DW's Blog

Between stimulus and response…

by DW Green — April 5, 2017

“In our response lies our growth and our freedom”

I read this quote yesterday. It’s a great quote, and one that I have read many times over the years. It’s a very profound statement, written by Victor Frank, a Holocaust survivor. Not sure why it is, that when one learns of a powerful life tool, one quickly forgets, filing it in a distant folder somewhere inside our brain.“Between stimulus and response there is a space_______________.In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”—Victor FranklThat “space” between stimulus and response is awareness. And it’s within that awareness we consciously choose a more thoughtful response.Coming from a place of stillness and silence, we are wiser, less reactive, less conditioned, more creative and more intuitive, so we are more likely to respond to life rather than have a knee-jerk reaction to it.

Read More – Apple’s and Orange’s

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by DW Green — March 15, 2017

He must be Wacko

Growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, I became a non-conformist, a maverick, and a Beatles fan, always questioning and challenging the status quo. I think that’s why the study of brands is so appealing to me. Branding is about connecting companies emotionally to their customers and helping clients differentiate themselves in their markets. It’s about leading, not following. It’s about competing with yourself, making your company better, stronger, staying relevant in an ever-changing world and creating the best possible shopping EXPERIENCE for the customer.At the risk of sounding wacko, I invite you to have a look at a different organizational paradigm. Consider refocusing on the deep longings we have for community, meaning, dignity, purpose, and love in our organizational lives. Begin to look at the strong emotions of being human, rather than segmenting ourselves by believing that love doesn’t belong at work, or that feelings are irrelevant in an organization. Begin to see ourselves in much richer dimensions, to appreciate our wholeness, and hopefully, to design organizations that honor and make use of the great gift of who we humans are.In a word, it’s purpose. What is the underlying purpose of your orga...

by DW Green — March 8, 2017

A merchant mindset goes beyond selling products

I recently read an article entitled How To Compete With Amazon. The author writes that the only retailer truly taking Amazon seriously is Walmart. Primarily because Walmart has the resources to take them on. Sounds true enough.I wonder how much time, energy, and resources retailers should give to initiating plans to compete against Amazon. Of course, it’s wise to be mindful of competitors and their offerings, whether they’re on-line or brick and mortar retailers. Though it seems pretty obvious that the choice of what to do with finite resources is to improve and enhance the retail shopping experience.It’s worth reviewing the genius of Robert Wegman in comments he made in his “I am a Merchant” speech.“I am a merchant, and I have therefore my own philosophy about merchandising: That is, to do something that no one else is doing, and to be able to offer the customer a choice she doesn’t have at the moment. This is the only reason for being in business. To my own way of thinking, this is the only way it should be. “I think that uniqueness gives one an opportunity to profit. If you are doing the same thing that everyon...

by DW Green — March 1, 2017

So much of life is about awareness

Yep waiting is annoying. I know I can get upset and annoyed when I feel I’ve had to wait too long. Waiting is a commonplace occurrence. Having to wait “for something” happens practically everyday. And for sure businesses should do their best to minimize waiting…being respectful for customers’ time.The other side of the waiting equation, the personal side, and maybe the more important side, is our personal reaction to the WAIT. For me, it’s about being present and aware of my initial and unconditioned response to the situation at hand. Rather than getting mad or upset over something that I have little control, I need to relax, take a deep breath or two, and respond accordingly. If I choose not to wait, I can leave. If I can’t choose to leave, like being in a traffic jam, I can choose to accept the situation for what is and stay calm. Resisting the natural flow of things (of life) is not healthy. I need to remember that my time isn’t more valuable or precious than yours, or anyone else’s. Easier said than done!Gaining patience can be transformative to your overall life experience. So much of life is about awareness, growth, and learning—these are the things th...

by DW Green — February 22, 2017

Employees are your greatest asset

It is vital to recruit employees whose personal values match your corporate values. Employees work best in conditions of strong value alignment—the store’s values are their values; their values are the store’s values. In this type of environment, employees don’t face daily ethical conflicts, they don’t have to tolerate a double standard for bosses and workers, and they don’t have to abide by mediocrity when they believe in excellence. Instead, employees take pride in the store’s success and its superior reputation with customers and the community. They revel in their personal growth and development in a high-achievement store culture. They enjoy being part of something special, being on a successful team, feeling connected, and taking ownership in the company. In short, employees who share your company’s values become your greatest assets—and the best marketing department you could ask for.

Changing Others

by DW Green — February 8, 2017

…spend more time gazing inward, into the one person you can change: yourself.

Given the current political climate of incivility, conflict and strife that is dominating our national landscape the notion of trying to change others is futile. At best, my hope is that we can agree to disagree, to honor and respect opposing points of view and come together on some level to improve the quality of life for ALL Americans.I would like share the following insight from Madison Taylor, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the popular inspirational website Daily OM.“If your tendency is to try and change other people, take some time to explore why you feel the need to do so.Our perception of humanity as a whole is, to a large extent, dualistic. We paint people with a broad brush–some are like us, sharing our opinions and our attitudes, while others are different. Our commitment to values we have chosen to embrace is often so strong that we are easily convinced that our way is the right way. We may find ourselves frustrated by those who view the world from an alternate vantage point and make use of unusual strategies when coping with life’s challenges. However ardently we...

by DW Green — February 1, 2017

What does your business mean?

Finding Inner Courage by Mark Nepo is an excellent book and I highly recommend reading it. In the introduction Nepo writes; “What does courage mean? How we hold this question is important. It’s interesting that the question, what does it mean? In Spanish, que quire deicer?, literally translates as, what does it want to say? The difference inherent in the Spanish view is that whatever holds meaning is alive and has its own vital authority and, therefore, demands us to be in relationship to it in order to learn its meaning. English view readies us to apprehend meaning, while Spanish view readies us to experience meaning.”Okay, interesting quote you might say, but what does it have to do with business? In a word…everything. What does your business mean? What does it mean to you? What does it mean to your stakeholders? Human beings are meaning making machines. When our relationships and our experiences are meaningful, we are confident and comfortable with our decisions, our choices and this meaningful connection enhances our overall sense of happiness and well-being.A company’s “reasons to believe” are deeply rooted in its purpose and meaning. It’s critical that a company�...