Recently I was discussing with a coworker our customers, our company's growth, its goals, challenges and opportunities, etc... The one word that came to mind in all of the aforementioned is
change.
My 1937 Webster Dictionary has the following definition: to alter; substitute; exchange or give an equivalent for (as well as a few other definitions). "To exchange or give an equivalent for"... I can see this in currency. However, in change as it pertains to business and running an organization, it is difficult to see an equivalent for some exchanges.
Every change situation highlights the "current state" versus "what the future holds"... but sometimes the trade doesn't quite seem equal. In every season of change, there is risk and there is reward. We've all been taught the bigger the risk the larger the reward, and vice versa. Well, investment scenarios are the same way. Are you in for the short-term or the long-haul? Wal-Mart Stock or a high-tech hot stock pick?
For all of the above to happen a decision has to be made. Our decisions are made with either the right or left side of the brain. In other words, it's the difference between emotional and intellectual; heart or head. Which is correct?
As we grow up we are taught the basic elements of right and wrong, so most decisions tend to be made with our head. "What is the right thing to do here? What did mom and dad say about this?" Then we grow up and the decisions aren't as clear-cut. Emotions and intuition suddenly have a huge role in the choices we make. "This feels like the right thing to do" (heart), "but I should know better" (head).
It's an interesting dilemma we face in every assessment we make. Some seem rather insignificant while others extremely critical. Even the smallest of these decisions can impact the next. As my pastor always says, "The thing is not about the thing, but everything is about everything". Let that roll around in your head for a minute.
This takes me back to an earlier question. Is one way of thinking more correct than the other? Is there a balance- a magic formula? For those of us with children we fight a similar dilemma each time one of our kids makes a mistake or does something wrong. The balance between heart and head or "love and law" seems all the more difficult to find. In the business arena, these decisions can make or break an organization. Making one right decision can skyrocket you to success... but it only takes one bad decision to lead you to failure.
I've seen it go both ways. Making decisions with emotional knee-jerk reactions can be deadly, but there can also be a price to pay when you don't just go with your gut.
In retrospect, we all have made decisions that we second guess again and again. Choosing with your head or lead with your heart? It's up to you to know if your intuition is right or not. There is a balance. The trouble, it seems, is finding it.
Shawn Fisher, Client Partner
Unified360
Anyone who knows me probably reads this blog title and thinks, "What is wrong with Jim?" I'm a lifelong Cowboys fan who grew up watching games with my dad, and when I get to experience the game in the new stadium and watch my team play, there's no question that I've always been a die-hard Cowboys fan. However, although the Dallas Cowboys are my favorite sports team, and always will be, there are things about them that I wish I could change sometimes.
Tomorrow they begin their 30th run into the playoffs in an attempt to make it to the Super Bowl for the 9th time. With hopes of winning their 6th Vince Lombardi Trophy, I couldn't be more proud (I remember the 1-15 season). The challenge I face as a Cowboys fan is knowing that it has been 13 years since they won a playoff game. However, I am optimistic about this one and their run into the playoffs as long as... they get a miracle.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think the odds are against them or that they are underdogs or anything like that. What I think is that they need their leadership to step up significantly if they truly want to take this run to a Super Bowl win - THE leader... Head Coach Wade Phillips.
For anyone who has not seen the movie Miracle about the 1980 U.S. hockey team who beat the Soviet Union's dominant team to go on and win the Gold Medal, you can at least capture my thought by watching this clip of their head coach Herb Brooks in his locker room speech the night of the game - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvJ4fqaYFq0. The story goes that the U.S. team was made up of amateur and collegiate hockey players that no one thought could even compete. Luckily, Herb Brooks stepped in and took over the team and led them to what is known today as a Miracle.
In sports, business, and life in general, I believe there are times when a leader needs to be strong, hold their team accountable, and show the team that there is only one option - to win. I have served on many teams in my life - many times as a leader and many times not necessarily the leader. In every occasion I can recall, the winning teams were the ones where the leadership was strong and had no thought of anything other than success. In my opinion, our society lacks leadership in many areas that BELIEVE in achieving the goal.
From a business standpoint, we go into 2010 with many goals as individual businesses and the economy as a whole. We have always been the greatest nation in the world with the most entrepreneurial opportunities (again, my opinion). Now is the time for the leaders to step up and lead by believing, standing strong and winning in the fight against failure.
Do I think the Dallas Cowboys need a miracle to beat Philadelphia and move on through the playoffs to the Super Bowl? Yes! I think they need the miracle of a leader that believes, stands strong, commands wins, and is not afraid to make people mad and even lose friends to achieve those goals. So step up Wade, bring a Herb Brooks presence to your team and command success. If you do, I believe we will take home the 44th Vince Lombardi Trophy and be The Best team in professional football again.
