Making Ripples: post-corporate adventures in Floyd County Virginia

Can Obama make the transition from Super Salesman to POTUS?

Super Salesmanship

By any standards, Barack Obama is a world-class sales person. He created a brand image and a sales campaign that captured the hearts and minds of a majority of voters even though the product, himself, has no performance history or visible records of accomplishment that relate to the position he sought.

One of the defining characteristic of a super salesman is that they will do anything necessary to get the order. Getting the order is what counts. The other details like whether the product functions as advertised or even exists are minor and can be glossed over if the order can be secured.

Such super salesmen excel at building a support team that finds allies and minimizes obstacles and they excel at inventing/exploiting the weaknesses of competitive offerings. The only measure of success in such a person's eyes is: Did we get the order or not? Fudging, omitting essential facts and outright chicanery are all permitted and even approved by others as long as the goal of getting the order is achieved.

I have known a number of incredibly persuasive sales people in my career and the only real measure of their success was that they could produce orders when others could not. They were masters of campaign strategy, of PR and image creation. They were also ruthless in pursuit of an order. Obama is all of this and more. He is a world class salesman.

The Measure of a POTUS

The President of the United States (POTUS) has to sell his programs, but the real measure of success is can he get things done in a way that improves life for those on whom he depends for support. This includes his financial backers, his closest supporters and finally the voters who will decide if he is to be reelected.

Like the CEO of a corporation, he is measured more on actual results over a period of time than by his ability to inspire. This takes executive ability which is of a different order than campaign strategy. Coolness under fire, the ability to make hard decisions in the absence of complete data, and the ability to keep the country safe and growing by delivering what is promised. CEOs and the POTUS are measured on meeting expectations.

In a properly run corporation, there is a natural tension between Sales and the CEO. The wise CEO encourages Sales in every way possible, but attempts to make sure that no more is promised than can be delivered. CEOs are measured by results, not by promises.

What happens when a top sales person becomes a CEO or POTUS?

It all depends on the ability of the sales person to transform from promising anything to get the order to making results happen. I have not seen Obama changing his approach from campaigning to delivering yet. His "results" are much like the conclusions of a sales campaign. Throw the order in the door for Engineering and Production to fix and gallop off in search of new orders.

The Trillion Dollar Stimulus Package, largest in the history of the US, was rammed through with less than a dozen elected representatives reading it in full. It is chock full of pork goodies and nasty surprises as well. Its passage was a triumph of salesmanship, but it changes the relationship between the States and the Federal Government. I, for one, see it as a major depressant to business and to consumer confidence.

Perhaps Barack Obama is wise enough to move out of the frenzied campaign mode where he is spreading Fear Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD) to close the order and will remake himself in the image of an effective POTUS who inspires confidence and trust.

I do not see this yet and it concerns me.

Twice in my career I have seen companies which were eager to change conditions promote their top Sales person to the CEO position and it created a disaster because the Salesperson was still thinking about closing sales and not about profitability.

I think Obama is still in partisan campaign mode when he needs to be fully in executive mode and delivering on his promises. Until he does that, he will not inspire confidence.

Rating Obama - Who do you want to believe?

POLL RESULTS

If you were watching ABC the other night, you may have seen Charlie Gibson smugly announcing the results of an ABC poll which showed 68% of Americans approved Obama's job performance to date. He was obviously very pleased by this. That didn't agree with my personal observations, so I thought I would do some research to see what this was all about.

The ABC News/Washington Post poll he referred to was conducted by TNS of Horsham, PA, by telephone Feb. 19-22, 2009, among a random national sample of 1,001 adults including both landline and cell phone-only respondents. No information was provided on the questions asked and how they were asked. These 1001 adults are then paraded as "America" by ABC.  Par for the course with ABC.

On the other hand, Fox News did a poll that showed that 60 percent of Americans approve of the job he is doing as president, down from 65 percent three weeks ago (27-28 January 2009). Similarly, the portion of people that disapproves has increased to 26 percent, up from 16 percent.

A Gallup Poll reports that for the first time since Gallup began tracking Barack Obama's presidential job approval rating on Jan. 21, fewer than 60% of Americans approve of the job he is doing as president. February 24, 2009

These are results of polls where an organization contacts a supposedly random sample of people and hopefully asks them emotionally neutral questions in an effort to get unbiased answers.

What we don't know is whether these respondents are carefully selected to provide poll results that match the pollsters expectations. Furthermore, we don't know how much skin these respondents have in the game. At the very best, all we get is opinion and that is worth only as much as you agree with it.

REAL LIFE RATINGS

At the other end of the spectrum are the people who have their own money on the line. They vote every day with their money, putting it where they have confidence that it will cause them to prosper and removing it from situations that are risky.

People often say a lot of things they really think are true, but when it comes time to put their own money on the line their true feelings show through. Look at the following graph from AP and see for yourself how the actions of Obama and his administration are affecting investor confidence. Almost every company in which you own stock is following this trend.

