Responsibility | The Barefoot Spirit

Are We Creating a Risk Adverse Generation?

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 17:00:40 +0000

Starting any new business requires a certain degree of risk tolerance. Without risk there are no rewards. Entrepreneurs face risk every day and must make short-term, long-term, and on-the-fly decisions to mitigate those risks. We are constantly asked by young people “How do you handle risk?” and “What about the unknown?” We tell them about our own painful experiences, what we learn from them, and what they can learn from their own.

But where do young people learn about risk tolerance and risk mitigation? Where do they learn the confidence to take on a risk and reduce the downside?

A new movement in Great Britain believes risk should be taught at a very early age, starting in the grammar schools. Some of their methods are alarming by American standards. Rather than providing playgrounds with shock absorbent pads, no sharp corners, and super safe equipment, they’re doing just the opposite!

According to Ellen Barry of the New York Times, one experimental playground near Kensington Gardens in London has a sign which reads, risks have been “intentionally provided so that your child can develop an appreciation of risk in a controlled play environment rather than taking similar risks in an uncontrolled and unregulated wider world.”

She goes on to point out, “Limited risks are increasingly cast by experts as an experience essential to childhood development useful in building resilience and grit.” These are the exact ingredients required for successful entrepreneurship – resilience and grit.

Are the Brits onto something here? Have we in the US, in our desire to litigate every injury, and mitigate every potentially harmful situation, created play environments that actually prevent our children from learning the lessons they need in order to take on risk? Are we creating a generation of risk-adverse children? Are we denying them the healthy risks of childhood?

With risk comes pain. With pain comes lessons. With lessons comes risk tolerance. One of the parks in Shoeburyness, UK, includes boards, bricks, and boxes. Educators report very few injuries, mostly minor, and almost never repeated. The children there are learning lessons that protect them going forward.

Another playground in Tumbling Bay London, offers real rocks, real ground, and real sticker bushes. Authorities report that the children will touch them and learn they are spiky (and presumably avoid them going forward).

We do a lot of speaking on entrepreneurship. We encourage young entrepreneurs to learn lessons quickly, so they can move ahead and mitigate the risks they must face. We like to say, “Never waste a perfectly good mistake!” If you’re never allowed to make a mistake, you certainly can’t learn how spiky the bushes are and how to avoid them.

Children who are exposed to risk early and often learn how to learn. They remember the pain caused by their mistakes. They are more likely to stop and analyze any painful situation knowing that there is some action they can take to prevent its reoccurrence. They are less likely to blame others and be victimized. In other words, they are more likely to take responsibility for their own behavior.

When you make mistakes in business, you have choices. You can ignore them, you can minimize them to the point of convincing yourself and others that they were not important, or you can seize upon them as a learning experience. In this latter case you may ask, “What did we learn here?” You may ask, “What steps do I need to take next time to make this mistake less likely to reoccur?” Or you may ask, “What policies, procedures, checklists, sign-up sheets, job descriptions, signage, labeling, or contract clauses need to be created, changed, or improved?”

This is the positive, creative, and practical approach to mitigating risks, improving the odds for success, and ultimately moving forward in the risky world of entrepreneurship. Are people born with risk tolerance or do they learn it in the schoolyard? How did you learn risk tolerance?

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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Be an Entrepreneurial Job Applicant – A Message to Grads

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 17:00:33 +0000

If you are a recent college grad, you may be hitting the employment market about now. You may think you are searching for a job, but maybe you should be searching for a “customer.”

“I need to pay my bills,” you say, or “I need some security,” but by changing the paradigm slightly to “I need to find a customer, or client, for my services,” you can stay in control of your career and approach the job search more effectively.

If you think of yourself as a self-employed entrepreneur you will focus more on what you do best, what your skill sets are, where your experience is, and how you can alleviate your client’s concerns. You will have to bone up on the “prospect” and distinguish yourself from the competition to land the deal.

In addition to seeing your employer as a customer for your services, you also have to consider your own reputation. All your “customers” have to benefit from, and advocate for, your services in order for you to improve your personal brand image and justify higher fees in your future. So be careful not to take on a “client” whom you cannot really help, or who cannot give you the extended experience and responsibility you need to build your reputation.

