Letting Go
By Marc Weiss - CEO, Management One
Source: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess
“I do not like them Sam-I-am, I do not like green eggs and ham” - The peculiar unnamed character from Dr. Seuss.
The past year we all tasted our own green eggs and ham trying out new ways to generate business whether we liked it or not. Covid-19 became our Sam. Now that we tried them and found them not to be as challenging or distasteful as we thought, the lesson learned turned out to be letting go. Here is why.
In his blog post last month, Mike Alic, Management One™ President, laid out several themes for 2021. First was not going backwards in assortment planning, and the second was not going backward in marketing and sales channels. Moving forward requires the right mindset and a degree of courage, and the continued willingness to let go of the past.
I came across an article by Ilene Strauss Cohen Ph.D. about letting go. In the article, she outlines twelve tips, but I am going to focus on two of them. It is easy to say you must change, but doing it is always the challenge.
The first item according to Dr. Cohen is Do What Scares You. She says “Fear holds us back from doing a lot of things because it closes our minds to possibilities for our future and locks us into our comfort zone. Most fears fill us with doubt and “what ifs” that imprison us. The more you do to get out of your comfort zone, the more fear will subside.”
Retailers were forced to step outside of their comfort zones. Continue that journey. There is a temptation to retreat- back to the past. Sometimes that is what gives us comfort. Focus on the success you have employed and enjoyed. Your future is on what you can create.
The second tip from Dr. Cohen and is adjacent to doing what scares you, is Don’t live in chains when you have the key. We live with self-limiting beliefs that we let define who we are. “We think, “I could never do that!” or “I could never make that happen!”. If you honestly believe that you will never accomplish your goals. Open up your mind and believe in yourself.”
A great way to step out is to make sure that whatever you decide, you measure it. If it cannot be measured it is not an opportunity. The great thing about measuring is it allows you to shift and change. You focus on the data and that is freeing.
I have witnessed many things that retailers have accomplished this past year. I have seen stores opened within the last few years generate over 5 million dollars in annual revenue, using social media and other digital platforms during Covid! I have seen stores previously not having a digital footprint, engage rapidly and see their volumes soar. I have seen retailers reposition their merchandise mix, and in spite of supply chain challenges, feed demand categories and do remarkably well. I have seen retailers by a combination of right-sizing their businesses and strategically using their government money end up with more cash in 2020 than 2019 on less revenue. If you emerge out of Covid you can do anything!
Dr. Cohen chooses a quote from Carl Jung to end her piece, “I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” We are not just what we were, we did not become victims of a Pandemic, we chose to be victors. That choice continues.
“I do so like green eggs and ham!
Thank you!
Thank You!
Sam I am!”
Onwards and Upwards,
Marc