Yesterday I was the keynote speaker at a Chamber of Commerce lunch in Eagle, Idaho. Local business owners, managers and sales folks were in attendance (having been invited via this promotional piece the Chamber sent out.)

As you can see, the promo piece promises that I would help them “overcome the toughest times in business and in life.” (A tall order, indeed! Ha.) And it’s my hope that I delivered.

Tell me what you think… below is the actual text of that speech.

May it help you, in YOUR world. If you gain from it, consider forwarding this newsletter to a couple of business friends you would like to encourage; they just might need it today.

Read on,
Den

The Secret O'Life...

“Thank you, Executive Director Ryan Doremus, Chamber Board, staff and Members. My goal today, as the promo piece states, is “to help you overcome the toughest times in business and in life.” Time’s a wastin’, so let’s get goin’!

The content of my speech springs from a lyric penned half a century ago by recording artist James Taylor: “The Secret o’Life is Enjoying the Passage of Time.” He wrote the song in a flash of inspiration – it took him only 10 minutes to do so - while he was sitting in the sun. It was a turbulent time in his life; He chose the title "Secret O' Life" (with an O in the title) rather than "Secret of Life" to undercut the presumption of claiming to have life's answers, using the "O" to evoke the flavor names of Life Savers candy (such as Pep-O-Mint/Wint-O-Green) and… add a touch of irreverence.

His writing occurred during a period when Taylor was struggling with heroin addiction and had recently entered rehab, though the song itself reflects a moment of clarity and spiritual peace amidst his personal turmoil.

Let’s let some of the lyrics speak for themselves:

I know a lot about heroin addiction. You see my first-born child, Nate, struggled with an addiction to Oxycodyn and then when his money ran low…to heroin. He wasn’t defined by his addiction; he was however captured by it. And Nate died from it.

But it wasn’t always like that. Prior to his addiction, and as a sophomore in high school, Nate was involved in political races; in one case he ran the literature distribution for a young farmer from this area where we are having lunch who wanted to become a member of the Legislature. His name is Mike Moyle. They won that race by 13 votes. Mr. Moyle is now the Speaker of the House of Representatives in Idaho. Nate and Mike “showed some style”. Only later did Nate Mansfield experience James Taylor’s addiction. My son passed away 17 years ago at the age of 27. I wrote about what I experienced in my first book, Beautiful Nate.

James Taylor went on to write:

You don’t have to be a drug addict to experience difficulties in life or in business. We all struggle with failure. I suggest that there just might be a way for you to consider when overcoming YOUR struggles in business life and in your personal life.

As a business coach I’ve helped many individuals overcome their struggles. I’ve coached throughout Idaho, the United States and in Israel. My approach to doing well in business and in life are as follows.

1. Everything happens in the context of relationship.
2. Losses aren’t losses – they’re just opportunities to fail forward.
3. There are no great things in life – only small things done greatly.

Let’s unpack these.

Everything happens in the context of relationship

Do you know who first signed James Taylor to a recording contract? The Beatles did. The Fab Four were wowed by his voice and musical style. James Taylor began his journey to success through friends like Paul McCartney and George Harrison, who sang background in his first album on his song, “Gone to Carolina” and played on his song “Something in the Way She Moves”. Harrison later used James Taylor’s title as the first line In The Beatles song "Something."

In 1970 James Taylor changed recording companies when he met Carole King, who suggested that he record her song “You’ve Got a Friend” as well as “Fire and Rain”. The success of these songs sent his career into the stratosphere, selling tens of millions of records.

I mentioned Israel. In 1995 a young Idaho businessman I was coaching and mentoring, asked my bride, Susan and me if we’d like to be his guests and visit Israel and Egypt with him. We’d never been there before, so we were thrilled to say “Yes”. His small gesture of kindness opened up a door that has since allowed me to visit Egypt and Israel many times and to take over 300 Idaho businessmen and women to the Middle East in those trips. That young man eventually entered politics and now serves today as a United States Congressman. His name is Russ Fulcher.

Everything happens in the context of relationship.

Losses aren’t losses – they’re just opportunities to fail forward.

