OPERANNG OPPORTUNITIES

WALLY LYNCH Paid Associates

PO. Box 741623

Dallas, Tx.75243

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tion long enough to check it out.

There are companies using the basic approach that leaders aren't born, they are developed. They believe it is possible to teach such skills to anyone willing to learn. Their concept envisions a blending of skills, attitudes and goal setting capabilities. Perhaps not coincidentally, goals, attitudes and skills form an acronym of the word GAS. They provide the propulsion to luel productivity.

The teaching arsenal contains text materials, workbooks and audio tapes. Each part is developed to foster personal growth in specific interrelated human business activity. Each is pertinent to many businesses. Every company is in the business of selling something and servicing the customers to whom they cater. Most companies grow because of or through the people who work for them. Developing and identilying leadership within any company is important.

It's pretty common practice in business to promote f,rom within. The best worker becomes a supervisor or the best salesman becomes the sales manager. Unlortunately these people are all too often ill prepared for the promotion because the needed skills, attitudes and goals are entirely different. Managing managers who manage other people is another gradation in leadership function.

These training programs are more than motivational teachings that make one leel good on Friday and are forgotten on Monday. They are sophisticated but easily assimilated instructional programs to make people more effective.

Remember all the times you've gone through the managing processes? You identified problems, explained solutions and monitored results, but still you couldn't get the horses to drink. These programs appear to not only get the horses to drink, but to do it with timeliness and effectiveness.

lmprovement Spending Rases

llomeowners spent $l0l.l billion on maintenlnce. repairs and improvements in 1988, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The figure is up $7 billion from 1987's $94.1 billion.

WAYNE GARDNER executive vice

Iu rnanuARY the wesrern cow- I boys will meet in Southern California. with the Lumber Association ol Southern California as host.

The Cowboys are representatives from the lumber and building material associations from the Oregon-Washington region, the Mountain States, including Arizona, Texas, Northern California and Southern California.

This has become a very important meeting each year wherein the associations represented exchange ideas on speakers, membership programs, insurance and other services.

The presidents and some of the vice presidents, as well as the regional officers plus the managing officers, can get together in a relaxed atmosphere and talk. The agenda will be relative to the West. There will be a little social activity and a lot of work done during the l-l/2 day meeting.

In past years these meetings have been most fruitful ones that each of us looks forward to. You always manage to return home with a couple of ideas more than you went with.

In December the Western Building Material Dealers Association met and elected new officers for the years 1990 and 1991.

Frank Collard, Ganahl Lumber Co., Anaheim, was elected president; yours truly, Lumber Association of Southern California, vice president, and Tom Hopkins, Credit Bureau of Santa Cruz, was elected treasurer.

The group voted to renew the contract of Ron Barrow and Associates as the legislative advocacy firm.

Western was formed many years ago to watch legislation that might affect the mechanics lien law for the State of Calilornia. Although that has been the primary emphasis in past years, the

The Merchant Magazine group now follows legislation that could affect the building materials industry in the area of codes and standards, collections, contractors license law, environment and energy, labor, public works, taxes and fees plus general legislation that might directly impact any firm doing business in the lumber and building materials field. o Specializing indiscount rates for loads out of 11 Western states to all points. o Alsobigvolume discounts. o Operating flatbeds.full tarps & vansover 1,000 trucks nationwide

Over the years Western has been most effective in curbing efforts to change the mechanics lien law in ways which would be adverse to the lumber and building material distributor.

Those associations making up Western are the Building Industry Credit Association, Los Angeles; Building Material Dealers Credit Association. Fresno: Building Trades Association, Montereyl Credit Bureau of Santa Cruz County, Capitola; CBI of San Jose; Lumber Merchants Association of Northern California. Sacramento: Lumber Association of Southern California. Citv of Industry.

Check out our Calendar on page 20 for information on upcoming conventions, meetings and trade shows in your region.

We offer Service not excuses for the competitive edge you need.