Some time ago I wrote a blog entry called Selling which had a very basic message, if you are struggling to meet your numbers AND you are not doing anything different than before then you need to do something different!

I went on to provide a number of suggestions about “different” things that a salesperson could do.

I also pointed out one of (Bob’s rules) …
“Insanity is doing the same thing you’ve always done and expecting different result”.

There are many reasons to “change things up” whether you are in sales or not, in your home life as well as at work.

This week our management team had one of our quarterly planning sessions and to change things up we took a day for strategic thinking, looking forward at where Eagle should be five years from now; we also spent a day on training which was both refreshing and interesting in addition to teaching us all new skills.

I have been in management positions for probably 20 years but I learned some new skills … AND I recognise that I have lots more to learn. It doesn’t matter how much experience you have, how much you know, whether you are a student or professor, young or old, you can always learn new “stuff”.

So … what else could you do differently?

If a one day training course energised me and made me feel good then perhaps I should plan on doing formal training more often?

If my exercise routine is … routine … then maybe its time to try something new. Perhaps use a different machine, change up the pace or intensity, take up a new sport or any number of things that will only add to my fitness.

If my evening routine were to sit watching TV for a number of hours maybe I could take up chess or scrabble or bridge, maybe I could read a book or catch up on the world news. All of these “TV alternatives” exercise the brain, which is a good thing!

If my life were boring (and I can tell you it isn’t!) then I would need to step back, evaluate what I was doing and look for different things to do.

We only get one chance at this life … it would be a shame to get to “the end” and have regrets. I’ll end with one of my favorite quotes, and it is from the movie Braveheart …

“Every man dies. Not every man truly lives” … Mel Gibson

Every now and then I am reminded about just why I support the many causes that I do … intellectually I know that it is appreciated, needed and absolutely the right thing to do. But at least once a year the participants of the MASC Young Authors and Illustrators Conference remind me how much difference a relatively small amount of money can make in a person’s life!

Each year I get hundreds of thank yous from the children who attend, many of which are funny, articulate, passionate and inspiring. Below is a letter from one of the past participants that demonstrates the enthusiasm I am talking about.

Wouldn’t you just love to bottle this passion!

Hello!

I would like to start by saying that your conference was the best – Not ‘One of The Best’ or ‘One of My Favourite’- but the BEST, MOST wonderful, MOST satisfying learning experience I have had, literally in years. We’re talking since I was around five. I AM NOT KIDDING!!! Under No Circumstances Is This Untrue, No Matter How Twisted The Situation, Or How Parallel The Universe, It Was The Best.

I have not learned anything in so long that gave me such inspiration or understanding, shaped with such colour. It just made me so… happy.

That sort of happiness allowed me to breathe again, instead of merely sucking in oxygen. The entire day was one deep, satisfying, alive sort of breath. I was really looking for one of those breaths, and school just wasn’t cutting it and I am so, SO, SO grateful to you, for allowing me to participate in MASC.

Next year I’ll be too old to come as a student to MASC, (I am sooooo glad I discovered you guys in time to do it this year.) but I would LOVE to volunteer, so if you are ever in need of a Shadow, or anything, I am here. I would also love to know any other ways I can repay everyone at MASC who gave me such wonderful opportunities.

MASC really refreshed my outlook on…well, everything, I guess, and you know what? I learned stuff. Really, actually learned. I learned about something I LOVE. I love writing. Thank you.

Robin.

On Friday I wrote a blog entry about the challenges facing GM dealerships who have been “axed” as a part of GM’s restructuring.

One of the points here is that these dealerships became “irrelevant” to GM overnight, and yet that writing was on the wall for a long time. In fact, if I were one of the remaining dealerships I think I would (a) be thankful for the reprieve and (b) start the process of looking at a different future!

We live in a world where change happens quickly.

We live in a world where industries are affected by change overnight.

Businesses are disrupted by technology, by innovation, by global competition, by smarter stronger competitors, by larger competitors with deep pockets … and even by ineffective management.

When business are affected in this way of course their employees are significantly affected, and most people react in the same way … like deer in the headlights!

ARE YOU A DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS?

Is your industry changing, and if so, is your company adapting to that change? Are you working for a market leader?

