The Right Way Works! - jeff korhan

Green Industry Selling the Right Way

Today I gave a presentation to a group of down-to-earth green industry professionals at the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association Winter Seminar.  It's always fun to help people grow their business, but it was an especially enjoyable day for me because it was an ILCA event just like this one nearly 20 years ago where my eyes were opened to the professionalism shared by other peers when I started my landscape business.  Not many of those folks were here today, but the next generation is moving up, and that is exciting to see the enthusiasm continue to grow.

Now that the 'going green' thing - or whatever we are calling this wave of green awareness over the last few years is reaching a crescendo, I'm already hearing talk that ... this too will pass.  That may be true to some extent, but not as far as this industry is concerned.  I received an education myself today that the quality and caliber of green industry individuals, as well as the quality of projects they are producing, is continuing to rise to new levels -- including sound eco-systems that are evidently de-rigeur in certain municipalities.

The topic for the day was Selling The Right Way.  Interesting to me to work together on this with a group of ecologists, arborists, and landscape architects.  And why not?  As we discussed today, sales is only helping people to get exactly what they want - the best overall complement of value - as defined by a whole new set of parameters in our increasingly professional industry.  I wish them all well!

Right Actions - Get Out of the (Twilight) Zone

I remember this Twilight Zone episode where a box is delivered to a couple that lives in cramped, one bedroom apartment.  A note explains that if they unlock the box and push the button, someone they don’t know will die and they will receive $200,000. (I guess that was a lot of money back then!)  Anyway, they anguish over this for days until finally, they push the button.  Sure enough, a man delivers $200,000 and takes the box back.  What now happens to the box, they ask?  The man calmly responds that it will be reprogrammed and the same offer will be made to another couple. -- Oops!

Imagine if we made choices based upon complete information about the consequences of our actions?  How could you possibly make the wrong choice?  The environmental issues we face today, as an example, would not exist.  The best part of taking the high road is your actions are sustainable.  You don't need to worry - like the couple that pushed the button probably did!  That's how life works.  There is an energy that works to sustain those actions that are in the best interest of everyone.  It's a simple formula to comprehend.  We just have to challenge ourselves - to remind ourselves - to listen to that voice inside that helps us with the proper execution.

 

 

The Green Thread - It Works!

Everybody seems to be talking about green these days.  What does it really mean to be green?  Well, start by just looking around.  Green is the most predominant color in the universe- and therefore, it is an overriding energy that connects all of us.  From basis physics we all learned colors vibrate at different frequencies - and therefore have different energies.  So you could say there is a green 'thread' that connects all of us - an energy that we all share.  Does this sound too 'woo-woo?'   If you spend any time in nature at all you know it energizes you - it gives you creative thoughts - it nourishes you.  I just can't believe this is an accidental thing. 

We ARE creatures of nature and when we become more aware of that we realize green is about awareness.  It's about who we are, what we do during our short time on this planet, and why we are doing it.  Green is the awareness that we have a responsibility to ourselves and everyone that is connected to us, which is why the current green movement to save the planet may just work.  The trick may just be all of us making the effort to maintain the connection and not break that thread.  It can work!

When Something's Not Right its Wrong

It occurred to me today that when you work on fixing what is not rightfully your responsibility, you are doing the wrong thing.  Why?  Because your time and talent and energy should be focused on doing the right thing.  It reminded me of the verse from Bob Dylan's You're Gonna Make Lonesome When You Go - "when something is not right its wrong!"

So what's wrong?  It's wrong, for example, to expect others to clean up your mess.   While we can't possibly finish the job, we baby boomers have a responsibility to leave this planet in a better condition than it appears to be presently heading.  It would be wrong to expect our children to fix what's already broken.  We have to do the right thing for them.

This brings me to the genesis of my thought.  Today a customer asked me to fix a condition that pre-existed my company's work on a project.  I used to do this - and at no charge.  Why not, I reasoned, I'm already there and it's not worth debating.  This all saved me from confronting the reality that I was cleaning up someone else's mess in the name of "customer service."  It was a convenient lie I fed myself.  Unfortunately, I've come to realize this isn't how the universe works.  It only creates a low state of consciousness. It's not the proper resolution, unless you're in the charity business, which I'm not.  And even charities work for a specific purpose or reason.

