A simple way to understand strategy
Strategy is a hard concept to digest, especially for stayed institutions that have seen past success but have reached a growth plateau. New competitors are coming in, the organization has started to move slower, and sales are anything but impressive. They’re surviving, but not flourishing. Often, the first step is to refresh the “organizational strategy”. This comes in the form of a series of meetings, where high-level, lofty aspirations are put to paper, and then delivered to the rest of the organization. Then – well, not much other than a series of new initiatives, which barely move the needle. The problem is, we misunderstand what strategy is. Today, we’re going to give you an easy example to use. You own a bar and grill. You have patronage, but want to grow. You want more customers coming through the door. So you might start with marketing – hiring an ad agency or a freelancer to come up with a promotional campaign. For the short term, it brings in a few folks, but nothing revolutionary. So you change it up – you turn to your existing customers, asking them what they need and what they’d like to see. Their input provides a few new food item ideas, which you add to the menu. You sell a few, but it isn’t a big draw. They suggest adding a variety of features, such as pool tables, a dance floor, karaoke, and bands on weekends. You can’t afford all those things, so you just pick the ones which are within your budget. Again, nothing really changes. Now you have a hodgepodge of things in a business that’s everything and nothing at the same time. Here’s the issue: There’s no strategy. Strategy is defining (in this scenario) whom you want to cater to, and how you’ll stand out from the other bar and grills in the area. So where do you begin? First, define whom you want to cater to. The high-end, elite crowd? The business customer? Blue-collar folks? What audience you pick depends on a few things – where you’re located (surrounding population/business opportunity), and what you’re good at (if you have a full, experienced kitchen or just a small prep area), for example. Now, how are you going to compete and stand out in a way that distinct and unique? This is the second half of strategy – defining who you are. Whom you cater to and “who you are” need to align. It’s obvious that folks coming off a second-shift assembly line won’t care about canapes. But here’s the key – you have to not just define who you are, but determine how you’ll stand out in a way that resonates with your target audience. What makes you different from the other 12 competitors in a 2-mile radius? How will you position the business that makes it distinct? (This doesn’t mean the basics, like having TVs in a Sports Bar. That’s the requirement to be a Sports Bar.) It means doing something unique – something that stands out and is memorable, relevant, and congruent. In this scenario, it might be a catchy theme or vibe you create that makes you different. Or it could be having the most diverse beer selection in town. What matters is that it stands out in a way that connects with your target audience. With these two initial elements, the rest will begin to fall into place – the food menu, the drink menu, the atmosphere, prices, and entertainment – all should follow your audience and differentiation focus. After that, you can continue to refine all the things you offer as you get customer feedback. And that’s the difference – established companies want to first focus on new products and/or services to change their growth trajectory. Yet, they often don’t really know whom they’re targeting (instead, pursuing anyone and everyone) and they don’t really know how to stand out and differentiate (instead, doing the same things their competitors are doing). So before diving into what new things to add, begin with defining your target audience and your unique approach to differentiation. That framework will help determine what you actually need, and more importantly, what you don’t. About the Author Andrea Belk Olson is a keynote speaker, author, differentiation strategist, behavioral scientist, and customer-centricity expert. As the CEO of Pragmadik, she helps organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to Fortune 500, and has served as an outside consultant for EY and McKinsey. Andrea is the author of three books, including her most recent, What To Ask: How To Learn What Customers Need but Don’t Tell You, released in June 2022. She is a 4-time ADDY® award winner and host of the popular Customer Mission podcast. Her thoughts have been continually featured in news sources such as Chief Executive Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, Harvard Business Review, Rotman Magazine, World Economic Forum, and more. Andrea is a sought-after speaker at conferences and corporate events throughout the world. She is a visiting lecturer and startup coach at the University of Iowa, a TEDx presenter, and TEDx speaker coach. She is also an instructor at the University of Iowa Venture School. More information is also available on www.pragmadik.com and www.andreabelkolson.com.
Why organizations lie to themselves
As a leader, one of the jobs you have is to identify organizational gaps. Whether it be operational, resource-based, process-centric, or sales-driven. But what happens when you overlook or completely dismiss gaps that you know exist? Some might say that’s negligence, but the real question is, what’s the cause of that negligence? Is it laziness? Ignorance? Or avoidance? We all know (especially if you are on the front lines) of problems within our organizations where there are risks of failure or collapse (just consider the recent debacle with Southwest Airlines). We’re not talking about high-level sales trends or the entrance of new competitors, but the nuts and bolts of the company. However, leaders are often either intimidated, already overwhelmed, or don’t feel these problems are of high-level importance. For instance, here are two frequently seen examples: The same process has been in place and executed by the same person for many years – others have only a vague idea about the details of that process until the person retires. A legacy system has been spitting reports faithfully until one day they break after a seemingly unrelated change. A developer has to read the code to figure out what it is that the report cannot handle, since the rules behind the report became so obscure that nobody can remember them anymore and/or went undocumented for years. Why are these two examples important? First, the legacy process in place is a “one point of failure”. Depending on the area or department, workflows could completely grind to a halt once the individual retirees. Second, the legacy system falls in the same category, but also impacts effective decision-making, and likely isn’t the only “legacy system” patched together by band-aids and twist-ties. These are complicated problems. They have far-reaching implications. It’s far easier to train one person to handle a process when the retiree leaves. It’s far easier to simply have one person fix the report-generating system and move on to the next thing. But these systemic problems aren’t something that leaders should push to the bottom of the list, cover-up, or park indefinitely. The reality is, we do it every day and tell ourselves everything will be ok – until it’s not. Why do we lie to ourselves as organizations about these types of issues? In short, it’s not because they are unknown, or that they are unfixable. There are usually softer, more abstract reasons why they aren’t tackled: 1. There’s No Owner and/or No One Wants To Own It 2. There’s an Embedded Culture of Avoiding or Hiding Anything which could be perceived as Negative 3. There’s an Internal Perception (or reality) Where Issues or Problems are Assigned Blame to an Individual or Department 4. There’s a Perception the Cost to Fix it is Uneconomical and/or Will Take too Long to See a Benefit and/or Too Big to Tackle (when it’s not actually reality) 5. There’s a perception that it’s not Really a Problem, that Employees are Being Overly Dramatic, are Seeing the Problem as Bigger than it is, or are simply inefficient 6. There are Some Manufactured Internal Optics where if the Problem is Addressed, it will have Downstream Internal Political Ramifications 7. There’s a Hope that the Problem Won’t Come to a Head Until after You Leave the Company or Retire These are all avoidance behaviors and culturally-driven causes – not monetary, not process, not a resource, and not skillset issues. And these causes of inaction are completely and totally changeable. As leaders, we need to be drivers of change, and set an example – avoiding problems encourages your team to do the same. If unsexy, difficult, complex, and simply un-fun problems are consistently hidden or avoided, you’re not really being a leader or leading the organization. Smart leaders aren’t afraid, to be honest about hard truths, and understand that the most difficult topics and conversations, especially about organizational issues or problems, are the most important ones to address. All of the above are smoke signals of potential failure. But when you ignore these signals, it’s only a matter of time before they manifest into a reality that is catastrophic. It’s essential that leaders remove the rose-colored glasses and face the realities of what’s working well and what isn’t working well within the business, and place honesty on the table for all to see. Only then can a clear plan of action be created to correct it, and prevent the inevitable. About the Author Andrea Belk Olson is a keynote speaker, author, differentiation strategist, behavioral scientist, and customer-centricity expert. As the CEO of Pragmadik, she helps organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to Fortune 500, and has served as an outside consultant for EY and McKinsey. Andrea is the author of three books, including her most recent, What To Ask: How To Learn What Customers Need but Don’t Tell You, released in June 2022. She is a 4-time ADDY® award winner and host of the popular Customer Mission podcast. Her thoughts have been continually featured in news sources such as Chief Executive Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, Harvard Business Review, Rotman Magazine, World Economic Forum, and more. Andrea is a sought-after speaker at conferences and corporate events throughout the world. She is a visiting lecturer and startup coach at the University of Iowa, a TEDx presenter, and TEDx speaker coach. She is also an instructor at the University of Iowa Venture School. More information is also available on www.pragmadik.com and www.andreabelkolson.com.
