Milwaukee Biz Blog

Editor's note: This is the sequel to a previous Biz Blog written by Gary Billington.

 

Economically speaking, things are beginning to show signs of life. As I attend events around town and engage in conversation with folks it seems the mood has decidedly improved.

The stock market appears to be in the throes of a sustained recovery, the housing market is slowly rebounding ,and financial markets are opening up again.

We obviously have a ways to go, but the direction is encouraging.

I was quietly reflecting the other morning (Sunday morning .... and … I ask, how is it the dog instinctively knows its Sunday?) about what lessons this recession has taught us all.

No doubt, it has affected all of us in many ways … some more than others. My kids have finally realized … times aren't always good. Pretty obvious to us older duffers. I never really stopped to think about it, but truly, they have never really experienced a recession like this … be it a "great" one or not.

Back to my point…

Companies have had to adapt, industries have been forever altered, life's have been changed, both good and bad. The lessons have been painful for many, and we must always remember those who are still hurting in both our hearts and if possible our wallets.

But I keep coming back to the somewhat ideal notion that thru all of this the American spirit survives and even thrives. We as a people are really great at adapting to change, but many times only when it's forced upon us.

Americans are some of the most resilient people on the planet. In tough times, we figure out how to do more with less and most often end up more productive than ever.

The economic swings of our free enterprise system truly teach those lessons well. In large part, isn't that what truly makes our system work while constantly moving us forward to the next level?

During World War II, this country took on unprecedented levels of debt to fight for our system of democracy - I am told in the order of 2.5x our entire GDP each year for almost five years . In relevant terms today, that would be hundreds of trillions of dollars of debt (Maybe that puts our present debt in perspective?) Within a relatively short time, we had paid that sum back. Truly remarkable. It's not the number - it's your ability to pay it back?

When faced with a Cold War threat in space, we put men on the moon in less than 10 years with virtually the computer technology of a tiny hand held calculator. (I just finished reading "Rocketmen" by Craig Nelson .It is a fascinating account of this inspiring feat.)

We survived, and I would suggest thrived after both of these events. Western civilization did not come to an end as many had predicted might happen!

Fear (false evidence appearing real) was truly a motivator. In both cases, believing we could even win/do it was even more powerful, in my opinion.

To repeat my initial blog point, I'm not  trying to minimize the challenges we face today, by any means.

We have a lot of work to do. We will do it and we will survive and thrive, because it's programmed into our DNA. Ameri-CAN.

My point is we need to believe in our ability to solve these issues.

If you think you can, you will. If you think you can't, you won't. Mr. Ford again (I'm also reminded of this every once and awhile with the sports underdog analogy. In my case, this translates to hockey ala the  '09-10 Phoenix Coyotes.)

Back to my point again …

Pretty simple, positive attitude stuff, but in today's negative-reinforced media world … oh so easy to forget.

2010 may be a pleasant surprise or it may not.

The point is, a lot of success is locked up in our heads … and our attitudes. Truly believing that things will be better and truly expecting better results in my opinion creates important psychological stepping stones resulting in better outcomes … regardless if they are in sports, business and most importantly life!

 

Gary Billington is vice president of client relations at Plunkett Raysich Architects LLP in Milwaukee.

I truly believe 2009 will go down in history as a year of unprecedented change. From the personal heartache over job loss, to political wranglings over heath care reform, to the financial system near-collapse, combined with the escalating uncertainties of our world - caused every one of us as parents, teachers, authors, athletes, factory workers, business people, doctors or truck drivers to experience times when it seemed like  the world had  been tipped  just a little more "on its ear."

As I began to write this piece, it struck me. Maybe this uncertainty has been going on for a long time?
"What do you do next as world events seem to shake your core beliefs?" is a question folks have grappled with over the course of human history..

For you baby boomers…

Where we ever really on the "Eve of Destruction" as Barry McQuire told us?

When we say, 'What is the new normal?' is it possibly more a case of human adaptation and survival at its best? Here are a few of my personal thoughts on adapting for 2009 and beyond. They may have equally applied in 1492, 1776, 1863, 1941, 1969, 1973, 1987, 1992 or 2001?

