Rudy Miick.com

Stepping into change!

What a gift I'm giving myself!  Yea!  I think... uh, kind of... 

I'm about to step, literally, into visceral, mechanical, real change.   I'm taking this action choicefully.   If I was my own client, I'd say, "All the more courageous".   No matter, my inside demons are having a raging conversation.  Some innermost voice is fearfully screaming, "Do I really need to do this?  Do I have to?"  

Another inside voice, sounding like I'm talking to one of my clients offers, "No Rudy, you don't have to.  At the same time, what shift in performance can you expect if you don't step into change?  Yes, there's some risk." 

"Good point", pause, "But boots aren't cheap, and if I get this new alignment, what if it doesn't work the way its supposed to?"  

Wait a minute!  Hit the pause button!  This discussion is about, uh, boots?  Yep, ski boots actually.  

That is, new boots, ones with a completely different fit.  I could easily blow this off and simply blame the economy, for what could be seen as an amazing luxury.  At the same time, because (fortunately for me) I spend a lot of days on snow with clients and colleagues, my boots are a tool that simply have to work.   Oh that the issue was this simple.  

So boots, the change I'm facing, isn't really a choice.  I can make the case I need this change.  And still its not bad enough that my ski boots have had it, beat to death, beginning to be sloppy in fit.  The good news is I get new boots.  The issue is deeper, the bad news is I get new boots.  

Yes, so obvious by now, my boots are a metaphor for all the challenge leaders step into, not into boots, but into work...

You see, based on everything I've been experimenting with in my skiing, changing my boots doesn't just mean foot fit.  This is whole change: in alignment which changes the whole stance on skis, which changes how the skis function, and hence how I, uh, am more effective or not.  This shift changes center of balance, movement, and flow.  It is likely going to create lot's of positive changes I need to make... except, what if it doesn't?  

Just like my clients facing old habits that no longer serve them, I've come head on into the clear reality that something needs to change. And, almost nothing is harder than letting go of old habits.  "Unconscious and comfortable" easily translates to a sense of misguided safety.   I know exactly how my old boots fit, what they do, and how they do it.  I've had radically successful days and events happen on those boots.  Those boots got me here after all!   My results have been really good!  ... until I needed something that is, "next."  The next level of performance.   

I consistently hear prospective clients say some variation of "I'm good, we're good at what we do.  And, I feel like there's something more out there.  I know we can do better, but I don't know how."  

The good news is the old habit, the alignment and comfortable fit is what got you (and me) here. At the same time, from experience, its likely that the old fit and alignment, the old habits, won't support me or you in what needs to happen next.  

So, this week I begin to work with my boot guy collaboratively to find new fit that provides even better balance and momentum while moving faster and more aggressively, with better results than ever.   May I offer to myself and to you, "Sometimes its real good to have a guide by your side."

Conversations about work and life and leadership may as well be about ski boots and changing fit and alignment.  Just like my clients, habits got me here.  Without the skill set, I might not even realize its time to realign... I get to remember what I tell my clients now, "What got me here is so "IN ME" that there's no way, I'll loose that awareness or skill set.  My awareness, my ability to pay attention to variations in terrain and the changing conditions that confront any skier, dare I say, any leader, will still work.  Just as true, different alignment is going to feel odd, I will stand differently, notice actions and activity in different ways than I have in the past.   What I know is that I will end up with more.  More skill, more agility, more, not less.   And still, the little voice of, "what if I don't?"... still shows up.  Thus, this change is off putting, on another, what a gift I am to receive.  

Like my clients I get to build on everything I know and at the same time, step into something not only new, but completely different.   This newness supports how I align myself and stay in balance even as I move, doing my best to use gravity to my benefit, instead of fighting it.

My clients inspire me constantly.  I am cracking myself up here.  Who knew, from some entrenched fear in getting new boots, I'm inspired again by everything, each of my clients go through!  So, I'm really ready for this new fit!  Like I said at the start, "What a gift!"  rm 

    

  

Finally...! Fall air...