Talk is cheap, so they say. Actions involving our money are probably a better indicator of our feelings about the future. I think the pork-filled stimulus package will be viewed as a major depressant to American businesses which create real jobs. The majority of jobs that I see being created are government jobs of one sort or other.

Investors Business Daily puts forth their take on it. "It looks like the U.S., which built the mightiest, most prosperous economy the world has ever known, is about to turn its back on the free-enterprise system that made it all possible."

Among the examples they give is this:

• Newsweek, a prominent national newsweekly, blares from its cover "We Are All Socialists Now," without a hint of recognition that socialism in its various forms has been repudiated by history — as communism's collapse in the USSR, Eastern Europe and China attest.

We are going to have a chance it seems to see if our values and ideas are up to the test. We all have a part in this going forward.

If you think that Obama is leading us in the right direction, you need to give him your full support.

On the other hand, if your experience leads you to believe that he and his administration is on a collision course with disaster, you need to support those who are working for saner safer solutions.

Sitting on the sidelines will not get us out of this current debacle. Constructive actions based on accurate data will pull us through.

The Meadows - a treasure trove of casual clothing in Floyd

There is a special feeling about a small clothing store that offers carefully selected lines of clothing and real personal service. Shopping in one of these stores and finding that they carry what you need is a pleasure moment that you remember for a long time.

We are fortunate to have one of these clothing stores here in Floyd, Virginia. This converted house is called The Meadows and it is located on Route 8 opposite the Harvest Moon.

Recently I needed some walking shoes and after weeks of browsing in stores in surrounding cities, I thought of The Meadows and wondered if Barbara had something I could use.

In my first five minutes at The Meadows I found a pair of Merrill walking shoes  which fit better than any shoes I have purchased in recent years. I am delighted that she had them, but I am crestfallen that it has taken me so long to discover the full range of what she does offer.

Owner Barbara DeRemer has created a unique shopping experience for men and women looking for quality outer wear, organic cotton clothing and Merrill shoes at reasonable prices.

Her shop has room after room of tasteful casual clothing at reasonable prices. The Meadows carries brand names like Smartwool, Columbia and Woolrich as well as jewelry by local artists.

There is also a sales room with 30-50% discounts. The hours are 1-5 Monday and Tuesday and 10-5 Wednesday through Saturday.

I have been shopping for gifts at The Meadows ever since it opened in January 2006 and have never failed to find something appropriate for the recipient. Barbara's advice often came in handy when I could not make a decision. However, I have never really checked out all of the lines of merchandise she offered.

Like many guys, I go shopping, find the things I need, and then leave. This means that there were, and are, all sorts of clothes in The Meadows that I have never looked at.

It's time I remedied that lack of information.

If you would like to learn more about The Meadows, click on the thumbnail to see an article from the Floyd Press.
 
Here are a few more views of what The Meadows has to offer. Click on images to enlarge.

If you have not taken advantage of what The Meadows has to offer, I suggest you drop in and visit. It might just make your day.

 

Poor Billy's Sushi - hospitality and good food in Blacksburg

I love good food, especially when it is served up in comfortable and hospitable surroundings.

Every so often I make the run to Mish Mish in Blacksburg, VA, for art supplies. Today I took the time to have lunch at Poor Billy's Sushi which is tucked away on the side street next to Mish Mish.

I was not in the mood for a burger so I was attracted by the sign offering a luncheon special of a sushi roll and a bowl of miso for $5.

When I walked in the door, I immediately felt at home. This is a restaurant that knows that pleasurable eating involves more than good food. It is not a fast food restaurant, but the service was quick and my California roll and miso soup were excellent.

I was greeted by Billy himself and I learned that the adjacent restaurants, Big Al's Grille and Sports Bar, Poor Billy's Seafood Restaurant, are all run by the same family.

I preferred the ambiance of the smaller Poor Billy's Sushi for my solitary lunch. It was a good choice. The place has three TV screens and all were muted with text displays. I could have watched sports, politics, or the Food Channel. I chose the Food Channel which was a fine accompaniment while dining alone.

Billy told me they were launching a Tapas menu for the dinner hour in addition to the regular menu.

One look at the Tapas offerings and I knew I would find an excuse to take Gretchen to Poor Billy's some night for Tapas. We will order a bunch of them and share.

Take a look at this excerpt from the Tapas menu or click on the thumbnail to see the whole page.

Poor Billy's Sushi, a good place for a quiet lunch.

Has anyone had a chance to try the Tapas yet?

Image credits: Big Al's Sports Bar

Handling unfortunate situations

There is no bad situation that cannot be made worse by whining about it and blaming others.

On the other hand, there is no situation that cannot be improved by learning more about what is causing it and actually doing something to make things go better for yourself and for your family and your community.

Possibly the best approach is to apply your creative energies to improving your life and helping those around you while keeping an eye open for situations that are getting out of hand. Concentrate on creating good effects for self and for others, but be ready to tackle unfortunate situations as they arise.