• I love the expression, "Change is good, but you go first." The new norm is embrace change. Accept it. Get ready for it. Find the opportunity in it. Deal with it. It's human nature to resist change, but like some very high-profile retailers have recently found out, an inability to find ways to adapt to it can be terminal. So very logically you ask, "How do I change? How do I know what to do next?" And you say, "Wait a moment, I'm too old to change." The new norm … Continually reinvent yourself and your firm. The status quo will only get you a lot of restless nights and a new title: "old school." Which begs the next question … Are we as a nation, experiencing status quo anxiety?
• I recently read a warning in a Fortune 500 company annual report … "Coasting may cause premature death." The new norm … Take significant action now. Be "calculated yet courageous" and trust your instincts. It is becoming increasingly treacherous to delay action. Decisions must be made not having every fact. Others may discover a new mousetrap in your business and overnight “blow your doors off”. There is potentially in this hyper-speed world much more risk to not making decisions in a timely fashion.
• Let go of the past. Don't misunderstand me on this one. You can always learn from the past and from your mistakes. It's very hard for some to admit times have changed. Most of today's unions are a great example of refusing to rethink how they create value for their membership in this sawtooth economic world of today. This point hits very close to home. The new norm … Be very flexible in your thinking, acting, speaking and learning. Change occurs so quickly you need a way to continuously adapt based on new information.
• Knowledge is the basis of personal power and understanding. The new norm … Lifelong learning. Learning really just starts after you leave school. Aggressively seek out new information. Balance your sources for obtaining knowledge. I teach my kids to listen to opposing/multiple points of view … then decide your point of view. We need to always be searching for the next great idea to help us adapt to change.
  The new norm … Innovate till it hurts. China is catching up quickly. We need to invest heavily in our schools and universities to keep pace with the rest of the world. Innovation helps us cope with the speed of change.
• Our society has become more and more polarized. Right, left, center and special interests. The new norm … Strive to build consensus. Respect opposing points of view but always seek to establish common ground .As we teach our kids to learn to play nice in the sandbox. The late Sen. Ted Kennedy was masterful at this.
• Last point but not least … The new norm for spending capital … Prove it to me! Why should we do this ? What is the return on investment? How will we measure our success? In a world of tight budgets and financial controls, firms that can quantify and measure the value they bring to the marketplace will thrive.

These are undeniably very challenging times. Our fathers and grandfathers all had to adapt to change. Today, we face the same change issues, but perhaps they are occurring much quicker.

 

Training your mind to look for the silver lining, being flexible, being persistent, looking for new sources of knowledge, seeking common ground, showing respect, creating balance in your perspectives, having calculated courageousness, embracing lifelong learning, being willing to reinvent yourself frequently and most importantly, seeking consensus are, in my opinion, the new norms for survival and prosperity.

The world has always, and will continue to, finds ways to adapt itself to change as our planet evolves. We in the United States of America are a part of the greatest nation on the planet. We always find a solution, usually while going through some considerable angst. I think they call it democracy. I always like to say the measure of a great country is to answer the question … Are people trying to get into our country … or escape from it?

Tell you what, as I think about these "new norms" and adapting to change, I'll commit to "go first," and in a few years we can look forward to sharing a great laugh about how we all adapted and how things turned out! Some folks refer to that as reminiscing about the good old days!

 
Gary Billington is vice president of client relations at Plunkett Raysich Architects LLP in Milwaukee.

In today's hyper-paced world of instant news and fear-driven headlines, it's easy to get somewhat jaded about where we are headed as a country and as business professionals.
Try as we might to remain objective, we are continually bombarded with the next shocking headline forecasting our impending doom, and slowly (or maybe quickly) our attitude heads south. It's almost like we are programmed for negative news.
So, I thought it might be useful to bring a different, more positive perspective to the table to balance the picture a little.
I recently witnessed a fascinating two-hour lecture given by a marketing/economics professor at New Mexico State University. He reminded me of some of my old professors from engineering school … rumpled suit, exaggerated expressions, hair uncombed … a lovable curmudgeon is how you might describe him to a colleague or spouse.
One of his key points was that in the next 10 to 20 years, a "ton" of wealth is going to be transferred from the boomers' parents to the boomers, resulting in a huge boost to the economy.
Boomers' parents didn't invest heavily in the market, so their wealth is very liquid, ala CD's, real estate (homes that are paid off) and cash. I think that had something to do with a Great Dep/Recession?
I thought about my own parents. My Mom passed a couple of years ago, Dad still in the house that is paid for, no debt, all their assets in the bank in cash, and I realized this old "bird " might be on to something.
It was one of those "Aha!" moments … not to be confused with senior moments, which are occurring on a more frequent basis these days.
Turns out that TRILLIONS of dollars are involved. WOW! What a stimulus plan, eh.? (I can't help it the Canadian still comes out from time to time.)
My point is the only thing we know for sure is that none of us REALLY do know what will happen  in the future, and maybe, just maybe, it will be positive and not negative.
Don't misunderstand my message. We have a lot of challenges ahead of us, and you must acknowledge those issues.
My point is that I'd much rather face them with an optimistic attitude than a  pessimistic attitude. I believe it's kind of like the famous self-fulfilling prophecy ... If you think you can't, you won't … and if you think you can, you will. Didn't someone famous say that a long time ago?…Henry Ford?
So, maybe I'm dead wrong, or half-right or both? And since no one really knows for sure, I'm on the side of choosing optimism, aka a very powerful recovery like we have never seen before in this country, and with a little luck, maybe I'll be right!