The last two days in Boulder, its felt like Fall's in the air.   Only an early sign, but sweet none-the-less.

So cool yesterday I had a hoodie on all day; this a.m. hoodie again during sunrise and coffee time... so sweet.

Why?  There are certainly those of you reading this that yearn for summer heat.  I could go there for sure.  But not now.  I'm ready for change.  Ready for a new season, for... snow and skiing.   

Maybe the change of weather has some metaphoric relationship to the economy?  It is changing right, the economy, not the weather?  ...(whining) but, that's what TV news is saying!  Of course!  Sure! 

Back to now and about tomorrow:  August will be back full on, then September with indian summer raging full force, "Don't kid yourself!"  I say to myself,  "We've a ways to go." 

Regardless, it sure feels good in the moment to feel the chill, add a layer and feel GREAT!  So, stay in shape!  No doubt its easier than getting back in shape.  Build more muscle and cardio from now into the real fall.  That preparedness will pay off when snow hits the ground.  Jeez, maybe there is some metaphor or relationship?   Sure as #!$#%%@# hope so!

Regardless, rock on!  Live large, passionately... hot or chill, BE present!   More soon...

Rudy   

More on What Miick Does...

In my last entry I left you with "The 4th Dimension?"... 

4th Dimension IS what I/we do.  No doubt.  Question is, what is it?  What I offer next is not meant as a sales pitch, although you may think that's it's intent... more, this space in this moment is exploration to feel the blending of Miick & Durga Institute... blending learning with business in a most vibrant and exciting way... 

Here's the context:

Conceptual, architectural design is visionary.  Principals and architects work arduously to make a picture clear.  Thousands if not millions get spent in design.  Albeit visionary, the work done is largely in two (2) dimensions, even if CAD (computer aided design) shows up in three (3) dimensions... the work's still completed for the most part on a two dimensional platform, computer screen, or god forbid such ancient lovely technology of pen on paper.

Next comes construction, three (3) dimensions to the max.  You can walk around a building, in it, through it, touch it.  Millions if not billions are spent here.

Ironically, investors, banks, shareholders largely have no assurance that a project, such as a restaurant, hotel, resort, retail complex, will be successful.... there's a belief, a faith, but no assurance.

You know the drill, you've seen it or felt it... someone gets off a chair, paddles into the line up, or some how summits, then can't get back down.  Just because they're there doesn't mean they rip; it just means that somehow, they got there.  As often as not, kooks and gapers show up and ruin a line or at best simply miss or mess up... (the subtlety and balance is that at some point all of us were beginners...) 

Enter "designing the 4th Dimension"®; and more so, "implementing the 4th Dimension®!"  The 4th Dimension IS the business culture, it IS the performance of the team that provides experience that remain a vivid life long memory!  

What gets to be really fun and core to any of us who ski, or surf or sail or anything else that hits at the core of life: Vivid memory provides vivid, visceral anticipation... like Al's run at Alta, or Scotty's run at Mammoth in 3 feet of pow; an 8ft day at 3's; a 15ft day at Sunset.  You can taste it, feel it in your gut... you name the sport, or the location or the event... this visceral experience IS the 4th dimension. 

Somehow lucky us, we've learned how to not only define the elements that create this experience in a business, but we know from first hand experience how to implement and keep expanding them!  All in support of a great day of work for the team and a great day, week, month, season, for our guests... God, don't you LOVE BE-ing there!  Me too!  And, here's to assurance for those who fund!!! 

