Kevin and Jackie Freiberg.  Today’s material comes from Chapter 18 entitled “Unconventional Advertising”.  The success tidbits at the end of the chapter appear below:

·         Market to employees, not just to your customers.

·         Promote your culture as well as your product.

·         Look for creative, unusual ways to tell your story.

·         Collaborate with others in creating your story.

·         Use your story as a way to build spirit, service, and performance.

·         Have everyone play a part in keeping your company’s advertising and marketing promises.

·         Find ways to tell your own story.  Use it to further your personal and professional success.

Stories are a great way to engage people and get them interested in what you do and sell.  For me as a budding entrepreneur launching my consulting practice I spend a lot of time these days talking with people and telling them what I’ve done and what I’d like to do.  My business Yurway Coaching Consultants is a small business consulting practice focusing on small and medium size companies, companies of 100 employees or less who may not have the benefit of an organizational development and training professional on staff.  I specialize in process improvement, problem solving, project management and training.  As an independent business owner I know that I must first meet with people, prove my credentials and earn their trust before they will do business with me.  It’s not an easy task; it takes a lot of time and effort.

I have been using a brochure and working with networking groups like Business Network International to promote my business.  I also have been meeting with area Chambers of Commerce and the Small Business Development Center to get the word out that I’m out there and have expertise that I believe would be beneficial to the right customer.

What about you?  What is your story?  How do you promote yourself and your business?  Are you on LinkedIn?  Do you have a blog?  What sort of networking groups do you contact to get your story out there?  I’d really like to know.  If you would like to post a comment please do.  I thank you for reading and until next time all my best!  Jer

Act like you own the place

Hi! Welcome back.  I’ve been busy meeting with Chambers of Commerce and potential business clients through Business Network International club meetings around the Louisville, Kentucky area in an effort to launch my new consulting practice Yurway Coaching Consultants.  Last time I mentioned that I would be working the polls in Indiana’s spring primary on May 8^th I did and here are a few observations.

It was a long day starting with waking up at 4 a.m. to be at the voting place by 5 a.m. to setup for the primary.  I was blessed with a veteran group of poll workers: Ann, Mary, Flo and Dale.  Our station was one of four different precincts in Floyds Knobs, Indiana and I often throughout the day helped voters find their correct voter precinct by consulting an area map.  While the mood of most voters was very positive the Republican ballots were used more often than the Democratic ballots by about a two to one margin.  Voter turnout was light only 17% of the registered voters in the precinct I was working turned out.  It’s a shame that after ten years of wars overseas wars that are still going on with American servicemen and women being wounded or killed that more Americans don’t feel the need to exercise their most basic right in this country and that’s to vote.  I hope if you were one of those many people who didn’t show up at your voting place this spring that you make the effort to cast your ballot in the November elections.  With the state of our nation and the world today I can’t imagine what would be more important than to take at most a half an hour and vote for whom and what you feel is important this November.

Now back to the subject of this blog business and those issues that affect small business owners and employees.  Today’s blog topic is from Chapter 8 of Nuts! The book I’ve been reviewing on how Southwest Airlines has been successful in the ultra-competitive airline industry.  The title of the chapter is “Act like an Owner”.  But before I mention the success tips mentioned in chapter 8 of Nuts!  I’d like to quote some data from another blog that I read and happen to look at just before writing this post.

In a recent survey conducted by Fierce, Inc., only 1/3 of the 800 respondents felt that their company was willing to change practices based on employee input and feedback. Other study highlights included:

44% of employees felt that workplace practices are ineffective and often hinder employee productivity or morale.

47% reported that current practices impede desired results.

50% said the lack of companywide transparency and the lack of employee involvement are the primary areas of concern.

70% said they are willing to speak up, they doubted it would make a difference.

Like the voter turnout on this year’s Spring Indiana Primary the above statistics are quite sorrowful.  As many of you know this business climate is an especially difficult one, why is it then that so many workers feel so disconnected or disfranchised from the companies that employ them?  Certainly, business owners could use or at least consider ideas from the people that know their business processes as well or sometimes better that they do, the employees that earn a living through working at the firm.