I love the LA Dodgers, NOW. I didn't used to. Susan’s grandfather, Joe Clifford, strongly suggested that I develop an interest in the Dodgers if I was serious about dating his granddaughter! (Ha.) I listened to him – and as a young couple we watched Dodger games – ESPECIALLY when we were visiting him at his home in Oxnard, California. The Dodgers hired Tommy Lasorda as their Manager the year we were married. He managed/coached for 30 years. In his first year he brought up a young man from the Minor Leagues. His name is Dusty Baker – and Baker’s first year was atrocious, hitting only 4 homeruns. Tommy stood by his decision and continued to support Dusty. The next year Dusty hit 30 homeruns and the Dodgers set an MLB record of FOUR Dodger players hitting 30 homeruns each in one season. It’s an interesting sidenote that in the Fall of that same year Dusty Baker changed every sport in the world – by inventing the “high five” with Dodger teammate Glenn Burke.

Here’s what happened: on October 2, 1977.

• The Origin Moment: During a Los Angeles Dodgers game against the Houston Astros, Dusty Baker hit that VERY important 30th home run of the season. As Baker rounded the bases, fellow Dodger Glenn Burke, was waiting on deck. He thrust his right hand high into the air to awkwardly greet him.
• The Action: Baker, not knowing what to do, instinctively (and equally awkwardly) slapped Burke’s hand. This was followed by a second high five later in the inning when Burke hit his own home run, cementing the gesture as a team celebration.

Dusty Baker and Tommy Lasorda became lifelong friends because together they “failed forward”.

Losses aren’t losses – they’re just opportunities to fail forward

And the world rewarded Baker with inventing the High Five!

There are no great things in life – there are only small things done greatly.

It’s an interesting thing that with social media, “average people” can become over-night successes, known by millions of other people. The tendency is to think that huge success is the goal of businesses. This is a lie.

Yes, the exponential aspect of expansion is truly accomplishable via social media, yet Andy Warhol’s 1968 prediction that “In the future everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes” actually unfolds as a truism, AND that such fame is shallow, fleeting and worthless.

The business of business is REALLY just one customer at a time, one patient, one client. One small moment of interaction filling an equally small moment of time. Within those small moments is an entire experience – an employee truly listening to the need of a customer and filling that need with joy and love. It is not a function of being transactional; rather, it IS a matter of it being INTERACTIONAL.

Tools are available that help your business in developing these moments. For example, if you have not had your employees take (or retake, in some cases) the DISC assessment, it is a MUST that you do so ASAP. The DISC measures an employee’s behavior patterns. Using the baseball metaphor, the DISC helps you put the right player in the right position. The letters stand for:

• D – Dominant: one who HAS to lead, take charge or tell others what they MUST do.
• I – Intuitive: one who sees, feels and responds to the behavior of others in a feeling way.
• S – Steady relator: one who is loyal, steadfast and always available to aid the group.
• C – Calculator: one who is analytical, logical and strategic in their behavior.

Athletic coaches tend to stress possibilities and capabilities. Same with business coaches. However, businessmen tend to stress results and bottom lines. The key for you, as a business person, is to know NOW what each employee is and is NOT doing with his or her behaviors – how they are hitting homeruns or swinging and missing the ball completely – and then coach them up to better results.

However… please understand this: with certain behavior types there is no way that the person will be coached to do something that is not in their “muscle memory”.

Becoming a type of ninja with the DISC is vital for you as a leader to see that. Especially key is mastering this behavior knowledge when HR is suggesting that a certain candidate fulfills a need that your company has. They may be totally off base – and, listen to me – the best time to fire a person is when you do not hire that person. If interested in learning more about the use of the DISC assessment please visit my website at DennnisMansfield.com and connect with me by email or visit here.

Small and steady makes you ready. The gamble of great growth is anchored to a fact that most people ignore – more investment money poured into fledgling companies can be like a second or third coat of paint on a poorly sanded surface. Imperfections rise quickly. Loans tend to force the imperfections to rise even more quickly. Grow slowly to grow strong.

There are no great things in life – only small things done greatly.

Summary

1. Relationships are EVERYTHING.
2. Losses are NOTHING
3. Small things, done well, create GREATNESS.

And as James Taylor wrote and recorded almost five decades ago…

More Later,
Dennis Mansfield

P.S. Thank you to all who attended the Chamber of Commerce lunch yesterday!

Den's Latest & Greatest

• One other assessment that I want you to consider – and one that I use – is the 5 Languages of Workplace Appreciation (founded on the 5 Languages of Love) by Gary Chapman – which I have for you to take today.