Press On....

 For those who have received an email or letter from me or read an article I've published in the past 25 years, you've seen this salutation appearing at the close of each writing.... "Press On"

 

I confess that this was not original with me. I actually pinched this thought from a friend of mine who ended his email with the same phase. I don't know his motivation for using this salutation or what he was thinking about, but I know mine (I'll share that with you shortly).

 I also don't know how my readers interpreted the phrase as they read it. I would be interested to hear from those who would like to share what they were thinking, if anything, about that closing phrase.

 

There is an idiom used by coaches of American football in which they exhort their players to "strain through the play". The idea is to push through their assignment regardless of the resistance of the opposition, how exhausted they might be or the difficulty of the circumstances they face.

 

The encouragement to "strain through" or to "Press On" could not be more appropriate for 2020.

 

It has been said, “How frail is humanity! How short is life, how full of trouble!" We've certainly seen that in 2020!

Covid-19, the election results, the prospects of more governmental intrusion, higher taxes, health concern for your-self or someone you care about, finical difficulties affecting you personally or your business, broken or lost relationships, being shut in or shut out of normal life experiences, total change in what you considered "normal"...... All are depressing and daunting battles we all might face.

 

So, how do you "Press On" in times like this? Just hearing from some guy on the other side of a blog post admonishing you to "pull up your bootstraps" or  "stay positive" is not much help. However, there are some key principles and practices, which I believe, are helpful to consider and is the bases for my initial exhortation to Press On, which I used to end my writings.

 

This is not an exhaustive list for sure rather it is selective. These suggested principles have aided me personally during the most challenging and difficult season of my life these past 2 years.

 

Ø Know who you are i.e. what is your identity? At the core, who are you?

 

Here are some questions to answer in that process. 

 Who is really in charge?

What's your conviction about life and death?

What determines your happiness?

Where does your hope for the future rest?

What is wealth and prosperity to you and how do you acquire it?

What is your responsibility to others?

 How do you cope with troubles in life?

What is so important to you that if you lost it, would be a devastating blow to you and your life?

 

Ø Understand and Practice proper techniques consistently....

 

Practice does not make perfect. Perfect Practice makes Perfect.

 

Therefore devote your self to study, discovery and discipline regardless of the subject. Leadership, Financial acumen, physical fitness, spiritual renewal etc.

 Growth does not just happen because you wish it. It takes concentrated effort.

 

Ø Don’t beat yourself about past failures or get a big head about your success yesterday... There are no "re-do's" in life or actions of the past and there is no promise of tomorrow. But, there is hope for today.

 

This bit of history of the past has relevance for today.

 

The Apostle Paul used the phase " Press On" while teaching others in the city of Philippi. Before he was the famous Paul he was very influential in his time under the name of Saul.

 

Saul committed many terrible acts toward those who claimed to be Christians. He, like other mortal men made some horrendous mistakes in his life. Then he encountered God first hand and as a result of his conversion answered the question I posed above. Additionally he began to practice a new way of thinking and living.

 

After many years of these applied disciplines he made this profound declaration showing humility and resolve as he helped others learn how to live...."Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect...but one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

 

Like Paul, I've fallen and failed in almost every aspect of my life. Being honest, I'm embarrassed and grieved about my shortcomings because of the pain, shame and disappointment my actions have caused.

 

But failure does not need to be fatal. There is nothing I can do about my past failures or even my success's. Today, like Paul, I'm resolved (with God's help) to forget what's behind me and "Press On" to the life that's been promised to me.

 

You can too, but it will require a change of thinking and behaving. Parenthetically, that has been the sub-title of my "Change Management" strategy for organizations over the past 30 years.

 

The Thanksgiving holiday in the US is completed, Christmas is ahead of us and then...2021. No doubt we all will face new challenges and new opportunities in the days to come. How will you handle it?

 

For me, at this stage of life, not only will I Press On, I will strain through this thing called life by revisiting the principles and practices described.... because I truly desire to....

Finish Well

Are You "And" or "But" ?

Recently I was engaged in conversation with a friend concerning a particular individual (I'll call him Carl) who I was considering doing business with. When I inquired about Carl to my friend he said, "He's really a talented guy, smart, well-spoken, has been very successful while operating his business. "And besides that," he went on to say, "he's just a nice guy. Honest, trustworthy, a person of integrity, fair, community-oriented, family guy someone you'd want to be associated with".

