Commentary – Page 20 – Fast:Forward Farther

April 28, 2017April 28, 2017

Right Time

At the peak of the dot-com bubble, circa 1999, investment dollars were flying in to unproven companies faster than you could say Pets.com – poster child for everything that didn’t work. Talk about an unsustainable business plan: losing money on every transaction; selling items for one-third cost. As typically happens when ‘irrational exuberance’ takes over (see: Holland – ‘tulip mania’, 1637), the inevitable crash occurred. Just two years after debuting, the company with the sock monkey Super Bowl ad was gone.

Boo.com, Books-a-Million, e.Toys.com, The Learning Company and InfoSpace are a few of the many whose stock price soared to the stratosphere only to burn up. However, those who went down in flames of bankruptcy did the rest of us some big favors.

Two decades ago Internet speeds staggered along with slow dial-ups. Most people hadn’t purchased anything online. We looked up phone numbers and addresses in the Yellow Pages and kept maps in our glove compartments. Today the world is at your fingertips and finding anything – from airfares to zoo tickets – is a click away.

Grocery stores in our area are now offering curb service. Shop online. Hop in your car. Park in specially marked spaces… and an employee brings your bags right to you. (Webvan tried that starting in 1996… burned through $800 million and was gone five years later.)

Perhaps this is truly a what-goes-around-comes-around situation – and all those early pioneers were ahead of their time… like Charles Babbage’s ‘difference engine’ that preceded the personal computer by, oh, about 150 years, or the man who invented an electric car… in 1891.

William Morrison didn’t capitalize on his idea; however, Elon Musk seems to be doing quite well with the 21st century version. Tesla is worth more than Ford or GM. Anyone out there starting to pick up a faint scent of tulips wafting through the morning breeze?

February 27, 2017February 25, 2017

Engine Troubles

One of the deacons at our church gave a homily this month that touched me. Yes, there were several excellent points about how to lead a better life and have a closer relationship with the Big Guy. However, it was the story he told about his long career as a member of the City of Houston Fire Department that stuck with me when Mass ended.

Deacon Bill pointed out that many firemen take on second careers for those times they’re not on the job. (Thank goodness, or Firehouse Subs might not exist.) They also do a lot of upkeep during their shifts at the station, including repairs on the big red fire truck engines. A member of his team became so skilled at repairing transmissions – which is not an easy task – that he opened his own business.

One day, a young fireman had car troubles and learned the repair work – on his transmission – would cost more than he wanted to pay. So he asked his fellow public servant if he would be willing to fix it. “If you bring in the transmission and watch me until I’m finished,” said the veteran, “I’ll do it.”

The next morning the young apprentice rolled it in and others gathered around to watch the master disassemble the broken transmission. Hours passed. Patiently, piece by many piece – torque converter, planetary gear train, hydraulic controls, clutches and bands – he took it all apart, cleaned and repaired, then put everything back together

“Did you watch everything I did?” said the transmission virtuoso.

“Yes, I saw it all,” said the young fireman.

“Good. There’s just one more thing,” and the veteran took the entire transmission apart again. “Now it’s your turn.”

Fix a man’s transmission and he’ll be able to drive a car. Teach a man to fix transmissions and he’ll never go hungry. That sounds vaguely familiar.

January 30, 2017January 27, 2017

Decision Time

Our nation is at a crossroads – divided down the middle which way to turn. Choose wisely and we might soar higher. Choose poorly and the annals of history could note this is when it all ended… relegating the greatest democracy the world has known to just a date in a book… like every dynasty that preceded us.

I’m not smart enough to know the right answer. There are people who spend their entire lives focusing on economic and political strategies. I’m just a guy who lives in Tomball, Texas, that gets up every day and tries to be the best person I can be.

What I have learned in 36 years of working is that everyone is pretty much the same. Some people make more money, some less. Some people are book smart, some great with their hands. Some people seem to dance through life as if on a cloud, some struggle daily just to make it through. Ultimately, though, 99.62% of the people I’ve met during my career are good people who care about others and want to do the right thing.

I’ve worked with many people of different faiths: Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist. Spiritualists. Agnostics. Non-believers. Out of curiosity, I’ve had a lot of conversations about their belief systems. While the traditions and dogma vary, the bottom line is the same: start with love and make the world a better place.

I’ve worked with many people of different color – white, black, brown and blended mixtures in this great melting pot. For many years during my sports television career, the director who sat right next to me in the truck was black. We traveled together. Ate together. Worked together. Had many deep discussions about what he faced growing up… and he told me stories about the blatant discrimination his grandparents endured when they were young.

One time I said to Kathy: “There would be no racism, if every person on the planet had the opportunity to work side-by-side with JT.” For it is our lack of connection with and understanding of others that displaces love with fear… and that keeps alive conflict generation after generation after generation.

It’s time to make a decision. Will this be an inflection point… or a tumble?

January 1, 2017November 30, 2016

Lessons Learned – #1

And here’s the most important thing I learned during 2017:

Gift Giving – At this time of year, contributing to a charitable organization is not just about getting a tax break – it’s about sharing your blessings. If you’re seeking a worthy cause, here is a nonprofit where 87% of donations go directly to helping children:

Samaritan’s Feet – Did you know 1.5 billion people suffer from parasitic foot diseases picked up through contaminated soil? This group’s mission is to “serve and inspire hope and opportunity among the world’s most impoverished children, by washing their feet, providing a new pair of shoes, and encouraging them to pursue their dreams.” A $20 contribution buys shoes for a barefoot child and moves the charity closer to its goal to give 10 million pairs to 10 million children in 10 years.

December 31, 2016November 30, 2016

Lessons Learned – #2

What’s the second most important thing I learned this year?

Heartfelt Gratitude – Marshall Goldsmith is the gold standard among executive coaches. This year he wrote about becoming “a connoisseur of gratitude, a virtuoso of thanking” people. I’m a big believer in sending handwritten notes to those I meet in business settings – and suggest clients do the same. “Writing a thank you note,” opined Goldsmith, “forces you to confront the humbling fact that you have not achieved your success alone. You had a lot of help along the way.” Inspired… one of my 1Q17 goals is to create a list of the people who helped me most during these first 35 years of my career and write each one a note to show my appreciation.