By putting yourself in your customer’s shoes you can better understand what they are really looking for in terms of (your) features and benefits. Your features and benefits should address your employer’s major concerns when hiring any new person:

False Starts. The cost of turnover is the #1 hidden cost of any business. But after a while every business becomes painfully aware of the cost of searching, vetting, and interviewing. What if it doesn’t work out? Start all over again! Have some empathy for their investment in the search itself. Selling yourself to them before there’s an opening can give you a big advantage when the time comes to hire.

Orienting and Training. If it doesn’t work out, they lose the cost of reduced production by both the trainer and the trainee. You can reduce their anxiety by becoming thoroughly familiar with how they make their money, what their biggest challenges are, and how your potential job fits into the big picture. Learn as much as you can about the company and the job before you apply. The faster they think you can get up to speed and contribute, the more likely they will be to hire you.

Production. They are naturally concerned with your ability to produce. You are pretty much an unknown for which they will take a big risk. Demonstrate your past experience at successfully overcoming steep learning curves. Get testimonials from previous employers or professors that address this specific issue.

Longevity. They worry that after they invest in training you, you will quit! If you can demonstrate that you have stayed at your previous jobs for at least two years, even if it was internships, you will relieve some of their fear.

Dependability and Responsibility. They want to believe that they can depend on you to show up, produce, meet deadlines, and take responsibility for your own actions. Show them that in the past when mistakes were made you have improved processes to prevent their reoccurrence. They want a process improver, not someone who passes on the blame.

These should be among the features you offer that will benefit your employer by reducing costs and anxiety while improving production. Take another look at the “services” you offer as if you were an entrepreneur selling them. You will be much better prepared to get the “customer” you want!

Who We Are

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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3 Essentials of Effective Leadership

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 17:00:31 +0000

Running a company, division or a team is a responsibility that goes way beyond being the executive. In many ways you are in a parental role. It’s not enough to lay out the path and make the big decisions. You must also nurture your people if you want them to perform at their best. After all, they are spending more time with you, in many cases, than they spend with their own families. They not only take direction from you, but they look to you as an authority figure. A word from you can make a big difference in their personal development as well as their skill set.

And isn’t that what you want – team members who are better this year than they were last year? So what exactly are those words from you that can make all the difference to them and your team’s productivity and your company culture? Just like the gas you put in your tank that gets you to your destination, here is the “G.A.S.” that keeps your team running:

Guidance. Make sure your team has clear and achievable weekly goals. Review them again on Wednesday to make mid-course corrections. Clearly describe to every member of the team what they have to do, and by when, to achieve those goals. Be sure to explain why what they are being asked to do is important to the big picture, the health of the company, the security of their jobs, and ultimately their compensation, bonuses, commissions and benefits. In other words, tie it to sales! Get the deadlines on the calendar. Get involved in helping to remove roadblocks and barriers to communication. Make suggestions and offer help when needed. And then get out of their way!

Acknowledgement. This often overlooked essential is the building block of validation. And validation is what your people want when they are creative, take responsibility, and complete a job well done. We feel that acknowledgment is right up there with compensation when it comes to why they even work for you at all. A heartfelt “Thank You” is always appreciated, but don’t stop there. Do it in writing, be specific about what they did and how it moved the project forward, saved money or made money, and copy the entire team. Public acknowledgement creates more appreciation among team members for their team mates, encourages more of the productive behavior you want, and creates loyalty and tenure.

Support. This is not hand holding. This is not micromanaging. This is being there to answer questions, and to provide the right tools, applications, and services. This is conducting yourself in a reasonable and understanding manner during frustrating times. This is taking it down a notch when things get crazy. And this is standing up for your people when they need it. It’s also interceding on their behalf when they run into the type of contracted or other ‘outside’ folks who won’t work with a delegated person and want you personally on the line. Take those types aside in advance and spend the time to convince them to work with your delegate. Then help your own people develop the confidence and people skills to get the respect they need to get things done on their own.