In contrast to Carl, I was reading about a Syrian military warrior who lived during 800's BC. His name was Naaman. This is how he was described.....

"Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.

I was taken back by the description of Naaman because of the ending or if you like, the "but". All the wonderful things that were mentioned of him were almost entirely erased because of the negative

 "... but he had leprosy."

In ancient times, leprosy was a terrible skin disease that was not curable and thought to be punishment from God for the person's past sins. They were so cursed that when they died they were buried outside city walls and were remembered as "unclean".

As I reflected on these two different add-on descriptions of a person between "and" or "but" I considered the number of people who have told me of the negative "but's" over the years. Here are some examples and I bet in your own life you can see the faces when you hear..

"He's a good mechanic and heavy equipment operator, but he's also a liar and a thief"

"She knew her stuff and very competent, but she was a gossip and kept things stirred up in the office."

"He was really fun to be with most of the time, but he was drunk and didn't know how to handle his booze."

" Yeah you can make some good money working for that company, but the managers you have to work with are tyrants"

How sad that some people will end their life or career or relationship with a negative "but" attached to their knowen existence.

People don't often get a chance to see inside our hearts and understand the motive or circumstances that shaped our life..All they see is our actions or behavior.

Without realizing it, we all are leaving a daily impression with our relationships on the job, in the office, on the farm, in the store at our family gatherings. We are unconsciously building a "but" or "and" as an addition to who people say we are.

Since I read of Naaman, I am more aware of the "and" that I want to leave behind as positive.
 "Bill Lewis was a valuable part of our organization, and..............."

Let those attributes, those "and's" describe me as I strive to
Finished Well.

How about you? Are you "and" or "but"

FIRST, Tell The Truth....Then Give Your Opinion

Business Leaders globally and society, in general, would benefit greatly by heeding this advice. As the old saying goes, "opinions are like certain parts of your body, everyone has one."

Along with the headline quote by Dennis Prager, the underlying suggestions is that truth doesn't appear to matter much anymore and has been replaced with loud opinion which has overtaken rational thinking. Just because you've heard it on Foxnews, Skynews, CNN, or read it on Facebook, does not constitute truth. For the most part, hacks on cable outlets and social media, are speaking opinions perpetrated by political agendas. This is evident in a variety of subjects e.g. COVID-19, BLM, police reform, re-opening the economy, returning to school etc.

It has become routine to utter partial truths or be disingenuous with partial truth while spouting opinions and trying to disguise it as truth. As a reminder, "partial truths", still constitute a lie. In the court of law in America as a witness is preparing to testify he/she raises their right hand and proclaims  "I Solemnly swear, to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth, so help me God." Should it be found that the testifying witness did not tell the truth, they could be convicted of perjury and go to jail.

Gossip was once considered an ugly and distasteful form of communication, both in and out of the work environment. Today, it's been replaced with uninformed babble with a touch of outrage and threatening or accusatory language. For example, if you happen to believe that all lives matter, you're a racist. If you believe we should protect the environment, you're a wacko leftist. Both subjects have substantial room for conversation, fact-finding, dialogue, and healthy debate but we never seem to get to that level of communication. People would rather scream at each other or worse, remain silent in an effort to not offend.

The result is, we have become intellectual pygmies, not willing to find or defend truth or listen to other points of view.

There is a desperate need for truth, facts, and authoritative back up to support emotional claims. We've all heard there are two things you should never talk about,  Politics or Religion. Why? Because most of the time those subjects are littered with emotional opinions which causes arguments, hard feelings, and even broken relationships. I will use one of the two 'never talk about" subjects to make my point.

 The other day a person wanted to express to me his opinion on what happens after a person dies. The subject of religion ensued and this person made a few well-used statements. "I believe there are many different ways to heaven after a person dies. Not just one way" or "The Bible is written by a bunch of men and is full of contradiction". When responding with sincere curiosity and inquiry I asked "what is the source or authority you use for saying that?" This person (like many) replied, 'Well, that's just the way I feel". Those types of answers are based on uninformed opinion and are typical when people are trying to make a case for politics, religion, climate change, or a host of other subjects where "that's the way I feel" is somehow a get out of jail free card that excuses the person from offering intellectual facts. We have become a brain dead society.

