10/28/10 – Is your iceberg melting?
I have been flying all over the country lately and one nice thing about that, besides the frequent flyer miles, is that I get to read more than usual. I love books that make me think and ones that I can apply to making my company stronger and more competitive.
One of the books I’ve recently enjoyed was Our Iceberg is Melting by John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber. The story involves a penguin who discovers that the iceberg he is living on is melting and when he tells everyone what’s happening and that they have to move, he’s met with a tremendous amount of resistance. No one wants to move and/or change. Eventually, however, the penguins are convinced to move and everyone lives happily ever after.
While it may just be a retelling of Chicken Little, I still love the moral of this story: change is good and by embracing change we can make our world a better place. It’s also important to note that change is often met with resistance and in order to be a change agent, you have to be willing to go against the norm. But, as long as you’re not changing for change’s sake and you think through it and plan accordingly, others will eventually see how change can be beneficial to everyone.
The grocery business is one that changes almost on a daily basis, especially in the area of technology. If we don’t keep up with the changes, our clients won’t be on the cutting edge. Keeping our clients current is extremely important at Droste. We do our best to embrace change and make sure our clients have embraced it as well.
I’m off to the west coast, Seattle and then Canada in the next few weeks. A long cross-country flight during which I can read.
Until my next post, take care and prosper.
Tom
10/4/10 – A difference of one degree
Let me ask you a question: What’s the difference between 211 and 212? You say, that’s easy – 1 and, of course, you’re right. Now, what if I say, what is the difference between 211° and 212°? You still say “1”, but there’s a distinct difference between these two separate temperatures: 211 is just really hot while 212 is water’s boiling point.
Boiling water has a lot more properties and uses than just hot water: it generates steam which can provide power; the water begins to change form from a liquid to a gas; small difference, huge impact.
In business, small details can be the difference between winning a contract or losing it, between making a client happy or disgruntled. It may seem obvious, but the small book called 212: The Extra Degree by Sam Parker illustrates the point deftly, reminding us of the importance of even one degree. I highly recommend this book; it’s a quick read. There’s even a short video at www.just212.com to share with your employees, colleagues and friends as well.
At Droste, we are committed to going that extra degree for our clients. We look carefully at the small details and take the steps required to make our programs work for our clients. If a program needs adjustment to serve our clients better, we are going to figure out what the adjustment should be and make the change. We want our clients to think we’re great, so you can count on us to make your water boil (in a manner of speaking).
On a personal note, earlier this summer, I conquered the challenge of climbing Mount Washington. Mt. Washington is part of the White Mountains of New Hampshire and is the highest peak in the northeast at 6,288 feet. The strongest wind gust in history was recorded there in 1934 and measured 231 mph. Luckily for us, it was nowhere near that windy the day we (Kathy and I) climbed it. I found it easier not to directly focus on getting to the top, since there are many rises on the way and you’re deceived into thinking you’re almost there when you’re not. Instead, I just concentrated on steadily climbing and stopping along the way to take in all the beauty and nature that was around me. Believe it or not, it was actually harder to come down than go up, probably because when I got to the bottom, it meant my wonderful day was over.
Until my next post, take care and prosper.
Tom