Big Fish, Small Water
You can toss a cast net in the ocean and see what you pick up. Or you can strategically pursue a Big Fish in small water. Which is most likely to yield the results you want? Whether you’re fishing or selling, the same principles for achieving success hold true. Sometimes you may want the sheer […]
“Meaningful Adjacencies”
Just after sunrise on a hot, humid July morning, I gathered with nearly 500 landscape professionals at Arlington National Cemetery for our annual green industry day of service, known as “Renewal & Remembrance”. That place always humbles me and inspires deep reflection unlike any other place I have ever visited. Mere words don’t do the […]
Third Time’s the Charm
In cases where the first or second attempt doesn’t work, do you try again? Sometimes the third time’s the charm. Several recent experiences have revealed the importance of determination in achieving desired outcomes. It took a third prospective buyer to close a real estate transaction. It also took a third effort to produce exactly the […]
That’s not my…
…Guy. …Crew. …Problem. …Job. That’s got to stop right now! So spoke Ignacio, with great conviction, on an all-hands safety teleconference yesterday. To the list, he added: There’s not money for that. That’s got to stop right now! Thank you, Ignacio, for saying what needed to be said in a public forum. While others may have […]
The Power of WOW!
I recently enjoyed an engaging conversation with a branch manager about a wide range of business topics, including building client relationships. He told me that “we only get one chance to do WOW!” and I think he’s right. This statement is a much more powerful expression of the phrase “You only get one chance to […]
Plain Indifference
Last week in this space I discussed the idea that to perform consistently at a high level requires an ability and willingness to take a “Fresh Look” at the situation. That trait is the opposite of plain indifference, which is an eloquent way of referring to what’s commonly called a “Don’t care attitude.” When I […]
Why Do It?
You’ll never know what happens if you don’t. The potential gain clearly outweighs the pain. The status quo is not working out. If you want the future to look different from the past, something needs to change. Others are counting on you. You are counting on yourself. It’s the right thing to do. No one […]
Next, or Higher?
Which do you aspire to reach: “The Next Level” or “A Higher Level”? The expressions mean two very different things to me. I just read an article about a leadership change in a local organization, where the board chairman commented about setting the organization up “for the next person to take it to the next […]
A Higher Level
You can continue to do the same things, the same way, indefinitely. Or you can take it to a higher level. It’s a choice, like most things in life. While you don’t get to choose your parents or that certain place you came into this world, after infancy and early childhood the vast majority of […]
When It’s Time
You must be ready. You can’t start to strategize and plan when it’s already time for action. At the decision point, you must be ready to make a move. Many things in life can be anticipated; most cannot. Unless you’re always considering the possibilities ahead, it’s difficult to be ready to make the optimum decision […]