TGIM!

by guest blogger: Beth Pautsch, Vice President of Cabinetry Sales

My salesman story of the week:
Wednesday a cabinetry rep stopped in Brookfield to get us to sell his product. Someone on the Brookfield team said he needed to talk to me but I was at Berlin. He drove to Berlin without calling and expected me to stop and meet with him. He was surprised when I told him no. He left me brochures and asked for my card. I envision him talking with his boss on how great it was that he stopped at TWO Drexel locations. He talked with me about his product, left me some info, and got my business card. On paper that sounds like a successful sales call. The reality is that he not only didn’t value my time, but his either. I find it difficult to take someone seriously who wastes 4 hours in one day to drive around without doing his homework. Once again we can learn so much from these people. Research your target customers. Make appointments. Bring value and don’t waste their time.

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BONUS CONTENT!

Below is a real e-mail I got last week from a “newer” but “awesomer” trade partner Metrie trying to meet with us.  I thought this was super impactful, appreciating his time and ours.   You can learn a lot from everything around you.  This is an idea you might want to use yourself.

Good afternoon gentlemen. I have a bit of an impromptu trip to your neck of the woods Thursday evening and will be staying up there for the night. I was hoping to stop in to see you for a few minutes on Friday morning. Call it a wellness checkup! Any chance you or anyone else who may have questions, comments, concerns or needs will be available? I don’t expect to take up too much of your time, unless of course you need the time. Also, if you need anything such as literature, sample pieces, etc. please let me know and I’ll bring what I can.

Thanks men.

Stosh Stolarek
Account Representative, Metrie

TGIM!

Weekly on Mondays I write this.  I’ve been doing it so long I forget that many of you might not know what this means.

TGIM– THANK GOD IT’S MONDAY!

It’s a MINDSET.

WE GET, not have to, DO THIS!

WE GET TO WORK.

WE GET TO HAVE FUN.

WE GET TO MAKE MONEY FOR OUR FAMILIES.

WE GET TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

I got this idea from E.T. Eric Thomas, one of the most motivated people in the world!

This is what TGIM means to him.

– Joel Fleischman.  Joel is Head Coach of the solution providers for Drexel Building Supply.  (drexelteam).   You can follow him on twitter:  @JoelmFleischman.   Our purpose since 1985 is to be a supplier of other people’s happiness.

TGIM!

HAVE YOU SUPPLIED HAPPINESS YET TODAY? 

DON’T FORGET IT’S NOT SOMETHING WE JUST TALK ABOUT IT; IT IS WHY DREXEL EXISTS.

on to this weeks TGIM…

I CAN’T DO THAT.  THAT IS SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE.

IF, BUTS, IT WON’T.

WHO SAYS?

NEXT TIME SOMEONE TELLS YOU WHY YOU CAN’T…. JUST ANSWER “WHO SAYS”

“The question we have to ask ourselves is: What are those ropes in our lives that have been holding us back? What are the beliefs that we are clinging to that are keeping us stuck? What are the beliefs that may have been true at one point in our life, but that are no longer true and are keeping us from achieving our greatest potential? One thing we like to say is, “Who says?” Whenever someone says something is impossible, ask the question, “Who says?” You aren’t smart enough. “Who says?” You need another degree to be successful in this economy. “Who says?” You aren’t tall enough. “Who says?” You can never play for that team or in that league. “Who says?””

Burn Your Goals: The Counter Cultural Approach to Achieving Your Greatest Potential by Medcalf, Joshua; Gilbert, Jamie

– Joel Fleischman.  Joel is Head Coach of the solution providers for Drexel Building Supply.  (drexelteam).   You can follow him on twitter:  @JoelmFleischman.   Our purpose since 1985 is to be a supplier of other people’s happiness.

TGIM!

Team, often we wonder, how can I get where I want to go?  How can I be happy?  How can I succeed?

It’s easy really.

Help others.

By helping others, you will make yourself happier.

This week let’s make an INTENTIONAL focus to help someone.  Each day wake up and say, “WHO WILL I HELP?”

The results will amaze you.

– Joel Fleischman.  Joel is Head Coach of the solution providers for Drexel Building Supply.  (drexelteam).   You can follow him on twitter:  @JoelmFleischman.   Our purpose since 1985 is to be a supplier of other people’s happiness.