The amount of responsibility you take determines your span of control and your chances of survival. Looking out only for yourself puts you at effect from all of the rest of the world that is trying to survive too. In effect, you can put yourself in a game where everyone else, including your own family, is "against" you.

Any solution that pits "you" or "us" against "them" creates a game of force against force and reason goes out the window.

A pan-determined approach to solving life's problems takes into account what is causing others to oppose you or in the worst case to destroy you. In most cases, understanding another's viewpoint leads to better communication and eventually understanding and resolution.

Open communication solves many of the everyday upsets that you will encounter, but hugs all around is not a solution to insane or antisocial behavior on the parts of others. One can only negotiate a solution with others who also seek rational solutions.

Most of us at one time or other have encountered persons or animals who were exhibiting insane and antisocial behavior. Unless you realize that the person or animal is stuck in a dramatization of some past incident, it is impossible to see that the only hope of handling this situation is to communicate with whatever scraps of rationality still exist in the person or animal.

If there is no rationality left, the solutions are to leave, to eliminate the threat, or to succumb. Ignoring the threat and pretending that it doesn't exist invites further insanity.

A little review of family and world history will provide many examples of how few unfortunate situations have actually been resolved. Solutions always involve open communication. When that is prevented, unfortunate situations can fester for years.

Finding the true facts behind a conflict lead to a resolution. If nothing is resolving, the truth has not been found.

We are encountering many unfortunate situations on a national level. Learning the true facts is a first step in resolving them.

Meanwhile, we need to focus on keeping our businesses and families thriving. Contributing to our local community in every way possible is a good way to start.

Hunkering down

This homely expression aptly describes the state of mind of many of us in this region as we contemplate the spectre of a recession, rising local unemployment and disturbing moves by a new administration in Washington.

We are no longer feeling expansive. We reserve our personal optimism for local efforts to keep our community operating and to promote buying locally wherever possible. Neighbors are helping each other with everything from firewood to food and are finding ways to do business with each other at every opportunity.

We are doing what we can to hold things together until the general economy improves. Basically we are working on the things we can directly affect and are staying positive regarding the things we can actually control. We are trying not to lose sleep over the many things that we cannot control, but we are staying informed so that we will know how to make our vote count in the next election.

The current Washington, DC free for all has produced a trillion dollar porkfest that our children and grandchildren will not appreciate. There appears to be little that will actually create jobs other than in government positions.

We are told that this porkfest will save us from a frightening recession by paying off every political favor owed by the incoming administration. We will have to see, won't we?

In the absence of evidence to the contrary, ordinary citizens conclude that prolonged exposure to Washington DC corruption is contagious and that a change of faces may be in order in the House and Senate.

Meanwhile, on the home front, some businesses are seeing a slight increase in orders after a dark and truly frightening last quarter. This new business may not be adequate to qualify as business as usual, but up is up and every order represents a vote of confidence that the sun will keep coming up and the doors will stay open a while longer.

I am seeing increased efforts to provide better customer experience by every merchant and large corporation I do business with. The light has gone on and business owners and employees at every level seem to be doing everything possible to ensure that I will he happy doing business with them.

When there are fewer customers with money for your products or services, it makes good sense to make those customers feel special so they will spread the word about their experiences.

At the same time, it makes sense to keep expenses to a minimum and avoid any expenditure that will not provide a return on the investment. Whether one is a business owner or a homeowner/consumer, money should be allocated mainly to those things which will keep the business and your family alive and well.

Hunker down: To take shelter, settle in, or hide out. Usually used with down: hunkered down in the cabin during the blizzard. We are hunkering down in Floyd County Virginia and staying guardedly optimistic about the future.

The Meaning of Sarah Palin

Yuval Lenin has written a thoughtful analysis of Sarah Palin's transformation into one of the most divisive figures in recent American history.

Reading his article, The Meaning of Sarah Palin", gave me a much desired sense of closure on this recent chapter in our political history by filling in the blanks that have puzzled me for some time.

Some of the point addressed:

There was almost no middle ground between those who had come to adore her and those who believed she represented just about every dark and dangerous element of contemporary American politics.

Palin became an instant cultural and political magnet, attracting some and repelling others and dragging a helpless McCain into a culture war for which he had little stomach.

Palin became the embodiment of every dark fantasy the Left had ever held about the views of evangelical Christians and women who do not associate themselves with contemporary feminism

Palin did not merit her instantaneous conversion into the Joan of Arc of the American Right, just as she did not deserve the opprobrium that was heaped upon her by the Left.

She really did seize the attention of swing voters, as McCain’s team had hoped she might. Her convention speech, her interviews, and her debate performance drew unprecedented audiences....But having finally gotten voters to listen, neither Palin nor McCain could think of anything to say to them.

She represented a threat to the cultural elites of both parties.

Read the entire article. I believe there is much that can be learned from it, no matter what your political leanings are.

Thanks to Instapundit for the link.