The definition of TRUTH: "that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality"

For many years now, I have propounded to business leaders that they "educate" not just train their employees. Primarily because our institutional education systems have failed us, and parents are woefully ignorant on matters most important for living and human flourishing.

We have generations coming up who will be responsible for every aspect of society, and they themselves do not understand

> Different economic systems. The pros and cons of each

> Basic financial management principles

> Moral or ethical standards and where they originate

> History

> Civic law and civic responsibility

> Religion..Their origin and individual claims

> Consequences for actions taken by individuals and/or organizations

So why should business leaders take on this role of educating what people should already know, but don't? Because no one else has the platform you have to educate people about issues affecting the real world. Your employees should be schooled in these subjects to prepare them to make informed decisions to guide your organization in the future.

I'm familiar with organizations that schedule communication meetings at least quarterly with employees to inform them of the status of the organization and give product/ service knowledge. But these organizations need to expand those meeting agendas to discuss some of the above-mentioned topics along with current events and the impact those events might have on your organization.

My counsel to managers over the years on communicating is simple.

1. Tell it all

2. Tell it your self

3. Tell it now

We truly are in danger of losing the foundation of the greatest human experiment in history, the U.S.A. 

Why? Because we have strayed away from Truth.

 Set the ground rules in your information meetings for presenters and attendees which includes a) all opinions are welcome, b) they should be backed up with "fact".

First, tell the Truth, then give your opinion so that as an organization and country we can.....

Finish Well

Success Post Covid-19 - "The Hustle"

"If you don't have a crisis, create one". That was a suggestion by one of the TQM gurus in the 80s to American businesses who had lost market share and lost revenue because they'd become lazy and complacent in how they ran their business. The strategy behind uttering  such a statement, of course, was to create a sense of urgency to cause action, facilitate behavior change among the timid or indecisive.

“Out of Crisis" was written by Dr. Edward Deming in 1982. Deming was considered the father of the quality movement along with other organizational and business thinkers like Juran, Crosby, Feigenbaum who introduced systems, philosophies, and techniques which was the nexus for  "change management". This movement grew in the ’80s and 90s because American business became desperate to regain market share and quality they had forfeited to other countries, primarily Japan.

In 2020, businesses and individuals do not need to create a crisis, we have been living one for the past 2 months. We have been confronted in the past 8 weeks with Illness, death, fear, loss of freedom, loss of relationships loss of income loss of identity, and yes, loss of businesses.

As the world prepares to re-open for business, each of us will be presented with unique opportunities and challenges going forward. While news reports continue to peddle daily gloom and doom, the dynamics created by this crisis will require careful observation and preparation for those organizations and individuals who want to navigate successfully through a new reality. Since I began my career in the Change Management arena I've described to my clients the 3 types of people who make up every organization...i.e. Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wondered what happened.

Observe going forward those trends that we have/are experiencing which will be the basis for ongoing change that will require you or your business to become increasingly nimble personally and professionally. Leaders, pay close attention to the following as it will impact your business.

Ø  We’ve experienced this fact, governments can totally control a population with “fear”.

Ø   That communication through the internet or cable TV can persuade people to action or inaction based on their political point of view. 

Ø  That dancing with the devil (the Chinese Communist government) will lead to a destructive outcome.

Ø  Lawsuits will run rampant by opportunist

Ø  Buying “cheap” is a false economy

Ø  Living for today is a terrible long term plan

                               Some harsh realities going forward from this pandemic.

1.     There will be many who will live in fear until there is a vaccine or the news and social media outlets tells them it's ok to go outside and live life again.

2.     Businesses and people who have not managed their money, resources, or life properly may never recover.

3.   A new psyche will develop by some who will expect the government or organization to take care of them. They will demand that they are paid to stay at home until it’s safe. This will lead to new government regulations and an increased burden on business.

4.     Inflation will accelerate in the coming years. Printing money by governments and shortages have and will create monetary difficulties in the days ahead.

