10. May 2011 by Frank Goad.

You read that right: Alcoa has developed building/architectural panels that eat smog. This just blows me away. Finally, we’re starting to clean up after ourselves. This is magnificent - science develops the most environmentally responsible material to date.Here’s a link to the article in Tech Republic: http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/smart-takes/alcoa-toto-unveil-green-building-panels-that-eat-smog/16182?tag=nl.e550And here’s a 2:42 video:

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28. December 2010 by Frank Goad.

This video contains words of wisdom for anyone. He talks about the character and qualities of men, but what coach Lombardi says applies to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Suggestion: Copy this link and watch this often.

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24. December 2010 by Frank Goad.

Mission statements should be living documents, and Wendy’s is one of the best I’ve ever seen. A person could adopt theirs as their own and do well in life. Mission statements are important and, when done thoughtfully and thoroughly, can keep a company moving forward. I like Wendy’s in particular because it’s concise and uses easily understandable language. Nothing fancy, just good, old-fashioned operating principles that point straight ahead.

While many mission statements are full of lofty, often obtuse language, the one below is simple and unmistakable. The one we had at Lexmark was over-the-top and laden with too many points. A mission statement’s main points should be easily remembered and get to the very deepest core of what is important. It should serve as a guiding light to everyone in the organization, and to your customers as an assurance that your goal is to take care of them.

Wendy’s Mission Statement, “What We Believe,” is a list of simple, easy-to-remember guidelines that serve as an internal mission statement and an external customer service goal. Any company or person that follows this mission statement will have friends and customers for life.

* QUALITY IS OUR RECIPE - We don’t cut corners on our products, service, or employees.

* TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT - Be genuine and kind and lend each other a helping hand.

* DO THE RIGHT THING - Honesty and integrity are rules we live by.

* PROFIT MEANS GROWTH - Teamwork is the key to our success.

* GIVE BACK - Make your community better every day. 

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7. December 2010 by Frank Goad.

Watch this video and see if you don’t feel blessed, fortified and stronger.

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6. December 2010 by Frank Goad.

While my wife and daughter were out of town this weekend, I “treated” myself to something seldom enjoyed: My own, personal “Band of Brothers” marathon. I spent Saturday watching all the disks, looking over the timelines (real history, not just the character’s time) and thinking about what those men went through.The story follows the men of the 101st Airborne, Company E, or “Easy Company.” Each company gets a designation from the phonetic alphabet. They were Easy, and there was Dog, Able, etc. – you get the idea. I’m explaining this so that Easy Company doesn’t get confused with an escort service (sorry, but this is important).

These men went through some of the worst experiences of WWII – literally, hell on earth. They were bombed, shot, burned and suffered exhaustion, freezing cold, hunger and mental trials beyond comprehension. There seem to be no words to adequately describe what they experienced. Still, they persevered largely because of the men leading them. Major Dick Winters is a first-class hero, yet remains humble about his role; Sergeant Carwood Lipton is another cut from that same cloth, and there were many others whose valor and compassion remain unmatched today.

Granted, not all soldiers made it through in that fashion. There were the weak, those who are predisposed to bad behavior or simply lacked character. There were officers who, once in the middle of pitched battles, cracked and became a liability. That happens in civilian life, too, and we all see it sometimes.

Even though their battles were over sixty years ago, their perseverance, courage and devotion stand today as models we should all emulate. There are countless stories like theirs throughout history and some are being written as I write this in battles a world away. The cloud that settled over us after Viet Nam distorted our view of what it means to be valiant and for many years robbed us of the realization that we owe much to our soldiers. To be clear, I did not serve, but know I would be a better man today if I had.

As a man, there are certain things many of us men are somewhat programmed to do. (Rather than start a fight over genetics, anthropology and so on, let me say this is my opinion and, if you don’t like it, keep it to yourself.) Men are meant to serve, and some to lead, but the best know the role of servant leader. Throughout history we men have fought, built, carried, dug and performed much (most?) of the heavy lifting required to carve a new or better life from whatever we are going through. That is our job, our lot and ours is to do so willingly and to the best of our ability.

On the other hand, I see our Congress and much of our government and it seems honor and service are words that have been erased from the majority. I see all around evidence that character and compassion do not carry the value they did. Even men leaving Congress or our state legislatures say that, compared to twenty or even ten years ago, the tone of those bodies is much darker and more about party politics than serving the public; more about winning personally that claiming a real victory for their constituents. They see winning for themselves or the party as the ultimate goal, rather than negotiating a better life for their constituents.

So, where are today’s heroes? Who can step forward and lead? I think we love our soldiers so much because they have a simple yet difficult task to do, and that is fight for a just cause. They demonstrate all the traits we value in human kind and do so selflessly knowing that the cause for which they fight could well take their life. They sacrifice daily for a salary that no elected official would consider worthy. Our police and firemen likewise go forth knowing that each morning they put on their uniform, it could be their last.

Wall Street showed us serious greed and cost the average person thousands of dollars - no honor there. The banking industry showed how slovenly a sector can be by foreclosing improperly on thousands of mortgages - workers scared to do right, managers scared to buck the higher-ups and the higher-ups scared of losing their bonuses. Time after time we hear of scandals; from Bill Clinton to “Dubya” to Charles Rangel to John Edwards to Larry Craig and on and on and on. It seems no one who is supposed to lead these days has the conviction or spine to do so in a manner that inspires the populace. What’s worse, some of those that are supposed to be on the “right” in many cases are sounding like the right wing German party that started around 1921 called the National Socialists, or Nazis. When you consider what I heard some people saying on the radio about gays recently (the debate over “Don’t ask, don’t tell” and the military survey), it was reminiscent of what the old newsreels sounded like; what’s being said about Jews, Muslims and others from the Middle East is no better.

