The Cashore Marionettes – A Holiday Message
July 30, 2009
A marionette show at a local elementary school shows how perseverance and dedication can help you create wondrous things.
Life is full of challenges – some big and some small. And for many of us, working through these issues can be a challenge in itself. An experience at my daughter’s school last week provided a great insight into how we can tackle these obstacles head-on.
On my calendar last Friday, I saw the following entry: “Marionette Show at Douglas Elementary, 7:00 p.m.” The school had hired someone to put on a marionette show as part of their “cultural arts” program. Now I like the arts as much as the next person, but this wasn’t what I had in mind for that evening. It had been a very long and stressful week, and the last thing I really wanted to do was to see a silly puppet show.
But my daughter had seen the show during the day at school and she thought I would really like it. Then she gave me that pouty look and I had no choice but to go.
I’m glad I did; it was amazing!
I’m sure you have seen a marionette show at some time in your life. The little puppets are controlled by strings, which are connected to a “T-shaped” handle operated by the puppeteer. The movements are usually rough and not very lifelike.
Not these marionettes. Joseph Cashore worked miracles with his collection of characters. One of them “played” a violin concerto, actually moving the bow across the strings in perfect unison with the music. Another marionette “carried” a baby in her arms, lifted it above her head, kissed it, and placed it in a cradle. A marionette horse actually trotted and galloped in a circle on stage, its four legs moving in perfect unison.
All of this was controlled by a single person working a complex network of strings and controls. Although he was standing in plain view on the stage, you never even noticed he was there. The characters were so lifelike and their movements so completely natural that they appeared to be alive.
The method Cashore used to develop his unique control mechanisms was important. He had decided some years ago to develop a marionette that appeared to play the violin, note for note, but he was unable to achieve the necessary level of precision he wanted with traditional control mechanisms. So he experimented with many different methods before he came up with his solution.
Cashore’s marionettes take from six months to a full year to construct. He studies the anatomy and movements of the people and animals he is modeling. And he maintains his creations with care and respect.
December is a time when many people take the opportunity to reflect on the year that is coming to a close and to think about goals and objectives for the New Year. Many of these seem difficult. Some seem impossible, and the tendency may be to let them go – to not even try.
But remember that one definition of impossible is simply “something that hasn’t been done yet.” If you had told me that I was going to witness marionettes so lifelike that I wouldn’t even notice the person operating them; so authentic in their movements that I would be caught up in the show like the children sitting around me, I would have been skeptical. Instead, I was impressed and awestruck.
As you pass through this holiday season, think about your goals and objectives – not just for the next year, but for the next ten, 20 or 30 years. Think about how a puppeteer was able to make a creation of foam rubber, paper mache, cloth, strings, and glue, and appear on stage as a living object. And think about what you can do to bring life to the things you create in your own life.
Good Choice!
July 28, 2009
An airline pilot’s use of humor creates a favorable impression on the passengers.
For many people, the very thought of flying can bring on a state of panic. Even for those of us who travel on the airlines frequently, the actions of the crew can have an enormous influence on the way we feel about each and every flight. Consider these two contrasting examples:
A recent ad for a hotel chain claiming that you should “…never underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep” is a good example of this. It showed airline passengers inside the cabin listening intently to the captain’s voice on the intercom, “Greetings from the cockpit! We’ve reached our cruising altitude of 3,000 feet on our flight today to Dallas.”
As the passengers appear somewhat confused, the captain comes on again and says, “Uh, sorry, I meant to say that our cruising altitude is 30,000 feet, and we’re going to Chicago, not Dallas.” Whether or not a good night’s sleep could have prevented this captain’s blunder, the passengers’ perception here, of course, is that the captain may not be capable of flying the airplane and this reflects poorly on the company as a whole.
Contrast this situation with one I had recently on a flight from Dallas to Seattle. At roughly the same point in the flight as in the previous example, the captain’s voice came over the intercom and said, “Welcome aboard our flight to Seattle. We’ve reached out cruising altitude of 33,000 feet; the weather is clear so I’m turning off the fasten-seat-belt sign.” She continued, “Our flight attendants will be moving through the cabin to serve you a light lunch. And for those of you who ordered a special meal – GOOD CHOICE!”
Everyone in the cabin began laughing. She then said, “Just kidding! Of course if there is anything else we can do to make your flight more enjoyable, please don’t hesitate to let us know.”