So when it comes to Leadership, don’t run out of G.A.S.!

Who We Are

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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Become Indispensable by Taking Responsibility for Your Performance

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 18:00:31 +0000

Successful entrepreneurs and their team members take responsibility for their own performance and the performance of others upon whom they depend. In other words, they get the job done. In fact, they take the success of their company, department, and job – well personal.

One of the most common questions we get wherever we keynote is, “What kept you going when times got tough?” We usually answer with the unending support of our customers, our unbeatable staff, and one more thing – we “owned it” literally and figuratively.

Sure, we owned the enterprise insofar as we paid the bills, owed the bank, and ran the company. But beyond that, we also “owned” the responsibility for the success of the business. No excuses! We couldn’t blame others for our mistakes, circumstances, or inability to deliver. It was always ultimately our responsibility, no matter what happened. In other words, we owned it. That realization also kept us going. It gave use the tenacity to keep trying different ways to make it better until it became a roaring success.

We were fortunate to have attracted a team of like-minded coworkers. It took us years to learn how to hire, orient and train effectively, but we finally got it right. We have even written about what we learned in our book The Barefoot Spirit. When we finally hired the right people they all had one quality in common. They owned their jobs!

We as owners did not have to worry about whether they knew their job, their mission, or their skill set. We did not hear excuses blaming others for poor performance. They took control over their jobs and progress, looked for ways around road blocks, sought help, listened to advice, stayed on top of the latest technologies, improved their checklists, and never blamed others for unsuccessful outcomes.

They took full responsibility. And why? Because they saw adversity, learning curves, and being outside their comfort zones as a personal challenge they took great pride in overcoming. It was like beating your personal best.

A big part of your success is feeling empowered to overcome obstacles and taking personal responsibility for getting your job done. Here’s six tips that you can use to overcome obstacles:

1. Start and Improve Checklists. Any time a mistake is made, the procedure to avoid it in the future goes on your checklist to prevent a reoccurrence.

2. Cleanup Your Own Backyard. Do all you can with the help of your colleagues and counterparts to solve any operational, communication, or procedural problems on your end so progress is more likely to be made.

3. Ask, “What Did I Do Wrong?” Even when it was “their fault,” ask yourself, “What can I do better next time?”

4. Anticipate Misunderstandings. Proactively look for ways you could be misunderstood, your packages mis-delivered, your outsourced work done wrong, or a deadline missed. Improve your policies, notices, reports, and communications to better achieve your milestones and goals.

5. Use Calendars. Anticipate not only the approach of important dates, periods, holidays, and seasons, but also the leads times, deadlines, and current progress of the folks on whom you depend.

6. Notify Customers and Superiors of Your Progress. Don’t make others have to ask if you completed your project or not. Give them the sense of security that only comes from your timely, accurate and regular progress reports.

You want your business to be successful, your department to meet its goals, and your boss to find you indispensable, right? So take responsibility for your own job, your own progress, and your own difficulties.

If you want to become indispensable, JUST OWN IT!

Who We Are

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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How to Get a Job in Today’s Market – Part 2: The Search

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Sat, 03 May 2014 17:28:23 +0000

Just getting an interview in today’s job market is a big deal for college grads, but landing the right job is a two-way street. But let’s go back a few steps and discuss how knowing where to apply increases your chances of getting hired by a company that is a good fit for you.

You may be lucky to get any job, but wait! It’s more than a job; it’s the beginning of your career. It may be your first opportunity to show your stuff, but will the company you are interviewing with allow for that? When you choose where to apply wisely, your chances of getting hired are more likely and your promotions will come more easily.

There are several factors you should consider before you apply for a position. The more you know about your perspective employer and what they are looking for, the better.

Applications. Consider a small startup company where you have the potential to make a big difference and be entrusted with increased responsibility. You may also have a much better opportunity to rise in position and salary more quickly as the company grows. So think about what experience, knowledge, and responsibility you will gain and how it will look on your resume to your next employer.

