What if it wasn't someone else's problem?

"THIRTY-FIVE years ago in this once thriving textile town, Ela Bhatt fought for higher wages for women who ferried bolts of cloth on their heads. Next, she created India’s first women’s bank. "

I read this article in today's NY Times about a woman that figured out that there was opportunity in the circumstances.  In a culture where poverty was the exclamation point, she saw that "Her business success...." could still be part of the sentence.  

What if the whole point of the "Great Collapse" - thank you, Bill Moyers- is to make us find opportunity where there isn't any right now?  What if this is the test of our creativity, a primal discipline that mankind has used to survive since his arrival on the planet?  What if we didn't get it right the first time but it was okay because we paid attention and figured out what we needed to change and then did it?  What if we stopped hanging out in our impoverished conversations about how bad it is , is going to be, forever and ever, amen?

We could spend an afternoon with a notebook and think about something we could do better if we knew how.  We could find someone who might know how and ask for help.  We could share the know how with other people.  The other people might have another idea we could help them with and so it would go.

Heck, we could even start a bank instead of feeling victimized by them.  Now that would be a news story.  Might even make The Times.

Here's the article link to the Time article: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/world/asia/07bhatt.html

Don't look now...two months GONE!

Ouch! It's the last week of February 2009. We have been having a pity party, America. We have been wondering what the economy is going to do, how bad it's going to get and how Obama can save us. We have been counting cancellations, scrutinizing collections, watching employees and generally worrying ourselves to death. And we don't even know if we are on track or if we need to change something to get back on track.

Your "product" may be widgets, or you may think of it in terms of the number of new patients, how much they “buy”, and/or the number of productive hours you work. The structure of business is the same no matter what your profession.

There is only one way up and out of a recession. It's called work. But you have to plan your work and then work your plan if you are to reap rewards. That's call strategy.

So, instead of sitting there feeling bummed out waiting for someone to give you answers, tell me, what have you done before and what do you want to do now? What is possible?

Do not be afraid to set a goal. Set it in stone and strategize! Here's what it takes:

• Your Calendar - How many days a week will you be “open?” When will your practice care for patients? Weekends? How many hours a day will you work? When will you take vacation? What is your schedule for continuing education? Put everything in your Calendar. You can only make money if you are open for business. That doesn’t mean that you can’t take time off. Nevertheless, don’t miss a goal because your calendar changes! Pay attention.
• A Goal Tracking System needs to provide you with a snapshot of your Yearly, Monthly and Daily Goals compared with your actual productivity. At every daily morning huddle, review your Daily Data and your forecasted production. Update your daily goal amount every time you adjust your production days in order to stay on track. A team that knows where they are today can see where they need to go tomorrow.
• Monthly Production Summary Reports - You must have a monthly report that shows your providers’ productivity, as well as your total production, collections, and accounts receivable aging reports. Your data should easily compare your current productivity to both your past production and your annual plan.
• Bonuses and Incentive Tools - Yes, you can, and you should build a customized incentive plan that will help you track your daily achievement. You can have complete control. Just don't give away more than you earn. It's really not complicated. Pepper the year with games and incentives to reach short-range goals. Use your team bonus program to cement your long-term goals.

Use this strategy to lay a firm foundation, focus on growing your practice, and then let yourself enjoy the fact that it is also growing you. You are becoming a bigger person with each milestone you hit, with each person you empower, and with each day that you work toward your goal.

Okay, time out. Something doesn't feel right.

Sunday's first section of the New York Times was my favorite ever, ever, ever, ever.

If you were from Mars and tried to figure out who the people in the USA are, you would be totally confused. And I am not talking about the news.

Past the headlines, pages 2 & 3 are about diamonds and furs and fragrance and watches. Valentine's Day is coming up so we can forget we are in a recession apparently.

Page 5 - There is a rousing "We are here for you and we have always been (even though we screwed up with Merrill Lynch") note (full page!) from Bank of America. Come to us and borrow money! "This is America." it says.

Page 7 - full page! - Citibank. More of "come borrow" but with a Disney Imagineers flair. "Every imagination needs access to capital."

Page 9 - A scary one. 56 TRILLION. The Peter G. Peterson Fund thinks committees of citizens can do better than congress at solving our problems. I thought that committees of concerned citizens WAS congress.

Page 11 - full page! - Let's take the kids to the Bahamas! (Wait...I thought no one had any money for vacations? )

Page 13 - This is my favorite page. "The Value of Team Member Recognition" signed by John Stumpf, Wells Fargo CEO. I am going to write a whole separate post on this one. If you are from Mars, you may not know that banks have bad PR right now. Spending money on employee outings (like going to the awards dinner in the Bahamas) wouldn't be prudent in the eyes of your stock holders. But John Stumpf sounds annoyed. Ah, I smell a double standard. More later.

Page 15 - Forget page 13. Let's go to Barcelona! Only $192 one way. We can forget about all this and eat paella.

Page 17 - I've changed my mind let's buy a 3% CD with the money we don't spend on a trip to Australia.

Page 19 - More of the same

Page 21 - We must think about redecorating our home. It is very patriotic, apparently. They say it's a President's Day Sale.