TGIM!  JUST ON THURSDAY…

We furnished a cabin, 1100 miles north of Campbellsport, in Ontario, on an island 4.5 miles off shore in early Spring.  Flooring, lumber, all of it.  That’s not the story though (as cool as that was).  The story starts when they asked us if we would bring some guys up to fish Eagle Lake Lodge.  How could you say no?

26 of us, a great mix of clients, well more like friends, and team members went up there last week.

What did I learn?  Really if you have your mindset right, you can learn all the time.  You just have to actually think about it and be aware that life is ALWAYS a learning experience.  It’s why you are here: to learn, to get better.

All of us I am sure learned something.  Some more than others.  You can never punch out even when you punch out you see…

** Ok, side note, before you go any farther.  Jealousy in life is such a USELESS, PETTY, AND EVIL emotion.  It does you and no one around you any good.  Be happy for them, your turn in life comes. We all do amazing things… life is what you make of it.  We couldn’t take 200 people… ok…. moving on…

1.  Influence not control.  I learned this fishing with Ken Wilbanks on the streams in the Appalachians.  (Geez that sounds like something Hemingway would of wrote.)  Anyways.  I was reminded of that again.  You can only influence your bait as you are 28 feet down, in wind, jigging on the very bottom 3″ high.  If the worm is on the bottom they won’t bite.  6″ up they won’t bite.  The first day we simply TRIED TO CONTROL THE BAIT.  Poor results.  Influence is subtle.   Same when you have a fish on.  You can’t horse into the boat.  Line breaks.  Bad things happen.  Just let the fish make the decisions for you.  Influence not control.  We often try to CONTROL our family.  CONTROL our team members like a prison.  CONTROL our customers that we should somehow TELL them WHERE AND HOW to buy.  Influence works.  Control does not.
2. NETWORKING is horrible.   FRIENDSHIP ROCKS.  Who the hell enjoys NETWORKING?  No one I have ever met.  Who enjoys meeting new friends, having a few laughs, making a few lifetime memories?  Almost everyone.  There were three groups of people on this trip.  Almost everyone felL into the last group because we mostly get it here at Drexel and we have amazing customers.  THE THREE GROUPS.  Group #  1. It’s my vacation.  The only value of this vacation is that I need to have fun on my terms, in my way, and the rest of the stuff around me is just a distraction.  That person didn’t meet the staff and talk to them, barely knew anyone’s name unless they had already know them. I am sure they had a good time, but ended up not much the wiser for the trip.  Sad really.  Group #2. Work trip.  I got to make sure my clients are taken care of.  I have to make sure I fit in.  I have to make sure everything goes smooth for them.  Work work work.  Whew that’s tiring.  I’ve seen, not sure on this trip, but I’ve seen it on these sort of outings.  Also that’s too bad for them.     Group #3.  And the third group.  I’m going to be myself.  I’m going to push the limits of fun.  I’m going to do what I want to do… as well as the group activities too.  Every time I have a conversation I am going to make it better, but also shut up and really listen.  So much to learn.  For instance, our bartender for the week loved to brew beer and was a recent graduate from Marquette in bio-chemistry.  Man did we learn about both!  And the guy was awesome to be around.   One new friend built with 2×4 studs, one new friend was struggling with scheduling and on and on… Each person taught me about fishing, about business, about themselves and often made me better.  Networking?  Hardly!  Friendships. Yes.  Will more business come from this?  Probably.  Who doesn’t buy from a FRIEND THEY LIKE?  But that wasn’t the goal to get more business… that’s just how life works.
3. NO PLACE LIKE HOME.  While on this trip, I got a couple of unique e-mails.  I was offered to go to HAWAII for a week, expenses paid to consult with a building supplier there. Trip of a lifetime.  And in a different email also offered a trip on a private freakin jet to go pheasant hunting out west this fall.  Instantly I was thrilled.  But a lot of me knew the work that means.  The stress.  The planning.  The emotional cost.  You know what?  I said “no” to both.  At this time in my life, it would of been fun, but it just isn’t in me, it would of depleted my take, would of made me a lesser version of me.  I like where I’m at.  Vacation is needed.  Time off is needed.  But sometimes #balance is needed to.  No place like home for this guy.  These were Joel things not WE things.  Maybe sometime I’ll do both, but not now.  That’s ok.
4. All the little things add up.  The fishing guide and camp leader kept saying.  Use this, try that.  And the guys that listened and had the most success did that.  The little things add up to one big thing… catching fish.  The little stuff goes unnoticed.  The right knot, the right blade, the right hook, the way you put on your worm.  Does any one thing catch that fish…no… and might you still catch fish…yes…but your odds go up when you consistently do the little things right.
5. Pictures.  No fishing trip is complete without some fish pictures…