Somehow, lucky us, our work is now global and inter-related at concept development with the principals and architects as "designers of the 4th dimension"®:  we "design" the experience, the attitude of service, from CEO to maintenance, the outreach to guests to ensure experience, the emotional/visceral flow of one building to the next, the accounting/fiscal decision making, communication of brand consistency of all facets for a major resort property... this "design" element supports facilities design and vice versa, but is not facilities design. This is then, the heart of our skill set and is the assurance to architects and principals that their project is going to be successful.  More and more we are IN the project at the pre-design phase.   AND I/we wouldn't presume to be designers of space, but are designers of the outcome, of the integration of the space...  

In the weeks and months to come, the web site will change some, more clarity as we go deeper in "integrating the 4th Dimension"®... 

That said, what won't shift in any way is the passion for excellence, the passion for learning and applying that learning... the passion for sharing ideas and exploring how counter intuitive sport provides us all such robust metaphor for living and leading!!!

See you soon I hope!

Rock on - 

rm

What Miick Does...

This blog is set up to share metaphor, sports, typically counter intuitive sports to the world of leadership and business.   Today's entry is a bit different, if I stretch a bit to build metaphor here, I am climbing a new mountain... taking what I know, and going into territory I've wondered about for a long time.  This is experiment, exploration.  Bare with me if possible, shared here is what is likely to show up on our web site in weeks to come.

You see, for months, likely years I've found myself in quandry.  What is it I do?  What is it my company does? 

What ever it is, we do do it well.  Typical return on investment for our clients is over 350% in the life of our contracts.  This roi comes from increased top line sales as well as lowering costs of doing business.   How?   Well, we define and implement business culture, provide communication tools that connect people and lose drama in the work place.  Yes, Really.  Intregral to the business culture is shifting metrics and accountability from reactive, autopsy based reporting on past performance to seeing and knowing performance in real time, today, accrued to this week, this period.  All pretty cool.  And dynamically effective!   

Yes, we work with restaurants, and resorts.  But we've done this too, with non-restaurant or resort clients with GREAT success.  We easily transfer what we know about defining and delivering high performance business culture and 5 star guest experience in the fickle world of restaurants to thegreater world of business.  The great question has been, how do I say this simply, in 10 words instead of a hundred paragraphs?

Durga develops leaders experientially, but so too, does all the consulting work we do at Miick.  At Miick we began 30 years ago as a  restaurant consulting company with what has been a 99.9% successful track record.  We've worked primarily in the world of resort towns:  Steamboat, Big Bear and Snow Summit, Durango, Snowbird, Winter Green, Winter Park, Mammoth, Beaver Creek... Florida beach towns, Hawaii was home, so lot's of summer and water connections too.   So what is it Miick does?   

I think we've come full circle, spiraled up or deeper is likely a better definition...

Certainly Miick & Durga are linked at the hip.  We are one.  How to make that clear without muddying brand?   Gee wiz, our dilemma is that of our clients... amazing?

The real sweet spot for our work is not an industry, but leaders.  A leader who is passionate about what they do, what their company provides!  Miick/Durga assists leaders and the companies they own and/or run to define and implement the 4th dimension.   The 4th dimension?   

Stay tuned... more to come!

Making Time

Good day!

Father's Day today... hmmmm... 

If you're reading this, somewhere you have a father, a dad... you may be a Dad...

And, too, if you're reading this, its likely too that you have something to do with leadership, athletics since that's the supposed focus of the writing posted here from time to time.

Being a patriarch has its moments.  Being the head of a company is not unlike being the so-called head of the family.  I wonder if being dad isn't really the essence of, in the 21st century, being a servant leader?  My role as the "head" of my family is really a misnomer.  More often than not, I am in service of my family more than commanding it.  Commanding it is a notion long gone.     

More so, it's my job to grow my kids, not keep them kids; support their maturity and decision making, evolve their expansion of capabilities. Keep them kids?   Not a very effective strategy for a family, or a company for that matter.

Could I have done more?  No doubt.   Can I do more?  My sense, with both daughters on the edge of being grown, is that I can continue to be a sounding board, emeritus in some funny way... worthy of advise, guidance, being a sounding board periodically, some times more than others.  This remains to be seen.  