Jim Barker, CEO
Unified360
As an employee at Unified360 and a former dancer, if there's one thing I know about, it's being on a team. I have learned through my past experiences that your team has the power to help you succeed, or contribute miserably to your failure.
I think it's fair to say that we all work better with someone else. It helps to have that support system to bounce ideas off of and help you with your responsibilities. It all goes back to that age old saying "together we stand, divided we fall". No truer words have ever been spoken. I believe that those who are the most successful in life can name at least one other person who contributed to their accomplishments. How much can one person really do without enlisting the help of others? And even if the answer is a lot... how enjoyable is it?
Personally, I have found that I am best at my job when I roll my chair over to Felicia's desk and we talk about things together. I believe we both learn faster and come up with a larger variety of ideas. The support the marketing team gives each other contributes to our success and the enjoyment of our jobs. But just as easy as it is to build one another up, it is just as easy to tear each other down. As a dancer, I came face-to-face with both realities. There is nothing more exhilarating than having your team cheer for you and believe wholeheartedly in your abilities. But there is also nothing more devastating than having them rip you apart and experiencing the darkness that comes from feeling alone and worthless. It's hard to believe we have that kind of power over one another.
Most large, profitable, thriving businesses are successful because of a team of people working together.
- Facebook was started by Harvard sophomore Mark Zuckerberg in his dorm room. What began as a kid hacking into his dorm network grew to be a world-wide phenomenon only after he was joined by friends Eduardo Saverin (business aspects), Dustin Moskovitz (programmer), Andrew McCollum (graphic artist) and Chris Hughes.
- Bill Kaplan was a "smart guy" who graduated from Harvard who, after joining forces with J.P. Massar, created a card-counting blackjack team that took Vegas for millions in the 1980s... a feat that definitely couldn't be accomplished alone.
- Our company, Unified360, was started by the partnership of Jim Barker and Paul Tran in the back of a dry-cleaners.
Troy, Emmitt, and Michael; Dolce & Gabana; Shaggy and Scooby... Let's face it. Your team is your foundation and many times, the key to your success. If anything, it's just nice to have that support in knowing that someone believes in you. Having been torn down and built up by teams that I've been a part of in my life, I choose to follow the golden rule, if only for the fact that my success and happiness is intertwined with that of my teammates.
Tonight, I'll head home to sit and relax after a long day at work--- with friends of course. After all, if I'm going to sit around and do nothing, I might as well do nothing with other people. That's teamwork! :)
Tara Young, Marketing Coordinator
Unified360
Blogging has taken the world by storm in 2009! We began our company blog, Full Circle Feed, in May of this year and have seen it evolve into a great communication mechanism for our company. We have captured a variety of audiences with posts ranging from VOIP to social media to one liners to start a new year! Full Circle Feed has become a successful blog with great content and readership because of all of you!
When planning for 2010, the goals for Full Circle stand at the top of our list. While it has been a success in 2009, I am reminded of a quote my dad has hanging on the wall in his office: "If you always do what you always done, you will always get what you always got". At Unified360, we have embraced the success, but always plan to do even more! You will see many changes coming to Full Circle Feed in 2010! Here is a sneak peek:
- 1. Content: We pride ourselves in keeping content all over the board to increase readership, but we will be placing a strong focus on technology and unified communications. You will see more themed blog posts with useful information you can take home and use in your businesses.
- 2. Authors: While we LOVE the fact that we have great authors, we will be expanding this area as well. You will see information posted from many of our employees, business partners and current clients.
- 3. Dialogue: What is a good blog with a bit of dialogue? Look for quick responses to your comments and questions from our authors! This has been the case in 2009; however, look for it to be even better in 2010.
We are always open to suggestions and comments on Full Circle Feed so please always feel free to contact me directly or post a comment on a blog! We appreciate your partnership and look forward to growing it in 2010!
Happy New Year!
Kimberly Kelly, Director of Marketing
Unified360
Obviously one must feel fortunate for being able to work for
any company at this point in time, no matter what the size. I am still amazed that God has blessed me with a job at a company that, beyond all reason, has more than doubled its size in the downfall of the economy!
For all the small school's out there, let me tell you a piece of my story. I went to work for a man who gave me an opportunity to prove myself when all I knew was to talk out of one end and listen out of the other. Saying that, I was the seventh person hired (5th counting the 2 owners). Yes, Unified360 is a smaller business, but we are growing in numbers every month. I believe in my company so much that I have encouraged my wife to work here. I love my wife and would never willingly put her in harm's way. Therefore I would never have suggested she take the job if I didn't believe in what my company was doing.