When you take on responsibilities that aren't rightfully yours, you feel compromised.  You owe it to yourself, your company, and your customer to do the right thing.  When we all do this, responsibility and accountability all fall into the right places and then the whole system is lifted up because now we are all working for the right reasons - we're all being true to ourselves and not feeling that low state of making the wrong choice.  Right choices are grounded in the right reasons - which is why they deliver the right results!

What Matters is What's Right

The Dalai Lama recently visited the Chicago area and suggested that we all let go of anger, hatred, and all of those things that don't matter.  I couldn't agree more.  Destructive emotions and the pursuit of things that don't matter get in the way of living in a way that works for us.  This morning I remembered his words and averted a melt-down while trying unsuccessfully to register online for a conference because the system wouldn't accept my user ID and password.  "Why can't they just keep things simple, I thought!"  Then I realized it didn't matter that I register today and I'll do it another day when I have more time. 

What does matter?  What matters is what's right.  This is important in life and in business.  If you aren't clear about your personal mission in life, how can you work congruently for the mission of your employer?  I am, of course,  presuming your company has a clear mission - you know, what they believe in and promise their customers.  If you don't give much thought to what matters to you, it's difficult for you to attract the right customers.  This is vital if you are going to "make that cash register ring."  The marketplace rewards clear purpose becauses customers align themselves with those companies and their people that will take them where they want to go - help them have what they want to have - and do what they want to do.

The right thing - what matters - is what's right for everyone involved in any transaction, whether that transaction is personal or commercial.  We engage and build relationships with people that understand us and share our views and beliefs with how things should be.  We can't expect to align ourselves with everyone, only those that share our views and beliefs about what's right.  Taking this concept a step further, the Dalai Lama also points out that all religions matter because "just as we all need different medicines to be healthy, we need different views."  It seems clear that what matters most is first what's right for you, then what's right for everyone you live and work with, including your customers.  We all know that when everything works it has to be right! 

Entertain Your Market

Having commented previously about American Idol, I just have to weigh in on the Sanjaya debate.  First, with all due respect to Simon - It's not a singing contest!  While a given amount of talent is necessary, that is not what makes the difference.  This show is about marketing yourself to an audience.  It's about marketing - and marketing is, among other things, about being likeable.  I say kudos to this kid for being original, especially considering this is the most unoriginal group we've seen to date. 

The misunderstanding is the singing is the product.  It isn't.  This is about being someone the audience can relate to and to some extent, wants to be like.  Who doesn't want to let their hair down (or whatever in Sanjaya's case) and and get crazy once in a while?   Who doesn't want to prove the naysayers wrong? 

Isn't American Idol supposed to be a "reality show."  This IS reality!  You can't have a reality show with rules.  What Sanjaya has proved is you can beat the system by following your true nature.  I say good for him and I hope he goes as far as he can with this.  He is giving all of us a great lesson - be yourself, have fun, and don't worry about what anyone else says.   The marketplace is obviously saying they agree.

One Team - Five Promises

I was very impressed with coach Pat Summit's simple formula that enabled her Lady Vols to easily prevail over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights for the Women's National Basketball Championship.  Coach Summit focused each player's attention on one thing - one quality that happened to be their unique contribution to the success of the team.  She didn't have them focus on the obvious - on scoring, or defense or the logical aspects of winning the game --  but on one subtle, yet uniquely valuable quality that each player brings to the mix.   While I cannot recall the complete list that was briefly flashed on ESPN last night, one player was  asked to be the 'voice' of the team during the competition.

Why is this concept so effective?  It honors the true nature of each player as a unique contributor first, and a team member second.  Each player is accountable first to themselves to express their talents to the the limit of their capabilities.  Then the result is a team that is almost certain of being a success.  You can't have a unified effort  - one in which everyone succeeds together, if the contributors aren't being congruent with who they are.  Pat Summit made her five starters aware of that.  The result was a uniquely and synergistically balanced effort that happened to result in a national championship.      