To make this next stage of effectiveness occur, my role is far from stagnant if I take the role seriously. I still need to keep learning, keep expanding rather than settling.  Interesting.  This means, my role as leader is not finished.  What's next still demands I keep vibrant, keep stretching.  It hits me here that dad-ing doesn't need to end, it simply looks and feels different.  Not unlike leading anything else.. the role of "being the boss" is a joke if I think I am going to know all at all times.   Ah, but to keep stirring the pot, asking questions, sharing vision, possibilities and guidance as new vision from younger equally (and even more) robust players coming up... what fun this can be!   

So my vision for Dad's day is to not revel too long.  I get to stay abreast of twitter, face book, iphones, of new ski or bike, or sailing or climbing, or you name it technology and more.  Yes, thinking and designing training that's gonna work with 20 something's.   Hmmm, the same thing that keeps my kids from going to, "oh dad" with a look of dismissal, instead, engaging with me in response with, "great question dad" or "I hadn't thought of that" with body language that engages... 

This reminds me of a saying from one of my dear friends when he speaks of leadership: the role of leader is 4 fold: Define vision and stay the course, lead culture, drive change (read improvement), be fiscally sound while doing all this.    

I still get to lead if I work at it, if I deserve it and make my offering worth someone's time (in this case my kids, in business co-workers, those both young and not with big brains and hearts that care.)   Leading is life; in big ways or little, how do I listen, guide as part of the team, direct, suggest, ensure the bills get paid, course correct, and yes, celebrate.     

It's an amazingly beautiful day on the front range of Colorado.  Happy Father's Day!

rm

Active instead of passive

What an interesting time.  Over the last few months, with the economy in the trash I've heard questions about the meaning of success and what makes success from all sorts of folks.  I've found myself asking these questions too.  

Ironically this blog site mirrored the economy.   The "best" postings over recent months simply got lost, dropped away to nothing... dare I say what I'd felt were the best assets of the posts simply disappeared.

For a while, longer than necessary, I've simply let the blog go, no apparent postings for literally months... when in reality, postings simply disappeared.   I can sit and pout, or take action... sit in victim hood or step into what makes change.  On a blog or any writing venue, that means write more, post more.   

In real time, no metaphor, I've set in board rooms and on chair lifts with leaders that are active in thought and deed to move their companies and teams effectively within economic downturn.  There's no doubt many folks have simply gone into stop spending mode.   Clearly, not spending is one tactic, but its certainly not enough.  My sense is that in a time like this, one has to be in a gain momentum mode to just maintain momentum.   Instead of freezing action, new actions, new habits need and get to be developed.   This IS counter-intuitive for most.   

I invite you to new thought and even more so, new action.   More on this soon!

rm

Watching and Learning

I have been coaching kids in my community for years now, watching them develop physical skill and mental awareness over time.  It is so interesting to see their personalities reflected in their play patterns: the aggressive vs. the timid, the joyful vs. the careful, the do-ers vs. the watchers.  If we could leap ahead in time and see these kids as adults, I'm fairly certain that the same tendencies would be displayed.  Personalities are shaped early, perhaps too our destinies. 

The circuitous route to leadership

It's full blown fall in Colorado.  Today's as classic as it gets: As the sun comes up, there's slightest frost on grass that's still green. In the same field of vision, the front range of the Rockies has a dusting of snow above 9K.  The trees are vibrant!  Reds, orange, yellow, against a sky that is clear and pristine; a crystal blue that only comes from the high country, a blue that a movie stars eye's can't match.   I'm reminded of the mc commercials, you can't buy this, the moment's priceless.  

A-Basin and Loveland are already open. True enough, they're pushing it a bit with blown snow and beginners' runs only... regardless, there is skiing.  Real winter's only an arm's length away.   