Tough questions to ask, and even tougher to answer. Ten years ago Nortel was the darling of the Canadian high tech industry today it is on the brink of self-destruction. Who could have foreseen such a free fall?

The high tech sector has many cases of companies that were leaders in their time … but don’t exist today. Compaq, Digital Equipment, Burroughs, Sperry, Sun Microsystems … are all gone. Most through acquisition but inevitably after some period of decline.

So … what can you do?

If YOU are a company then you need to ask the question … How Relevant am I? You need to answer it honestly, you need other people to answer it for you and you need to plan accordingly. GM dealerships could have asked that question 18 months ago and today they might have been well positioned for their next role in the economy instead they face competition from 2,600 other dealerships (Plus however many Chrysler dealerships and possibly Ford dealerships) all looking to reinvent.

If you are an individual then you need to ask yourself the questions … How Relevant am I? You need to think about the future … what happens IF your world gets changed for you? What can you do to improve the likelihood that you will be “relevant” should layoffs happen in your industry.

What happens if your employer goes out of business? What happens if your job is eliminated? What happens if your company is bought and you hate the new environment?

Do you have in-demand skills? What can you do to upgrade your skills? What can you do to be MORE relevant to your employer? What can you do to make sure that if people are cut, your name is not “on the list”?

There is no such thing as guaranteed employment today, and we need to be responsible for our own futures. For many people that is a scary prospect … but it is reality.

There are things that anyone can do … invest in yourself, read books, take training courses, take pride in doing your job efficiently and effectively, see feedback, adopt a positive attitude, become indispensable in your company.

So far I have focused on the fact that all of us are affected by change … and that it happens quickly. There is another side to this story … ALL companies depend on great people to be successful. We WILL return to skills and labour shortages in the not too distant future and the pendulum swings back in the employees favor then. So if you become indispensable now, just think of the bargaining power you will have when the world’s economies recover!

I have been reading accounts of local Ottawa GM franchises that are caught in the mess as GM moves slowly but surely towards bankruptcy, and as part of its restructuring is closing 2,600 dealerships.

So one of the casualties of this debacle is the dealer network, many of whom are family owned businesses and have been in business for decades. Their investment in those franchises has been significant … and now they are faced with the prospect of reinventing themselves, or they too will join GM on the “scrap heap” of failed businesses.

As a business owner I have a ton of sympathy for these people … the profile is fairly typical. They will be hard working stalwarts of their community, who know the new car business and have been evolving their business with significant personal investment for many years. They will likely have a loyal group of employees, mechanics, sales people, administrative and accounting people.

What can they do? What would you do?

Option 1. Sell … obviously their asset is not worth anywhere near as much as it was a year ago, but it is worth something.

Option 2. Change brands … sell a different model. A tough option at this point, there are something like 2,600 dealerships being closed so other car companies will have lots to choose from.

Option 3. Become a service centre. A possibility that will probably require more training for their mechanics and potentially investment in more equipment as opposed to GM specific tools. The dealerships will then be competing with generic service centres … an interesting challenge from an ROI standpoint.

Option 4. Sell used cars. Another possibility, but that is a crowded market too. Coupled with Option 3 it might be a survival strategy that could, help the dealership limp along until a better option is found.

Option 5. Sell something else … farm equipment, motorbikes, skidoos or other mechanical type equipment. A bigger stretch and requiring investment in training and learning about a different but related industry.

Option 6. Do something totally different! Get some advisers, look at their assets and devise a way to capitalise on those assets and reinvent their business into a totally different realm. Companies have achieved this and it carries the highest potential for reward … and the greatest risks.

Whatever they choose to do these business owners are faced with what is probably their toughest business challenge.

The interesting thing about owning a business is that it can happen to any of us … disruptive technologies, new business models and innovative solutions can put any of us in a position that we need to reinvent or die.

Perhaps the right answer is to change first … before the change is forced on you. That requires foresight, knowledge, courage, innovation and an entrepreneurial flair that is rare. It does however make you a first mover in your market and THAT is where the higher returns are. So maybe those dealerships that remain should be investing in their changes NOW!

It would be a great MBA project for local universities to take on … helping their local GM dealerships to weather this storm!

The economy stinks!
Anyone who reads this regularly knows that I’m not happy with politicians lately.
Like everyone else I’m running way too hard .. just to keep from drowning.
The weather has been stinky … cold and very un-Summer like.

