Company Blog

It’s All Personal

by Adam Zack — June 1, 2022

“It’s impossible not to take things that you are invested in personally.”

I think we have all had an encounter with someone who says “Don’t take this personally, but…” and goes on to say something that is not good. Could be the style of your hair, their comment on your aroma or a change in relationship – personal (It’s not you, it’s me.) or business (We’ve made some budget cuts and decided to go in another direction.) For me, it’s always personal. Criticism never feels good, no matter how constructive it is. I had this guy I worked with who was a real ass. If I said white, he said black. Up was down and smart was stupid. He said “You shouldn’t take it personally, I don’t.” Well, I did and I do. Decisions and work made with thought and planning are inherently yours, and that’s personal. It’s impossible not to take things that you are invested in personally. After all, you personally decided on your course of action and made your best effort. Business criticism and change is just as difficult for the company that is invested in the success of their customer. When they win, you feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. When they criticize your work negatively, it’s very difficult not to take it as an affront to yo...

by Adam Zack — May 25, 2022

“Days are limited, you don’t get do-overs…”

I know I’m not the only one who has a major problem with the passage of time. I just looked at the calendar and realized that we are already FIVE months into 2022. That’s right. Summer’s nearly here, fall’s around the corner, football season is just a couple months away, Holy guacamole! Former L.A. Times columnist Chris Erskine put the value of time in a unique perspective. He likened his life to how many summers he has left. The best time of the year (unless you live in Palm Springs. Or Phoenix) goes by so fast. BBQs, beach, no school, cold beers on warm days. Summer is just the best. And how many do you actually get? Maybe 80 or 90 total in your life. Only about 40 or 50 that you really can savor and enjoy. I figure I have maybe 15 – 20 great summers left. When I think of it that way it’s humbling and scary. Don’t have wasted days that you can never get back because of feuds or grudges. Make the most of all you have left, because before you know it the kids are off to college and summers spent together turn into a few days each summer together. Knees start to wear out, hips get broken and then boom, no more summers for you. Summers become memories of “the good old ...

by Adam Zack — May 18, 2022

Every career change, no matter when it is in life, is like being a freshman again.

Graduation time is here. I remember just before my freshman year in high school my friend, who was a year older and going to be a sophomore, told me harrowing stories of how freshmen were despised, ridiculed and stood somewhere between dog crap and an ant’s ass on the high school pecking order. I was warned not to ever sit in “Senior Square”, look an upperclassman in the eye or draw attention to myself in any way. All the girls were out of my league (definitely true) and the guys who had facial hair loved to beat up freshmen. Well it didn’t exactly turn out like that, although it was a little intimidating and more than a little scary. Whenever I went from one school to another or one school level to another there was some fear of the unknown. I think we tend to think about our graduating seniors – especially college – as having made the major accomplishment with the expectation that they are done and ready. In reality, graduating college (and high school for those who choose not to attend college) students are really freshmen in life. New jobs and the start of careers are scary endeavors that are not always put in perspective, especially by parents who have paid f...

by Adam Zack — May 11, 2022

We are each responsible for ourselves.

In the movie Castaway Tom Hanks is stranded on a very remote, deserted island all alone. He figures that since his plane crashed, searchers would be looking for him and eventually he’d be rescued. Weeks go by, and he comes to the realization that no one is coming. His survival and any chance of escaping the island is totally up to him. It’s like that for our personal paths to success and happiness. Prince (or Princess) Charming isn’t coming to sweep you off your feet and whisk you off in a Rolls Royce to live in the castle. No one is coming to motivate you to work harder so you get that promotion you want. No one is coming to make you a better money manager to pay off your bills. No one is coming to tell you to eat better and exercise so you can lose weight. No one is coming to clean your house and cook your dinner. (Unless you have a housekeeper and a personal chef!). My wife, who gets many of her life hacks off Tik-Tok and saw the no one is coming video, reminded me that we are each responsible for ourselves. In this era where blame and finger pointing are the norm, it’s time to control our own destiny and make it happen, because no one is coming.

