No. 2 February 2010

Key West, Florida, the southernmost point in the continental United States, hit a 131-year low of 47 degrees on Thursday January 7, 2010.  Many Americans would give almost anything to be able to make that statement about the area they live in, including me.

It has been a frigid winter over most of the country; much colder than most recent winters in recent memory.  Heavy snow in the mid-west and northeast and lots of rain in the southeast (and lately a lot of snow) bodes well for substantial ground moisture to start the spring selling season.  You and I know weather impacts our business as much if not more than the state of the economy.  In 2007 it did not matter how strong or weak the economy was, nobody in the southeastern United States was mowing and lawn mowers were not being bought or repaired.

Evangelist Robert H. Schuller describes four kinds of people in the world today: the cop-outs, the hold-outs, the drop-outs, and the all-outs.

First are the cop-outs. They set no goals and make no decisions.

Second are the hold-outs. They have a beautiful dream, but they're afraid to respond to its challenge because they aren't sure they can make it.

Third are the drop-outs. They start to make their dream come true. They know their role. They set their goals, but when the going gets tough, they quit.

Finally, there are the all-outs. They are the people who know their role. They want and need and are going to be stars — star students, star parents, star waitresses. They want to shine out as an inspiration to others. They set their goals. The all-outs never quit. They're committed.

I hope you see yourself as an all-out.  That means you have goals in your life that you are committed to making.

Certified Parts Corporation purchased assets of Hoffco/Comet in December 2009 and hopes to maintain and continue to supply a complete line of replacement parts and ultimately finished products including clutches and torque converters.  Then Ariens Company announced in January 2010 that it had purchased intellectual assets of the Kee Mower brand of products which were most recently manufactured by Hoffco Power Equipment.  It’s good to see that from the “ashes” of Hoffco/Comet, a company whose people we will dearly miss, arises business opportunities other companies have seen and are willing to nurture and grow.

My favorite Blogger and columnist Harvey Mackay once listed 11 things we can learn from dogs.  (1) When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.  (2) Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.  (3) Take naps.  (4) Run, romp, and play daily.  (5) Let people touch you.  (6) Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.  (7) When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.  (8) Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.  (9) Be loyal.  (10) If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.  (11) When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.  Now that’s wonderful advice.

Getting people to believe in their capabilities and their own intrinsic value is among managers’ most important jobs.  We can blame ourselves because we aren’t generous with our praise when a job is done well.  There’s not feedback.  We all know good feedback should be immediate and often.  Positive feedback is given in public and negative feedback is given in private.  The rules aren’t difficult.  But feedback other than an annual or bi-annual review time is scarce and often forgotten or overlooked.  Want to bring a smile to a key employee?  Thank that person often for a job well done.