 Last Wednesday I said hello to a vendor who was in our boardroom meeting with some of our keen, young leaders on system changes for our business. He said "Kevin, the recession is over." I responded with "It sounds like you found some customers?" He replied, "Correct, it's that simple".
When companies are in survival mode, finding some good customers is a great, simple answer and gives focus. What isn't simple is determining what would cause an organization to do the simple things in the face of seemingly tougher, world wide conditions.
You can improve the offering; align all your operations systems to support it; create a better story to the market using all the modern marketing tools that keep customers warm until they buy; create incentives and reward performance at all levels; attract, coach, educate and train your people; all this and your business could still be destroyed if you don't recognize and respond to building that extra ingredient of success that has been profoundly true for centuries.
That ingredient is ATTITUDE.
I know, I know... you don't want to hear it. In today's world you may think knowledge is all-important. Well yes it is. Skills are important too. They get you in the game. They tell you it can be done, but doing it and/or doing it well is determined by attitude. It has always been this way and always will be. If you don't have the factors outlined in the previous paragraph in place, you probably never will without a change in attitude. What's the make-up of your culture? It's made from the conversations going around the office. Are these conversations about how you please and take care of your customers? Peter Drucker said, that should be the main topic "for there is no other reason to be in business."
 Or, are they about how management is messing with employee's security and sense of importance? How the business sucks and the business model doesn't work anymore? Are people complaining that customers are too demanding and fickle and you can't access them anymore? Your conversations and what has happened to the entire structure of business worldwide can affect attitudes. About six months ago a CEO of an international company said to me "I don't know where our passion has gone." I had some thoughts but didn't think he would welcome hearing them.
Maybe the reality is that management and the business model do need improving. You can either be positive, negative or indifferent about it... your choice. No one person or circumstance can affect your attitude without your permission. It's your choice. Indifference and negativity can chip away at our hope, vision, passion, enthusiasm, focus, clarity of action, confidence and of course, all of the above will show up in the actions we take or don't take and the subsequent results. We'll expect less, complain more and achieve little and it is because of what is unknown to us.... Our ATTITUDE.
Now I am not talking about some Polyanna, rose colored glasses, blind to reality, attitude. I am talking about having an attitude that allows for new thinking, planning, actions and simple focus. I have been in the human behavior and business improvement field for 45 years watching, listening, and studying. One thing I've come to realize is that our minds are designed to string events into story lines whether or not there is any connection between the parts in reality. In other words, it is all invented in our minds and we might as well invent a story and framework that shifts our attitudes and creates the conditions that support the business or personal vision for you and those around you.
For example: Our people are important to us. What can we do to recognize, coach, train and reward them?
Our customers make us. What can we do to offer them what they need to make their world better?
My work is important. I choose to do this work because of the impact I can have which is _____________________. Don't assume your story. It's all attitude. You can't change, improve or deliver on any simple, new answer without inventing a new one.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What if survival attitudes are only a product of our fears and our need to add everything up in a tight, measured package so we can pretend to have everything figured out? What if we had the attitude that there are always new customers out there wanting to sign up, rather than the concept that money, customers, and ideas are in short supply. When you are oriented to abundance you are more engaging, care less about having all the answers first and you will take more risks and just go for it. You are probably missing little, are very capable and an attitude tune up will make the difference to you, your team and the business. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actions: We all need to think about and answer the following.
How is your attitude? What characterizes your business culture? What are the conversations about? What is important to you and your team? What story have you been creating in your mind that gives you what you see? What can you now invent that gives you other choices regarding customers and fellow associates? Now, go have better conversations.
Incidentally I am leading a small group "Wake Up Your Business" coffee strategy huddle at my office on October 28th from 8:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. at 2121 Argentia Road. It is filling so enroll now. It will be done in a workshop fashion, but we will have some dialogue. We will review the most important actions to take to prepare us for the rebound and to boost performance - now. No cost.
Kevin D. Crone
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