Sitting on my deck this morning, toasty in fleece, drinking a cuban coffee, my mind flashed back to what is likely the root connection of my passion for cold, for snow, for skiing.   In the process I did my brain jig saw, put the pieces together thing, and somehow got a clear sense of something relevant to leadership.   What started with the priceless experience, appreciation for my coffee and the view, turned into a review of  all that allows me to be here.  What draws us to these things that become priceless for us?  What's the impact to our lives?

No doubt, the earliest memories I have are being awakened in the dark, "Hey Bud, time to get up... your clothes are laid out on your bed, breakfast is on the table.  Hurry, we have to leave in just a bit"...I was three, then 4, then 5...I remember being sleepy eyed, crawling into the car, skis in the rack on the roof, and driving through sun-up, to the Cascades.    What I vividly remember is the smell of wool and leather and wood fires.  I remember being in a snow plow, yes, now we call it a wedge (or pizza if you're 5).  I remember rope tows and being so wet and laughing; being so scared going downhill, exhilarated with speed I won't come close to for more than a decade, old enough to  drive. Yep to all of it, scared and happy, exhilarated, wet more than I remember being cold, and laughing.   

Most of all, what I remember is connection.  Those mornings, and even more so, I remember the end of the day.  Coming in, cold and wet, how the wool really had scent, made more so by the pine in the fireplace.  I remember a hot bowl of chili and laughter and stories about the day.  I remember the adults being playful, laughing.  (One bit of marketing offering: In the mountain resort industry, with skiing, riding, snow shoes all the rest, we'd serve ourselves far better if we remembered the life long connection the experience provides.  As the economy tanks, fear steps into play, we ought to be, could be promoting this connection.  Instead of driving real estate, let real estate sales be the outcome of the connection we hold sacred.) 

I remember (and still hear) my dad's stories of early Aspen, my sister was born there in '51, of Sun Valley, of Alta.  The stories of early Mammoth stand out most.   By the time I got to Mammoth I was a whopping 5 year old. In another year I would be in Hawaii and stay there through high school.  But for now, I was an insider to some sort of club.  I didn't really understand it then, except that it was amazing and romantic (as much as a 5 year old can understand about romance) and the same smells of wool and leather and wood fires range true.   In the early Mammoth days my dad's buds had an A- frame. Home of the Ski Wolves, their wives, girl friends and kids.  Apres ski was a hoot, I got to hang out with real skiers, they tossled my hair, shared their adventures, and I felt welcomed even as the little kid I was.  It was tradition that after dinner, I and a throng of some 8 other kids more or less my age were relegated to the upper floor of the Ski Wolves lair.  Magic seemed to happen.  From the balcony backed by rows of bunk beds, we'd peer down on the adults, skiers all, in partying revelry.  

From here I'd watch Clifford Scott, Jim Adams, my dad, Rosie, and a host of others party until as often as not I'd fall asleep on the floor instead of my bed.  Somehow though, in dawn's light, I was always in my bed, when that same wake up call would occur,  "Hey Bud, time to get up... your clothes are laid out on your bed, breakfast's on the table."    

In '68, just out of high school I was traveling in Norway.  Somewhere outside of Lillehammer I got a phone call, no little feat in those days. Clifford Scott, better known as "Scotty" had been killed in an avalanche at Mammoth... a whole face slid on what is now called "Scotty's Run."  Jim, Rosie, the wolves were with him when he got hit.  I hadn't seen Scotty for years, but felt my heart melt, my knees go to jelly.  This event was somehow big loss that I really didn't understand.  Ironically I was in snow country, looking at (what are now all) skiable lines in the Norwegian mountains, and I remembered the A-Frame and the stories and vaguely skiing in a snow plow "keeping up" with him and my dad and others.  There was a pull I didn't understand then. 