February Gordon Report a new series: “You Can’t Click for Brains”
This new series explores the consequences of failing to recognize that maintaining and advancing computer technology is dependent upon raising the education and skill levels of more Americans. The widespread illusion that your electronic device provides all the data or answers you will ever need is causing many to question the value of obtaining a good education, when, in fact, it is human intelligence that produces technological innovation. If education falters, so eventually will technology. Part I: “A Ticket to Nowhere” Claudia Chacon’s two boys attend Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. While they get good grades in English and math on their report cards, she was chagrined to learn that neither of them met grade-level standards in these subjects on California’s state-wide achievement tests. She is worried that their report cards inflate what they actually have learned. Claudia thinks that her sons aren’t fully prepared for college or any other type of post-secondary learning. Rather than equipping them for the future are they in fact being given a ticket to nowhere? The Los Angeles Times compared district-wide spring 2022 grades in the city with the results of California’s Smarted Balanced test scores. These findings were reported in a December 22, 2022, article: 73% of 11th-graders received grades of A, B, or C in math; only 19% tested at grade level. 79% of 8th-graders received grades of A. B, or C in math; only 23% tested at grade level. 85% of 6th-graders received grades of A, B, or C in English; only 40% tested at grade level. 82% of 7th-graders received grades of A. B. or C in English, and only 43% tested at grade level. It appears that report card grades are a smokescreen hiding serious gaps in student learning skills and knowledge. Los Angeles it not an outlier; grade inflation is rampant throughout the United States. Social promotion or advancing students by age rather than through achieving appropriate grade-level academic attainment has become common in U.S. elementary and secondary schools. What does this mean for the overall state of education across America? Our public and private schools are central to developing the critical education mass need to support the skill demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. A Persisting Problem Forty years ago, President Ronald Reagan’s administration produced a report entitled “The Nation at Risk.” It warned that U.S. schooling was producing “a rising tide of mediocrity.” Has anything really changed? Since 1990 the U.S. Department of Education has conducted the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) commonly called the Nation’s Report Card. It tests 4th, 8th, and 12th grade students in core academic subjects at 13,600 public and private schools in all 50 states. From 1990 to 2022 most student test scores have been flat or rising very slowly. In reading and math, only 33 to 37 percent of U.S. students are at or above their appropriate grade level. This means that about 66 percent of students are not meeting grade-level standards in reading and math. This was true even before COVID-19 closed most schools across the nation. The 2022 NAEP testing of 4th and 8th graders in reading and math showed scores declined in both subjects at both grade levels. A Stanford University report estimated that learning losses could lower current students’ income over their lifetime by as much as 6 percent. All of these test results indicate that a significant proportion of U.S. students are not equipped for success in any type of post-secondary education including certificate or apprenticeship programs, and 2- or 4-year college degrees. Annually about 67 percent of high school graduates enroll in these programs However, only about 33 percent graduate. Higher Education Dysfunction Our colleges and universities are facing a demographic decline in the number of students at the traditional age for beginning college studies. Therefore, the competition to enroll and retain students has become more intense especially because federal funding is linked to enrollment in credit-earning courses. For the past 40 years, most colleges and universities offered remedial reading, writing, and math programs to help poorly prepared students gain the skill levels needed for the successful completion of college-credit courses. As federal funding does not cover remedial courses, some institutions have curtailed or eliminated them which means that such students are now immediately enrolled in credit courses. Our informal survey of college professors across the country indicates that many of these students are failing in entry-level courses. Often college administrators are pressuring professors to pass the students with a D-grade so they continue to pursue studies at that institution. Also, courses are being dumbed down due to skill deficiencies. What We Face Today and Tomorrow The degrading of educational standards at the K-12 and post-secondary levels is having profound consequences. Employers in many types of industries are reporting that finding people with the skills needed to fill their vacant jobs is their greatest problem. At the same time, there is a significant number of people aged 18 to 65 who are not employed or seeking employment. Often in localities where the unemployment level is high, there is an elevated level of criminal activity. Better education of students and training in the workplace is not a total solution to these issues. However, people with poor educational preparation or no opportunity to be retrained with the skills needed for new technologies often give up hope for a better future. In his seminal book, Future Shock, Allen Toffler warned us about this problem. He predicted that the hardest part of adapting to major technological change will be a societal acceptance of the need for higher educational standards. We have now reached that crossroads. About the Author: Edward E. Gordon is the founder and president of Imperial Consulting Corporation in Chicago. His firm’s clients have included companies of all sizes from small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations, U.S. government agencies, state governments, and professional/trade associations. He taught in higher education for 20 years and is the author of numerous books and articles. More information on his background
Secretary Mike Pompeo addresses Wholesale Distribution Industry at Executive Summit 2023
Secretary Pompeo joined NAW’s CEO Eric Hoplin for a fireside chat The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) today announced that Secretary Mike Pompeo and NAW CEO Eric Hoplin sat down for a fireside chat at Executive Summit 2023– the premiere event for the wholesale distribution industry. “It was an honor to host Secretary Pompeo for a fireside chat at Executive Summit 2023,” said NAW CEO Eric Hoplin. “We enjoyed hearing about his years spent as a public servant, but we also appreciate hearing about his time as a businessman and leading two manufacturing companies. We learned a great deal from Secretary Pompeo’s experience as we discussed the global and domestic challenges that are impacting the wholesale distribution industry,” concluded Hoplin. “Wholesaler-distributors are essential to the US economy and keep our supply chain safe and operational,” said Mike Pompeo. “It was great to sit down with Eric and other leaders from the industry to hear more about the issues they are facing and learn how we can best support this vital industry,” concluded Pompeo. Each year, the wholesale distribution industry gathers in Washington, DC for NAW’s Executive Summit to hear from top executives and thought leaders from across the industry on topics such as innovation, supply chain visibility, profitable growth strategies, regulation, the economy, branding, and the value in investing in a happy workforce. NAW is one of America’s leading trade associations, representing the $8.1 trillion wholesale distribution industry. Founded in 1946, NAW is comprised of national, regional, and state employers of all sizes, industry trade associations, partners, and stakeholders spanning all sectors of distribution. Our industry employs more than 6 million workers throughout the United States and accounts for 1/3 of the U.S. GDP. There are 35,000 wholesale distribution companies that operate in nearly 150,000 places of business across North America, including all 50 states. NAW’s mission is to deliver world-class programs and services, designed to help the most dynamic companies in wholesale distribution succeed. Our programming is tailored for the CEOs, senior executives, and rising leaders at our member companies and associations. Members engage with NAW through our offerings in: Thought Leadership, Networking, Executive Education, Benchmarking/Research, Shared Resourcing, Partnerships, Government Relations, and Public Affairs.
