Work Place Agenda's

One of keys to developing relationships and steering them towards constructive outcomes for you or the role you serve is identifying the agenda of the party or parties involved. So few of us can equate high performance to the sum of our own efforts or actions. I have always relied, to some degree, on others to complete my jobs. I have found it wise to learn as quickly as possible what their agenda is and how they plan on making it happen.

I am a student of this game and probably will be for the rest of my life. As a student, I am constantly learning new ways to peel back the layers and approach a situation with a myriad of possibilities, so not to box myself out.

Up until recently, I have always avoided using others to get my dirty work done. I feel more comfortable rolling up my sleeves and getting that done myself. Times have changed and for me I am studying the art of office warfare to see if it advances my chances of success. Not being an open book, not considering the other parties needs, actively downplaying their strength position and getting them to make concessions has tangible payoffs. I just never really made that my foucs.

I am adapting. In my usual role back in Tampa and on this recent assignment here at this dealership in Watertown, I am stretching my legs and using these tactics routinely and with little or no consequences. Some of the benefit is less overall work for me, but the other part is tricking others into a perception that what I say and need is what they must work to achieve. Heck, there is no leadership here at this dealer... so I might as well execute the function for the benefit of all parties involved.

Small Example: I am responsible for each and every unit on the lot. Above and beyond the new inventory, I keep track of lease turn ins, repo/voluntary surrenders, trade inventory not yet processed for auction, and used vehicles. I am also seizing any units Dealmaker that mistakenly brings here... they only way they get it back is to prove ownership. I love that part of the job. Nice little power trip to see the mice scurry about looking for proof of ownership. Well, where the inventory sits is really not Dealmakers problem. That is mine. Lately, I have made it seem like it is their problem and have found a whole bunch of resources to move this crap around. That saves me boat loads of time... and they feel as though they are productive too! Double bonus. Agenda for Dealmaker: Make zero waves for FMCC or on site FMCC staff. Give FMCC everything asked for... do not let anything escalate to the GM.

In the past, I would just take care of it myself. After all, I have more than enough time to do it... means and opportunity... most of all... I could rest easy knowing it was done to my satisfaction. The only thing I can lose with making them do it... total sense it was done to my satisfaction which is completely overrated anyway.

P.S. I'm really bored today. As evidenced in this posting... I have the time to type this crap out.

Watertown, NY

Yep, I am up in surprisingly warm Watertown, NY. The home of lake effect snow conditions and a whole bunch of nothing.

My work hours keep me pretty busy all day, but the evenings have been short and I do not have much desire to venture out. I get my food and come back to sleep. That has been my trip in a nutshell.

Well, tomorrow Debra flies in for a visit for this most special of weekends. I am planning some great fun and dates every night she is here. I am really looking forward to some 1/1 time. She is afterall my SAC and three kids, a house, and a needy husband is a lot to handle.

She does not know it... but here is the outline. (no worries... she never reads this site.)

Thursday Arrival (night)
Friday - sleep in; afternoon appointment at local spa for massage, facial, and all the nail crap. Dinner and a movie that evening.
Saturday - sleep in; afternoon potential visit at my work (I know whop di do... but the hotel will get old I think.); dinner and then champaign and chocolate covered strawberries; follow by (of course) some monopoly and scrabble...
Sunday - sleep in (for me) breakfast, lunch and dinner together... possibly some site seeing if the weather holds up.
Monday - chill day - the special parts are all over. She is on her own.
Tuesday - departure! (back to being SAC)

Here is one killer... no restaurants around here take reservations... so the lines will be long on Saturday night!

Jerry, Roger, and Randy

I had the pleasure of being in the same place as these fine folks.

Jerry - the best WR the NFL ever saw. More records than Lego's.

Roger - Created the 1,000 / 1,000 club and transformed the RB position. (Under Bill Walsh's legendary view of offense.)

Randy - a 49er line man... TV host... and rather opinionated fellow.

I was suppose to also meet my personal favorite player of all time and legendary QB - Joe Montana.

Club 009 and my experience with some great 49ers and other NFL players is owed to the cereal pimp. It was he that asked me to be his date. It was I that accepted! I did have one condition... I do not put out on dates. The cereal pimp accepted and I am the better for it. Great atmosphere.... fabulous food and drinks... the setup was well planned and incorporated multiple styles.. including a water pool with remote controlled boats for kids. Yes, I said kids... there are people out there that would spend 475 bucks on a kids ticket to this club. Lastly, in the words of Ferny... they had the best portapoti ever made!

Thank you JP.

I'm here, but I am not feeling the HYPE

I am in Superbowl central, but one would not even know it. I have asked those that lived here when the Giants played the Ravens.... several of those asked described the atmosphere as 'jacked up' and you could tell everywhere that you were in the zone. The zone is that time between the championship games and the big show. Many of them went to the big game, but not this year.

So what has changed?

Consumer confidence... nobody wants to spend any money and I do not blame them. The business in the area know it as well and have adjusted advertising. The media I think are sensitive to this as well and their overall lack of presence is also noticed. I'm sure it will be a great game. Those who can attend - are. Going to a Superbowl will be checked off my list (eventually), but it will not be this year. (Taking out travel costs... a purchase price option for me would go up 300 in my book for a hometown venue.) A great friend of mine is going and I am delighted to get a chance to see him. He left his wife home, but besides that minor infraction, should prove entertaining... heck now I get to see both sides. I'll watch it in high definition on my 65 inches of joy and hear his point of view = perfection.

I must choose...

and there is only a 5% chance I will go.

Tulsa, OK
Baton Rouge, AL
Watertown, NY
Freehold, NJ
and my personal favorite...
Bangor, ME


Why is that my personal favorite? Because... nobody would go there and going means a whole heck of a lot of attention!

Another potential business trip to protect company assets.

Remember... only 5% chance of getting regardless of selection. I can only choose one location. My real favorite is Freehold, NJ. That is 1 hour from NYC.

Personal Pictures

I was off last week for 5 days. It was nice. We were suppose to go away (refer to prior posts) so most of the time was spent chilling. I was in the garage putting some order to the chaos and I uncovered a box that was unpacked since we moved from CA.

It was full of our family pictures and frames. It is funny how the Lord works... because all of a sudden I had a need to hang some family photos and for the life of me... I could not locate hardly any.

Well, after Debra and I peeled this box open and insodoing created a playground from the loads and loads of packing paper inside (kids had way too much fun with that little gift), we found them all. To our surprise it was perfect timing since mold is something you do not want on your pictures. In FL nothing this important should be stored in any space which is either unheated or cooled. The moisture in this geographic region is hard to understand, but it destroys with precision. Well these pictures tucked safely under a small forest of trees (packing paper) was just starting to show signs of mold.

We (Debra) cleaned every frame, glass insert, and gently cared for each picture allowing ample time to dry before we (me) put them all back together. After we (Debra and I) first saw the mold... we (Debra) figured we (Debra) lost most if not all. Well as it turns out... we only lost 3-4 out of several dozen. (That was my view the whole time for the record.)

I will scan the pictures where mold has started and will eventually ruin the pics... now our house is scattered with the faces that walk around it... I got use to the no pictures... now it is nice to see the kids in their youth!

Camping Trip delayed...

The temps here in sunny FL did not stick to the 10 day forecast. Instead of nightly lows in the 60's... the temp drop along with the rest of the country.

I could not expose Debra to 40's for night time lows... even though there would be a grizzly there with her... it was better to play it safe instead of ruin a potential good thing.

So we are looking to go in a month or two.