– Joel Fleischman.  Joel is Head Coach of the solution providers for Drexel Building Supply.  (drexelteam).   You can follow him on twitter:  @JoelmFleischman.   Our purpose since 1985 is to be a supplier of other people’s happiness.

TGIM!

40 hours, 50 hours, or more a week… over 2,000 hours a year you grind at Drexel.  Yet do you take into account what it is doing to you as a person.  How your life is changing because of it.  Is it changing for the better or worse?

Your mental path… is what  you think over and over again.

Do you think about gratitude, humility, compassion, friendliness, patience, community service, faith and more during the course of each day?    What you think is the path you will live.  Or do you fear, worry, tense, anger, control, complain and gossip each day?

When we interview potential new team members please make this part of the conversation: “Ask a potential new hire how a particular job could be a vehicle for expanding his or her character strengths.”  It forms what we are looking for.  Someone different… people that value character over everything.*

I encourage you to use your job to help fulfill your deepest values and beliefs.

Leaders and coaches, be sure all of the people you work with have jobs and duties that include:

“having a meaningful impact on the world, having true camaraderie with your co-workers, and having the opportunities to develop skills.”

But Joel… I just order flooring, I just drive truck, I just receive materials.  OH, BUT HOW WRONG YOU ARE.  What can you do to CHANGE THE WORLD at any job you have here.  That is the challenge I give you.  Is it the energy you give off, the smile you bring, doing the smallest tasks with gratitude and perfection…HOW CAN YOU CHANGE THE WORLD YOU LIVE IN?  That’s for you to decide.

A few ideas on what you might want to focus on:

1. Ethics

2. Respect.

3. Balance.

4. Winning Attitude.

5. Communication.

6. Development.

7. Team Work.

8. Change.

9. Have Fun.

10. Accountability.

*The Only Way to Win: How Building Character Drives Higher Achievement and Greater Fulfillment in Business and Life by Loehr, Jim http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007FSJ8J.  Excellent book to consider putting on your reading list and a great influence to Drexel.

– Joel Fleischman.  Joel is Head Coach of the solution providers for Drexel Building Supply.  (drexelteam).   You can follow him on twitter:  @JoelmFleischman.   Since 1985, our business success has come from building others UP.

TGIM!

Jon Gordon inspired me to write this today.

Being POSITIVE is not natural for me.  It’s a work in progress.

I used to yell at the referees of the games I played.  I hated those refs.  They were all against me I was sure.  It was there fault, not mine, that I was always in foul trouble.  Then I became a ref.  Walking in a different pair of shoes changed my perspective for the better.  No referee is INTENTIONALLY sucking, they are not being biased, they aren’t ruining you, and you can trust me on that.

I used to get REALLY FRUSTRATED at work.  No one cared as much as me, no one got it, except me.   I even broke a phone once I slammed it down so hard.   Daily I was “fired up” and all hell was about to break loose at any second.   My venom could hit anyone.

My neck and back used to hurt constantly I was so stressed.

I thought that’s just the way it was…

I’ve read a lot.  I learned a lot.  I am still a work in progress.  We all are.

And “the old Joel” still comes around sometimes, but I work on not paying him much attention.

I am sure you are not perfect either.  The good news is we can become the best version of ourselves.  And we don’t have to wait until tomorrow.  We can start today.

There are perfect messages… but not perfect people.

Be the  most positive person you know. 

And have some FUN THIS WEEK.

– Joel Fleischman.  Joel is Head Coach of the solution providers for Drexel Building Supply.  (drexelteam).   You can follow him on twitter:  @JoelmFleischman.   Since 1985, our business success has come from building others UP.