Seven myths and mistakes to avoid when accelerating your business growth
As a business owner, you understand the importance of growth. Without it, your business may struggle to survive in a competitive marketplace. But with so many different strategies and approaches, it can be difficult to know where to start. Unfortunately, there are also a number of myths and mistakes that can hold you back from achieving the growth you desire. In this article, we’ll discuss four myths and three mistakes of the most common myths and mistakes to avoid when working to accelerate your business growth. Breathe Life into Your Business First, let’s consider the metaphor of oxygen. Just as oxygen is essential for the survival of living organisms, growth is essential for the survival of your business. Without growth, your business will struggle to thrive. And just as oxygen can be difficult to come by in certain environments, growth can be difficult to achieve in certain markets. But just as oxygen can be found in abundance with the right tools and techniques, growth can be achieved with the right strategies and approaches. #1: More customers are always better. – Myth Many business owners believe that the more customers they have, the better their business will be. But this isn’t always the case. While it’s true that more customers can lead to more revenue, it’s important to remember that acquiring new customers can be expensive. Instead of focusing solely on acquiring new customers, it’s important to also focus on retaining and nurturing existing customers. This can lead to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth marketing. #2: Cutting costs is always the best way to improve profits. – Myth Cutting costs can indeed lead to increased profits, but it’s important to remember that cutting costs can also lead to decreased revenue. It’s essential to strike a balance between cutting costs and investing in the growth of your business. #3: You can’t do it alone. – Myth Many business owners believe they need to have a large team or a lot of resources to achieve growth. But this isn’t always the case. While it’s true that having a team and resources can be helpful, it’s important to remember that you can also achieve growth as a solo entrepreneur. You can achieve growth without a large team or resources by focusing on your strengths and outsourcing tasks that you’re not as skilled at. #4: The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. – Myth Many business owners believe taking big risks is the only way to achieve big rewards. But this isn’t always the case. While it’s true that taking risks can lead to big rewards, it’s important to remember that taking big risks can also lead to big losses. Instead of focusing solely on taking big risks, it’s important to focus on taking calculated risks. This means carefully evaluating the potential rewards and risks before making a decision. #5: Not having a clear vision for your business. – Mistake Many business owners believe that they know what they want for their business, but don’t take the time to put it clearly and concisely. Without a clear vision, it’s difficult to set goals, measure success, and make decisions that align with the overall growth of your business. #6: Not measuring your progress. – Mistake Many business owners believe that they’re making progress, but don’t take the time to measure it. Without measuring your progress, it’s difficult to know if your strategies and tactics are working or if adjustments need to be made. #7: Not being adaptable. – Mistake Many business owners believe that once they’ve found a strategy that works, they should stick with it. But this is a mistake. The business environment is constantly changing, and what worked yesterday may not work today. It’s essential to be adaptable and constantly reassess your strategies and tactics to ensure they are still effective. This means being open to new ideas and trying new approaches, even if they may seem risky. In conclusion, achieving business growth can be challenging, but avoiding these common myths and mistakes can increase your chances of success. Remember to focus on retaining and nurturing existing customers, strike a balance between cutting costs and investing in growth, and take calculated risks. Have a clear vision, measure your progress, and be adaptable to the ever-changing business environment. Following these guidelines can ensure a steady flow of oxygen to your business, breathing new life into your growth. About the Author: Ford Saeks, the Business Growth Expert and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker, is the go-to expert for organizations looking to take their growth to the next level. As host of The Business Growth Show Podcast, he shares a wealth of expertise on trends, innovation, and success. #Fordify #BusinessGrowth #Marketingtips and visit his website www.ProfitRichResults.com
Women In Trucking Association announces its February 2023 Member of the Month
The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has announced Cara Howes as its February 2023 Member of the Month. Cara is a parts distribution center manager at PACCAR Parts, a division of PACCAR Inc. Cara has been interested in the trucking industry for as long as she can remember. Her mother was a PACCAR employee, and Cara has fond memories of “bring your daughter to work day” as a child. Her grandfather owned a tanker business in Oregon and was a longtime Kenworth customer. Cara loved spending summers with her father, befriending Kenworth truck drivers, and making trucks her playground. One of her favorite games growing up was playing “name that truck” on family road trips. For Cara, joining PACCAR was an easy decision. Cara has worked at PACCAR for almost 15 years and has held key positions, including assistant director of customer service and assistant director of materials before switching to the operations side of the business. The way stuff moves have always fascinated Cara. She loves coordinating the movement of truck parts from point A to point B and takes pride in getting things where they need to be when they need to be there. Cara believes working in operations and logistics requires creative thinking and problem-solving as no two issues are the same. While there are guidelines, every situation is unique and requires perseverance regardless of obstacles. She motivates herself and her team with the mantra that a truck is a driver’s home, and it’s critical they have access to the parts they need to stay on the road. She understands the direct impact PACCAR employees have on a driver’s life. In addition to Cara’s impressive professional career, she also serves in the United States Navy Reserve as a supply corps officer and was recently selected for the rank of commander. She serves as officer-in-charge for the Fuels Detachment supporting Fleet Logistics Center San Diego. Cara deployed to Afghanistan from 2011 to 2012 as part of a Logistics Mobile Training Team focused on training the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police on logistics best practices across the country. Her personal awards include two Navy Commendation Medals, an Army Commendation Medal, and five Navy Achievement Medals. Cara’s husband also works at PACCAR Parts as a supplier quality manager. They met while playing on the corporate softball team in 2007. Now, they stay busy raising their seven-year-old twin daughters. The girls know that mom and dad work for PACCAR, the company that owns Kenworth and Peterbilt. Cara has passed down “name that truck” to her daughters with an “is it a Kenworth or a Peterbilt” twist. They cannot wait to work at PACCAR when they are older. Cara’s advice to women wanting to break into the trucking industry is, “just do it. Take your comfort zone and smash it because growth comes from new challenges!”
Bridger Howes recruits Jenny Eagle
Lifting industry PR company Bridger Howes Limited (BH) has named Jenny Eagle PR and communications manager Eagle, formerly editor of Hoist magazine, will join BH on 1 February. She becomes the business’s first major recruit, joining founding directors Mark Bridger and Richard Howes. She said: “Having served the industrial lifting sector as an editor, I grew attached to the products and people that make the sector such fun to cover. I am proud of the diversity of my editorial portfolio but leaped at the chance to embed myself further in the industry via BH’s book of clients. I have tremendous respect for Mark and Rich, and the work they do.” Howes said: “I admired what Jenny was able to achieve in such a short space of time as brand captain of Hoist. The title gave me my first editorship back in 2006 so there’s a nice synergy. Many of our clients already know her, and those that don’t will soon get that opportunity. She shares our passion for accurate, informative prose, and the lifting industry.” Founded in 2014, BH works with many businesses that manufacture, supply, and use lifting equipment all over the world. It is also a stakeholder in the annual Global Lifting Awareness Day, powered by the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA). This landmark recruitment also comes at a time of ongoing diversification into other industry sectors. Eagle is a British journalist with 22 years of experience working for international publications including The Daily Mail, The Sunday Telegraph, The Sun, The Mirror, and The Press Association. Career highlights include working with the European Union as a host and facilitator for the EU Citizens Dialogues for the UN Food Systems Summit in 2021 and writing the press brochure for the ‘Women Driving Innovation’ campaign for Tetra Pak. She has lived and worked in Montpellier, France for 10 years, writing for several online publications covering the food and beverage industry for William Reed Business Media, and more recently as editor of Hoist, owned by Progressive Media International (PMI). In this role, Eagle tripled the title’s following online and on social media by launching a video channel called Hoist Magazine TV (HMTV) and relaunching a periodical supplement, Dockside Lift & Move, covering all aspects of the onshore/offshore industry.