Who cares … outside the sun is shining and it is HOT!

This is a PERFECT night to get out of the office a little early … maybe 5:30pm and find myself a chair on a patio and sink a few beers with some friends!

Sometimes you just have to look after yourself. It doesn’t get much better than this … Life is GOOD!!!!

I have been running my own company for twelve years. Eagle has achieved some success, won a few awards and we have received some very favourable press.

When I first started the business my total focus was on the internal operation of the company, fighting the daily fires and developing strategies for growth.

As we got a little bigger we grew our management team and other people (certainly more capable) took responsibility for the day to day operations, and my focus shifted. My time was spent more on external activities and relationships, and lots of time spent on developing the strategies to take the company through several stages of growth.

We have worked hard to grow a solid business with good people, good processes and good technology all focused on a strategic direction that makes sense.

So … is that enough?

It appears that it is not enough, because it appears that various levels of government have the ability to change our world for us! Bill 139 in Ontario is proof positive that sometimes governments don’t listen … and will enact legislation that is bad for business. McGuinty’s government seems to be very prone to this kind of action … the extra “Family Day” holiday that costs about $2 billion in productivity to Ontario companies each year and the recently announced HST which is going to be a disaster for Ontario are two more examples that this provincial government is out of control.

As a businessman that is scary! (As a tax payer its scary too!)

So … back to my hypothesis. I need to find time to educate people about our industry, about its value proposition and the part it plays in providing employment to 600,000 Canadians a year.

All business owners need to find time to let their elected “leaders” know what they do, and the importance of what they do.

I need to develop a plan ….

What are the messages I want to deliver?
What levels of government are important to me?
Who are the people I need to meet?
How many can I meet each month … how much time can I devote to this activity?

Are you going to develop a plan? If not then your industry might be the next one to get “creamed” by McGuinty and people like him.

I have written many blog entries over the last three years about the importance of setting goals … which was actually a lesson I learned late!

There are many reasons to set goals but the best reason I have learned is that it gives you something to aim for … the reaching of a goal is yet another win, but the mere fact that you set a goal and have a plan to get there puts you ahead of most of the population!

This year has without doubt been one of the most challenging times in my business career. The recession creates a very tough environment in which to run a business and so, it is also a time when reaching goals will be difficult.

Having said all this if we are not careful then NOT reaching a goal can actually be a de-motivator! So … given that these are goals we set for ourselves and a standard that only we know about, means that we can reset goals when it makes sense … that would be NOW!

So … if you set yourself some goals for 2009 now would be a good time to revisit them, perhaps to reset them or maybe to just set some totally new goals.

Almost three years ago I wrote an entry about how Goals were a Way to take Charge of Your Life and provided a “quick and dirty” way to get started with setting goals.

At the end of that year I provided a little more in depth way to look at some goals and to get yourself started … it was designed to be a 2006 Wrap-up and Planning for 2007. Certainly the principles all apply today.

Whether you are a business owner struggling through this economy (with no help from our Ontario Government … did I mention them before?), or someone looking to advance a career, someone who has lost their job or a student starting out on your career … set some goals.

As a wise man once said … if you don’t have a goal, how will you know when you get there?

General Observations:

April was still a very tough month in the IT space with many organizations still trying to gain savings from their IT spend. There has been a general decrease in rates across the board driven by the market forces … less jobs and more available resources. We have also seen clients asking contractors to reduce their hours or move to four day weeks. Coast to coast activity is down significantly over last year, but there are some positive signs to be found.

More Specifically:

April at Eagle saw a few less orders than the previous month (less demand) plus a reduction in the number of resumes flowing into our system. However in the first couple of weeks in May that trend has reversed, with both the number of orders, and the number of resumes increasing significantly. What does that mean? (a) It looks like clients are starting to invest in their IT projects again, or perhaps strengthen their teams while there is high availability; (b) the increased flow of resumes will be because there have been continuing layoffs, plus an increase in opportunities on our website will drive more traffic.