 

Natural Productivity- Take a Stone off the Path

Last month I spoke to an organization on the topic of stress and change.  I was surprised at the range of responses I received in the evaluations.  Many of the audience members embraced my message, while others commented the discussion was too high level and didn't provide pragmatic solutions.  In other words, they believed I missed the mark.  After a weekend of discerning thought, I've come to realize they were all accurate representations. 

You see, our thoughts are colored by our past experiences, which shape our responses to circumstances and situations.  When we get comfortable with that, life becomes a lot less stressful.   We know what we know, yet we have to remind ourselves that what we don't know is likely the solution to our current situation.  So the solutions to our problems and desires are right here - right now - but they are disguised from us.  They are right within our reach if we can change our patterns of thinking - which is easier said than done.  Why should you change what helped you acquire the skills that now serve you?  These 'pathways to productivity' both serve us and blind us to future productivity.  Before long we discover there are obstacles - stones on the path that seem to get in the way of where we are going.

What's the solution?  Soak up life with eager anticipation and awareness.  Delight in everything that comes your way on your path, whether you see it as a gift or a curse - because in most cases it is both.  What seems like a gift today may hold you back in the future if you lean on it too much.  Our natural evolution as fully functioning human beings is to learn at every turn so that we can achieve our full potential.  When you take this approach you accept the highs and the lows as ripples in your natural path to becoming more productive and effective in whatever it is you value in this lifetime.  We are all 'wired' differently.  A step by step approach that bores the heck out of some of us that resist structure, may well be the magic formula that leads to breakthrough productity - naturally - for a co-worker that is looking for reliable path to follow. We are all right in our beliefs, especially when they naturally lead to positive results.  The key is to keep looking - make sure you are on the right path - and if you are, don't worry about a few stones that get in the way.  Toss them aside and keep moving forward!

It's Been Fun Doing Business with You!

We often hear that today you need to be easy to do business with.  Some companies do indeed make business difficult.  As crazy as this seems, they actually get in their own way of consummating a transaction.  They seem to doubt the value of their offerings.  But is being easy to do business with enough?  Many companies will gladly take your money - and some do this with a gracious smile.  What if they make you laugh so much you practically forget you are spending your money?

One of my clients once commented, "Why do you think they call it work!"  Yes, work takes effort - that is why they call it work.  Yet, you can create a fun environment in which everyone is having a good time --  naturally drawing everyone together and attracting the right customers for you.  While they may not say it, your customers will be thinking - "It's been fun doing business with you!"

Read the papers and tell me you wouldn't appreciate more opportunities for unexpected fun in your day to day activities.  We are surrounded by problems - the media keeps reminding us of that!  Why not take the initiative to project the opposite - "Hey, no problem here".  It's refreshing to be greeted with contagious energy that sends you on your way feeling a little lighter and upbeat!  That's what I'm looking for.  Yesterday and today I've had several nice conversations with clients and prospects.  We had some laughs and honestly I feel good about getting hired as a result.  If you are going to hire someone anyway, why not the guy or gal that makes you laugh?

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz is lamenting the erosion of the 'romance and theatre'  that created the Starbucks experience.  I must admit that while it has evidently been on the menu a while, I just noticed their Egg McMuffin-like creation, which along with drive-throughs and automated espresso machines, suggests "fast food" - hardly the experience that made me and millions more avid Starbucks fans.

Mr. Schultz is astutely recognizing that people buy with all of their senses - making intuitive decisions with their body-minds.  It's a fact that our bodies interpret numberless influences from our environment and run those through our minds - the software - that checks them against countless memories and desires.  The result is the 'gut' decision that is frequently more accurate than the logical one.  Of course, we are able to override these internal signals, which is why it takes time for the brand to both erode and grow in the first place.  Yet, at some point we make a new decision to go in a new direction.

I love the 'romance and theatre' word choice.  How do you get to that level with your business?  You recognize it's the small things that make a big difference because they all add up to that multi-sensory experience that either works or doesn't.   I predict Starbucks will make things right because the most important factor is having the awareness in the first place.  That accomplished, you always need to reevaluate the current environment and reconcile your companies place in it with respect to your customers buying behavior - which is a shaped by memories and desires.  You have to go beyond products and services to the true nature of your customer if you are to understand why they buy and how to attract more folks like them.