In Nuts! Chapter 8 they state that “ownership is a powerful catalyst for organizational change”.  I’ll go even further and say that I believe you can’t obtain organizational change without ownership from both the management and staff of any organization.  The authors go on the state that “Ownership isn’t just about having a piece of paper that says I own stock.  Ownership is the result of believing that you can make a difference, then acting on that belief in everything you do.”    Based on the results of the survey above it would appear that many employees aren’t buying into the ideas espoused by their management or management itself isn’t allowing employees to actively participant in the functions of the business.   Can we really afford this business mindset in this economy?  With budgets tight and the future uncertain is it wise to go it alone and not at least seek the counsel of others within an organization?

I think not, but I must confess I have always been in the camp of participatory management which the belief that anybody including the lowest worker has knowledge that could be of benefit to me a decision maker.  Yes! Management is almost always responsible for the direction and results of a decision or policy but their ideas and opinions aren’t the only ones out there that have merit and should be considered.

Here are the tidbits of success from Chapter 8 of Nuts:

·         Think like an owner—about your job and life.  Owners focus on results regardless of who’s watching.

·         Don’t act like a victim.  Believe you can make a difference in everything you do.

·         Put your trust in others.  It tells them they are trustworthy and they will act accordingly.

·         Show your people what you think they’re worth.

·         Negotiate with an abundance mentality.

·         Make your organizational and personal mission, vision, and values clear—then hold the reins loosely.

·         Practice the Golden rule.  Do what you expect and want others to do.

That’s it for today.  Next time I’ll finish my review of Nuts! by looking at of all things advertising.  Until then thanks for reading, please post a comment if you so desire and all my best!  Jer

Flying in the Face of Conformity

Hi! Welcome back.  Before I get into today’s blog I must confess that I’ll be overseeing tomorrow’s Indiana primary as an Election Inspector in Floyds Knobs, Indiana.  The purpose of the Inspector’s position is to make sure that everyone who comes to vote on time does and that the process is straight forward, private and fair.  I’m sure I’ll write about my experiences later so please stay tuned.

Today and probably for the next few posts I’d like to explore more fully the secrets to Southwest Airlines great success in the tough competitive airline business.  These tidbits are not offered so that you can get a DC-10 and start your own airline but perhaps you might see the wisdom in some of what Southwest does and incorporate that into what you do.

Southwest Airlines has over the years been true to its vision which is to make a profit, provide job security for their employees and make flying fun and more affordable for the general public.  In chapter 5 of Nuts! Here’s what was discussed:

·         Live within your budget.  Are you listening Mr. President, Congress and EU nations?

·         Manage is good times for bad times; i.e., save a little for a rainy day.

·         Define your own targets.  Don’t settle for conventional standards; create your own.

·         Keep things simple.  Streamline your systems and your life.  At the time this book was written Southwest used only one type of aircraft—the Boeing 737.  This simplified the training for pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and ground support personnel who could concentrate on learning all the key aspects of their job with one plane.  It also made parts inventory and record keeping easier and simpler as well.

·         Bigger isn’t always better.  Don’t confuse market share with profitability.  This was my take away from this chapter.  Herb Kelleher, Chairman of Southwest Airlines said “Market share has nothing to do with profitability.  Market share says we just want to be big; we don’t care if we make money doing it.”  An example was given that in order to gain an additional 5% of the market; you may have to increase your costs by 25%.  A great lesson for business entrepreneurs everywhere don’t you think?

·         At the peak of success, look for things you can do even better.

·         And finally, be humble: success is hardly ever all your own doing and rarely irreversible.

What are your thoughts about these tidbits of success?  Are you applying them to your business and life?  How about the market share comment do you agree with Herb Kelleher?  Please let me know take a few minutes to post a comment and thanks again for reading my blog.  Until next time all my best!  Jer.

Go Nuts! Advice from Southwest Airlines

Hi! Welcome back!  Today I’d like to begin discussing advice on success from the book Nuts! By Kevin and Jackie Freiberg; in it they look at the crazy methods used by Southwest Airlines to achieve personal and business success.  I’m actually going to start my review by looking at the last chapter entitled Go Nuts!; which offers some great advice for anybody but especially for today’s business entrepreneur.  I’ll quote right from the book “The malady of our time is that so many people have lost their sense of meaning, purpose and dignity.  Alienated and empty, these people go home exhausted and dehumanized”.  I think this statement captures what many Americans are feeling today as they struggle to remake their lives after the economic crisis of 2008.

