Allow me to share some of these insights with you.

If we are going to accomplish anything important in our lives and businesses it will require these three commitments.

1. To Serve means that we focus on using our time, talents and treasures for the good of those around us, not just ourselves.  It means that we trust that serving consistently will position us in a place of mutual goodwill and result in resources that we could never have supplied in proportion to our own efforts.
2. To Strive means that when everyone else has long since quit, given up, thrown in the towel – We are just as determined and tenacious about achieving the goal as the moment we started.  It means that we value the pain of the journey to greatness as much as the results found at the end.
3. Not To Yield means that we recognize that there will be strong opposition to anything we do that puts others first and strives to accomplish good.  It means that we have our minds right about the pain and sacrifice required to reach our goals and that we have fully committed to finish the journey regardless of the cost.

When Kurt Hahn started the first Outward Bound school in England his goal was to help young sailors survive if their ships were attacked and sunk by German U-boats.  He knew that the older sailors made it because they had learned these three life lessons during their long years at sea.

Today, leaders are under attack from all types of government, social and spiritual forces.  There has never been a more important time to abide in these three principles of leadership.

So my leader friends allow me to remind you that as you set the example for your people to follow – make it your goal:

To Serve, To Strive and Not To Yield!

After years of struggling to build your company, now is the time to reap an equity harvest.

But where do you start?  Who do you talk to?  What is your company worth at this time?

When seriously considering the sale of their company, most owners turn to friends and trusted professionals for advice.  Often, these folks have a strong desire to help but very limited real-world experience in preparing, marketing and selling a business.  Consequently, the owner must embark on what can be a very difficult and costly journey of discovery to find proper representation.

For over twenty-six years, Kasper & Associates has worked side by side with hundreds of business owners to successfully position their company in the marketplace and maximize their return at sale time.

Here are ten important questions we believe every owner should consider when choosing a mergers and acquisitions firm to represent them:

1. Is the firm trustworthy?
2. Does the firm have extensive experience selling your particular kind of business (industry, complexity, size, etc.)?
3. How extensive and active is the firm’s network of active buyers?
4. What do previous owners/customers say about the firm’s work?
5. How well does the firm work with other transaction professionals including business lawyers, accountants, bankers and investment advisors?
6. Have the professionals associated with the mergers and acquisitions firm owned, operated and successfully sold their own companies?
7. Are the moral, professional and ethical values demonstrated by the firm’s staff compatible with yours?
8. Does the firm have an effective system for establishing your company’s market value and validating that value to potential buyers?
9. Will the firm’s reputation add to or detract from yours?
10. Would you be comfortable working closely as required with the firm’s staff to successfully market and sell your company?

Later in the evening, Dad asked me to sit down with him at the kitchen table as he polished his brass and spit-shined his boots. He explained to me that as a Command Sergeant Major with over 31 years of active duty (eligible for retirement) he had a choice to make. He could either retire from the Army and pursue a second career or go to Vietnam and become the Command Sergeant Major for the Americal Division. The first choice was safe and sane (and would have made my mom really happy). The second choice was his sworn duty – to defend the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic. In his mind, it was no choice at all.

Dad explained that a soldier hates war more than anyone because he or she truly understands the horrific things that happen there. The entire experience is very real and uniquely personal. Yet, knowing this only propels the soldier forward to stand and fight side by side with his comrades. It is a life filled with relationships held together by honor, duty, and interdependence. It is a calling populated with professional people who willingly sacrifice financial reward and individual recognition for the opportunity to defend their county and fellow citizens. It is a high calling indeed.

As the sun was reflecting low through the backyard window, I noticed that Dad had just screwed the top back on to the Brasso can and that all of his uniform brass was gleaming in the reflected light. I realized for the first time that unlike my friends, my Dad had never once ordered me to shine his brass or his boots. So I asked him about it. I said, “Dad, how come you have never made me shine your things for you?” With a surprised look and a curious grin he said, “Son, someday you will have your own brass and boots to shine. This is my brass. These are my boots. They are my responsibility – not yours.”

It was in that moment that I understood why heroes are not like the rest of us. Heroes do not see their duty as heroic or as something to be delegated, only as their duty. The very notion of having someone else take their place (in the fight or shining their brass) is totally outside of their way of thinking. For them it is simple, almost reflexive. To do my duty, to honor my fellow soldiers, to serve my country – it’s not just what I signed up for – it is who I am!

A few days passed and my Dad left for Vietnam. While he was there he flew over 300 hours in helicopters (crashed three of them), lost several good friends, helped many others come home safe and returned to us a year later. It was a hard year for him and us. But looking back we all learned from the experience and would do it again.

A year after his return my Dad’s retirement ceremony was scheduled. By chance, it was set for the same day as my own High School awards ceremony. To me it was perfect timing. When Dad said that he would try to get the Army to reschedule his ceremony, I said no way!

