Monthly Archives: July 2017

TODAY WORK FOR OTHERS!

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TGIM!

Pictured: Jeremy Zimmerman and his son Gavin at the dockspiders game we attended on Friday.

Team, I was reading a book by Matt Kelly titled “Resisting Happiness”  and I stumbled on something he suggested maybe we can all try…and just try it for ONE DAY.

Or make it your daily ritual, but I think we can at least all try it for one day.

What is it we should try?   To work for one day…  for a specific cause, or person… even beyond Supplying happiness.

To summarize that part of  his book, I’ll use his example:

If someone says, “Hey the local playground could really use two trees planted and we will give you $500 an hour to plant them.”  You say sure, but you are very busy.  That Saturday you show up late, do crappy work, trees at an angle, not buried well, you don’t even believe they will live when you leave the playground, in fact you KNOW they won’t live… you planted them so badly, but you get $1000 as payment… OR

That same persons asks you, asks your fee, and you say for the kids you will donate your time.  It takes you all morning that Saturday and then you nuture them for the next year…and you KNOW they are growing great roots, a real source of pride for you right?

In which case are you HAPPIER?

The latter one is universally chosen, therefore proving the human condition does not work ONLY for the $$$$.

We work for the JOY OF IT.  THE LABOR OF IT.

WE WORK FOR A PASSION.

So one day this week, WORK FOR GOD.  Or work for that person you know who is in an old age home that can no longer work.  Or work for your kids.  Or work for that loved one that passed away and can’t work any more.  It’s an act of prayer.  Work can be prayer.   Put those initials on a post it note, or clipboard, or hand tool, someway that ALL DAY you are not working for you… you are working for them.  Every detail, every focus, every smile given is for them.  I imagine you will go home that night feeling AWESOME… I also bet your work that day will be pretty awesome too as well as your feelings at work that day…

I haven’t decided who that person or mission for that day will be.  I’m gonna think about it, but I am pretty excited to choose.

— – Joel Fleischman.  Joel is Head Coach of the solution providers for Drexel Building Supply.  (drexelteam).   You can follow him on twitter:  @JoelmFleischman.   Our mission is to be a supplier of others happiness.  I hope this little post did just that.

 

 

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RANDOM THOUGHTS 7.18

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TGIM!

ONE DAY LATE.  BUT BETTER THEN NEVER.

LET’S GO.

****

I was reading a fiction book recently (rare for me to read fiction, but I enjoyed the book (I would give it 4.5 blue stars of excellence (out of a possible 5))

Anyways, in the book, I read part of the text and it made me stop reading…  I almost gasped.

CONTROL IS AN ILLUSION.

CONTROL IS AN ILLUSION.

We can not control anything in this life.  Not our family.  Not our health.  Not our work.  We can’t make people buy from us.   We can’t control ANYTHING. All of this is a mere illusion isn’t it?  What can we control?  Nothing that I can think of.  We can only influence…

So… why is that so earth shaking…

  1.  Quit worrying.  You can’t control it anyways.  Remember worrying is not a badge of honor that you love someone more.  It’s not.  “I worried so much about you dear, couldn’t sleep all night…”  That is not showing your love, that is a problem…
  2. Change.  Since control is an illusion you must ride the change that is coming, prepare and be ready for it.
  3.  Get after it!  Continue to try.  Fail?  Good!  Continue to improve.  Expect results that you don’t expect and adjust!  Control is an illusion.
  4. You can influence.  You can’t control.

 

****

A few things from Joshua Medcalf today…

So true how the above applies to our core values:

Change.  Be the creator of change, be a servant to others, let THEIR IDEAS CHANGE YOU.  Instead of feeding the beast.  Serve.  Love.  Care.

Expect people to be more organized?  Be more organized yourself.

Expect people to complain less? You yourself rise above first.

Want every load to go out great? help that person double check their load.

Need someone to help you out? Help them out first.

******

Lastly, I heard somewhere and tend to believe it.. we need to treat people more like your garden …

If your garden if failing, you weed it, fertilize it, water it.  You don’t BLAME THE SEED.  Yes there are some bad seeds… but we have GOOD SEEDS HERE… so let’s weed fertilize, and water them!

More Medcalf…

*****

We need sales…. like the air we breathe… I think we ALL FORGET THAT SOMETIMES.  SALES IS THE TOOL NEEDED TO SURVIVE.  AND AS WE GROW WE NEED ALL WE HAVE MORE AND MORE…ALL OF US NEVER FORGET THAT!  STAY HUNGRY!

Anyways, yesterday I called Mike Kaerek, Kaerek Homes who will builds a few hundred homes this year…but more importantly a great guy with a great company… I was a bit anxious… but I called anyway…ready to go get his millwork business, at least get an appointment for a needs analysis, with our team, we would KILL THIS… I called, I was put on hold… I was sure of a voicemail…Hello, this is Mike… holy smokes, he picked up… Mr. Kaerek sir…how are you… etc…  Anyways, you good on your millwork supplier, could we meet to see if we can help?… His words?  “Your chances are slim and none, and slim just left.”

