Billy Arcement’s
News From the Swamp
Issue # 42
Bringing you ideas from The Results
Group Office
on
“Working
with business leaders to produce a culture of teamwork, productivity and
profits.”
Please recommend this newsletter to a friend or associate.
Place this newsletter in a binder for future
review. Periodically review the messages. This reinforces the content, creates new
reactions and expands the possibilities of retention and implementation of the
information shared. Put the ideas to
work for you. This is how winners learn
and grow and I believe you are a winner!
I was
recently thinking about business structures when a blinding flash of the
obvious hit me. In the first twenty
years of my life, business ownership could be represented by a long, narrow
rectangular structure—many owners, many
business segments. In the last
twenty years, the business ownership model has shifted, and continues to shift,
from the rectangle to a triangular or pyramid shape—less owners, less businesses segments.
There are few examples of a business segment where the ownership is not getting narrower and narrower. The trend to fewer and fewer investors owning more and more of the businesses pie is an ever growing enterprise. Mom and Pop are quickly exiting the scene now overtaken by impersonal investors who only want to make a dollar. Don’t misunderstand, I’m certainly not against making money. But I cringe a bit when I think of the growing impersonal feelings between consumer and business owner.
Hugh conglomerates are making billion dollar deals. The media, entertainment, oil companies, banks, retail outlets, and communication are just a few of the segments of business that have dramatically shifted ownership. Could it be that one day a single person will own the entire world? (Move over God!)
I don’t share these thoughts out of pessimism. I share them out of concern for the loss of personal service that is created by these mergers and acquisitions. The bottom line overshadows personal service. Consumers are viewed as nothing more than income streams. Personal friendships between consumer and owners have been replaced with the quest for dollars. Big, growing in the ever decreasing number of players, allows impersonal relationships to exist and still survive.
Perhaps I’m a bit sentimental and “stuck in the 50’s” as the song lyrics say. But I miss the days when the true owner of a business could call me by name. I miss the days when there was trust between consumer and business owner and a handshake consummated a deal. I miss the days when owners truly cared for my business and placed value on me as a person.
There is no sign the appetite for more and more is stopping soon. Where all this will lead is beyond my ability to predict. But the one thing I do understand is that I am becoming less and less important as an individual consumer. With so many buying from so few, sacrifice of an individual consumer doesn’t impact the bottom line. Owners can now afford to write off some customers and deal with them on a very impersonal level. It’s a sad trend.
Keep Your Service Alive
I recently
read of a small business owner who, when faced with a giant competitor locating
next door, began to offer specialized service that the giant did not
offer. He became creative in his quest
to keep his doors open and build a stronger customer base. He became unique in his service and, in spite
of a potential business busting environment, he created a niche for
himself. Because he focused on serving
his customers at the highest level, he thrives.
Now that is an encouraging story.
As acquisitions occur, employee casualties mount. New owners look to cut the overhead. This is typically done by consolidation of job responsibilities. Frankly, this is a good business practice. No one should be guaranteed a job. But, it behooves an organization to spend time undergoing a strong evaluation of the contributions made by every employee before consolidating responsibilities. Too often, experience and business knowledge are sacrificed as a trade off for potential profits. What is often overlooked is the long term, extra costs incurred because the organization must now “reinvent the wheel.” Without careful evaluation, acquisitions can go sour because valuable data stored in the head of key employees walks out of the door.
Keeping the best is smart business. Strong employees have a gold mine between their ears. And, smart owners are quick to recognize this asset and use it for their own survival.
As you build your career, grow in knowledge, value, and efficiency. All enhance surviving a career. If you become a casualty, the strength you possess can be leveraged into future employment opportunities. It’s never too early to get smarter about what you do. It’s also smart to truly understand that only the strong survive in a very competitive environment.
Near the end of last year, I began to focus on a new business model. Last year was my most successful year to date. Yet at times, it was a bit unfulfilling. I’m not very motivated to make calls or to solicit business. That’s my Achilles heel! My preference is to rely on my work as my marketing piece. But building such a business model takes time. And time can be your worst enemy.
As I sought a direction for 2005, I made the decision that building long term relationships with my clients was the model I wanted. I enjoy keynoting a conference or conducting a seminar for a client and will continue to pursue such opportunities. But my passion is really creating new directions that improve a business and the people who lead it. “One night stands” with a client pays the bills but doesn’t build a strong emotional bank account. I prefer a long term commitment. (Evidence that by the fact that my wife and I celebrated forty-three years of marriage this week).
In December I was approached by an organization to work with their supervisory team. They needed to improve the leadership / management skills of these employees. This type of project fits very well with my work passion, knowledge base, and current business model. But here is the important part of the story. Because my business focus was on long term relationships, I began to probe a bit about other needs this client might have. When our conversation was over, I had secured a long-term consulting contract covering multiple outcomes far beyond the original request. If my mindset had remained on the “one-night stance” mentality, I might have missed securing the most lucrative consulting project I’ve ever signed.
Develop a clear business focus and more opportunities will come into view. Clarity creates greatness. Clarity creates both personal and financial rewards. Clarity opens our eyes. Become clear on where your business focus should be and the world will open the doors of opportunity. It’s only when the blind leads the blind that both fall into the ditch!
The last thing you should want is a job! No, I’m not advocating you become a bum. Rather, I’m suggesting that a job has a limited future. It’s a career that creates survival. People who have a vision for building a career rarely have to look for work. It comes to them. When you are committed to building a career rather than going to work at a job every day, your demeanor becomes different. You are more creative, motivated, energized, and satisfied. You see a future rather than day to day responsibilities.
A most important facet of career building is to capitalize on your strengths and skills and doing work you enjoy. Nothing is more debilitating than working at a job you don’t like or possess few skills to perform. When you view your work with all the potential it possesses, you begin to build a career. When you view your work as simply a source of income, all you have is a job.
Work at what you like to earn the most you can so you can enjoy the benefits a good income offers. Make your career a passion with a service mentality and will be among the survivors who get to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Newsletter Archive
I’m pleased to tell you that my website, www.SearchingForSuccess.com now has back issues of News from the Swamp and Children First posted for you to read at any time. There are also a few articles you might find interesting.
Check it out.
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The Author: Get his book, Searching for Success, today. It can make a difference.
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Children First! Spread the Word
Children First, my newsletter offering parenting tips, continues to grow
very nicely. To subscribe, email me at barcement@eatel.net and place “children”
in the subject line. The next issue goes
out March 1.
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