180 Days of being a GM

I officially crossed the half year mark in my “glamorous” role of Assistant General Manager. on June 2.

What happened?

- I experienced my first board meeting as a GM. I was plucked, roasted and grilled like a thanksgiving turkey. It was a good roast and I certainly learned a lot.

- I am still unable to get Muddydonkey’s full cooperation. Things deteriorated after I stopped making excuses for our poor relationship and start to demand better of him. I stood my ground with well chosen words, carefully scripted power play and returned hypocrisy with the ugly truth. It is frustrating to argue with the ignorant.

- A white horse is waiting in the wings. This means that while I still have my job, I have lost my bargaining power.

- While my abilities and contribution to the company played a part, I was fast-tracked because there was a gap in management when my direct superior left suddenly. Throughout the six months, I realised that I was a GM only in name. This is especially so when I had no deciding powers when it came to matters of importance - like Muddydonkey who undermined my authority.

- I have been made a paper tiger.

- In more positive news, I spoke and reacted more authoritatively with my business partners. I furthered many plans. Disregarding the internal strife, this part, I was very successful at.

- I learned how to make snap decisions. It is like the 80/20 rule - spend 20% of time making 80% of decisions. How to decide so fast? Gut feel. Tipping point. LOL. The decisions have turned out right, most of the time.

- While having a glamorous job title has it perks, it also has a downside. I no longer feel uncomfortable accepting the perks, and feel less shocked at the liabilities  (of which some are criminal) a person of my position must face. 

- I am now a more precise person. I speak in short clear sentences. I no longer feel the need to impress people with effusive language. In fact, I no longer feel the need to impress. I just do the things the way I think they should be done. If I do it wrong, then I correct it. I no longer obsesses over what could have been.

- I have built up a good network of work friends, colleagues and business partners. I have recently learned how to use them. There is no shame in seeking (and sharing) advice. I have benefited from these exchanges more often than before.

How did I do?

While I still don’t see the job getting any easier, it has certainly made me more contemplative. I have also become a more steady person.

I am successful “outside”. But within the company, I am still struggling to gain a foothold. No thanks to Hairy Ears’ indecision to draw the lines clearly. Perhaps, I should push him to make it clear to all; or at least to me. Before I can be fully successful, I need to understand why I am not assertive within the company.

posted 1 year ago

Ignorant Fools or Inconsiderate Fuckwits

What do you say to someone that purposely threw away a $600 palm pilot which I loaned to three years ago? Considering that we just made up after a ridiculous quarrel and her hypersensitive nature, I swallowed my anger and refrained from lashing out. She apologized profusely claiming to do “anything I wanted” to make amends. In that, she seemed contrite enough.

After I calmed down, I asked her for a fair settlement - pay me the current value of the palm pilot, which at that time, was $150. I got an offer from a guy from HWZ offering me exactly this amount for a full working set with tags. She did not refuse outright, but refused by bringing friendship into the equation. Apparently, our friendship was worth $150.

In our subsequent conversations, I realized that she DID intend to compensate me - in the form of dinner or part thereof (the value of the palm pilot). In her ignorance, she did not realize that it would cost her 150 clams. I thought about the absurdity of her rationalization and came to the realization that dinner would be in the ball park of $50.

OHHHH so it was the amount of compensation that she disagreed over, and she probably expected me to wait for her to offer a suitable compensation. Although she was not quick enough to offer me something I deserved - I remember asking her “is it the amount? What do you think I deserved?”, she was certainly quick enough to say that she did not deserve my friendship.

In my heart, I was pleased she said that. Because it meant that I did not have to go through with the breakup speech I had in mind.

In my heart, I was also upset with my response. I said, Ok, grabbed the money and left. I was upset because I didn’t get to say what I had intended to say, i.e. not authentic.

The awful remarks she made were still fresh in my mind. Her remarks were like the last kicks of a dying horse:

“You didn’t want the palm in the first place, so don’t pretend it is of value”

“The guy who wanted to pay you $150 - he is an idiot because he don’t know the value of IT products”

To my satisfaction, her eyes grew round when I told her the original price. And she changed tack.

“I can’t be bothered to explain anything to you.”

“Take the money and go” It was all she could do but throw the money in my face.

My response to everything? Nada. I asked her questions and wanted to understand her mind. I did not get a chance to lash out. At all.