What happens when a department has a bad reputation
We all know when two employees have a conflict, there are countless articles on how to coach and mitigate the situation. But what happens when departments have conflicts? In virtually every organization, there are teams that don’t work well together. It may be a rub between marketing and sales, or operations and production. No matter the departments, this rub impacts morale, culture, communication, productivity, and in the end – profits. Department conflicts stem more from culture than solely from leadership. We often want to find a single source of blame for problems, and no question that a department leader sets the example for their staff, in addition to endorsing certain behaviors. Yet collectively, a department can easily create a reputation within the organization – one that’s difficult to work with stonewalls initiatives belittles others and over-elevates its own activities and importance. As a department, you need to know and understand your organizational reputation. If your identity — what you think about your department and tell others — does not match your reputation — what others actually experience — it will cause organizational bottlenecks. Information won’t be shared readily. People will create home-grown workarounds. Other departments will stop collaborating. In short, your department will exist on a proverbial island, and not effectively support the success of the organization as a whole. It’s essential that departments work together. Rarely are initiatives completed soup-to-nuts without the support, participation, or contribution from another department. Leaders frequently lament about organizational siloing, but often look at it through an operational lens – whether it be a lack of communication or process frameworks. However more often, the cause of this problem is the perceived or actual reputation of a department, and how easy or hard they are to work with. If you have initiatives that are perpetually on the “to-do” list, constant internal debates about who is the “owner” of a project, or frequent issues with one department not communicating with another, stop looking at the structure and look at the people. Naturally, people want to work with others that elevate them, challenge them in a healthy way, help them be better and more effective, and help them accomplish something they can be proud of. Is your department acting in a way that elevates the organization or simply focused on your own metrics and the things you want to do for yourself? In short, no department is more important than another. While some may disagree, each and every department exists to serve the organization and the greater organizational goals. When one department behaves in a way where its “reputation” precedes them, it fosters a culture of internal competition and an “every department for themselves” mentality. Department heads must take the time to examine their internal reputation – and how it helps or hinders their ability to work with other departments to support the growth of the company. This requires honesty – to listen to and take in both the good and the bad – and then use that information to relaunch your department’s internal brand if necessary. Just like an individual, you have to be aware of and continually refine your personal brand. If your department has built an internal brand that has a negative reputation, it’s essential to create a plan to correct it. Otherwise, you’ll be the ones actually holding the organization back – whether you know it or not. About the Author Andrea Belk Olson is a keynote speaker, author, differentiation strategist, behavioral scientist, and customer-centricity expert. As the CEO of Pragmadik, she helps organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to Fortune 500, and has served as an outside consultant for EY and McKinsey. Andrea is the author of three books, including her most recent, What To Ask: How To Learn What Customers Need but Don’t Tell You, released in June 2022. She is a 4-time ADDY® award winner and host of the popular Customer Mission podcast. Her thoughts have been continually featured in news sources such as Chief Executive Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, Harvard Business Review, Rotman Magazine, World Economic Forum, and more. Andrea is a sought-after speaker at conferences and corporate events throughout the world. She is a visiting lecturer and startup coach at the University of Iowa, a TEDx presenter, and TEDx speaker coach. She is also an instructor at the University of Iowa Venture School. More information is also available on www.pragmadik.com and www.andreabelkolson.com.
ALAN launches Logistics Initiative improving access to disaster aid
As non-profits across the country struggle with inflationary pressures, one logistics non-profit organization is shoring up its efforts to help them make every disaster relief dollar count – and to assist disaster survivors more quickly. The American Logistics Aid Network has launched an initiative to help the non-profit community build stronger disaster supply chain networks. “This project stands to make a true systemic impact on disaster relief efforts because it will enable us to reach non-profits all across the country, especially the small to medium-sized ones that don’t have robust logistics programs in place,” said ALAN Executive Director Kathy Fulton. Funded through a Walmart Foundation grant, the ALAN project will provide disaster-focused non-profits with the opportunity to learn and apply a variety of best supply chain practices that have been gleaned from other humanitarian organizations as well as the commercial logistics community. The project will also create a stronger framework for more frequent logistics collaboration between non-profits and private businesses. “After 18 years and more than 60 disaster responses, we know that healthy humanitarian logistics practices aren’t just a game-changer, they’re a life-changer because they allow more relief to reach survivors more quickly and ultimately to multiply the good that they can do,” said Fulton. “That’s why we’re so excited about this grant. It will be a huge blessing to us – and the non-profits it enables us to serve. We’re incredibly grateful to the Walmart Foundation – and immensely excited to begin work on this project.” “Supporting vulnerable communities and getting aid to people after disasters requires close collaboration between businesses, non-profits, and government. This investment in ALAN will improve the coordination and efficacy to help donations and supplies reach those most in need during times of crisis,” said Brooks Nelson, Senior Manager, Disaster Preparedness and Response at the Walmart Foundation.
Women In Trucking Association announces 2023 Content Advisory Council
The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) announced its 2023 Content Advisory Council, a volunteer group comprised of executives or professionals who have vast knowledge and experience in transportation and logistics, as well as a passion for the mission of the association: to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments, and minimize the obstacles they face. The goal of WIT’s Content Advisory Council is to provide guidance and counsel regarding relevant and meaningful content for WIT’s annual Accelerate! Conference & Expo, as well as various communication channels, such as its Redefining the Road magazine, weekly e-newsletter, and social media platforms. “It’s critical that WIT provides relevant, practical, useful information to our members and the industry at-large through our various communication channels,” said Brian Everett, group editorial director and publisher of Redefining the Road magazine and strategy advisor to WIT. “We rely heavily on this powerhouse group of industry experts to help guide, formulate and validate the content we produce and distribute.” The 2023 Women In Trucking Content Advisory Council is comprised of the following industry leaders: Melissa Addis, Producer, Commercial Underwriters Insurance Agency Niki Bolton, Chief Strategic Operations Officer, American Truck & Rail Audits Laura Duryea, Manager of Recruiting, Retention & Driver Development, Boyle Transportation Madeleine Frume, CEO, Koppur Trailer & Chassis Molly Gibson, Vice President of Sales Operations, CDLLife Vanessa Hernandez, Director of Carrier Resources, J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. Malaina Hudson, CPIM, Director, Supply Chain Systems, Hillebrand Jeana Hysell, Senior Safety Consultant, J.J. Keller & Associates Jerri Jarvis, Safety Analyst, Cheeseman Kesha Jones, Senior Director of HR, Total Transportation of Mississippi Kelly Kirkpatrick-Lee, Truck Audits Manager, American Truck & Rail Audits Rachel Kremm, Vehicle Programs Project Engineer, Kodiak Angelika Mangino, Driver Recruitment & Engagement Manager, Clean Harbors Mark Mariano, Director, SRS Distribution, Inc. Samantha McCracken, Strategic Operations Manager, Bridgestone Americas, Inc. Josh Mecca, Director of Recruiting, American Central Transport Claire Mules, President, Assurance Resources, Inc. Martha Payne, Attorney, Benesch, Friedlander, Copland & Aronoff LLP Kristin Ridley, Marketing Communications Manager, Rihm Kenworth Amber Roy, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Triumph Business Capital Laura Sayers, Senior Director of Marketing, TRANSFLO The members of the 2023 Women In Trucking Content Advisory Council can be found online at https://www.womenintrucking.org/content-advisory-council
Staffing employment rebounded in January
Staffing employment rebounded further in the week of Jan. 8-15, increasing by 3.4% to a rounded value of 101. Several staffing companies mentioned a holiday as a barrier to preventing further growth. Staffing jobs were up 0.15% from the same week last year. New starts rose in the 2nd week of the year, increasing by 7% from the prior week. More than half of staffing companies (53%) reported gains in new assignments week-to-week. The ASA Staffing Index four-week moving average edged down from the prior week to a rounded value of 95, but temporary and contract staffing employment for the four weeks ending Jan. 15 was 0.23% higher than the same period in 2021. “Staffing employment has followed up a December holiday lull with two weeks of growth, in line with the typical seasonal pattern,” said Tim Hulley, ASA assistant director of research. This week, containing the 12th day of the month will be used in the December monthly employment situation report scheduled to be issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Feb. 3. The ASA Staffing Index is reported nine days after each workweek, making it a near real-time measure of staffing employment trends. ASA Staffing Starts are the number of temporary and contract employees placed in new assignments during the reporting week. ASA research shows that staffing employment has historically been a coincident economic indicator.
