When you think about it: It is the best of times and it is the worst of times

by Mike Hourigan, CSP

I am not trying to rip off Charles Dickens when I say it is the best of times and it was the worst of times in his book about the French Revolution, A Tale of Two Cities. I am commenting on how people look at good and bad fortune.

In a recent conversation with a business woman from South America, I asked how the recession was affecting her business. She laughed out loud and said, "Recession? This is not a recession, this is an opportunity." "Opportunity?" I said. Her response flabbergasted me. She said, "I am from South America where the recession is like the rain, depression is like the sunshine and corruption is like humidity, sometimes high and sometimes low; but it is always there. And the winds of inflation never stop blowing." She went on to explain how she had been a businesswoman for over 30 years, had weathered all of these elements and became very successful in spite of those conditions. I was blown away by her comment, and when I thought about it, she is right. The business climate is always changing; you have to learn how to adapt to all weather conditions. Here is the amusing part: she owns an interior decorating company and has done quite well in this bad economy.

Here is example of another fascinating individual I spoke to recently. He lost his job as salesman. He knew he was a good salesman and just had to find something to sell and boy, did he! He was having work done on his home and three electrical contractors called on him to sell their services. He said, "They stunk as salespeople and it was painful to watch as they tried to close the sale."

He picked the contractor who was the most knowledgeable and accommodating of the three and asked him a question. He asked him, "Do you like selling?" The electrician's response was, "I like showing people what I can do and like doing it; but when I have to ask for money, I get flustered. I don't rip people off and I always do what I say I am going to do. Half the time if the client balks, I just lower the price and look stupid." The salesman's response was perfect. "Would you like me to ask for the money?" The electrician responded: "I can't pay for a salesman." The salesman's response was simple, "You don't have to, I will pay myself."

I could go on with the story, but here is how it ended. The salesman contacted numerous plumbers, electricians, carpenters and painters with the same idea. The service he provides is closing the sale for them. He does not charge them commission; he puts his price on top of their bid and closes the deals.

In both of these examples, the person's attitudes, tenacity and creativity made them successful.

The manufactured housing industry has been hit hard by the economy and that is a fact. Some companies in the MH industry will continue to fail and others have and will thrive. The great equalizers will be your imagination, creativity, and willingness to change.

Maybe it is the best of times? ##

Mike Hourigan, CSP, Hourigan & Associates, is a consultant, author and convention keynote speaker who helps organizations get better results through their people. He employs benchmarked profiles to help organizations hire the best people. He specializes in sales management and change management. Contact Mike at 888-PRO-KEYNOTE or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; online at www.mikehourigan.com.