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Look to Your Successes - For the Answers!

In a recent Fast Company book excerpt called “Switch, How to Change Things When Change is Hard” I was excited by their approach to problem solving.  The author contends that our initial reaction is to always focus on the problem.  However, by focusing on the problem – and all the reasons why something isn’t working, you can become stymied by the size and scope of the issue.  Instead, the author suggests, consider taking the approach to finding out what is working – and clone that.  This approach can be taken not only when applied to problem solving, but also to staffing your teams.  You can look at it from a variety of ways, but here are a couple:

• Who are the most successful members of your team?  What is it about them that makes them successful at your company?  (the answers could include: culture fit, education, previous background, particular training, a consumer focus, ) Find what’s working for your team – and next time you hire, clone it!
• Look at your team from a key strength perspective.  What are Joe’s, Susie’s or Ann’s key skills?  Is Joe spending time struggling with a particular detail oriented project/assignment, etc.?  Perhaps Susie is strong in this area – and Joe can be relieved of this burden to focus on areas where he has strengths (and Susie can feel empowered/appreciated/strong for the chance to do more of what she’s good at).  Identifying these opportunities to help your current team shine, reassigning work to strengths, and hiring for “the missing pieces” will go a long way toward helping you develop the job description/spec for your next hire.

I love the idea that we can solve problems by looking to the positive when creating a path forward for our team, organization or world.  Having the mindset to work on scaling successes – rather than focusing on failures – is an exciting way to foster change. 

Marshall Cohen's OIA Session "Turning Adversity into Opportunity"

Marshall Cohen’s session at the OIA Rendezvous was illuminating.  He spoke on “Turning Adversity to Opportunity” (a recurring theme this year).

He flew through his presentation at light speed – we didn’t have enough time for all he could have shared. 

He started by talking about how the current retail paradigm "as we know it" has failed.  And, we need to rewrite the rules. 

Retailers and manufacturers alike, need to take action.  Being conservative in this current climate won’t cut it.  “Don’t get stuck…DO something.  If it’s wrong, course correct,” he said.

The beauty of the recession is that it’s "a cleansing period."  Get rid of what’s not working, reassess and move forward.  “It’s the perfect opportunity.  And opportunities multiply when seized.”

Here are some nuggets from the presentation, which stood out to me:

• Innovating your messaging is very important.  With social networking, one person can reach millions. Get involved, connect with your consumer.
• It’s time to innovate your product. Gone are the days of depression shopping – when someone just goes shopping when they feel down.  Today, consumption is based on NEED. Make the consumer need your product.
• Everyone’s talking about the “New Economy.”  There is no “New Economy” the economy we just had for the last 5 years was abnormal. We probably won’t see this again in our lifetime.  How is it right that a person can buy houses/cars, etc. that they can’t afford (no money down!  no interest!)?
• We are going back to the consumption style of 1999…with limited credit.  You need to justify why you make your product.  Gone are the days of buying “anything, whenever.”
• The downward trend of the economy shows signs of leveling off (we hit bottom in 3/09).  We are on the road to recovery.  Unfortunately, the consumer is the last to feel the recession and the last to come out of the recession. We will have a slow gradual recovery.
• We won’t be feeling the inflated growth we had in the last 5 years, however, instead we will have growth rates similar to 1999 (I think he said around 3%).
• We have over-retailed.  Every mall on the 405 in LA has a mall – do we really need this much retail space?  Does there need to be a Starbucks on every corner? This will change.
• This holiday season will be marked by:  cautious spending, shorter shopping lists (you might not buy for an in-law you have in the past), lots of gift cards.  It will be a passion play…only that which they are most passionate about will get consumer dollars.
• In a recent exercise study that Cohen did on lifestyle, health and fitness, they discovered that 23% of the US never exercises.  And that the main reason they don’t is: “no motivation” (45% of respondents gave this answer).
• What does this mean for retailers?  MOTIVATE!  You need to motivate the consumer to choose your product through innovation and uniqueness.  The way you do this – is through connectivity!  Connect with your consumer.
• Tier your message.  53% of US surveyed feel “somewhat fit,” 23% not very fit and 18% very fit.  This means there is a huge opportunity on the lower end of the consumer spectrum.  Those catering only to the super fit consumer will lose out.  Create a product mix that offers good/better/best.  Make the tiers distinctive.  Either put them all in the same store (with the distinct differences) – or put them in different stores all together.
• In retail, think color! “Retailers are scaling back to black and white…right now, and that’s the wrong move.”  Cohen gave the example of an ice cream store.  90% of ice cream sold is either chocolate or vanilla.  So, if there are two stores available, one offering only choc/vanilla and the other offering 31 flavors…which store would you choose?  Retailers need to take the risks on color…

Great stuff!  Wish I could have captured it all.  At the end, he said, “think real.”

Relevant
Exciting
Altering (this product changes your life dramatically…subtlety WON’T cut it!)
Lifestyle marketing (which has evolved to DNA marketing)

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