OBITUARIBS

Robert 56Bob" Bieleck, 71, coowner of Mulford Lumber, San Leandro, Ca., died Sept. 11 in Pleasanton.

Born in Alameda. Ca., he worked for Larsen Brothers Lumber Co., San Leandro, for six years after retiring from Mulford Lumber.

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We welcome your letters to the editor. Just FAX your comments about the magazine or particular articles to 714-852-0231 or mail to Editor, The Merchant Magazine, 4500 Campus Dr.,Ste.480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660.

Generation X

I appreciated your September editorial about the need to motivate "Generation X'ers" and especially your conclusion that "mostly these young people are ready, willing and able to work." In my experience, including 12 years managing people in retail yards and my present position as industry consultant, our true challenge is not to "motivate," but to avoid de-motivating our newer and younger hires.

If a manager hires the right person to begin with, that person will start their new job able, willing and excited to learn and help, But over time, most of them will slow down and settle out, losing their enthusiasm in the face of tired management that doesn't really care. When we fail to orient, to constantly train, to recognize achievement, to communicate expectations and results, to decentralize decision making, to lead by example and to share our vision, we fail to nurture motivation. Then we sit back and blame the young people we've hired as "directionless, with no grasp of the big picture, no work ethic and no goals." We end up with a culture that reflects our own management failure.

Motivation isn't something we can impose on others. It always starts from within. If our programs fuel that spark of enthusiasm existing in each of our people, we will have motivated employees. If not, no amount of top-down effort, whether whip cracking or soft sell, will have much long lasting effect.

Kyle Kincaid

Vine Dahlen Wemer & Co.

18631 Alderwood Mall Blvd., Suite 210 Lynnwood, Wa.98037

Innovative Recycling Cited Willamette Industries, Inc. has been presented the Sequoia Award for environmental innovation, recognizing its ground-breaking development of "urban wood" as a raw material for its Eugene, Or., particleboard plant. The award, bestowed by the Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers at the recent Woodworking, Machinery & Furniture Sup-

( ply Fair in Anaheim, Ca., honors companies that demonstrate environmental responsibility and leadership in conservation techniques, applications and processes.

In 1992 Willamette installed collection, processing and recycling systems at its Eugene particleboard plant to use leftover construction materials, broken pallets and used crates as a new source offiber.