Keeping An Olympian Perspective:
Training, Planning and Acting for the Long Term
For Olympian and wanna-be Olympian athletes, it took four years of training to achieve goals.
by Ranger Kidwell-Ross
For the past week I, along with many millions of others around the globe, have been transfixed by a nightly dose of Olympic fever. In the comfort of my recliner I get to watch as the best athletes in the world perform what appear to be miracles. From twirling poetically on ice to jumping hundreds of meters down snow-covered hills, the Winter Olympics always make for a wonderful time.
The inherent ability of these Olympic athletes no doubt played a role in getting them to Vancouver, BC, which is a mere hour north of my home. However, my guess is that virtually none have the raw ability that would allow them to excel amidst their peers, and before the eyes of the world, if they didn't also have an absolute dedication to being the best they can be. To cite the often-misquoted words credited to the immortal football coach, Vince Lombardi, "Perfect practice makes perfect."
For all of us who own or manage a business there are many parallels. Just as with those we see performing in the Olympics, there are many factors that enter into whether each of our businesses will ultimately come out on top. Some of these we can control; others, not so much. However, when it comes to competing with those of our peers around us, we, too, can rest assured that we won't get there unless we practice with as much perfection as we can muster, day after grueling day.
Professionalism is an elusive goal, and one that offers a moving target. Each day we are faced with a myriad decisions, some of which will ultimately play a large part in how it all turns out in the end. During this time-- and, again, there are many parallels to the athletic arena-- we have to rebound from seeming disaster, sometimes being sent by circumstances backward toward ground zero, in order to reach our ultimate goals.
Will you end up the biggest in your marketplace, holder of the Gold Medal for Growth, so to speak? Some will, if that's their goal. For others, it might be the Gold Medal for Customer Service, or for Community Service, or a myriad other possible achievements.
Here, too, we would do well to emulate those exemplary specimens of humanity we see on or near the podium at the Olympics. Over and over again in interviews there has emerged a central theme: "We wanted to perform at the very best of our abilities. Hopefully, we are on the podium. If not, we mark our success or failure by whether or not we did the very best we could do."
In terms of boosting your own ability to run a professional organization, be sure to invest in learning from the seminar speakers I interviewed on your behalf at the recent 2010 National Pavement Expo. I thought this year's speakers had better, more targeted and usable information for the sweeping industry than has been the case for quite awhile.
Do any of them offer a 'magic pill' to assure your success? Not at all. What they do provide are tips and techniques designed to get that particular area of your business running smoothly. As every Olympic athlete would tell you, once you have the main features down, the thing that ultimately makes you great is a grasp of all the minute details. Another good business maxim, in a time when the margin of error between winning a bid and losing it is smaller than ever.
This month's newsletter offers the first in what we hope will be a periodic series of articles from world traveler and sweeper aficionado, Phileas Fogg. Mr. Fogg, the pen name by which we know him or her, has many years of sweeping industry experience and travels extensively in that regard. We are looking forward to the insights he will be able to bring us about how sweeping is performed throughout the world.
Fogg's first interview for WorldSweeper.com adds yet another country to those we have covered, Kuwait. The details provided to him by M.P. Jagdish, a manager at the largest cleaning contractor in Kuwait, National Cleaning Company, re-defines the challenges of dealing with sand on pavement. It's an eye-opening read.
We're also glad to feature our first-ever Contractor of the Month from a country other than the U.S. Although Tim Kukovica is only a few miles north of New York, you'll learn that operating in Canada is somewhat different than in the U.S. And, you'll certainly want to learn about Kukovica's 'turbine jet dryer!'
Last month we introduced WorldSweeper.com's Facebook Fan page and encouraged all to become a Fan with us. This month, Utah-based Marty Hugie explains how he keeps in contact with his customers via his company's Facebook Fan page. Food for thought.
Finally, you may think you don't need to know about the new sweeping references in Washington State's latest stormwater permit requirements. However, keep in mind that Washington's Department of Ecology findings are often used as a model by other Western states. As a result, the new, more stringent runoff requirements will likely affect other area states, as well. There is no question that Washington State sweeping contractors, especially those savvy enough to target affected industries and facilities, should benefit from increased business. By referencing them to customers and prospects, you show your knowledge and are able to provide 'Best Practices advice' to your clients.
WorldSweeper.com is the leader in providing information about the U.S. power sweeping industry. Why not use the resources we provide to position you and your company at the forefront of your market area?
As always, if there's something you'd like us to report about, please let us know that, as well. Our goal is to write about what you want to read. And, if you have a sweeping-related need please contact us about it. We'll try to assist in any way we can.
I routinely reference WorldSweeper.com articles and studies, provide information from my "Fundamentals of the Power Sweeping Business" manual and put contractors and city officials in touch with others who may have answers to their informational needs. By the same token, if you have a story you can provide, additional information on any of the topics we've covered – or need more details – please let me know. I'll be glad to help if at all possible.
By the way, if you don't have a listing yet in our Contractor Locator section, you are missing out on what is arguably the best advertising value in sweeping. At the same time, you'll be helping to keep WorldSweeper.com online and active.
If you like what you read in this newsletter or on the website, be sure to thank the advertisers who sponsored it. The only way for them to know you appreciate their support of WorldSweeper.com is to tell them!
Good Sweeping!
Ranger Kidwell-Ross, editor
WorldSweeper.com
P.S. In next month's newsletter we'll have a story about how Vancouver Public Works planned for the onslaught of visitors, and then kept the paved areas in and around the Olympic venues in great shape.
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