Gary Billington is vice president of client relations at Plunkett Raysich Architects LLP in Milwaukee.

In today's hyper media-centered world, I continue to tell my friends and family its important to get a balanced viewpoint on many of the issues that we face.

I'm often frustrated by the focus that seems to permeate everything we read, view or listen to...The negative viewpoint and the shock value of information. It's like a contest to see who can make us fear the most.

The other day, as I listened to a BBC commentator ask a so-called expert about foreclosures in the U.S. housing market, the reporter said, "So, we're really heading for another Great Depression right?"

The expert almost laughed and said, "No, we aren't even close to the 50 to 60 percent of the foreclosure rate of the 1930s ... In fact, it's really only doubled from 2 to 4 percent."

My point is everyone is looking for the next shocking headline.

Why not look for the silver lining in every situation? One of the things my brief experience of 56+ years on the planet has taught me is there usually a silver lining to find… You just have to train yourself to look for it. As I like to say, rummage around in the closet and sometimes it will fall out, maybe even hit you in the head, but its worth the effort.

Come to think of it, I've been hit on the head few too many times, some would argue.

Some might call me different, but I can tell you it's really cool to always let your mind search for the positive, the lesson learned, the golden nugget in a situation. Many times, what appears on the surface to have negative consequences is another opportunity just waiting. Someone once told me that FEAR stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. What an interesting thought, eh? 

Here's a short list to get you started.. Can you find a Silver Lining?

Janesville GM plant closing. Gas nearing $5.00 gallon. The War in Iraq. Outsourcing to China. A down stock market. The Miller/Coors merger. Divorce. Losing your job. Inflation … You get the idea.

From my personal perspective of a naturalized U.S. citizen, one of the most remarkable attributes of Americans I really admire is their capacity to solve problems with unparalleled ingenuity, unbridled compassion and most important ... a belief in the freedom of  expression without fear of reprisal. They find silver linings in themselves.

My challenge to you is to find the silver lining in situations in both your personal and business lives. And when you do, focus on it. You may find your days (including Mondays) are almost like holidays.

P.S. Warning: The evening news will never be the same!
 
Gary Billington is vice president of client relations at Plunkett Raysich Architects LLP in Milwaukee.

Many who know me know I grew up just outside of Toronto.  For most of my childhood and young adult life I thought nothing of jumping on the train to go to the "big city."

First it was by "steam locomotive" – (yes I’m that old) and later using light rail. Trains, buses, streetcars (some electric like the ones now in Kenosha) were how we got around. It was easy. It was fun. It was cheap! Yeah, the train stopped a lot and we had to transfer on occasion but we played "count the cars" or find the "VW bug" at every stop.

Times have changed dramatically. To be honest I never really understood why mass transit never was adopted in U.S. cities.

After living here a while (it’s been 25 years plus) I came to realize the main reason was how sacred Americans valued their personal freedom – a right not lightly taken. Certainly, a great reason was $1.00 a gallon for gas and very practical too. Enter 2006 and the rules have changed dramatically with the advent of $2.50 – $3.00 / gallon for gasoline!

Mass transit like the KRM (the proposed Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail) may now be more acceptable from an economic standpoint. I think it's time may have come, but the public appetite for such public transportation systems may yet impose on one's personal freedom.

From a hard nosed business perspective there are many reasons to support KRM.  Job creation, economic development, increased tourism dollars and some relief on our increasingly congested freeways.

Change is hard for many but the pocketbook oftentimes speaks loudly regarding personal transportation decisions. As for me, if it passes all the political hurdles I'll be one of the first to ride it on a regular basis. A lazy summer evening trip to Summerfest or a business trip to Chicago – I can’t wait!

It will be cool to hear the "clickety clack" sound on the tracks and feel the swaying motion of the cars again. Maybe someday I’ll even play "find the VW bug" with my grandkids!

Gary Billington is the vice president of client relations at Plunkett Raysich Architects LLP in Milwaukee.