Even though I knew that I was to be recognized with several achievement awards and scholarships at my event, it seemed somehow fitting that I could choose to attend his retirement ceremony instead. It was in this small way, I was able to demonstrate to him just how much I admired his service and his life-example to me as a professional soldier.

Dad’s retirement ceremony was replete with all of the pomp and circumstance befitting such a hero. The parade field and stands were filled with people of all ages, ranks and occupations wishing to honor him. Dozens of people from Sergeants to Generals surrounded him when it was over to say “Thanks Sergeant Major”. Many had been raw recruits that he turned into soldiers decades before.

I finally had the opportunity to shine my Dad’s brass and shoes. After 18 years of retirement, two new careers at the county courthouse and three grandchildren Dad did what old soldiers do – he faded away. As we made arrangements to bury him beside the men and women he had served with it came time to prepare his dress blue uniform. I polished his medals and buckle to a sparkling luster – just as he liked them.

Finally, when the time came to spit-shine his shoes. I polished them with my tears.

Growing forward

Take some time this week to look around. Chances are you have heroes in your life that you have not spent much time with lately. Make the time, honor them and you may learn some valuable things about yourself in the process.

Treasure this

The Apostle Paul speaking to the Hebrew church about faithful people who inspired him:

“And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Japheth, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through their faith, conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword, whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.”
Hebrews: 11:32-34

Every night when he came home the uniform came off and the jeans went on. He stopped being a warrior and became my biggest supporter. Dad was not a physically imposing man. He stood 5’10” and never more than 175 pounds. He was a quiet man who never wasted words. But when Dad did speak, it was with a conviction and clarity that captured the attention and trust of everyone within the sound of his voice.

Most of all, Dad loved me. No strings, no conditions, no doubts. I was his son and he was my Dad – and we were proud of each other. He was my best friend, but he never let our friendship stop him from doing his job of disciplining me and allowing life to teach me some harsh lessons. Now, as a Father of two wonderful sons, I understand that allowing that hurt into my life was his greatest and most difficult act of love.

Today would have been my Dad’s 89th birthday. He passed away nineteen years ago at the age of 69. By any measure he had lived a full and wonderful life. A highly decorated veteran of WWII and Vietnam. A faithful and loving husband to our mom for 31 years. And of course a terrific Father to my sister and me.

This morning as I thought back to all of the ways Dad blessed me, a question popped into my head:

“How does a man know that he has been a great Father to his children?”

For me it goes like this – “I would give everything I own to spend one more day with my Dad – just one more day.”

Last night you helped me find the right spark plug to fix my broken lawn mower at the hardware store.  It was past closing time but you put down your broom, unlocked the door and helped me.  Just two years ago you were a senior manager at our local bank.  Now you work two part-time jobs just to keep your daughter in college.

I know you.

Last weekend you delivered the new tree for our front yard.  That bad storm we had broke almost every tree in the neighborhood but at least now we have a place to start over.  When we met you mentioned that you were starting over too.  Something about having to close your feed store and lay off your employees after fifteen years in business. You said “Closing the store was bad – but it hurt like hell to say goodbye to my people”.

I know you.

Last month you came over and visited our neighbor Craig’s’ mom just before she passed away.  You brought a lot of comfort to their family.  He said that you had been on staff at our local Baptist Church since back before 9/11.  Now, with the recession and all, you and the lady that ran the daycare had to be let go.  That hospice company you do contract work for now is lucky to have you.

I know you.

Everyday my youngest raves about how nice you are to him.  Not every school bus driver takes an interest in the kids.  He says you used to run a warehousing operation over on the north side of town till your company lost their big contract.  Thanks for modeling such a great attitude for my Son.

I know you.

I know that right now you are at a place in life that you never expected.  You are way too experienced and qualified to be doing this kind of work.  Or worse, no matter where you apply; there just does not seem to be a place that needs your skills.

When you first got laid off maybe you thought “Well, okay there are lots of other folks who need what I know how to do.”  Now, months or years later the reality of just how tough the employment market is has really taken its toll on your heart.

My name is Tony Ford and I know exactly what you are going through.  While it is not important that you know my story, it is critical that you know this:

Hopelessness is always premature!

In the coming days, I will share some resources with you that can help you get back some of what you have lost in this economic downturn.  I will point you to people who have banded together to overcome the personal trauma that comes with being unemployed/underemployed.

Most importantly, I will lead you to a place where your qualifications can be heard above the confusion and your efforts to find a new career can be leveraged among like minded people.

I know you, God knows you, We are all in this together, We won’t quit.

Learning to use our tools properly in the wood shop is important for creating a beautiful, useful piece of furniture.  Learning to use our tools as entrepreneurial business leaders is even more critical.  After all, here we are in the business of building up people.