TGIM!

Team I’ve been reading a few books by Joshua Medcalf and he’s pretty much blowing my mind.  Here is a summary of one of my favorite parts.

I’ve linked a video of him below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJY2SyypAW0

Are you training to do who you want to become?  Or are you just talking a good game and life is getting in the way of who you want to be.

A great 5 minute exercise is to write your own obituary.  Go ahead, do it… or at least think about what you want it to say. (This is way more impactful if you actually write it out.)

I bet you wanted to be a loving, kind, individual.  Some core values in there (balance, communication, have fun).

Are you waiting to do XXXXXXXXXX when you are married, the kids are older, the kids leave the house, you retire, your spouse divorces you, you are in a nursing home, or when you are on your death bed?  See how silly that sounds.

Find out who you want to BE, and then focus on getting better at that.

Say you want to be a more positive person.  You could keep a notepad next to you and make certain you give 5 sincere compliments a day.  You could then write 10 things you are grateful for.

Want to stop worrying?  You could say a prayer when you wake up and go to sleep asking God for help so you don’t worry.  You could wear a rubber band on your wrist and snap it every time you worry.

Want to be less stressed?  Start a list of things you will no longer do.

What you do daily is who you are and ultimately who you will be tomorrow as well.

Now are you TRAINING to do this.  What are you FOCUSING on to make this happen.

Make your obituary today.

Make it awesome.

You found out you have 30 days to live, you never changed a thing… because that is how you already live your life.

George Baily really had a “wonderful life”.  He didn’t realize it until Clarence the angel explained it all to him.    Although George never did travel the world, he did change it!

– Joel Fleischman.  Joel is Head Coach of the solution providers for Drexel Building Supply.  (drexelteam).   You can follow him on twitter:  @JoelmFleischman.   Since 1985, our business success has come from building others UP.

TGIM!!!

Do you enjoy the process?

Do you ever think man this sucks, this is hard?

Do you fail and say son of a buck… I suck at this and pound sand and walk away…  or do you think…

I suck at this NOW, but I WILL GET BETTER.  I will do everything I can to get better.  Not the best, for that may not be possible, but THE BEST THAT I AM CAPABLE.

It’s a mindset.  You can choose which path you take on every challenge.

Working out sucks.  You sweat, you swear and you have 1 million other things you would rather be doing.  But you should do it anyways.  That’s universally agreed.  But so many won’t… so many will suck at it at first and say, but I suck at this… and fail…

but a few.. will do it anyways….

Working towards a goal is a process, embrace the process…AND embrace the goal.

And remember growth is not a lineal chart, you go up, sideways, and sometimes even backwards but over TIME your goal is achieved.

The ingredients:  time, persistence, sweat… that not only adds to the total sum it multiplies it.

No one ever promised you life would be an easy path.  It fact the Bible often tells you… the path will NOT be easy.

Matthew 7:13-14   “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

It’s the combination of enjoying life and the process and the grind… AND the focus of the GOALS you have.

Am I talking about work or life in this TGIM?  The answer is BOTH.

THIS IS HARD.  THIS IS FUN.

– Joel Fleischman.  Joel is Head Coach of the solution providers for Drexel Building Supply.  (drexelteam).   You can follow him on twitter:  @JoelmFleischman.   Since 1985, our business success has come from building others UP.

*********** SPECIAL SALESMAN NOTE *************************

Have you ever worked a 12 or 14 hour day to hit your goals?  Have you recently worked a night, a Sunday morning or started at 5am?   You ever just say, NO WAY IN HELL WILL I LET THIS OPPORTUNITY PASS.  I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES RIGHT NOW.  Then reach out for help and say TEAM, I need your right now, let’s roll…  AND STILL SMILE WHILE YOU DO IT?

Don’t tell me you aren’t hitting your hopes and dreams if you haven’t done the above if you haven’t learned to delegate, to let others help you…and …and …

if you haven’t PUT IN THE TIME… if you are starting at 7 or later and fading out in the afternoon most days (and your team knows if you are or not… they see, they watch… they get it)…

DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MINE…AND SAY YOU DON’T KNOW WHY YOU AREN’T HITTING YOUR GOALS… OR WHY YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO HIT YOUR GOALS..

I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT.

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