Still Standing/Standing Still

Here in the midst of 2011 planning, I can’t help but feel a sense of dé já vu. Last year at this time, the recession was in full force, business was down and times were tough. This year, the recession is far from over. Business is down. And times are tough. As I review my own company’s performance, I realize that we’re almost back to where we were after our second year in business in 2004.

I feel a bit like a mouse on a treadmill, continually working but not really going anywhere.

Will I still be feeling like this in 2011? Will you? And, more importantly, does it matter?

Let’s look at the facts.

Fact #1: Money is a necessity. You and I have to work in order to buy food, clothing and housing. (Ever tried bartering at Harris Teeter? It’s frowned upon).

Fact #2: I am still in business – which is more than a lot of companies can say. We have survived the recession thus far. We’re making a profit. We’re doing good work. And, if history repeats itself (as historians tell you it will), our business will continue to grow.

Fact #3: I am projected to stay in business. We have business on the books well into next year. Yeeeee-ah! I’m pretty darned excited about that.

Fact #4: As technology changes, so does our business. So while the treadmill may not change, I do get to enjoy a change of scenery along the way. That keeps things exciting.

Fact #5: I still love what I do . . . so I don’t dread going to work. And I get to spend 8-12 hours a day doing what I enjoy.

The bottom line is: Companies grow and shrink. Clients come and go. Money is won and lost. And while you may feel like you’re going nowhere on that treadmill year after year, time keeps ticking away. Day after day, hour after hour, second by second — you get the idea. . .

So the question is, are you enjoying what you’re doing with the limited time you have? As for me, I’d have to say, “Hell, yeah!” And that makes my treadmill a pretty cool ride.

Making Lemonade

My son spent the whole summer training for his senior year of high school soccer. He was fit, ready and in the prime of his life by try-outs. Minutes before the first pre-season game, the coach named him co-captain of the team. All his dreams had come true. Unfortunately, less than fifteen minutes into the first game, he tore his ACL. He’s out for the season, having surgery and expecting a six-month recovery.

It’s not just my son who’s experiencing his share of disappointment this year. For many, two-thousand-ten has been another year of disappointments. If the recession ended in 2009, it neglected to notify most American businesses. Clients are still hesitant to spend money. A continuously evolving media environment is causing publications to close left and right. And, last I checked, people are still losing their jobs.

Not exactly “rainbows and butterflies.”

On the other hand, it’s when adversity strikes that we find out who we really are. For some, streamlining actually strengthened their organizations. The need to cut costs exposed staffing weaknesses. For others, current underutilized resources were used to improve future efficiencies. In our office, for instance, we used downtime to re-examine our processes, organize our photo libraries and increase office efficiency.

Some businesses’ losses were others’ gains. Home phone services are declining, but cellular phone sales are at an all time high. Ad media sales are down, but interactive advertising sales are breaking records. Housing sales are in a slump, but low interest rates have created a refinancing boom.

Lemons, meet lemonade.

My son, who “lived” to play soccer, was initially devastated by his injury. After a couple of days, however, his attitude shifted from a sports focus to a focus on the future. He’s been studying his school work in the evenings. He interviewed and was hired to work at his high school’s campus financial institution. And I actually caught him studying for the S.A.T. – something he’s never done.

Turns out the right attitude can turn an athlete into a student, a loss into an opportunity and a failure into a success. So while 2010 may not be the best year for business, it’s certainly not the worst. So maybe those of us who are lucky enough to remain in business should take a cue from my 17-year-old son. Let’s quit feeling sorry for ourselves and make the most of it.

Hey, Hey, Hey, Goodbye!

The year 2009 reminded me of Tiger Woods: No matter how much faith you had in him, he just kept screwing around on you.

He took away our 401-k’s, brought back furloughs and made us pay for everyday conveniences like checking luggage. He cost us our vacations, our insurance and, in many cases, our jobs. He was a bad ride. And I, for one, am glad he’s gone.

I welcome 2010 with all the hope and optimism of George Baily in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I love this movie because George always does the right thing. Even when things go bad, he takes the high road – and the blame. This is the same reason I love Howard Roark from Ayn Rand’s classic “The Fountain Head.” His belief in himself never wavers. His integrity is forever uncompromised.

I haven’t re-read “The Fountain Head” in 20 years because I fear (and my mother says) that I will find it less inspiring now than I did when I was in school. And I don’t want to lessen my love for Howard Roark’s determination and idealism. Nor do I want to lessen my own.

So I look forward to 2010 as the idealist that I am. It’s a year to make something out of nothing. It is a year to face change — and to MAKE change. For the first time ever, if you believe Seth Godin’s “TRIBES,” we, as individuals, have the tools to inspire change.

We don’t have to own a company. We don’t have to have power. We just have to have the vision and the guts to do it. (Initiative is a rare quality in the business world.) So take some initiative.