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Above Average

by Adam Zack — May 4, 2022

“It takes so little effort to be above average.”

My mom was in town visiting last night and we were all sitting at the dinner table eating and we got to talking about employees, and just how hard it has been lately to really find good help. She said something very insightful. “It takes so little effort to be above average.” Wow, that really made a lot of sense. I got thinking that “average” is smack dab in the middle. Not horrible, not exceptional, just middle of the road, solid C material. So often we think about wanting to be great, and to develop greatness that we lose track that even a small step toward bettering ourselves, or bettering our employees elevates us to being above average. It is easily achievable and when just a small effort is made by management to improve the entire staff of average employees to being above average, you are now better than your competitors. The idea can even be applied to below average AND above average people improving a level. It’s not hard, and it’s not a major undertaking. Think of one thing you can do, and do it. Turns out that there is a book by Florence Littauer written nearly 40 years ago called “It Takes So Little to be Above Average.” Sounds like a quick read. I ordered it just...

by Adam Zack — April 27, 2022

“These employees are really having a good time.”

As a parent one of the greatest, purest joys of parenthood is the sound of your kids having so much fun as they play that the sounds that they emit are uncontrollable laughter. Their smiles are ear to ear and contagious, and the innocence of their fun makes you want to be a kid again. It’s tremendously satisfying to observe kids of all ages be blissfully happy. Then we grow up and there’s this thing called work that happens and the belly laughs and unabashed joy seem most of the time like distant memories. Bosses get serious and production is much more important than having fun. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Instead of being the boss that shushes employees that appear to be goofing around or being a little bit too boisterous, think back on the joy you felt when your kids were so happy they’d pee their pants rather than come in and miss out on the fun. Creating a culture at the workplace where everything, all the time, is not hush hush, strictly professional, don’t disturb the customers is a great feat. Instead of focusing on keeping it all buttoned down, think how your customers must feel shopping in a store where the employees can joke and laugh and actually seem to enjoy their job. They...

by Adam Zack — April 20, 2022

You make that effort, see results, and then gradually (or sometimes suddenly) slip back into old habits.

PONDER: to think or consider especially quietly, soberly, and deeplyI’m thinking about how hard it is to be a good listener. I think about it every day. I can kind of relate it to the person who wants to eat healthier. You do it for a while, focus and start to see results. Conversations are clearer and more meaningful. Interaction is mutually satisfying. The weight of having to speak and anticipate what your answer should be starts to drop off. You’re feeling good about yourself and those you interact with daily. You’re getting to be a good listener. That wasn’t so hard, right? Then when you’re getting comfortable, the unexpected double cheeseburger is before you. Just one, right? You listen to the guy explain what’s in the smoothie for breakfast, then you add ice cream (because it’s so delicious). A bag of chips here, Fettuccine Alfredo instead of grilled chicken and salad. Two cookies and a Bailey’s instead of no dessert. Your good intentions, initial success and great feelings are back the way they were not long ago. It’s the same with listening. You make that effort, see results, and then gradually (or sometimes sudd...

by Adam Zack — April 13, 2022

Promise fair prices and a convenient way to keep our customers’ families fed and healthy.

Remember two years ago when the president promised that the Covid pandemic would be over by Easter? It was something that everyone wanted to hear and believe, but as you know it just wasn’t true. More than any other holiday, Easter is based on belief and faith. Belief in resurrection and afterlife. Belief in forgiveness and redemption. Belief that hollow chocolate bunnies and dyed eggs are delicious and fun. OK, that last one is more provable than any of the other beliefs surrounding Easter. Like that promise two years ago, as retailers we have to promise to deliver what we can actually do. We promise clean stores and friendly service. We promise freshness and selection. We promise fair prices and a convenient way to keep our customers’ families fed and healthy. Unlike promises that can only be verified after death or science, our promises are easily fulfilled. And when we fail to live up to them, our customers start looking for another store that will. Or another president.