Just as this captain interacted with her passengers in a friendly, kidding fashion, the way in which you interact with your customers – whether on the phone, across a retail counter, or on an airplane – can affect their impression of your organization. Try to think about the impact your words and actions will have and you’ll be able to take your organization to greater heights. Hopefully more than 3,000 feet!
Now, All I Need is a Man!
July 23, 2009
A few weeks ago, our daughter had her tonsils out. The procedure is straightforward, and recovery is generally fast. That is, if the patient is four years old. It’s a different story altogether if she’s 18 and has a low threshold of pain.
But that’s a whole other story. When we were staying with our daughter in the recovery room immediately after the procedure, we were talking with one of the nurses. In the conversation, it came up that Lorie and I had recently celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. (Go ahead, you can say it: “She put up with you for that long?” – it’s pretty much all I’ve been hearing – especially from my own family)!
She asked what the secret was to our relationship (it’s “fighting fair” if you’re interested, but, again, that’s another article) and after we offered a few other tidbits of advice, she smiled and said, “That’s really helpful. Now, all I need is a man!”
In a way, she was putting the cart before the horse, not unlike what many people do with their marketing: creating a product or service before identifying and qualifying a market with a definite and satiable need.
I won’t pretend to have all the answers about relationships, but I do know a thing or two about marketing. Be sure you know whom you’re selling to before you decide what to sell them.
Why Are You in Business?
July 23, 2009
People start businesses for many reasons: because they’re passionate about something, because they see a market need, or sometimes because they like to start businesses. But there is another significant consideration in any business that cannot be ignored, and yet, frequently is.
Let me explain…
I was listening to NPR on my car radio one morning, and there was a segment about the medicinal marijuana stores in California. In case you haven’t heard about these, you can get a prescription from your doctor, take it into these places, and walk out with high-quality marijuana to be used to help manage chronic pain.
Of course, although legal under California law, apparently, federal law supersedes this, and there’s an ongoing conflict over the legality of these establishments. Fortunately, this, and the underlying ethical questions are not the subject of this article.
What is important are the comments of one proprietor who was weighing in on the issue of taxing this product to help alleviate the current economic crisis in California. Speaking to the interviewer, he made comments to this effect:
“We’re in business to pay taxes, create jobs, and do good for the community.”
People driving around me must have wondered what was going on, because I’m sure I must have had the most bizarre look on my face after hearing that. That’s because I strongly disagree with that statement, and with the business sentiment it embraces.
The purpose of any business, at least a for-profit business, is to make money for the owners and investors of that company. And for non-profit organizations, the rules are pretty much the same – you can’t provide services, support, and legislative advocacy for your members and constituents if there’s nothing in the bank.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m all for creating jobs if adding an additional person to your team generates revenue in excess of the expense of hiring, training, and paying that person. For that matter, you should take a long hard look at everyone on your payroll and make sure that the same return on investment holds true today.
Doing good for the community? I’m all for that too – if that’s something you choose to do with the profits of your business and as an owner of the business you can do that. But it’s not the reason you’re in business.
You’re in business to make money for the owners of the business who have invested time, capital, and effort, and frequently taken considerable risk to create, develop, and grow the business. People seem to have come to the unfortunate conclusion that making money is somehow “evil.”
It is not. Small business is where most of the growth in our economy is going to take place in the future, as it has for the last few years. And professional and trade associations help provide community, networking, and support to help fuel this growth.
This is important to keep in mind as you make critical decisions in your business.
It’s Really Pretty Simple…
July 23, 2009
A senior employee communicates the overall mission of the coffee shop to a new employee to help her understand what her job is all about.
Many organizations spend a lot of time and effort crafting articulate vision statements and detailed employee manuals. Sometimes, however, a simple statement of purpose can go a lot farther in determining the direction of your organization.
On a recent trip to Anchorage, Alaska, I was able to save the client money on airfare by flying in on a Saturday. That gave me time on Sunday afternoon to sit in a coffee shop and work on my upcoming book.
I spent about four hours in the coffee shop (you would be surprised how much I can write when I have a triple café mocha in my system) and got to observe the various customers as they came and went.
During the afternoon, a young woman entered the store, put on an apron, and took her place behind the bakery counter. It was obvious that she was a new employee. Fortunately, she picked up the routine quickly, and I overheard her confide to one of the more senior employees: “It’s my first day here; I hope I’m doing everything right…”
He reassured her, “It’s really pretty simple – people come in, and we help them!”
I suppose you could view this answer as oversimplistic, or even glib, but I was impressed by the ease with which the senior employee was able to communicate the overall mission of the coffee shop.