> Out West the price of oil is a huge factor and its ascent back to the $60 a barrel range is definite cause for optimism. Perhaps the TSX passing the 10,000 points mark was a sign of that optimism or better still perhaps is ANOTHER cause for optimism.
> The BC election is done, the Liberals are back in power which reduces uncertainty and we should see an increase in government activity there.
> Ottawa in recent times has been somewhat “paralysed” by the infamous “bid rigging scandal” plus a heated dispute around the Feds Shared Services initiative. Those events are settling a little and it looks like the order flow is getting back to a more normal cycle … whatever that might be!
> The Financial sector in Toronto has been one of the worst hit by this economy and perhaps the first hit, as it has been probably a year since we have seen any significant activity there. Just lately there are signs that things might be picking up.
> Quebec remains one of the quietest economies with hyper competition and significant pressure on rates.

In Summary:

It is still nasty “out there”, competition for business is fierce and we are nowhere near back to normal. Having said that, as discussed above, there are some good signs that there is light at the end of the tunnel … we just have to hope it is not another train!

On Saturday night I attended a gala, it was the Consumers Choice awards for Ottawa. Many businesses were recognised based upon input, through a Leger Marketing poll, from consumers. In addition to the company recognition there were three individual awards:

Man of the Year was presented to Brian Kilrea, an Ottawa native, who is the “winningest coach in junior hockey”. He is a legend in Ottawa for his success over a long career, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007. Clearly a successful man deserving of the praise … and he was born in Ottawa too.

Woman of the Year was presented to Susan Sherring, a columnist with the Ottawa Sun. Currently her mandate is to cover news at city hall, and given that our mayor Larry O’Brien is currently in court on charges of influence peddling she has an interesting beat! It was clear that Sue knew everyone and everyone knew her! John Baird Minister of transport came running over to say hi … and they chatted a lot all night. The MC Sandy Sharkey was an old friend and Sue was up dancing with all of the dignitaries later in the evening. Again, clearly a popular choice, born in Ottawa and receiving recognition for her many accomplishments in the journalism field.

Businessperson of the Year was yours truly. It is a little strange to get this kind of award, and it was a touch of deja vu from when I won the CEO of the Year award in 2006. Back then I blogged about receiving recognition, and how hard that can be. This time around I got to thinking about all of the good businesses “out there” struggling through the tough economy we have been experiencing for the last year or more. There are plenty of deserving people I thought. I also got to thinking about the pressure this brings, what if Eagle suddenly experiences major issues now? How can you hold your head up as Businessperson of the year then?

So I re-read my blog from a couple of years ago, (a) accepted the fact that there are lots of struggling companies and some people had faith in me, (b) I am definitely thankful … now (c) its time for me to shut up and hang my plaque!

In May of 2006 I wrote a blog entry about “the pandemic and the independent contractor“. Back in 2006 we were talking about SARS, today it is H1N1, or Swine flu … both events are cause for a little planning!

The blog entry talks about such considerations as being prepared for a period of time without income; checking on insurance coverages and other related topics. These are typically the sort of situations that an individual might not give much though to, whereas larger companies are making plans in the event that a pandemic does hit.

Currently there are about 5,000 cases of Swine flu reported around the world, with about 60 deaths most of which are in Mexico. Associated press provide regular updates and this one was current as of mid afternoon today.

Did you know …

If you develop symptoms you may be asked to go home for 7 to 10 days?
If someone that you come into contact with is diagnosed with it, you will be asked to quarantine yourself for 7 to 10 days.
Large companies are ready to implement plans that would see many of their staff working from home.
There is plenty of information about this subject online … such as the centre for disease control website.

So … as an independent contractor maybe you want to develop your own plan in the case you become quarantined.

1. Do you have a setup that would allow you to work from home? Internet access, phone access, a computer capable of doing the work etc.
2. Can you identify work that could be done from home for a week or so?
3. Can you clarify how you would get paid? How would work/timesheets be approved? How would your agency pay you etc?
4. What is your responsibility in the workplace? Do you have any financial responsibility if you bring the flu into the client’s workplace? Should you be providing masks/disinfectant hand wash etc to prevent any contamination?

At this point the flu has not spread to the extent that was at first feared, but complacency and bad luck could still conspire to spread this virus far and wide. The implicatons to the economy are severe (just ask the Mexican tourist industry) so we must all take our responsibilities seriously with this situation.

Think about it, gather data and have a plan! Hopefully that will have the same effect as when I carry an umbrella … it doesn’t rain!