What’s the worst that can happen? You fail? The biggest failure is not having tried. Ask anyone over the age of 80 and you’ll find that people seldom regret the risks they took, but often regret the risks not taken.

As for me, I’m going to risk more.

I’m going to write more.

I’m going to go out more.

I’m going to turn down unprofitable jobs more.

I’m going to delegate more.

I’m going to draw and paint more.

I’m going to travel more.

I’m going to work out — even more.

And I’m going to worry . . . less.

After all, what have I got to worry about? The only certainty in life is death.

So take up that hobby you’ve always wanted to try. Start that business you’ve dreamed about. Fire that employee that isn’t working out. And ask out that girl instead of just thinking about it. But don’t just stand there, waiting for things to get better all by themselves.

Like “Cheetah” Woods, the year 2009 did not behave like a gentleman. He was mean and thoughtless and cost us too much. But one bad year doesn’t spoil them all. So let’s give 2010 the benefit of the doubt. Let 2010 be the year of change for the better. And make a few positive changes of your own.

Hey, Hey, Hey, Goodbye!

The year 2009 reminded me of Tiger Woods: No matter how much faith you had in him, he just kept screwing around on you.

He took away our 401-k’s, brought back furloughs and made us pay for everyday conveniences like checking luggage. He cost us our vacations, our insurance and, in many cases, our jobs. He was a bad ride. And I, for one, am glad he’s gone.

I welcome 2010 with all the hope and optimism of George Baily in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I love this movie because George always does the right thing. Even when things go bad, he takes the high road – and the blame. This is the same reason I love Howard Roark from Ayn Rand’s classic “The Fountain Head.” His belief in himself never wavers. His integrity is forever uncompromised.

I haven’t re-read “The Fountain Head” in 20 years because I fear (and my mother says) that I will find it less inspiring now than I did when I was in school. And I don’t want to lessen my love for Howard Roark’s determination and idealism. Nor do I want to lessen my own.

So I look forward to 2010 as the idealist that I am. It’s a year to make something out of nothing. It is a year to face change — and to MAKE change. For the first time ever, if you believe Seth Godin’s “TRIBES,” we, as individuals, have the tools to inspire change.

We don’t have to own a company. We don’t have to have power. We just have to have the vision and the guts to do it. (Initiative is a rare quality in the business world.) So take some initiative.

What’s the worst that can happen? You fail? The biggest failure is not having tried. Ask anyone over the age of 80 and you’ll find that people seldom regret the risks they took, but often regret the risks not taken.

As for me, I’m going to risk more.

I’m going to write more.

I’m going to go out more.

I’m going to turn down unprofitable jobs more.

I’m going to delegate more.

I’m going to draw and paint more.

I’m going to travel more.

I’m going to work out — even more.

And I’m going to worry . . . less.

After all, what have I got to worry about? The only certainty in life is death.

So take up that hobby you’ve always wanted to try. Start that business you’ve dreamed about. Fire that employee that isn’t working out. And ask out that girl instead of just thinking about it. But don’t just stand there, waiting for things to get better all by themselves.

Like “Cheetah” Woods, the year 2009 did not behave like a gentleman. He was mean and thoughtless and cost us too much. But one bad year doesn’t spoil them all. So let’s give 2010 the benefit of the doubt. Let 2010 be the year of change for the better. And make a few positive changes of your own.

Rewards

Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. This was controversial because he’s so new in his position. It’s a bit like giving the Academy Award to the actor before he’s played the role. But he won not so much for what he’s done as for what he’s trying to do. The decision makers claimed they wanted to encourage his behavior.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how to encourage good behavior – from my employees, my kids and, perhaps especially, my dog. Discouraging bad behavior seems so much easier. You can put employees on probation. You can ground your kids. And you can put your dog out. Negative consequences will eventually stop negative behaviors. But are positive consequences as effective at encouraging positive behaviors?

If I give my dog a bone when he DOESN’T have an accident in the conference room, will he eventually stop? I think not. (In fact, I have “piles” of evidence that say he won’t).

Should I give my employees awards to encourage good behaviors? In our industry, awards are given for exceptional ideas, strategies, design, writing and production. But there really isn’t an award for “Best Attitude,” “Funniest” or “Most Pleasant to Work With.” I submit that those things are as important as talent when it comes to our day-to-day working environment.

Accolades can be effective. Most every company recognizes employees who go “above and beyond” in their weekly staff meetings. And we’ve all been named “Employee of the Month” at some point or other.

Perks help, too. At WilsonMcGuire Creative, we’ve worked out a system with 3 levels of rewards (from $5 Starbucks Gift Cards to $25 Barnes&Noble Gift Cards to a $100 dinner at local restaurant). Each employee can reward a co-worker with one of these at his or her discretion when he thinks that coworker has done something exceptionally well. It’s in its infancy, but it seems to encourage teamwork.