So what am I saying? Look around at those in government whom you elected to office ask if you think you’re getting your money’s worth. Are their actions such that you’d point it out to your children in hopes they’d be inspired? The last post here was praising Chief Bastin, and he is an exemplary man dedicated to bringing the best out in his men and running the department in the most efficient manner possible while building confidence in Lexington’s citizens. He is indeed rare.

Look at the companies you buy from - are they good corporate citizens? What can YOU do to demonstrate character? If we don’t start valuing honor, character, honesty, square-dealing and courage again, Nikita Kruschev’s prophecy of many years ago will come true: “I once said, ‘We will bury you,’ and I got into trouble with it. Of course we will not bury you with a shovel. Your own working class will bury you.”  The choice is ours.

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2. December 2010 by Frank Goad.

Lexington, Kentucky, is truly blessed to have Ronnie Bastin as our police chief. I’ve know him for around twenty years and he has always been an outstanding man. We met not long after he was promoted to sergeant and, even then, you could tell that he was going to have a great career. Bastin is intelligent, thoughtful and a born leader.

He graciously agreed to be my subject for the Business Lexington “Quick Biz Bites” videos that I do. During the interview, he said something that I think crystallizes the attitude a true leader has. He said, “It kind of gets under my skin when I hear someone say that they ‘… have thirty people working for them.’ When people ask me how many I have working for me, I say that ‘I work for over four hundred people.’” He recognizes the responsibility he has to his staff, his managers and the city of Lexington and is quite humble about it.

He is working hard to train his squads to know what great leadership looks like and leads by example. The department’s progress is outstanding. We should all be grateful to have a man with such sterling character leading the people who guard our town. Thank you, chief.

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25. March 2010 by Frank Goad.

Beyond coffee, surviving in your job requires innovation. Sure, showing up on time helps, but companies want people whose contributions set the business apart from the competition or improve operations. So ask yourself these questions: Are you helping your employer grow the business? What are you doing to enhance your status?

The coin’s other side is that business is harder these days and innovation is critical to survival. A great way to maintain job stability is to be the one who helps the company remain stable. Since there is rarely a silver bullet to save the day, small improvements and gap-filling ideas add up to a brighter picture, and maybe a fatter paycheck.

Several times a day, ask yourself questions like, “What can I contribute that sets the company – and me – apart?”, “What can I do that makes a difference in the ‘bottom line’?”, and, “What opportunities are we overlooking?” It doesn’t have to be a Herculean effort, just investing some of your time and brain cycles to look more critically at what goes on.

Some think hunkering down and staying out of sight is the best policy, but here’s why that’s not necessarily true: I worked at a local company that has been, and still is going through wave-after-wave of layoffs. The company’s local workforce is less than half the size it was when I joined and many jobs went overseas. The folks I know who are still there escaped the hatchet for one of two reasons: 1. They work like Trojans and are high-output individuals, or; 2. They have a track record of innovation and usable ideas. Yes, a few are just lucky or really charming, but that doesn’t always work.

So, what does this have to do with coffee? I have the coffee maker you see above and I think it’s the greatest one ever. Why? Notice there’s no pot - it doesn’t have one. The coffee flows into a reservoir and then you place your mug underneath where a pot would be, push a lever and your cup fills. Best of all, it brews one awesome cup of coffee. No, it’s not like an $11,000 Clover coffee maker, but my less-than-cultured palate finds the results quite good.

Is it a big seller? Well … no, and it’s a bit hard to find. It’s a little pricey, too. Doesn’t sound like it’s perched to become a market leader, does it? On the other hand, everyone who visits notices it and becomes curious. We talk, they recognize Cuisinart as a good, dependable brand with nice styling and, of those folks, many have bought Cuisinart appliances. The coffee maker is different enough to make itself and the brand stand out in prospect’s minds, and to motivate them to invest in their products. Are there things in your business that can be reformulated?

In 1899, U.S. Commissioner of Patents Charles H. Duell said, “Everything that can be invented has been invented.” Do you think that way at your work place? Don’t becuase, after all, the lowly coffee pot was improved. Try to take a fresh look at what is going on there. Do barriers to innovation exist, like a manager who hates change? If so, try to involve them early and with tidbits of information.

Compare them to the Grand Canyon: It took a long time for the water to carve the canyon, and you might need extra patience, too. Chip away with questions like, “Why do we do it this way?” “Had you ever thought about … ?” It doesn’t hurt to let them think that some of your ideas are theirs – if they shine, you’re likely to benefit from their light. Asking them questions that guide them to your answer lets them think it’s their idea. Once that’s done, you can build on it with suggestions and ideas to foster a partnership for innovation.

It’s hard to innovate using the same data you’ve collected for years. That’s a “can’t see the forest for the trees” situation. Some of the best investment advice I ever got was, “Look around. Before investing in a company, see where they are in the lives of their customers.”

The true meaning soon dawned on me: Ask folks what they think about a company and its products or services. How often do they use them? Do they tell their friends? If they’re really into it you’ll get a good report, or even a glassy-eyed rant extolling the virtues. Ask your customers to lunch or coffee and listen to their thoughts and feelings. If nothing else, call them and say, “Just checking in … .” Customers usually have a clear eye toward your business and know what others say, too, so make sure to keep a journal of their input and plans on what to do with that intelligence.

Then you can go to your manager (or shareholders) with fresh, documented input and confidently present your ideas based on real data, not just a hunch or an idea. You become the expert and a thought leader in your company, and someone with a much better shot at job security and brighter prospects.

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