Commitment. Whatever company you choose, you should plan on being there for a minimum of two years. This demonstrates stability on your resume going forward and indicates to your future employer that you will be with them long enough for them to get a return on their investment – in you! Do your homework and don’t get stuck with an employer you don’t like. Two years can be a long time with the wrong employer, but you must stick it out for the duration lest you look “unstable.” Remember, the first thing an employer looks at during the resume vetting process is your job durations. And the first to be eliminated are the applicants that appear “unstable.”

Proximity. Unless you are working virtually or your job requires extensive travel, you will have to commute to your place of employment. If it’s too far from your home, you will be more likely to quit for another job if it is closer, even with slightly less pay, thus costing you less commute time and money. Your perspective employer knows this and it may work against you. So, unless you’re planning to move closer to the job you are applying for, focus your job search close to home. Employers want to hire employees with less than a thirty-minute commute.

Values. What does your perspective employer’s company stand for beyond the goods and services they provide? How do they treat their employees? Go ask a few. How do they treat the environment? Check out the press. How do they treat their customers? Do they have a positive brand image? Why does any of this matter? We have found over time that companies that score higher in these areas have less turnover, get less bad press and have a higher likelihood of staying in business. Don’t be the employee from the bankrupt, or no-longer-in-business company. It reflects on you!

So look for the right fit. Your job should be consistent with your career goals, provide ample opportunity for advancement, be nearby, and resonate with your personal values. Plan on being there for at least two years. Remember, it’s a two-way street that has to work for both parties. The more wisely you choose the companies where you apply, the more likely you are to land the right job!

Who We Are

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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Successful Hiring takes Preparation, Permission and Patience

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 22:50:59 +0000

No matter what business you think you are in, you wind up in the personnel management business. Your first hires will require a great deal of your time and energy with no guarantees. Your way may conflict with their previous way of doing things.

For the most part, great employees are not found, they’re made. In order to delegate and allow your company to grow, you really have no choice.

All this takes time, energy, preparation and lots of patience, but by working together in concert, you can see wonders.

1. Good Seed. Start with people who demonstrate a high degree of integrity, take responsibility for their own behavior and have a history of long-term commitment. They should be willing to learn and extrapolate conceptual ideas and apply them to new situations. A good way to test this is to give the applicant a verbal run down of the job, the company’s challenges and your expectations for the position. Then, have them send you a one-page summary on a deadline. This will tell you volumes.

2. Good Ground. Make sure their job is clearly defined in writing and explains how your products and services produce the income to pay their salary, bonus and benefits. We used to give our people a “Money Map”. It started with the consumer and worked its way back through distribution, production, and all the payables to finally get to their check. This gave them respect for how and where the money came from – the customer, of course.

3. Care. You must inspect what you expect, especially in the first year. Once you are convinced you have “good seed” it’s worth your while to regularly spend time with them answering questions and mentoring. Listen to what’s behind their questions to discover what they really need to excel in their new position.

4. Light and Space. Give them permission to make mistakes. That’s what allows them to develop into the independent decision makers you need to confidently delegate. To “make those mistakes right,” have them write down what needs to be done to prevent those mistakes in the future. Have them make new polices, procedures, checklists, sign-offs, or whatever, but they have to document everything. Consider rewriting their job description to fit their real skill set.

5. Nutrients. Give them the training they need, in person and in writing. If a document doesn’t exist, have them write it. Create a mini manual for every job with the growing list of frequently asked questions and as many charts and graphs as are necessary to depict processes, relationships and decisions. Provide outside training with conferences, or field time with sales or production staff. The more they understand your total operation, the faster they will become invaluable.

6. Time. How much time you give them before they “get it” really depends on the position, their ability to learn, and how much faith you have in them personally. Some folks take longer but “get it” at a core level. Others may learn a specific process quickly, but miss the big picture. So it’s a judgment call based on your assessment of their progress and conceptual understandings, and the preparation, time and energy you have put in.

Even if you do these essentials, there’s no guarantee of success, but you will be much more likely to succeed. To grow those new hires into fruitful producers it takes preparation, permission and patience.

Who We Are

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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