I'm confused, again. I must be from Mars.

Baby, it's cold out here

Winter is cruel this year. When we left Alaska in our rear view mirror, we worked our way south to Florida for the winter. We thought we were going to avoid it.

Last night it was 19 degrees. That's cruel.

So, there it is - another lesson about flexibility. I had envisioned long walks and bike rides this week. I had the wine chilled and the chairs set up by the fire pit. I bought salads.

Yesterday, I made bean soup.

Frank keeps the motor home comfortable by making himself uncomfortable. When it's cold outside he has to button up the motor home, drain water at night, fill up the tanks in the morning, set up heaters and smile. I love being cared for, but, it's the smile that matters the most. He's convinced me it's "no big deal."

Sometimes leadership is about doing the hard stuff with a smile. Working through hard stuff with a smile will make people want to help you. They will feel secure through change. They will help you get you where you want to go. They will make you soup.

The thing is, Frank, I wonder if we're supposed to be in Mexico? I hear it's warm down there.

What can I say? I'm a fan.

Super Sunday. Super sized. Super bowl.

More people watching today than any other event - including the inauguration. Go figure.

Could it be Faith Hill? Jennifer Hudson? Bruce Springsteen? Big Ben? Kurt "Cinderella" Warner? John & Al? Terrible towels? General Petraeus? Or President Obama's pregame interview with Matt Lauer?

I risk an "Are you kidding?" here, but, we, the good people of the US of A, watch the Super Bowl because it is about winners and losers.

It's about rising up from NOTHING - that big zero on the scoreboard that's the measure of a meaningful life - and then fighting to become SOMETHING. It's a memory of a jubilant team holding a trophy after working really, really hard to get it. Someone wins! And we like to watch them win.

We need to watch more stories like that. If it's true that 60% of Americans get their news from their television, wouldn't it be great if a victory story was on every night? What if, when we clicked the remote, the feelgoodstory was Headline News instead of tucked away at the end of the Friday night news? Don't you think that a good victory story every night would make all of us happy, give us hope, and fuel some ambition?

If your kid is watching TV right now, he heard about ordinary kids growing up to be extraordinary people. He is watching team work in action. He is seeing grown men cry and hug and hope and lose and win.

Martha is right. All of that is a good thing... and a really good story.

It's scary out there.

There's no getting around the news--foreclosures, bailouts and breathtaking stock market swings. It's real. It's upon us. It can be scary.

Though we can't control the economy, we can control our perception (and reaction) to it. Every crisis creates a positive by-product--opportunity. It's more important than ever to think creatively and adapt "on-the-fly" to seize those opportunities. Companies that do so will thrive, even during the most challenging times.

Here are some survival strategies for tough times:

Don’t Panic. Be a Leader.

Fear plays a role in the ups and downs of the stock market. Don't let it create the same volatility in your business. Plan ahead based on facts, not fear.Think of yourself as captain of the ship. With stormy seas the crew (staff) and passengers (customers) look for leadership. Define flexibility with your actions. Others will follow suit. And don’t sugar coat any problems. Use clear, consistent and confident communication.

Make “Recession” Your Call to Action

Hard times breed efficiency. Take the time to fix the inefficiencies you’ve been putting off. Also re-evaluate your direction. Be realistic about the situation as it is now, not what you projected months ago that it would be.

Retain Your Best and Brightest

How? Communicate more with staff and vendors. Acknowledge the situation. Communicate your expectations. Seek advice. Uncertain times make people seek security and reassurance. They're unlikely to jump ship, especially if they feel like part of a team.

Now is not the time to skimp on customer service.

Like your staff, clients need to hear from you. Whether your customer service is awe-inspiring or plain awful (be honest), what’s one action you can take to "wow" a client? Flexible payment options? A bonus offer? Do it. Don’t give your clients or prospects any reason to say "no."

Adapt by Not Adapting

Contrarian? Perhaps. But, you don't need to reinvent the wheel to be relevant. If relying on your "meat and potatoes" is what works, why "fix" it. Maybe you already offer something that just needs tweaking. What service or product is it time to blow the dust off of? Also, don't assume prospects aren't interested because "times are tough." The services or products you offer (or want to) may be more relevant than ever. You won't know unless you try.

Use Your Downtime

If despite your best efforts, you find yourself with unwanted time off, look around your office. Are there unopened tapes/books sitting on the shelf? Use this time to upgrade your skills. Or, is there a new direction you’ve always longed to go in? Now’s the time to explore it.

Value Your Relationships

The people in your life can be a source of comfort during difficult times. What relationships could you be maximizing, but aren't? Remember, we humans are, by nature, resilient and adaptable. By embracing that adaptability and being flexible within your organization, you increase the odds of not just surviving but prospering.

Build People.

The inauguration is over and I am smitten. My heart is yearning to step up, be accountable, and lead.

The poignancy of all the people waiting to hear from the new President and to get a glimpse into the future is striking. We can't be a nation of people waiting anymore.

Find a place to volunteer before you get back to your job. We have a lot of work to do. It will take all of us day and night, weekdays and weekends. Please let me know what you find:

https://www.volunteermatch.org/