Money is a master motivator.

My son Dalton is a social animal – forever going to movies, dinners and parties with his friends. As such, he suffers from a constant lack of funds and, because he plays soccer, he has no time for a job. When his grades began to slide his sophomore year, it didn’t worry him much. I, on the other hand, imagined driving past the hallowed campuses of Duke, N.C. State and Carolina to tour the local community colleges. So I broke down and told him I’d pay him for every A on his report card. If, however, he made a C or lower, he’d have to pay me.

He made 5 out of 7 A’s that semester. And he’s been keeping his grades up ever since. Money is an excellent motivator. But I think the mother of all motivators is still a negative – fear.

I heard a story of a business owner who wanted to encourage his employees to be more creative. He felt they were in a rut and no longer offered fresh thinking. One morning, he was so frustrated he announced that he would fire the next person he saw even park his or her car the same way.

When he arrived to work the next morning, he was pleased to see that not a car was parked between the lines. They were parked sideways, diagonally, on the curb, on the grass, everywhere but between the parallel lines. It was total parking chaos motivated entirely by fear.

So if you don’t want to work in an environment of fear and you don’t have much money in these recessionary times, how do you encourage positive behavior? I’ve got an award waiting for the person who can answer this.

Boundaries

It’s official. There are no boundaries anymore.

Someone heckled the President of the United States when he was addressing congress. It was a Republican, a Southerner and, unfortunately, a Wilson (no relation). Unbelievable. (If you google it, you’ll find a paid ad by Joe Wilson who is now capitalizing on his fifteen minutes of fame. Nice.)  I don’t care what your views are on Barack Obama. . .He’s the President of the United States. George Bush had to travel all the way to the Middle East to get treated with such indignity.

Michael Jordan, a hero in North Carolina and all over the world, was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame. Yet instead of humbleness and grace, he astounded us with an “I’m the greatest” speech about his “competitive nature.”

“There’s no “i” in team,” he said, “but there’s an “i” in win.”

On national TV, he said this to his own children: “I wouldn’t want to be you because of all the expectations…”

I am stunned. What on earth does this man have left to prove?

Kanye West jumped in front of teen Taylor Swift as she accepted an MTV Video award to announce that it wasn’t Taylor, but rather Beyonce who had created “one of the best videos of all time.” I’m sorry. What?! And who are you?

And Serena Williams surpassed them all as she threatened a line judge on the tennis courts of the U.S. Open. “I’m going to take this ball and shove it down your (bleeping) throat.” Really? Have we come to this?

Sitting in a parking lot at the grocery store over the weekend, I was fully entertained by a thirty-year-old man on a cell phone. He wasn’t upset. He was just walking around his car having a casual conversation on his phone. Yet in that conversation, he unleashed a spew of expletives not heard since Ralphie from “A Christmas Story” let loose on the neighborhood bully.

I was watching “Weeds” for the first time last weekend while visiting my parents. (I don’t have HBO). My mom came in and sat down, but she didn’t stay because she was offended by the language. Wow. Would my kids be offended by that language? I doubt it. This kind of language is so common, we’re becoming immune to it.

All of us are guilty of using profanity on occasion. But it may be like a gateway drug – just an opening to move onto more offensive behavior. I, for one, am offended by what I’m seeing and hearing lately. I just hope we, as a society, can pare it back so that my kids will be, too.

AntiSocial Networking

While I find all this social networking stuff mildly amusing, I am having a hard time taking the time out of my day to update my TWITTER on a regular basis. On one hand, I’m curious to see what folks are up to, where they’re going, etc. On the other hand, I haven’t seen many TWITTERS that were very interesting.

Do you REALLY care if I’m picking up dry cleaning or watching my kid’s soccer game? I think not.

Am I generally participating in interesting enough activities to merit a note to the world about it? Probably not.

Are people really that bored? Apparently so.

People are becoming addicted to this “constant” connecting. In fact, I’ve seen people IGNORE those they’re actually WITH in order to text someone who’s not in the room. This is the equivalent of “call waiting” for me. R-U-D-E.

Call waiting basically says, “hey, I know you took the time to call me, but someone better is calling so I’m putting you on HOLD so I can talk to them.” Nice.

Texting is worse. It says, “Hey, you’ve taken the time to hang out with me today, but your conversation is so dull, I’d rather stare at this phone and type with my thumbs than talk to you.”

(To be clear, this particular incident has not happened to ME, but I’ve witnessed it : )

Are we becoming a society that prefers texting to talking? Online to in-person? If we keep it up, this constant urge to connect might actually make us forget how.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to TWITTER the world that I just wrote this blog. . .