At that second, you know what I thought?

GOOD!

Now we are closer to a yes!  Each NO scientifically proven to be closer to a YES, you can’t go ZERO for life!

GOOD!
Opportunity to help someone else.

GOOD!

He now knows we DO MILLWORK.

GOOD!

OPPORTUNITY TO TRY AGAIN TOMORROW!

*****

Lastly I will leave you with this…

When faced with a problem or dilemma how would you tell your best friend to fix it?  What are the words you would use, most likely encouraging right?…

Talk this way TO YOURSELF.  Treat yourself as you would your best friend.  I bet that will really help!

Be your own best friend.  Boy that seems so obvious… YET… HERE WE ARE…

TIME TO IMPROVE!

— – Joel Fleischman.  Joel is Head Coach of the solution providers for Drexel Building Supply.  (drexelteam).   You can follow him on twitter:  @JoelmFleischman.   Our mission is to be a supplier of others happiness.  I hope this little post did just that.

 

 

 

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EXCUSE-ITIS

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TGIM!

EXCUSE-ITIST: (noun)

A disease where you have an excuse for your problem.  Common uses in speech:  Not my fault.  Not my issue.  Didn’t have time.  Company said.  I can’t change it.  It’s too big for me to handle.  I hear rumors.  People have told me.  Not my job.  I don’t have time to fix it.  That’s just the way it is.

It is contagious.  It can grow in an individual and also spread.  Thankfully there is a cure.  And is preventable.

For a cure, lead with ultimate optimism.  Focus on people, purpose and process and the outcome will come.  Never settle.  To help a person with the problem, YELL BULLSHIT TO THEM, AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE TO FIX IT THEMSELVES.

Let’s explore shall we?

  1.  Maybe Joel… that is just they way people are made in that department/position.  They just aren’t happy people.  I mean it’s a tough job.  BULLSHIT I SAY!  NEVER SETTLE, NEVER GIVE UP.  NEVER FORSAKE OUR MISSION.
  2. They are young.  I don’t care WHAT AGE youth, I don’t care the the training.  Either you want it or you don’t.
  3. I don’t have time.   Really?  BULLSHIT.  How many of you started your day at 5am?  Probably a few.  4am?  The line is pretty short?  330am?  You can make time.  Doing this FOR ONE DAY, makes time!
  4. Doing the same thing, and expecting the same result is NOT FOCUSING ON THE PROBLEM.  People work together on the problem for the solution, not each other.  What’s the problem? Fix it.  I’ve heard this one.
  5. WORK.  HARD.  AND STAY HAPPY.  That really fixes most any issue.   BELIEVE THAT THERE CAN BE A POSITIVE OUTCOME.
  6. IT’S NOT MY ROLE.  Ha.  That one drives me nuts.  If you have a problem AT YOUR JOB… who would be better to fix it then you?  Me?  That’s hilarious.  I wouldn’t have you come into my house and clean it would I?  How can I come into your 40 hour plus work week and fix your problem?  I can come help…just ask me… but I don’t even know your house is dirty!   I call excuse-itis bro!
Let’s all work hard this week on EXCUSE-ITIS.  If you see it or hear it.  Squash it like a bug.  We can’t go where we want to go…
SUPPLYING HAPPINESS
WITH AN EXCUSE-ITIS PROBLEM.  HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.

GOOD!

LET’S DO THIS.

Focus on your people, purpose and process that create the outcome.  – Jon Gordon

— – Joel Fleischman.  Joel is Head Coach of the solution providers for Drexel Building Supply.  (drexelteam).   You can follow him on twitter:  @JoelmFleischman.   Our mission is to be a supplier of others happiness.  I hope this little post did just that.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

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TGIM!

JULY 3RD

AS USUAL A RANDOM THOUGHT POST WILL BE WRITTEN AS I TALK.  GRAMMAR/SPELLING BE DAMNED!

****

As I begin this post, this song comes on Pandora:

Well I see trees of green and red roses too,
I’ll watch them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Well I see skies of blue
And I see clouds of white
And the brightness of day
I like the dark
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world…