Is the mission of your organization clear enough that it can be expressed in a single sentence? Is it concise enough that a new employee could grasp it immediately?
Take a minute now and think about the overall mission of your organization. Then jot it down on a piece of paper, using only one or two sentences and post it on your computer. When the demands of work get overwhelming or even confusing, look at your mission statement. This simple statement of purpose can help you refocus your efforts and understand what your organization is truly all about.
It’s A Living
July 21, 2009
Here’s what one person is doing to deal with a job that has grown tiresome over the years.
If you are in the right job, you can actually look forward to work, rather than dreading it. But when the novelty wears off, so can the excitement.
Several years ago, I was attending a magicians convention near Sacramento, CA. In addition to learning from some of the top working professionals in the business, the thing I enjoy most about these events is having the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with other, less famous magicians.
Many of these people, of course, are not full-time professional magicians, but are either hobbyists or part-time performers. And there is quite a cross section of professions represented at this event: from engineer to pediatrician and from teacher to electrician.
Before one lecture, I began talking casually with the person sitting next to me. We talked about the different effects and performers we liked, and after a few minutes it became quite obvious that he really loved magic. When I asked him what he did for a living, he said that he was a captain for United Airlines and flew 747s on their long international routes.
“It must be fun to do what you love to do and get paid for it.” I told him. His reply took me a bit off guard. ”Oh, it was like that in the beginning,” he explained, “but I’ve been doing this for nearly 30 years and my wide-eyed love of flying has long since passed. But where else can you earn a six-figure income and only work three days a week?”
Think about your job. Has the excitement worn off? Where work was once somewhat exciting is it now just something you have to do to make a living? Try to find out how to breathe new life into your current job. And if you can’t, then at least find a hobby or activity that lets you experience joy in some other part of your life.
Maybe then you’ll be flying high once again.
“You’re Sitting in Our Seats!”
July 16, 2009
A negative situation at the US Open teaches us how to effectively deal with people and issues instead of just dwelling on the problems.
I am constantly amazed at the number of people who, when faced with a difficult situation, will dwell on the problem instead of working towards a solution.
After years of playing tennis and watching it on TV, my wife and I finally decided to attend the US Open in New York City.
At the US Tennis Center, where the tournament was held, there are three main stadiums. Arthur Ashe is the largest and is entirely reserved seating. The Louis Armstrong and Grandstand stadiums are primarily general admission with first-come, first-served seating.
We arrived at the tennis center at around 11:30 on Sunday morning and watched a few matches on some of the smaller peripheral courts. We then proceeded to Louis Armstrong stadium where we planned to spend the rest of the day watching some top-seeded matches.
Unfortunately, the stadium was nearly full, and we had to search to find two seats together. Just as we located two seats, it began raining. Actually pouring would be a better description. As people began to leave the stadium to get out of the rain, we opened our umbrellas and decided to tough it out and use the opportunity to find better seats.
We found a group of four excellent seats about 15 rows back from the end of the court. We asked the people next to these seats if they were holding them for anyone. They said they weren’t, but someone had left two lunchboxes on the ground. No one knew whom they belonged to or if the people were coming back. And since there were four seats available and only two lunchboxes, we took two of the seats and left the other two for whoever had left the lunchboxes behind.
After about 30 minutes of torrential downpour, the rain finally subsided and then stopped. We were well soaked, but at least we had good seats to view the upcoming matches.
As the grounds crew began to prepare the court for play, a man approached us and informed us that we were sitting in his seats. “What do you mean?” we asked. “These are our four seats,” he answered, “we left our lunchboxes to hold them.”
We politely expressed our apologies but explained that the stadium was general admission and we had sat through a soaking rain so that we could sit in these seats. This was our first US Open and we had come all the way from North Carolina to see it.
Instead of taking a diplomatic approach or simply finding other seats, he started ranting and raving. He yelled and screamed. He even tried to make us feel guilty, explaining how we had taken his kid’s seats.
Unfortunately, for him, he didn’t realize how his approach would affect my wife. She calmly but forcefully stated that there was no way we were leaving the seats. When he persisted, she finally told him, “Please don’t talk to me anymore about it.”
We couldn’t believe it. Rather than take the opportunity to find other seats for his group, when there were still good seats available, or politely ask if we could move so that his group could sit together, he tried to badger us into leaving. He chose to focus on the unfairness of his situation rather than look for an alternative that would benefit both parties.
In situations such as this, things frequently don’t go the way you expect them to, despite your best efforts. The difference lies in how you deal with these situations. The next time you are faced with a challenge, try to find a positive solution rather than dwelling indefinitely on the problem. Remember, the ball is in your court!