How to build trust and expertise with After Action Reviews (AARs)
Do you lead your team to learn primarily from successes or from failures? Many leaders argue that their teams are just too busy to spend time discussing why a successful project went well. They just wrap up fast, then dive into the next project. So, the unspoken insights and unwritten lessons learned from that project rarely ever get shared or discussed. Often, they just get forgotten in the frenzy of working project after project. Would you hire an engineer to build you a bridge if all that engineer ever studied was how bridges collapse? Would you hire a recruiter to find you a job if all that recruiter ever studied was how people get fired? The best leaders help their teams learn regularly from their successes, not just occasionally from their failures. But learning from success happens automatically… doesn’t it? After Action Review (AAR) Soldiers perform complex, dynamic, often dangerous missions. And they want to learn as much as they can from each one. In the 1980s, leaders in the US Army realized that they needed a practical way to help soldiers share the unspoken insights and unwritten lessons they learned from their missions. They realized that sharing tribal knowledge and applying tacit skills were key to winning wars. And since it was the Army, they developed a process — a non-punitive, semi-structured, post-job team debrief called an After Action Review (AAR). After Action Reviews have proven so wildly effective that every branch of the military now uses them. And for some units like flight crews and Special Operations Forces, AARs are almost a religion. They’ve been called, “one of the most successful organizational learning methods yet devised.” The process of leading a basic AAR is simple. Soon after your team completes a project, gather them in a private space for about 30 minutes, and ask these four questions: What did we set out to do? What did we actually do? How did it turn out the way it did? What will we do differently next time? Why Use These Questions? Have you ever had a discussion degenerate into a fact-free “war of opinions”? That’s the fate you’ll suffer if you start a debrief by asking for opinions. True, questions 3 and 4 are subjective and do indeed ask for opinions. But notice that questions 1 and 2 are much more fact-based. It may seem silly to ask, “What did we intend to do in this job?” But different people have different goals for the same job. The accountant on your team may have intended to maximize revenue. The safety specialist on your team may have intended to reduce the risk of injuries. The team leader may have wanted to finish the job ahead of schedule and under budget. So always start your After Action Reviews by getting facts with questions 1 and 2 before getting opinions with questions 3 and 4. “What went well, and what went badly?” This may seem like a great question for a debrief. After all, it cuts straight to the point, right? Here’s the problem. This question nudges us to discuss blame, not improvements. And blame stops learning in its tracks. Look at the four After Action Review questions. There’s no hint of fault, failure, or blame in any of them. That’s intentional. After Action Reviews focus on learning, not blame. Make sure you keep that focus in every AAR you lead. Soldiers are fond of sayings like, “No mission plan ever survives contact with reality” or “The planning is more valuable than the plan.” And in reality, the percentage of complex missions that go exactly according to plan is nearly 0%. Soldiers and other experts in complex, dynamic systems know that in any given job, there’s always a gap between what we plan to do and what we actually do. Notice how question 1 asks about the plan. Some call this “Work as Imagined.” Question 2 asks about the actual job. Some call this “Work as Done.” When you lead your After Action Reviews, use questions 1 and 2 to explore this critical gap, but not eliminate it. Three Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Successes vs. Failures Some leaders do AARs only for accidents or errors. If you do that, your team will quickly associate AARs with failure. And they’ll give short, vague answers to get it over with as fast as possible. So, lead about 80% or more of your AARs for successful projects. That way, your team will learn to trust the process and value the results. Now vs. Later Unspoken insights and lessons learned are the most valuable things a team can discuss in an After Action Review. Those unspoken ideas have a half-life of hours or less. So, if you wait a day or more to lead your AAR, much of the priceless, unspoken wisdom will already have been lost, perhaps forever. So, lead the AAR as soon as the project wraps. Leader vs. Facilitator Most leaders like to answer questions. Usually, that’s a good thing. But not in an After Action Review. If you give in to the temptation to answer the questions, you’ll shut your team down until the only person talking is you. So, in an After Action Review, remember that the leader is the person who talks the least. Choose your AAR leaders accordingly. If you want a low-cost, low-risk way to build trust and expertise on your team, you will likely never find a more practical method than leading After Action Reviews. If the US Army has used them for 40+ years, just imagine what kind of value they could create for your team. About the Author: Jake Mazulewicz, Ph.D. shows leaders in high-hazard industries why errors are signals, not failures, and how to address the deeper problem so that everyone can work more reliably and safely. He keynotes and advises globally. He has a decade of experience in Safety for electric utilities and served as a firefighter, an EMT, and
PTDA welcomes new member
The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA), an association for the industrial power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) distribution channel, welcomes a new distributor member. Nelson Electric Motors (Opelika, Ala.) Founded in 1968 in Alexander City, Ala., Nelson Electric Motor Service provides expert Electro-Mechanical Repair services to the Central Alabama region. In 2002 and 2013 it expanded operations to Opelika, Ala., and Sylacauga, Ala., respectively. The company specializes in Electro-Mechanical Repair, Preventative Maintenance, and Predictive Maintenance of electric motors, generators, gearsets, and pumps through its in-shop and field service. Nelson also offers full machining and millwork and new equipment sales. In 2022, Nelson Electric made a commitment to grow sales of bearing and power transmission items to its traditional customer base. “We believe in the value of personal relationships with both customers and industry leaders and joined PTDA to build those powerful relationships,” says John Langford, corporate buyer/bearing & power transmission sales.