For anyone that reads this, I want them to understand the passion I have for this company is like no other. Of course we have challenges like every other business, but we work hard to overcome them and not let them defeat us. That is why we are still standing, and growing¸ in an economy where so many others have failed. I know that God works in strange ways and I love Him for that. In 2009, we were one of those small schools. In 2010, we might not be the heavyweight champion, but I can tell you that WE WILL BE IN THE GAME... WE WON'T LOSE! It's not an option. If you would give this attachment a minute:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3E3bEH1Ov8&NR=1
1st Samuel 17:49,
Brad Jones, Sr. Business Development Specialist
Unified360
In the worst economic times since the Great Depression, many Americans today are in fear for their jobs and their livelihood. CEO's, business owners, CFO's, and other executives are worried about their bottom line, and we are living in a time of worry, fear, and uncertainty. Many American's today have never lived in a time where such economic issues and fears have been the main focus of their lives. However, it does not have to be such gloom and doom! As business executives look to reduce cost and keep the same productivity, the answer does not have to be to cut personnel. Instead, businesses have different alternatives to cost reductions; example: Unified360!
Unified360 offers businesses a way to cut costs, improve efficiencies, and increase revenue by examining and utilizing a cost that is not going anywhere- their communications! Instead of cutting people, companies can save on their phone, internet and network costs, which can be equivalent to several employees' yearly salaries. Without costing someone their job, your company can be increasing revenue! Just this month alone, Unified360 is helping a client save $15,000 a month in their telecom expenses, a savings of $180,000 a year!
Times such as these require creativity and practicality instead of reactions to fear! Unified360 is the answer for many companies' bottom line, because our answer yields savings as well as an increase in revenue. Who doesn't want that? As a business owner, are you utilizing your costs instead of just trying to cut them? Let Unified360 work with you to be the best economic solution!
Amber Leatherwood, Account Manager
Unified360
Two years ago, as a member of The Dad's Club, I had the opportunity to help my twin daughter's school raise funds for Elmo's for their classrooms. For those of you who do not know (like me), an
Elmo is a more advanced overhead projector. As we went from business to business asking for sponsorships and donations, I wondered if our two Saturdays devoted to fund raising would pay off. About three months later, it did, and they were able to put Elmo's in their classrooms. I also wondered how effective these would be in helping them learn. To this very day, my daughters still talk about those Elmo's and how the teachers and students use them in class.
As technology continues to make its way into the consumer market with mobile phones and PDA's reaching the 10 year old youth these days, we will see more and more technology in our education system. Today, for instance, schools are spending more of their budgets on telepresence (video conferencing) for distance learning, collaborative conferencing solutions for sharing interactive presentations and videos throughout the campus, and wireless technology allowing students and faculty to work online from any location on campus.
In the small town where I grew up in Central Texas, high school students are now given laptops. Isn't it strange that my high school is giving out laptops and I bought my first computer when I was a senior in college? How times have changed... what else could be coming to help today's youth and tomorrow's business people?
Jim Barker, CEO
Unified360
First off, I want to start off by saying this is not a political debate. This is coming from a guy who has a family and has provided communication solutions to many medical facilities in the Metroplex.
Over the past week, I have been to multiple events in which the Healthcare legislation has been the main topic. I have heard from all of the people who will be touched by the new legislation including everyone from the insurance industry, state and federal politicians, physicians, hospital system CEOs and the equipment manufacturers. I see one common thing from each group, fear and confusion!
Everyone is in agreement that we need reform of the healthcare system but they feel that the government is not getting to the root of the problem. To have reform that will work, we will need a program that will improve and include all of the following: Cost, Quality, and Access. The government reform programs are only focusing on cost. We will fail if our legislators fall short of taking quality and access into consideration.
I heard an interesting statistic from a local area hospital CEO stating that the national average of the uninsured is 25%; in North Texas it is 32%. This puts a tremendous strain on our local hospitals that are already struggling to keep the doors open due to the lack of payment from the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The aspect of healthcare that is going to be hurt the most due to the programs that are being presented is the research and development sector. A lot of money is spent in this area to improve our well-being and that of our children, but we will not be able to continue to find advances in medicine due to the lack of funds.
What does this mean for our families and future? What does it mean for the businesses that we work so hard to service and support? How is this going to affect the already floundering economy?
I am completely on board with healthcare reform but we need to make sure that we address THE three issues: Cost, Quality, and Access.
David Kelly, Sr. Account Consultant
Unified360