“It’s All a Matter of Taste”
July 14, 2009
Look at the significant objectives in your business and see if you can make the right choice, regardless of how difficult, which will lead you to success.
We are often faced with difficult choices at work and in our personal lives. Sometimes the best course of action is clear, but it may involve sacrifices that we are not willing to make.
My wife and I went out to dinner with some good friends and had not seen them for quite a few months. The husband had clearly gotten thinner. He wasn’t overweight before, but the difference was noticeable, and he looked incredibly fit.
He had recently been diagnosed with diabetes, but had wanted to try to control his condition by modifying his diet instead of beginning the daily regimen of insulin injections.
It clearly was working.
The sacrifice he had to make was that he could no longer eat everything that he had used to eat. In fact, there were quite a few things he couldn’t have anymore, including most desserts. As eating is one of my few vices, I asked him, “Isn’t it difficult not being able to eat whatever you want?” His answer was interesting and straight to the point:
“Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.”
His overall health and his strong desire to keep his condition under control without medication were much stronger than his desire to eat any of the “forbidden foods.”
How many times are we faced with decisions that require major sacrifices to achieve significant results? Many times we know what we have to do, and we know how to do it, but we’re just not willing to do what it takes.
Look at the significant objectives in your business and in your life and see if you can make the right choice, sometimes the most difficult choice, which will lead you to success.
Enjoy the Ride!
July 10, 2009
Last month, we attended the Drama Banquet at our daughter’s high school. She has been involved in theatre for many years, and had participated in virtually every production during her four years as a student there.
This banquet was an opportunity to recognize the graduating seniors and give them a nice send-off as they begin the next phase of their lives.
Paul Orsett, the theatre teacher, called up each senior, told which plays they had been in, and made a few comments about the person. Since he had decided to present the seniors in order of increasing participation, our daughter was near the end.
Some of these students had been in so many productions that Mr. Orsett practically ran out of breath reading them all off.
When he had called them all up, he made an interesting comment to the parents in attendance:
“I just don’t get how the math and English teachers can enjoy their work – they just get the kids for one or two semesters, and then they move on to the next group. In contrast, I’ve had many of your kids from the 9th grade through the 12th grade – some of them even longer if they had roles in our plays as middle school students. I’ve watched them grow from kids into fine young adults. I can’t imagine a better job!”
Sometimes we get caught up in the day-to-day pressures of simply getting anything done – much less everything. Try to take some time to recognize the journey you’re on, the progress you’ve made, and the path you’re taking.
We’ve gone from having two young children in the house to being just weeks away from taking our youngest off to college. Trust me it goes fast – make sure you’re enjoying the journey!
Timing is Everything
July 10, 2009
Serindipidity – basically being in the right place at the right time – is a wonderful thing. But timing is everything, and sometimes events completely out of your control can have a profound impact on your life.
Starting on June 25, and continuing as I write this now, the airwaves are still dominated with stories, retrospectives, and allegations about Michael Jackson. I suppose this is fitting. After all, he was one of the major musical figures of my generation; his 1982 release Thriller is the best selling album of all time, having sold over 28 million copies; and, well, he was good!
Unfortunately, earlier the same day, another icon of the ’70s also died: Farrah Fawcett. She was in a collection of TV commercials, did a couple of guest spots on several shows, and is best known for her role as Jill Munroe on the hit series “Charles Angels.”
She also holds a record – her pinup poster sold over 12 million copies, and could be seen everywhere during the late ’70s.
But on June 25, 2009, because she happened to die on the same day as Michael Jackson, her entire legacy – the complete body of her work, including her outstanding performance in 1984’s “The Burning Bed” – was reduced to nothing more than a footnote in the media circus surrounding Jackson’s death.
Even Billy Mays – the near-screaming pitchman for “OxyClean” and “ShamWow!” who died just three days later got more press than did Fawcett.
Setting aside the tragedy of three people losing their lives and the impact on their respective families, there is an important lesson for us as marketers: make sure you’re not playing to a crowded field.
This means identifying and targeting specific niche markets, developing value-rich propositions, and presenting them when the target audience is most likely to be receptive.
It means recognizing your competitors’ fears about spending and taking advantage of a less-crowded media space to draw more attention to your offers.
And it means you have to truly understand the concept of timing as it applies to every aspect of your business. It may not be possible to control everything that happens in your environment, but to the extent possible, remember that “timing is everything” and make that knowledge work to your advantage.