National Ladder Safety Month: The perfect time to “Step Up” employee training
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ladder deaths accounted for 161 on-the-job fatalities in 2020, the most recent year for which statistics are available. That same year, there were 22,710 ladder-related workplace injuries, an injury stat that has remained relatively constant over the previous several years. The point is, ladder safety is a serious topic, with a staggering cost to businesses and an even worse impact on families that lose loved ones. March is National Ladder Safety Month, spearheaded by the American Ladder Institute (ALI). This, its seventh year will focus on four key themes: Week One – Choosing Your Ladder Week Two – Safety Before the First Step (Inspection and Set Up) Week Three – Safety While Climbing Week Four – Safety at the Top ALI believes ladder accidents are preventable with thorough safety planning, training, and continuous innovation in product design. The more people, organizations, and businesses that get involved, the wider the message spreads, and the more people learn about proper ladder safety. ALI’s Ladder Safety Training site, https://www.laddersafetytraining.org/, makes safety training easy with an organized curriculum, a video and resource library, and free registration. Because every life saved is precious, the goals of National Ladder Safety Month are to decrease the number of ladder-related injuries and fatalities, increase the number of ladder safety training certificates issued by ALI, increase the frequency that ladder safety training modules are viewed on https://www.laddersafetytraining.org/, lower the rankings of ladder-related safety citations on OSHA’s yearly “Top 10 Citations List,” increase the number of in-person ladder training and increase the number of companies and individuals that inspect and properly dispose of old or damaged ladders. Every step matters. From step stools to extension ladders, make sure you’re putting the right foot forward. This March, National Ladder Safety Month, is the perfect time to step up ladder safety efforts and direct employees to take courses on https://www.laddersafetytraining.org/.
New Industrial Manufacturing Planned Projects grew 50% from November to December 2022
IMI SalesLeads announced the December 2022 results for the newly planned capital project spending report for the Industrial Manufacturing industry. The Firm tracks North American planned industrial capital project activity; including facility expansions, new plant construction, and significant equipment modernization projects. Research confirms 177 new projects in December compared to 118 in November in the Industrial Manufacturing sector. The following are selected highlights on new Industrial Manufacturing industry construction news. Industrial Manufacturing – By Project Type Manufacturing/Production Facilities – 151 New Projects Distribution and Industrial Warehouse – 75 New Projects Industrial Manufacturing – By Project Scope/Activity New Construction – 64 New Projects Expansion – 58 New Projects Renovations/Equipment Upgrades – 60 New Projects Plant Closings – 15 New Projects Industrial Manufacturing – By Project Location (Top 10 States) New York – 16 South Carolina – 14 Michigan – 12 North Carolina – 10 Ohio – 9 Texas – 9 Tennessee – 8 Massachusetts – 7 Wisconsin – 7 California – 6 Largest Planned Project During the month of December, our research team identified 22 new Industrial Manufacturing facility construction projects with an estimated value of $100 million or more. The largest project is owned by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, which is planning to invest $12 billion for the construction of a manufacturing facility adjacent to its existing under-construction plant in PHOENIX, AZ. Completion is slated for 2024. Top 10 Tracked Industrial Manufacturing Projects GEORGIA: Automotive mfr. is planning to invest $5 billion in the construction of an EV battery manufacturing facility in CARTERSVILLE, GA. They have recently received approval for the project. Completion is slated for 2025. SOUTH CAROLINA: Battery component mfr. and recycling company is planning to invest $3.5 billion for the construction of a manufacturing, recycling, warehouse, and office complex in CHARLESTON, SC. Construction will occur in phases and is expected to start in early 2023. TEXAS: Optical communication products mfr. is planning to invest $3 billion for the expansion of its manufacturing facility in SHERMAN, TX. Construction is expected to start in 2025, with completion slated for 2028. ARIZONA: Startup battery mfr. is planning to invest $1.2 billion for the construction of a manufacturing facility in TUCSON, AZ. They are currently seeking approval for the project. ALABAMA: Solar panel mfr. is planning to invest $1.1 billion for the construction of a 2.4 million SF manufacturing facility in TRINITY, AL. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for 2025. MICHIGAN: Paper and packaging product mfr. is planning to invest $1 billion for the renovation and equipment upgrades on its manufacturing facility in ESCANABA, MI. They are currently seeking approval for the project. GEORGIA: Automotive component mfr. is planning to invest $926 million for the construction of a 1.2 million SF manufacturing facility in RICHMOND HILL, GA. They have recently received approval for the project. Construction is expected to start in early 2023, with completion slated for 2024. SOUTH CAROLINA: EV battery mfr. is planning to invest $810 million for the construction of a 1.5 million SF manufacturing facility in FLORENCE, SC. They have recently received approval for the project. MICHIGAN: A pharmaceutical company is planning to invest $750 million for the expansion and equipment upgrades on their processing facility in KALAMAZOO, MI. They are currently seeking approval for the project. COLORADO: Semiconductor equipment mfr. is planning to invest $600 million in the construction of a manufacturing facility in COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Completion is slated for the Summer of 2024. About IMI SalesLeads, Inc. Since 1959, IMI SalesLeads, based in Jacksonville, FL is a leader in delivering industrial capital project intelligence and prospecting services for sales and marketing teams to ensure a predictable and scalable pipeline. Our Industrial Market Intelligence, IMI identifies timely insights on companies planning significant capital investments such as new construction, expansion, relocation, equipment modernization, and plant closings in industrial facilities. The Outsourced Prospecting Services, an extension to your sales team, is designed to drive growth with qualified meetings and appointments for your internal sales team.
Keep them short
Keep your planning process short. From what I see this is a must regarding 2023 and maybe even 2024. The plans I am suggesting for 23 have accounted for not more than three months. You work that plan and while you are doing so you add a month to the three-month plan and subtract the month just completed. You really don’t want to wait until the middle of month 3 to devise the plan for months 4. 5 and 6. You just keep adjusting to having three months on the drawing table at the end of any month. Why am I suggesting this? BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT YOU HEAR, IT IS STILL SCREWED UP OUT THERE AND WILL PROBABLY BE SO FOR 23 AND INTO 24. Last month’s article by Allen Polk kind of spelled it out for you. The supply chain is still not fixed. Pricing is out of control. The OEM backlog is still not under control. Interest rates doubling over the last year. Customers with needs and problems you cannot solve at this time. Add to that the labor shortage and the need for technology and you find yourself in an almost impossible situation putting a gameplan together. But there is some good news to share as well. If you recall, I recommended a book titled THE END OF THE WORLD IS JUST THE BEGINNING, which basically maps out the collapse of Globalization written by Peter Zeihan, a geopolitical strategist. It basically spells out the history of the world economy and Uncle Sam’s involvement in protecting globalization as a result of increasing the standard of living throughout the world. But now that the USA is no longer finding globalization to be as profitable or useful as anticipated. The result is that many countries that build up an economy because of globalization will find their economy shrinking without a meaningful way to reverse the downfall. On the other hand, those countries hoping to continue to produce and grow their CDP numbers will need to have a certain availability of energy resources, land able to grow all the crops needed, industrial centers where the work can be performed and a population with flexible pay grades to allow for product costs acceptable to the market. Mr. Zeihan suggest that the best location in the world where this program could be developed was the space occupied by Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Working together these three countries will control the world’s economy. THAT IS GOOD NEWS FOR YOU AND IT IS COMING FASTER THAN YOU THINK. MANUFACTURING, HERE WE COME! As I was reading the book, I could spell the lube oils, hear the milling machines operating, and see the steel bars waiting to be processed. This was at my father’s Machine shop. All when well until the time we started allowing foreign steel into the country. When the price of domestic steel alone was more than the full cost of our products made with foreign steel ….globalization put us and many friends out of business. Now the collapse of globalization is going to put the US back on top of the Manufacturing Hill and take the lift truck industry with it. Buy the book, read it, pass it along and start planning how to get your piece of this pie. Since I do a lot of work with construction equipment and how it is used by contractors, I looked over the Dodge Report for 2023. And guess what? Expect housing and warehouse construction to be down, and manufacturing buildings to be up. MANUFACTURING, HERE WE COME! As we plan ahead let us not forget: Some inflation will reverse, and some will not. Many prices will move up and stay there. Remember, you have FIXED COSTS, SEMI-FIXED COSTS, AND VARIABLE COSTS. Are you prepared to adjust costs and billing to maintain margins? Labor costs will stick and even go higher because there are few eligible folks out there to hire. Better review your entire employee package for techs and tune it up so that they cannot leave. 94% of CEOs are planning for a recession in 2023. Hopefully, it is a normal recession (forget the soft landing) where inflation remains high and the Fed keeps hiking to 5% or more, with unemployment heading up and GDP down. Do not assume it will be business as usual in Q2 of 23. Customers need equipment. How about selling them refurb units? Or renting them refurb units. Or refurbing their units with them providing the core. Refurbs work and can be quite profitable for both dealers and customers. A recent email I saw about a contractor that gave his old pickup to a place that refurbs it in 3-4 weeks with a new drivetrain, interior, and parts as necessary replaced. It is a hell of a lot cheaper than a new one. There are probably many firms out there that do not want to own and operate their lift trucks. Work out a deal to manage their fleet. If there ever was a time to belong to a 20 Group, it is now. Believe me, with what you have on your plate, 15 heads are better than one when it comes time to plan for Q1 23. About the Columnist: Garry Bartecki is a CPA MBA with GB Financial Services LLC and a Wholesaler columnist since August 1993. E-mail editorial@mhwmag.com to contact Garry.
