April « 2017 « Print Grow Pro

Closing The Gate

Posted on April 7, 2017 under Sales Management 101.

CLOSING THE GATE

Sooner or later, tribes begin to exclude interested but unaffiliated newcomers.

It happens to religious sects, to surfers and to online communities as well. Nascent groups with open arms become mature groups too set in their ways to evangelize and grow their membership, too stuck to engage, change and thrive.

So much easier to turn someone away than it is to patiently engage with them, the way you were welcomed when you were in their shoes.

There are two reasons for this:

It’s tiresome and boring to keep breaking in newbies. Eternal September, the never-ending stream of repetitive questions and mistakes can wear out even the most committed host. Your IT person wasn’t born grouchy–it just happens.
It’s threatening to the existing power structure. New voices want new procedures and fresh leadership.

And so, Wikipedia has transformed itself into a club that’s not particularly interested in welcoming new editors.

And the social club down the street has a membership with an average age of 77.

And companies that used to grow by absorbing talent via acquisitions, cease to do so.

This cycle isn’t inevitable, but it takes ever more effort to overcome our inertia.

Even if it happens gradually, the choice to not fight this inertia is still a choice. And while closing the gate can ensure stability and the status quo (for now), it rarely leads to growth, and ultimately leads to decline.

[Some questions to ponder...]

Do outsiders get the benefit of the doubt?

Do we make it easy for outsiders to become insiders?

Is there a clear and well-lit path to do so?

When we tell someone new, “that not how we do things around here,” do we also encourage them to learn the other way and to try again?

Are we even capable of explaining the status quo, or is the way we do things set merely because we forgot that we could do it better?

Is a day without emotional or organizational growth a good day?

Craig McConnell, President,

PrintGrowPro/SalesGrowPro

RETIREMENT REIMAGINED - ENTERING ADULTHOOD 2.0

www.printgrowpro.com

“Great selling is a process artfully done.”

Follow me on Twitter – http://twitter.com/printgrowpro

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Seth Godin: Avoiding The Race To The Bottom

Posted on April 5, 2017 under Life 101.

I have always considered Seth Godin to be one of my mentors/heroes/business consulting role-models. Thought you might appreciate the attached. If you’re real busy, jump ahead to the last two paragraphs. Enjoy and cogitate

“If war has an opposite, it’s not peace, it’s civilization. (inspired by Ursula LeGuin writing in 1969)

“Civilization is the foundation of every successful culture. It permits us to live in safety, without being crippled by fear. It’s the willingness to discuss our differences, not to fight over them. Civilization is efficient, in that it permits every member of society to contribute at her highest level of utility. And it’s at the heart of morality, because civilization is based on fairness.

“The civilization of a human encampment, a city or town where people look out for one another and help when help is needed is worth seeking out.

“We’re thrilled by the violent video of the iguana and the snakes, partly because we can’t imagine living a life like that, one where we are always at risk.

“To be always at risk, to live in a society where violence is likely—this undermines our ability to be the people we seek to become.

“Over the last ten generations, we’ve made huge progress in creating an ever more civilized culture. Slavery (still far too prevalent) is now seen as an abomination. Access to information and healthcare is better than it’s ever been. Human culture is far from fully civilized, but as the years go by, we’re getting better at seeing all the ways we have to improve.

“And this can be our goal. Every day, with every action, to make something more civilized. To find more dignity and possibility and opportunity for those around us, those we know and don’t know.

Hence the imperative. Our associations, organizations and interactions must begin with a standard of civility. Our work as individuals and as leaders becomes worthwhile and generous when we add to our foundation of civilization instead of chipping away at it.

“The standard can come from each of us. We can do it. We can speak up. We can decide to care a little more. We can stand up to the boss, the CEO, or the elected representative and say, “wait,” when they cross the line, when they pursue profit at the cost of community, when they throw out the rules in search of a brawl instead. The race to the bottom and the urge to win at all costs aren’t new, but they’re not part of who we are and ought to be.”

Make it a great rest of the week always remember YOU DID NOT WAKE UP TODAY TO BE MEDIOCRE!!!