Much like the Great Depression of the 1930’s today’s depression is filled with haves and have not’s.  If you are like me you are wondering when your number will be called and someone will give you an opportunity to demonstrate your skill set.  However, if you’ve had the good fortune to still be employed other than higher gas and food prices you world probably hasn’t changed all that much.

Find a purpose you’re crazy about.  That’s the first tip offered in the last chapter of Nuts!  Most of us yearn to do something meaningful with our lives here on earth and contribution in some way to a cause that has meaning to us.  I recently saw a Movie entitled “Keeper of the Keys” in which somebody said that we all have different talents and that it was “impossible to dream about doing something we don’t have an ability to do”.  I’ve always fancied myself as a coach and now I’m attempting to become a business coach, I think it’s the right thing to do now at this stage in my life.  I think I will succeed if my faith in God and myself is strong enough.

Make your life and work an adventure.  “Become more curious, interested and inquisitive, wake up and start seeking new challenges; refuse to settle for mediocrity in yourself or in others.”  You know how it is when you purchase a new car and suddenly everywhere you look people are driving the same car you just bought?  Well that’s what it is like for me starting my consulting practice suddenly I’m noticing how many people in our country make their living by doing their own thing either with their hands, head or heart.  It’s encouraging really to know that although it’s a bit scary to put yourself on there alone and attempt to earn your money based solely on what you know and can do that millions of others are doing it successfully as well and showing you that you can do it to if you believe in yourself.

Believe in people and they will believe in themselves.  Success and confidence goes hand in hand you really can’t have one without the other.  In order to be successful in any aspect of life you have to have the self-confidence and courage to go for what you want to do.  The authors state “take a moment to see people not as they are, but as they can be.”  When you do two things are possible one people will perform according to the vision you have of them and secondly your faith in people and their potential maybe restored.

Don’t take yourself too seriously.  I think that is excellent advice for the new entrepreneur.  As a business owners it’s all up to you to make it happen but people are people and we are going to make mistakes, say stupid things, act clumsy at time but instead of worrying about that shrug it off and laugh about it—it’s good for soul and mental health.

Dare to dream.  The author’s state “Dreams stimulate our senses and awaken our entrepreneurial spirit.  They fuel our imagination, release our creative energy, and draw forth a deep sense of commitment to action.  It’s difficult to take action toward something you can’t envision.  It’s almost impossible to envision something you don’t dream about.  People who lose their dreams have nothing to hope for and, without hope; they have nothing to live for.  Dreams help us experience the richness of life.” 

I love that paragraph I think every person who attempts to start a business is a dreamer and we need more of them in our country today.  When you reflect on it many of man’s significant accomplishments started out as ideas and were completed by people who had the courage to dream.  So dream it’s good for you and the country just not while you are driving please.

Dare to be different.  Southwest Airlines makes room for the novel, unexpected and unpredictable.  When people came with fresh ideas that made sense they went for it!  Why not try it!  If it fails, learn from it, laugh and move on.  If it works celebrate with the people that made it happen.

Finally Pursue love before techniques.  The author’s make a profound statement “The tragedy of our time is that we’ve got it backwards.  We’ve learned to love techniques and use people.”  If you’ve been in the business world as long as I have you recall all though cost cutting measures, reengineering, right sizing efforts that really didn’t in many cases improve product quality or customer service they just kicked a lot of good people to the curb.

I hope you found some nuggets of sound advice in today’s blog.  I’ll be reviewing the remainder of the book for other tips from Southwest Airlines play book next time.  Author’s note--my  blog posts have been inconsistent of late that’s because I’m making the switch from looking for a job to looking for projects and I’ve been on the road making contacts to find my first client and then the next one and the next.  I hope to blog about work assignments in the future but right now I’m “kissing babies and shaking hands”.  I hope to have my first presentation before the Seymour, Indiana Chamber of Commerce in a few weeks, if so I’ll write about it here. 

Thanks for reading and until next time all my best!  Jer.