Yellow Corporation Driving Academies graduate 1,000 CDL drivers
The LTL carrier met its ambitious goal of 1,000 Driving Academy graduates in 2022 In its effort to help train the next generation of professional truck drivers, Yellow Corporation has announced it graduated more than 1,000 CDL apprentices from its network of Driving Academies in 2022. While expanding its Driving Academy program to 21 locations across 16 states, Yellow set the 1,000-graduate goal in early 2022. On Dec. 22, the graduation of six student drivers from Yellow’s South Bend, Ind. Driving Academy officially surpassed 1,000 graduates for the year. “This is an enormous accomplishment for our company that involved hard work and tremendous dedication from our students, instructors, and safety trainers across the country,” said Darren Hawkins, CEO of Yellow. “Operating our own academies not only ensures that we have the most qualified and skilled drivers on the road, but it also helps address a shortage of professional drivers across the nation.” To help increase the number of professional truck drivers amid a nationwide driver shortage, Yellow has partnered with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to sponsor paid apprenticeship programs, such as the Driving Academies, where students are trained and mentored in the classroom and on the road by seasoned industry professionals and certified instructors. Yellow’s Driving Academies are tuition-free for all participants, and student apprentices are paid an hourly wage for their work throughout the program. Yellow’s Driving Academies are in Albuquerque, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Ohio, Denver, Detroit, Fort Worth, Texas, Hagerstown, Md., Harrisburg/Carlisle Pa., Indianapolis, Kansas City, Maybrook, N.Y., Memphis, Nashville, Pico Rivera, Calif., Portland, Ore., Salt Lake City, South Bend, Ind., and Tracy, Calif. To learn more about Yellow’s Driving Academies visit drivingacademy.myyellow.com.
What is the reality of selling? The way you do the things you do
Jeffrey, what’s the easiest way to make a sale? Jeffrey, what’s the best way to make a sale? Jeffrey, what’s the fastest way to make a sale? Same answer: there is none. There is no easy, best, fast way to make a sale. There are a million ways to make a sale but it’s not with a method or system. There are elements that get you there. Here are 13.5 strategies and principles (elements) that will help you get to the substitute for an easy, best, fast way to make a sale – a way to earn the sale. As in life, you start with a philosophy. Mine is…I give value first, I help other people, I do my best at what I love to do, I establish long-term relationships with everyone, and I have fun (and I do that every day). What’s yours? Do you have one? Your core philosophy is what drives you into the sale, and leads the prospect to an understanding of why you’re there. The most important word in selling is YOU. Prospects don’t buy products and services. First, they buy salespeople. The first sale that’s made is “YOU.” Are they buying you? Know “why you’re selling”, know your own WHY first. Your “why” supports and strengthens your belief system. When “why” is clear, everything is clear. NOTE: Your real why maybe 3 or 4 “why’s” deep. Why are you in sales? “I’m in sales to make more money.” Why? “I need more money to support my family.” (closer) Why? “Two of my kids start college in the next two years, and I want them to be able to choose a school based on the quality of education not the price of education. (Aha! the real “why!”) Before you can affect others, you must get real with yourself. Do you know your real why? The sale is in your head. The mindset by which you approach the sale will determine its outcome more than any other element of the selling process. Do you think “yes”? Develop a belief system that can’t be penetrated. Believe in your company, your product, and yourself, or you won’t sell. Do you believe in you? 6. Develop a selfish attitude about being the best. Know who the most important person in the world is you. Unless you’re the best you can be for yourself, you’ll never be the best you can be to serve others. Don’t cheer for athlete’s cheer for yourself. You deserve it. Are you always striving to be your best? 7. Be your own Santa Claus. Provide your own gifts and toys. Give yourself whatever you want. Most of us don’t get what we want for Christmas unless we tell someone what we want or if you’re like me, go buy it yourself. For me, every day is Christmas, know why? I deserve it. What gifts have you given yourself? 8. Know “what you sell” in terms of the customer not in terms of you. People don’t care what you do unless they perceive it helps them. The way you explain your business and product determines the buying interest you create say it in terms of the prospect, not your company. Are you selling, or are they buying? 9. Sell it as if you were selling it to your own son or daughter. Give advice with it, help learn it, and the advantages of using it. Protect them. Who are you selling to? 10. Know your competitive advantages; learn them from your customers. The definition of competitive advantage is something that’s extremely important to your customers at which you excel (competitive advantage has nothing to do with the competition). Do you know your competitive advantages? People buy for their reasons, not yours. Find out theirs first. Establishing their “why” is the basis of determining their true need(s). When you’re presenting, is it more than 50% about them? 12. Ask the wrong questions, and get the wrong answers. The way you question will determine the way you sell. Refine yours every week, until their power is evident by the increase in your sales. Any questions? 13. Develop and ask questions that make the prospect think about themselves and answer in terms of you. Make them evaluate new information. Get them to give you answers in the form of information about themselves in terms of your product or service. What questions are you asking? 13.5 Transition from a salesperson to a resource. Become valuable. The more value you bring, the higher you’ll go. To become valuable, you must give value first to make the prospect perceive greater value than price, quality, and service. If two people offer the same product at the same price and give the same service, the one with the greater perceived value wins. How much value do you bring to your prospects and customers? Selling is a never-ending learning process. There is no one way to sell. If you seek to master the science of selling, you must master the elements one by one. Learn one a day and in five years, you will be the master of more than 1,000 elements and still take weekends off. About the Author: Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, and The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude. His real-world ideas and content are also available as online courses at www.GitomerLearningAcademy.com. For information about training and seminars visit www.Gitomer.com or email Jeffrey at salesman@gitomer.com or call him at 704 333-1112.