5.     Some jobs will never come back. A recent study suggests as many as 40% of jobs will be lost forever.

6.     We will all learn what “essential” jobs are.  You can be replaced or eliminated.

7. New partnerships will emerge because of devastating supply chain breakdowns or breakups.

                                       So, where are the opportunities?

Some of the greatest examples of wealth and growth came during the great depression and there will be again. In a short phrase "It's all about the hustle!"

This is not an exhaustive list, but some for your consideration.

1.  The Hustle...Pay close attention to the negative items listed above. Adjust strategies as you observe movement in any of them.

2. The Hustle... Weak balance sheets and lack of financial discipline of the past will drive many out of business. Be prepared to fill the void. Acquire new companies, start a new business to meet the changing demand. This is a great opportunity for starting that business you've always wanted to start!

3. The Hustle...Develop a tireless "entrepreneurial" mindset, in yourself and those employees whom you choose to keep and partner with you. Entrepreneurs are "risk-takers" and will be more important in our present world filled with those who are risk-averse.

4. The Hustle..This is no time to go soft. For years I've talked of building an organization with employees who "add value".  The crisis we are experiencing will force businesses to eliminate former HR thinking. Having people on the payroll because they have "seniority" will be a thing of the past. Elimination and amalgamation of the workforce will be the strategy in the new business reality.

5. The Hustle... Be positive in everything you do. We've all been tirelessly bombarded with negativity for 8 weeks. Whether your a waitress or restaurant owner, you must instill a cheerful positive approach to your job, your business, and your customers. Work harder than you've ever worked before with a pleasant outlook. You're lucky to have a job, demonstrate that with humility and gratitude.

6. The Hustle...Develop and foster new relationships that will support your business with the same values, mindset, and hustle you have. For my international readers,(especially those in former soviet block nations) this is a golden opportunity to become dependable and reliable suppliers to business in Western markets. The supply chain for the future will change..Get ready for it. It will require getting your act together locally by shunning the old bureaucratic practices of the past. Engage with your local business, government, and political leaders to take advantage of some tremendous opportunities that will soon be just around the corner. Places like India, Vietnam, etc. have a head start on you, but you can make inroads if you hustle now.

Who would have thought we would pine for the “good ole days” referring to 2019? Parts of the good ole days may come back eventually, but not all of it and certainly not the way we approach business, customers, and relationships.

Dust off your old change management books, find a person who can guide you through the new reality.. Keep your head up, be positive, display a sense of urgency (not panic), and…

Finish Well

So, Think You're Free? In Control?

23 years ago things were going well in my life. I had begun my business several years prior and things were moving along nicely.  I was preparing to take another overseas business trip, this time to Pakistan, my bank account was growing and I felt I was beginning to make a difference as an international business consultant. I had life pretty well under control and I was free.

Then, I had a heart attack.

Suddenly, without warning, my life was at a standstill. My life seemed out of my control. I had never experienced a health issue of this magnitude and had no comprehension of what my future was going to look like should I survive. Sitting in the ER I was bewildered by my circumstances as I watched health professionals working fervently on my behalf to keep me alive. Lying helplessly on the gurney which they wheeled me into the room on, I was poked with needles, tubes inserted and wires strategically attached to my body. I do, however, have a vivid recall of two thoughts racing through my mind during this terrifying event which had invaded my body and was altering my life without my permission.

1.     There is nothing I can do to remedy this situation. No amount of positive thinking, money, influence, title or sheer personal will is going to keep me alive if this is my day to die.

2.     When I close my eyes as they transfer me to the operating room, the next time I open them I may be face to face with the creator of the universe. I ask myself "am I ready for that?" What would be my answer?

Fast forward April 2020. Today along with you, my life has been altered again by circumstances that are completely out of my control. Like you, I'm at a standstill. Our freedom to move around has been restricted, government officials instruct us on how close we can stand from each other, when (or if) they permit us to leave our homes, how many people we can meet with at any given time. Our economies are being shattered, people are without jobs, bank accounts and 401K's are decimated and we have no comprehension of what the future holds. At this point, we don't have a picture of when this will end and what life, finances or our business will look like should we survive. We grieve for those who have lost loved ones to this deadly virus and scared of death it's self as we consider our mortality. We do know one thing, life will never be the same again.