—Israel Kamakawiwoʻole

***

“As they approached George’s office, Joy gave him one last piece of important advice. “There’s one last thing I got to tell you about all this, George, you really need to know. It’s so important it’s not even part of the 10 rules. It’s in a class all by itself. It’s like the ultimate rule of positive energy. And it’s so important I want you to write it down.”
George pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and waited for Joy to continue. “Here it is, George. Your positive energy and vision must be greater than anyone’s and everyone’s negativity. Your certainty must be greater than everyone’s doubt. After all, George, there will always be people who don’t share your vision. There will always be the doubters who doubt, doubt, and doubt and tell you you can’t do this and you won’t be able to accomplish that. They think that dreams were meant for others but not for people like you and them. And there will even be people who don’t want you to succeed because it makes them see their own weaknesses and failures. Rather than driving their own bus they are trying to ruin everyone else’s ride.
“So that’s how important your positive energy is, George…”
– Jon Gordon, Energy Bus
****
I tell ya what.  We are on a 10% growth rate.  Not bad at our volume.  Keeping up with the market.  We hired to grow 20%.  So as we say, we now need to grow into our shirt.  And we are more productive.  So there’s the gap.  I blame myself.  I started this morning at 4:30am.  FINALLY.  Time to kick my own ass.  It’s been awhile honestly.  I was living the good life.  Thinking we were doing great.  F*** THAT.  TIME TO GET HUNGRY.  TIME TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.  TIME TO GROW.   I KNOW IT.  I FEEL IT.  WE HAVE TO GET HUNGRIER.  RIGHT.  NOW.  NOW. NOW. NOW.  NO TIME TO WAIT.  NEW ACCOUNT LIST.  BETTER OTIFS.  BETTER CATEGORY PENETRATION.   A focused effort.   I have to get more involved, yet more away.  Tricky ain’t it?
I figure TODAY July 3rd is a great day to work 12 plus hours.  Why?  Today most of our competition is either off or resting.  Shame on them.  Today we will lap them.    Kick their ass.  As they milk it out… watch the clock, talk about fireworks.
TODAY, IF YOU ARE WORKING.  CALL A CLIENT.  CALL A NEW CLIENT.  THEY WILL BE SURPRISED YOU ARE HUNGRY ON THE 3RD.  CALL YOUR OPEN QUOTES BACK.  WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY TO BE ALIVE.
****
Hey Joel… our millwork suppliers at time suck.  WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?  Our growth is only 10%?   What are you doing about it?
****
You know who motivates the hell out of me?   The crazy ass girls at the Blue Door of all people.  I mean, they are just a very little part of what we do.  But man inspiring?  Holy shit.  They start at 430am.   Work 14 hour days.  But still balanced with time off to renew the soul.  Smiles.  Cheers.  Energy.  Organized.  Not afraid to fail.  Inspired.  It’s contagious everyone.  Totally.  I’m hooked.  It was like… JOEL FOLLOW THEIR LEAD!
Here I am supposed to be their leader and these young ladies all under 25 are inspiring the whole team blue.  Incredible really.
***
A tree that isn’t growing is about ready to die.  Drexel is NOT ready to die.  It’s ready to shoot off a new branch.  Grow deeper roots.  Have better and more fruit.  Help more people.  Supply more happiness.
***
I thank all of you.  Don’t be afraid to be awesome.  To get hungrier.  To be amazing.  I thank you.  It gives me goose bumps writing this.
***
I heard Jo and Shawn Miller had terrible, awful news this weekend.  Pray for them.  Life can really suck.  We have to stick together.  I grieve for them deeply.   We are one blue family here.  We are all interconnected.
***
And we celebrate at the same time.  My friend Jason Vanderkin, had his bachelor party over the weekend.  Of course all pictures were destroyed as they should be.   Congrats Butch.
***
At the same time tragedy happens, there is so much joy in this world as well.  I will never understand that until my time here has passed.
***
GOOD!
****
538AM.   SHIT’S ABOUT TO GET REAL.
****
FOCUS.  FOCUS.  FOCUS.  GET SHIT DONE.
MOTIVATE AND LEAN ON EACH OTHER.
***
GET HUNGRY!
WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING:
DO IT FASTER
DO IT BETTER
DO IT WITH MORE ENERGY
DO IT BECAUSE YOU LOVE IT
AND
SELL BABY SELL
WE HAVE PLACES TO GO!
****
And when things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll Start happening too.
OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!   – Dr. Seuss
***
Lastly, honestly, the USA sucks.  Huge debt.  Politicians that can’t get along.  Over 1400 shootings in Chicago alone this year.  Oh man I could go on forever.
HOWEVER, THIS IS THE BEST COUNTRY EVER, IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.
I MEAN NAME ONE COUNTRY THAT HAS EVER DONE IT BETTER?
WE HAVE FREEDOM.  WE HAVE LIBERTYS.  WE HAVE WORK ETHIC.  WE HAVE IT ALL…
KIEL
SHEBOYGAN FALLS
WRIGHTSTOWN
BERLIN
BROOKFIELD
CAMPBELLSPORT
HELLO COLUMBUS…
WISCONSIN
SOME OF THE BEST PEOPLE ON EARTH.
AND WE ARE IN THE CENTER OF IT.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!  WE ARE LUCKY AND OFTEN UNGRATEFUL BASTARDS INDEED.
****
GOOD!
****
If you need help with ANYTHING, YOU HOLLER AT ME.  AND HOLLER LOUD.  I’M HERE TO HELP.  AND I’M HUNGRY!  I AM CERTAIN WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED. — Joel
— – Joel Fleischman.  Joel is Head Coach of the solution providers for Drexel Building Supply.  (drexelteam).   You can follow him on twitter:  @JoelmFleischman.   Our mission is to be a supplier of others happiness.  I hope this little post did just that.