From the President

The calendar has changed to 2021, leaving 2020 in the view of our recent history. We can learn from the past, or regret it based on the decisions we make. What we cannot do is change it. Each year, as the calendar shows January first, we take stock and look back. We have the responsibility to review successes and failures, as well as factors that influenced both. Our best efforts may have produced our current position. We can look forward to resolutions for a New Year that will hopefully make the coming year better for you and those in your charge. Regardless of the past, the future is now firmly in front of us. It always is!

Self-examination can be a tough task, as it requires you be critical of yourself and take responsibility for your actions. This may be both good and not so good. To get started, I recommend objectively reviewing your business first. List the positives and negatives. You should also take time to review your suppliers. Look at each of them objectively, and know that they too have had a situation thrust upon them without a rulebook that outlines how best to manage.

Many of your suppliers experienced inventory shortages due to factors well beyond their control. Look at what they did that was within their control. Reward those who truly treated you as a business partner, and treat them the same way.

I also recommend doing a separate review of those on your team, taking care and understanding that they, like you, have never experienced an event such as a pandemic. Do not excuse bad behavior, but make sure you consider the additional stress which may have

had an adverse effect on their performance. Also, look for great examples of those who stepped up despite their circumstances. Make sure to review these points with them both individually and as a team. Look for teachable moments that will serve to strengthen your team and your business.

Lastly, turn the spotlight on yourself. This will either be an easy or a daunting task. I suggest eliciting feedback from your team during their review time. Depending how you ask, you may be able to get some key insights that will help you with your own evaluation. As you praise your accomplishments and those of your team, apply constructive criticism to any failures, as well.

With the information you gleaned from your review, start outlining what you could do this year to make your business better. List your failures first and offer a suggestion for each that feel you should have done, or will do in the future, knowing what you know now. Lessons learned should serve you well as you formulate a plan forward. Then take some time to review successes. What did you do right and how can you expand on those successes in the future?

Lastly, I would challenge you to review all of this against your current mission and goals to see if it might be time to shift based on your newly acquired wisdom. Once complete, share your findings with your team and others in the industry as both can benefit from your experience.

This exercise will allow true reflection and set you up for greater confidence to make this year the best year ever.