The last time I skied with Jim Adams, in his 70's mind you, I watched him pop a headwall at Mammoth in knee deep pow, and just kept goin'... there's a picture for you, for me.  Then as now, kid memories flashed back from knowing then that the adults were allowing me to keep up, and that now when he was 70ish, I was old enough to really keep up with him.  And of course he was 70.  All said, Mammoth still holds magic for me.  Jim's still rippin' it there, time to get back.

Last season, my dad hung up his skis, 85... a long ride, lots of days and a litany of stories.  I'm stoked I got to make some turns with him that day.  For whatever reason it was the first time we skied together in years and the last day he'll ski.  Somehow this is okay, good really.  At this pace and with this genome the data allows me to figure conservatively I've got another 30 years plus and each season just gets better! 

Then my kids came along... ironically, in a lovely way, their days on skis began at Mammoth too.  Scotty's run still vibrant, calling me, spirit lives on that mountain.  Although the smell of wool and leather has long ago been replaced with fleece and plastic, we each still get to walk in the door of a lodge at the end of the day, shaking snow off our clothes, pulling our hats or helmuts off, huge smiles on our faces.  And another generation continues...

What's all this got to do with leadership?   As my coffee's done, frost's gone, what comes to mind is choicefulness.   A few things show up for me in the moment; all an offer for you, and all in simple terms:

• I get to choose to get up early, often in the dark.  Its not particularly normal to get excited about waking up in the dark, fumbling around with clothes and a tooth brush. 
•   
• I get to choose to be in shape enough to be mentally, physically able to do this thing, easy or tough terrain, conditions, varying speed...(are we talking about skiing or effective leadership?...)
•   
• I get to choose the amount of risk, fear, I step into... a great reminder that fearlessness doesn't mean be stupid...    
•   
• I get to choose to be open to new learning (if I want to improve vs. stay eternally stuck as average)
•   
• I get to choose to apply my learning to the very best of my ability
• I get to learn to let go of perfection, and keep aspiring for it at all times...

(The list could go on... good for other entries no doubt...)

Let's see though, what do you and I get from acting on these choices?

High performance: you define it, you work at it, you get it...

A team of people that'll have their own stories

An almost genetic reinforcement of doing the right thing for the right reasons... 

A harmony and smile... its okay, allow it...

Priceless life

Buds that share it with you... 

Why do I ski?  How can I not?

rm

Time for a new model of politics?

What a summer, and what a fall (excuse what sadly hits me as a pun).

My opinion: in 30 years running companies, and guiding others to do the same, I can't remember a tougher environment.   And the rhetoric of both the major political parties in the US just doesn't make sense to me anymore.  One extreme or the other just keeps us stuck.   Pure free market sets up greed; too much regulation can certainly thwart growth.  Where life was simple, it is no longer.  

There's no way we're not impacted, any of us, by international markets.   To pretend we stand alone is nuts.   So, what could shift if we realized we are INTER-DEPENDENT.   

From inter-dependence I have an obligation to hit my budgets; I have an obligation to assure my team is supported to do a great job so we can hold up our end.  The expectation is certainly each "team" each nation, each industry, plays with instead of against themselves to "win."   From interdependence I believe government could function in balance rather than holding extremes or fundamental stance that keep us screaming at each other AND ineffective... 

It's hit me this summer, that funding for health care, for education is not socialism; it is obligation to assure a country wide performance.   The old mantra of pick the school I want for my kids is great as long as I have money.  What if I don't?  What if one of my team doesn't?   As a country with global economy, and inter-dependent, how can we build a country that competes and partners on a global basis, when millions of kids in the US are poorly educated, starving, or without health care?    Somebody's benevolence to give a kid care, or education, or whatever worked decently for a couple centuries... fine.   The world's too small to depend on somebody's "pat on the head" to get the majority of our population to a place it needs to be in order to actually build strong healthy business.

I wonder how we create a new model that supports capitalism, free enterprise and simultaneously demands equal education and health care that's consistent.   This blend is inter-dependence.   