In a conflict, you need to keep the outcome in mind. It does not matter so much whether you got to say your piece or not - that is just the process. It is the outcome - parting ways, that truly matters. Yep. The truly victorious is the one that was calm.

A few weeks after, I still find myself thinking about this. I am not so sure about being victorious. I did not get to say my piece. I was not authentic.

Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to part ways and still do. But I wonder if this someone is actually an inconsiderate fuckwit or an ignorant fool. Ignorant fools deserve our sympathy and forgiveness because… they don’t know any better. Inconsiderate fuckwits, on the other hand, know what they don’t know… and do it bad anyway.

The people that offended me or have made me angry - are they ignorant fools or inconsiderate fuckwits? Most people I have met are usually ignorant fools which make them behave like inconsiderate fuckwits.

This someone whom I have parted ways with, is an ignorant fool. She once asked if, in a hypothetical situation, I thought that she could be as vicious as a colleague of hers, I said yes and was chastised for it. I don’t regret being honest. And I am glad I was proven right. Does she deserve my sympathy and forgiveness or does she deserve the full brunt of my anger?

Am I an inconsiderate fuckwit or an ignorant fool for posting this on my blog? I am an inconsiderate fuckwit for sure, because I know that she could be reading my blog.

From one fuckwit to a fool behaving like a fuckwit - you never did apologize. And you are right, you do not deserve my friendship… and empathy because this is me, still deeply angry.

posted 2 years ago

Wild Sales Idea: Spend a day giving help, you may just help yourself.

According to Gitomer:

HERE’S THE IDEA: Spend a day at your customer’s place of business, helping them in any way you can.

Call your best customers and ask if you can work there for a day. Free. No strings attached. Gratis. Por nada. The concept is to HELP THEM, not sell them.

The objective is to be of genuine service.

There are huge benefits that will accrue from this gesture. And not all of them are in favor of the customer. Yes, they will benefit from your help, your skill, your input, your labor, and your outside perspective.They will also get an emotional lift and a morale boost, just by you being there. BUT, you will be the main recipient of value.

Here’s what’s in it for you:

• You will get product training that comes from the people that actually use it. Imagine actual on-the-job, at-the-customer training. After a day, you will be craving more. Certainly more valuable than a day in your classroom.

• If you offer a service, you get to see what happens after the service has been performed.

• You will learn how they use and profit from your product or service. Not just the good stuff, but also the challenges. You will discover a wealth of opportunities, and more wisdom than you’ll know what to do with. Real facts. Relevant facts that you can use to make sales forever.

• You will learn why they bought from you. Customer’s motives to buy are often subtle (even hidden), but they are the most valuable aspect of the selling process. You will also learn how much (or how little) your price figured into the equation. (HINT: way less than you currently believe)

• You will build a relationship with them that goes all the way to friendship. Your customer will be so flattered, so floored, and so thankful, they will be at a loss for words. Just respond with a simple: “My pleasure.”

• You will eliminate competition. Do they have a chance of even getting in the door after your service?

You will also have the great feeling that being of service creates in your soul.

ALTERNATIVE PLAN: You can sit around and complain how lousy business is or worse, make a few cold calls and annoy people who are busy with their struggle.

I happen to think that this is a bloody good idea!

I figure one good way to nail the sales order is to “work for” my top travel agents.

On the other hand, with the current relationship structure I have with my clients and partners, I wonder if people will think I am more troublesome than helpful… I may appear a bit distant as I have a sales agent working for me, interfacing between me and travel agents.

Hmmm how to get close to clients without agent feeling threatened? Ideas, anybody?

1. I would get the agent to bring me along for sales call.

2. Slowly develop the friendship.

3. Den muscle in and offer my services, with full disclosure to the agent.

• Quick Thought: Why can’t I work for my sales agent instead?
• Realization: I am already doing that. No wonder they prefer to promote my products above others, with the exception of their own products.

In another word, in another job, this is exactly what I would do:

1. Work proactively with the partners’ sales team.  Photo is frequently “sold” as an afterthought. You can incorporate photo into pkg to value add or use as a lead in price.

2. Improve the value of the photo. Sheesh, it IS disappointingly awful. $20 for 2 4R photos and a tacky folder? puleaze.

3. Teach the sales team tt value of the photo.

posted 2 years ago