The true cause of the Strategy-Execution Gap
When the strategy doesn’t deliver on anticipated expectations, the strategy-execution gap is the scapegoat. In fact, thousands of articles have been written on this phenomenon. For example, here’s one of the top results from a quick Google search: “What causes execution gaps? There are numerous potential causes of execution gaps, such as goals and timelines that are too ambitious, little to no clarity about the vision or goals, and even a lack of buy-in from key players. One of the biggest causes relates to your resources.” However, this actually isn’t the problem. Yes, these components can influence the success or failure of a strategy, but they’re not the cause of the strategy execution gap. Fundamentally, a strategy-execution gap exists because a bridge between strategy and execution is not created. Without a bridge, a high-level corporate strategy has virtually an infinite number of ways to be translated into execution. This often results in reframing existing initiatives so they present like they’re aligned with the strategy, or simply a series of random tactics which can be loosely tied to the strategy. And in this lies the problem – without a translation, any and all things can become “part of the strategy”, which ends up making the strategy itself less strategic. Let’s take a hypothetical example. Say a company develops its corporate strategy, and within that strategy, there’s an objective of attaining growth in a new market. Let’s also assume that the corporate team did their due diligence to identify that this market is really an opportunity, in that it’s growing and the organization has the capabilities and resources to serve it. So now this strategic objective is shared with key departments – in this example, let’s limit it to sales, marketing, and product development. Each of these departments then proceeds to develop its individual plans to achieve this objective. But here’s the rub – there are a thousand ways to skin a cat. So let’s say the sales team focuses on adding more field reps in the market. Marketing focuses on developing marketing materials and promotions to reach the market. Product development focuses on creating a couple of new products for the market. This all seems to make complete and logical sense – the plans align with the strategy. And the teams, who are excellent at execution, get right to work. However, no real traction really occurs – only a marginal amount of revenue is generated here and there. Obviously a strategy-execution gap. Yet, the problem isn’t the strategy or the department plans, communication, resources, or overly ambitious goals. It is the lack of a Supporting Strategy. A Supporting Strategy takes lofty objectives and translates them into clear, actionable, and aligned approaches to execution. Different from an operational or implementation plan, a Supporting Strategy is a strategy of its own – a unique and distinct way to achieve the objectives provided in the Corporate Strategy. Basically, instead of plugging in your old playbook to fit the new Corporate Strategy, you create your own unique strategy to support it. In our example, if each of the three departments – instead of jumping to creating execution plans – began with creating their own Supporting Strategies, Sales might focus on approaching market penetration in a new and different way to better connect with the target audience. Marketing might focus on designing a unique, non-traditional program that stands out in a homogenous market. Product development might focus on not creating a new product, but designing an experience. The point isn’t to execute the obvious and traditional stuff – it’s to design a strategic approach to achieve those bold and ambitious corporate objectives. The point here is that each department needs its own strategy, tied to the overarching Corporate Strategy, which then will focus and drive execution. In addition, Supporting Strategies ensure strategic thinking is embedded across the organization, rather than simply hitting the “easy” button and rehashing the same tired tactics. The bottom line, once you have a Corporate Strategy, it’s time to create your Supporting Strategies to truly bridge the execution gap. About the Author: Andrea Belk Olson is a keynote speaker, author, differentiation strategist, behavioral scientist, and customer-centricity expert. As the CEO of Pragmadik, she helps organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to Fortune 500, and has served as an outside consultant for EY and McKinsey. Andrea is the author of three books, including her most recent, What To Ask: How To Learn What Customers Need but Don’t Tell You, released in June 2022. She is a 4-time ADDY® award winner and host of the popular Customer Mission podcast. Her thoughts have been continually featured in news sources such as Chief Executive Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, Harvard Business Review, Rotman Magazine, World Economic Forum, and more. Andrea is a sought-after speaker at conferences and corporate events throughout the world. She is a visiting lecturer and startup coach at the University of Iowa, a TEDx presenter, and TEDx speaker coach. She is also an instructor at the University of Iowa Venture School. More information is also available on www.pragmadik.com and www.andreabelkolson.com.
Reusable Packaging Association elects new Board of Directors
The Reusable Packaging Association (RPA) is beginning 2023 with new executive committee members and additions to its board of directors. After serving his term as chairman of the board, Ben Stoller, CEO of Paxxal, has passed the torch to 2022 Vice Chairman Kevin Mazula, CEO of RM2. Mazula will begin his chairman term at the annual board of directors meeting held in January. “RPA and its members are thankful for Ben’s dedication and service to the reusable packaging industry,” states Mazula in a previous statement. “It has been a dynamic time for reusable packaging as we navigated through the pandemic and began to see more emphasis placed on resilient supply chains. There was an increased opportunity to find new and innovative ways to bring reusable packaging to the forefront. Not only did the RPA membership experience growth, but reusable packaging stayed top of mind, as more and more manufacturers and consumers sought ways to reduce waste and pollution and create a more circular economy. Our member companies, combined with Ben’s leadership, allowed the RPA to march forward with its mission to promote the use and value of reusable transport packaging systems – offering product quality, and economic and environmental benefits to supply chains.” Looking forward to 2023, Chairman Mazula is focused on the increasing need to bring together industry trends, innovations, and strategies to educate supply chains about the benefits of reusable packaging products and services. “As we move past the pandemic and what was deemed a volatile period, exposing vulnerability within supply chains, we are seeing recovery, with many coming back stronger after the disruption – implementing modern ways to minimize waste and cut costs, ensuring a more sustainable and economical infrastructure. We have a great group of companies that make up the RPA membership, and we continue to see them rise to the challenge and answer the call for more reusable resources to further satisfy the need for better reusable packaging products and services and more cost savings,” said Mazula. “While serving as the chairman, I am focused on RPA’s growth and impact as we continue to have the reusables conversation and share RPA’s message while meeting the increased market interest and demand from companies who are thinking differently about packaging,” he added. Other changes to the RPA executive committee include the appointment of Samantha Goetz, marketing communications manager of ORBIS, as the new vice chairman and chair-elect, and Andy Schumacher from SSI Schaefer as the organization’s secretary-treasurer. Samantha Goetz was the former secretary-treasurer. The annual RPA election also resulted in four new board members and three returning directors starting a two-year term (2023-24). They are: Graham Connor, Senior Vice President, Sales and Customer Support, iGPS Logistics Aubree Duncan, Global Director of Quality and Food Safety, Tosca Amy Lathrop, President, Perfect Pallets Leslie LeMair, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Georg Utz Steve Russell, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Cabka William Wappler, Chief Executive Officer and Owner, Surgere Ben Waterman, Manager of Business Development, Monoflo International Returning board members: David Perrine, Director Sales & Partnerships, ACSIS Inc. Morten Bielefeldt, Senior Vice President Sales & Services, Bruel Systems Brandon D’Emidio, Senior Director, Global Product Development, CHEP Zach Riggs, Director of Fulfillment, Pickup Strategy & Product Management, Kroger Company Shawn Stockman, Vice President Sustainability Solutions, OnePak Inc. Jonathan North, Vice President Sustainable & Core Solutions, Rehrig Pacific Company David Kruger, President, TriEnda Corporation In addition, the Board has established a new “Industry Advisor” position in the executive committee. Willemijn Peeters, CEO of Searious Business, was appointed to serve in this inaugural role. The Industry Advisor joins RPA’s leadership team to provide unique insight and guidance on important issues facing the reusable packaging industry. RPA welcomes the talents and expertise of Ms. Peeters to help lead the association to greater heights in advocating for a reusable system approach to packaging