Heresy?  Not anymore.  Companies have GOT to make money, and profit.  People have got to have basic needs met.  How do we do both?   Seems like anything less is simply non-sensical.

From a leadership perspective I've been thinking a lot lately about the wake one leaves behind.   I don't mean at the end of my career, I mean daily, hourly.  There is a wake of energy as I pass by co-workers, as I interact in a meeting with US nationals or an international board... what is the wake I choose to leave behind me?   What if we asked this of each of our team members?   Exec teams?  Line workers?   Vendors?   Politicians?... 

Idealism be damned.   What I'm suggesting ain't a pipe dream; its choice.   And its discussion, exploration, investigation about a wake that leaves people winners, companies making money, education that works... 

I invite you to choose to lead your company, your team and the workers with you with mindfulness of obligation and inter-dependence.   Each of us (as business owners) can choose the culture we create around us.   There's lot's more... I'll stop for now... 

Questions?   ideas?   BE in touch!

Have a great winter!

Rudy

The Impact of Courage vs. Fear

This post is not directly about learning from skiing or bikes. There is a relationship however. This column is about stepping into the unknown as a leader and doing the right thing for the right reason. It is about the nuance of running a business from a place of balance, somewhere between fear and fearlessness. Note here: By fearless I do not mean being stupid.

Like the rest of us, my clients have been hit by exorbitantly increased commodity pricing, gas prices, and the impact from the downturn of the housing /mortgage market. The costs of doing business having skyrocketed is a legitimate concern. As much in question, what the @#$!@ do we do? Passing price increases on to our customers may be obvious as a business owner and is likely the simplest thing to do. That choice is still a potentially deadly one even though for once, it's as obvious to the public as it is to our bottom lines that the costs of everything have soared off the charts. So be it.

At the same time, earlier this week, one client of mine did step into the counter intuitive in his response. He stepped into fearlessness. Nick Sarillo is a pizza guy. Nick's Pizza & Pub is a company to be reckoned with. This ain't your typical hole in the wall pizza joint. At the same time, if you're not from Chicago land, its not likely you've heard of him. My bet is the time's coming you will. He's working on getting his third restaurant open in Chicago, in the midst of this economic, uh, downturn.

Nick works hard to do the right things the right way. His two restaurants each do just under 4 million a year in sales, that's on a $10 check. And while others are down in sales, market share and profits, he's down too, but not nearly as much. Sarillo is still very clear about his business path and the way he and his team make decisions.

Like the skier he is, his choices coming into what has been scary, challenging economic terrain, have been executed with the same balance and focus that's needed to jump a headwall leading into a 45 degree pitch full of crud and bumps with panache. Imagine the picture, we're all in a similar place and time, no terrain options. Go here or go nowhere. Choices: grind to a stop and freeze in fear; go over the edge out of control, get hurt seriously, who the hell knows, maybe die. Some with bravery may do a speed check on the headwall, and slowly go on in. In this case, a stem or some bracing move isn't going to help much here. Getting down barely alive can build knowledge for sure, but the learning is painful at best, even if exhilarating. And, there's the rare option with a truly skilled skier/rider; there is the counter-intuitive, the balance between not being stupid, but excited about the possibilities. Nick plays at this skill level and provides us a truly unique picture of flow.

These days Nick gets to "ski" with a partner, Chris Adams whose equally committed to the values that drive company decisions regardless of economy. If I stay with the skiing metaphor for another 100 words or so, both these guys understand the real paradox of skiing, the counterintuitive of using gravity instead of fighting it, moving with the skis instead of against them, bracing. At times speed is big, air is big, but balance is maintained thanks to an ever shifting stance moving with variation of speed, and terrain falling out from under them... and instead of dead, they end up very much in flow and alive, celebrating. How?