The following is a list of twelve great tools a leader must understand and use in order to fashion a beautiful and useful organization.  Have fun and don’t forget to sweep up when you’re finished:

1. Interdependence – No one achieves greatness on their own.  We are designed to live, work and struggle together in communities filled with give and take.  The whole notion of “I did it MY way” may sound great in a song – but it is flawed in practice.
2. Trust – At the heart of every relationship, business interaction or marketplace is trust.  The people we serve, hire, buy from all depend on it.  Our reputation, values and future all spring from it.
3. Hope – While it often seems like it is in limited supply, in fact it is a limitless resource that often only becomes apparent when we have exhausted all of our other resources and sometimes even ourselves.
4. Courage – Often misunderstood and undervalued, it is the best place from which to create or lead any enterprise.  It is the fuel that allows us to preserver and overcome obstacle that we can’t even understand.  It is the glue that binds our hearts to one another in a common struggle.
5. Celebration – Used correctly in a business; it memorializes our past successes and draws us forward to future victories together.  Celebration is highly valued as a part of recreational and sporting events but often and tragically overlooked as a powerful tool to motivate our people.
6. Pain – Like it or not, pain is our constant companion and ultimately it cannot be denied or avoided; but it can be limited and made useful.  As we embrace the reality that “everyone goes through hard times” and learn to see it for what it truly is, it will become one of the great teachers in our life journey.
7. Love – Deep down in every human being lies the hope to love and be loved.  It is no different for business leaders.  However, in that role it is we have to get our brains and hearts wrapped around the truth that giving will never equal receiving – especially in real time.  Leader love and consequently sacrifice for the good of their people.  This kind of love take a heart filled with tenacity and service.  We call these folks Servant Leaders.
8. Satisfaction – Patience is required to truly become satisfied as a business leader.  Satisfaction takes on many forms; money, recognition, status, freedom, etc. and is ultimately the goal of every endeavor we undertake.  It is wisdom to make satisfying everyone’s needs part of the planning process in our businesses.
9. Service – Finding new and creative ways to provide for the needs of other people forms the foundation of a successful company and life.  Leaders who invest themselves in becoming great mentors, coaches, sponsors, advocates, teachers and role models reap a satisfaction that is way beyond their contributions.
10. Focus – As one of the more painful disciplines we leaders must practice, focus is without question the most rewarding.  The bigger our ideas, the larger our organization, the more people who listen to us – the more focus makes an impact.  Maintaining a strong, consistent focus is tough in any area of our lives.  That is why it is critical that we get all of the help we need from supportive relatives, friends and trusted advisors.
11. Enthusiasm – Not unlike fire, enthusiasm can either be a tremendous life sustaining attribute or an out-of-control destructive force.  No business survives long if its leadership and employees are not enthusiastic for their mission.  Sheer size and inertia can propel a company forward for some period of time, but once enthusiasm is lost, it is just a sure thing that the company will ultimately fall to its competitors.
12. Learning – Every leader must commit themselves to learning – everyday.  They must look behind both successes and failures to fully understand what is really happening.  Continuous learning is the non-negotiable requirement that every great leader must accept if he or she is serious about perfecting their company’s potential.

Tony was great at giving me an authoritative “reality check” concerning my business plans and personal goals.  His depth of experience as an entrepreneur, combined with his genuine passion for helping others, made it easy to listen to what he had to say and incorporate into my daily life.

Tony has encouraged me tremendously; I have been encouraged to learn that I am not the only one who thinks about things the way I do; I have been encouraged to know that I’m not crazy to dream big; and I have been encouraged to take a higher view of myself and the world around me, and to dream bigger than I ever would have had otherwise.

• Challenge my assumptions and help me to view things differently
• Add focus and clarity to my business goals and objectives
• Validate and encourage me in the things that I’m doing right
• Help me grow in the areas that need improvement

Support my efforts to become more confident and decisive.

From the moment I began working with Tony, I realized that he exhibits all of these attributes plus some intangibles that frankly; many so-called “success” coaches simply do not possess including:

• A sense of wisdom – Tony has all the necessary “skins on the wall” that enhance his professional and personal perspective
• An entrepreneur’s attitude and mindset – Tony is an entrepreneur’s entrepreneur.
• An eternal perspective – Think there’s no place for spiritual guidance in the workplace? Think again.
• Strong listening skills coupled with an innate ability to hone in on the issue-at-hand.

I know that Career Search Network is in a much stronger position related to its strategic plan, thanks to Tony.  I also know that, thanks to Tony, I’m a more capable leader and possess a keener insight into the day-to-day challenges that make up today’s business landscape.

For me personally, his mentoring changed my life both professionally and personally for the better.  He is straightforward, honest, caring but also strong enough to be tough when it is necessary.  I no longer consider Tony a coach or mentor, but a friend who helped me and my company at a time we both needed it.  THANK YOU TONY.