Generally, I'm a positive guy and do believe there are freedoms we still have, which you hear repeated day after day i.e. protect yourself, be kind to others and watch out for others, get some exercise, don't eat or drink too much, wash your hands cover your mouth blah, blah, blah blah. I do appreciate the encouraging words that tell us we'll come out of this stronger than ever. These are good and proper warnings, but I’ve learned not to hypnotize myself with Pollyannish platitudes. As I've mentioned in my recent blog articles, we are living during times that require serious reflections.

In our western culture, we have always been inspired by and have celebrated self-reliance and a "can do" attitude. This spirit of individualism is wonderful and there is nothing wrong with that mindset unless you let a good thing become the ultimate thing. During my sessions on personal behavior and leadership styles, I refer to the fact that "a strength overused becomes a weakness". Too often our self-programming can travel from self-improvement to self-centeredness and can morph into if you will, creating a self god.  I offer the following examples of the programming we are exposed to. Hear the pronouns that make my point.

> William Ernest Henley said in his poem Invictus (meaning unconquerable), “It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll. I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” Being the captain of your soul is the ultimate goal in life.

> Thousands of little girls sing with passion along with Elsa in the movie Frozen, the refrain "Let it Go" which includes the line "No right, no wrong, no rules for me I'm free!"

> Or, like Frank Sinatra who thumbed his nose and said: "I did it my way".

>Consider also the pious so-called religious leaders who make millions of dollars in book sales by telling us that the key to being successful, becoming wealthy and happy is all a product of your thinking. It's about you! Discover how wonderful YOU are!

To my shame and embarrassment, too often in my life, I have succumbed to those voices of the world and to their programming messages. Most people don't really think they are selfish or self-absorbed, but we are. In our private thoughts, we know we are, but unwilling to acknowledge it to our selves and certainly not to others.

 Just two years prior to my heart attack, I experienced a different life circumstances which left me totally and completely out of control. I discovered that just about everything I thought important such as family, friends, wealth, health, position, titles, pleasures, hobbies, religion were just "stuff"which could never fulfill me. I had made good things, ultimate things. I also discovered those objects vying for my attention (which at the time appeared so necessary) would at some point in my life leave me or disappoint me.

However, by the Grace of God my life was truly interrupted. I had been a marginal churchgoer and believed in this person called Jesus, but the fact is, I was an "unconverted believer". Now some skeptics reading this will say "Oh, he got religion". But I'm not talking religion. Organized religion was (is) often rituals, rules, and regulations.  What I got, was a person and with that person a different mind-set when He invaded my body. No longer was "me" the center of my desires, but Him.

"The Lord says: Let not the wise man bask in his wisdom, nor the mighty man in his might, nor the rich man in his riches. Let them boast in this alone: That they truly know me, and understand that I am the Lord of justice and righteousness whose Love is steadfast: and that I love to be this way."Jeremiah 9:23-24 Living Bible (TLB)

I understand this is a business blog. But as a leader and a business professional can I separate the core of who and what I am from my business life? C.S. Lewis said, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” I've personally found this to be the case as now I see business, finances, family and yes COVID-19 through a different lens. As a famous guy said, "I once was blind but now I see".

I know some really good professionals, who are really nice people, but they are missing the mark. They sense that something isn't right.

So, as is my custom in these blog articles, let me offer a few suggestions for your consideration while you are isolated from your routine and you have some time to fill.

A)    Think..........This is what they call Holy week. What does that mean to you? What actually took place on Good Friday and why? What is the purpose of Easter Sunday? Little bunnies and eggs or something different? What relevance does Good Friday have on your life?

B)     What do you have in your life that if taken away, would almost destroy you? What is the most important thing to you in life?

C)    This is a great opportunity to read the book of John (yes the whole book) in the New Testament. As you read, consider the implication of those words to you personally. As you read, look for you in the chapters and then look at how God delivers good news in the midst of life circumstances.

So, let's end this little article where we began.

Do you have freedom?.....Yes! it's called Free Choice...Choose wisely

"What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" Matthew 16:26 NIV

We will emerge from this pandemic someday..Soon I hope... and when we do I pray we all

Finish Well