To some with less knowledge, their movements may seem stupid, reckless. Rather both guys move in unison, with the mountain, regardless of terrain, and amazingly enough, regardless of conditions, they end up first to the bottom in one piece, smiling with an audience of supporters screaming approval. Even now. Here's an example:

First, what follows below is a direct quote from a letter sent to every regular guest on the mailing list at Nick's:

"To our guests:

This week I filled up my gas tank and the price increases we’ve all seen lately really hit home – it cost me over $60 just to fill my tank! These are tough times and they appear to be getting tougher. I hear it from our team members every day. Here at Nick’s many of our costs have gone up as well – the cost of flour alone more than doubled in the past month!

June is our anniversary month and everyone here at Nick’s realizes that we wouldn’t be having an anniversary if it weren’t for you, our guest. Your support has allowed us to do great things in the past year – we have employed over 200 amazing people, we have given back over $70,000 to the Elgin and Crystal Lake communities and we have been recognized by The National Restaurant Association with the 2007 Restaurant Neighbor Award for the State of Illinois.

So, tonight, each of us at Nick’s is celebrating our anniversary by supporting YOU. We want to share a big ‘thank you’ and do something about the costs that have hit us all hard:

Tonight your meal is on us.
Compliments of the entire team at Nick’s.
No tax. Nothing.

Additionally, the team working tonight is donating their labor and working for tips only so that we can offset the cost of all the meals. At the end of the night we’ll all split the tips evenly as a team and celebrate what we were able to achieve in this community in 2007.

We would like to sincerely thank you for your continued support of Nick’s Pizza & Pub during the years we’ve served the community – we hope you’ve enjoyed the service and the food and we know we’ll see you again soon!

Sincerely,
Nick Sarillo and the Nick’s Team"

Five things I want to share here:
1. Nick did the right thing for the right reason. They do quarterly fund raisers for families in their neighborhoods; this time Nick and Chris got the idea to do something real for their whole communities, if only once or once in a while.

2. They "sold" just under $ 24,000 in food and drink. In one of the restaurants staffed with 100 team members the tips taken in were over $ 3,700.00 a big thank you back from the guests!

3. Instead of fear the leaders and hence the whole team, acted in abundance, giving. Instead a driving fear that people would take advantage of them, Nick's acted out of abundance, fearlessly excited to "say thank you for all our time up til now!" They continued to "sell" close to every piece of edible product in their restaurants. Instead of the fear of what it might cost them, "the headwall", they flew over that headwall in balance, and with a smile they actually stepped into receiving community support, press support, and god knows what other positive support or events that will happen because of their action. This was perhaps an ultimate example of "paying it forward."

4. The press they're getting locally, regionally and now nationally, is an outcome it was not the intent.

5. Unless you're a leadership junky, the third gift is less obvious... in Nick's note to their guests, you'll notice his team worked this event without pay, tips only, and the tips were pooled. Nick's is full of staff from age 16 to 40 with a mix of ethnicities; ... those targeted as having "no work ethic", "no loyalty", "no sense of excellence or commitment" and the list goes on. Here's another real story at this place called Nick's: they have 80% retention; many in their teens are learning grad school level communication/leadership skills from the training Nick's shares; good grades are grounds for a bonus in the company... Nick's has proven that the stereotypes of millennials, of gen x, and frankly the greed side of business dynamics don't need to be true. And, Nick works with a very clear vision on a daily basis to make his truth true. Like a great skier/rider, his expertise comes from a combination of sense of possibility, focus, practice, discipline, from all this trusting what has evolved into intuitive talent, and from conscious choices.

This Nick's story didn't happen by accident. They train and train hard, even in the toughest of times like now.

We could easily see or hear more stories like this from a myriad of companies. All "they" have to do is step into the opportunity and choose. Clearly, like skiing/riding, the more you practice consciously, the easier it gets to see the opportunity. Move with the mountain, step into the counter-intuitive occasionally, do the right thing, for the right reasons. Amazing things happen.

If you're interested, check out Nick's, click here!

More soon!
Until then, "BE" well.
rm