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TeacherAide Common Unity SESSION 3
ILLUSTRATING THE POINT George, age 92, and Jane, age 89, are all excited about their decision to get married. They go for a stroll to discuss wedding plans, and on the way they pass a drugstore. The elderly couple enters the store where George asks to speak to the owner. “We're about to get married,” George informs him. “Do you sell heart medication?" "Of course we do," the owner replies. "How about support-hose to help with poor circulation?" "Definitely.” "What about medicine for rheumatism, osteoporosis, and arthritis?" George continues. "All kinds," says the owner with confidence. "How about waterproof furniture covers and Depends?" "Yes, sir." George asks, "Hearing aid and denture supplies, and reading glasses?" "Yes." "What about eye drops, sleeping pills, Geritol, and Ensure?" "Absolutely." "Do you sell wheelchairs, walkers, and canes?" “All kinds and sizes,” the owner replies. “But why all these questions?" George smiles proudly and announces, "We'd like to use your store as our bridal registry." The January 13, 1992, issue of Fortune featured the "Biggest Business Goofs of 1991." In an act of corporate cooperation, AT&T reached an agreement with the power company in New York City, ConEd. The contract stated that whenever power demands exceeded the utility's grid, AT&T would lessen their demands on the electric utility by throwing a switch, unplugging some of its facilities, and drawing power from internal generators at its 33 Thomas Street station in lower Manhattan. On September 17, AT&T acted in accordance with its agreement. But when AT&T's own generators kicked in, the power surge kicked out some of their vital rectifiers, which handled 4.5 million domestic calls, 470,000 international calls, 1,174 flights across the nation carrying 85,000 passengers, and the total communications systems linking air traffic controllers at La Guardia, Kennedy, and Newark airports. The alarm bells at the 33 Thomas Street station rang unheeded for six hours. The AT&T personnel in charge of the rectifiers were away attending a one-day seminar on how to handle emergencies. Phillip W. Gunter in Fresh Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching (Baker), from the editors of Leadership.
Jay Walker, founder and vice-chairman of Priceline.com, says: You have to believe. In the Internet world, people like to talk, but very few truly believe. If, for example, you really believe that you're going to double your business every year, then you've got to hire ahead of the curve. That's why, last year, when we were doing maybe $400,000 worth of business each week, we recruited Rick Braddock, the former president of Citicorp and a top-tier leader. Today we're doing 10 times as much business as we were then. Hiring Rick for a $20 million business may be overkill right now—but we're going to need him to run a business that will be doing $500 million or $1 billion a year. If you wait until you're actually doing that much business to hire the necessary talent, then you'll be too late.
Jay Walker, founder and vice-chairman of Priceline.com; Polly LaBarre, "Leaders.com," Fast Company (June 1999), p. 95,
In the late 1980s, Tony Rice was the quarterback for Notre Dame. He had a lot of talent, but was criticized for being inaccurate. His coach, Lou Holtz, came up with a winning strategy. He bought Rice a dartboard. He told him to practice throwing darts for at least an hour a day. That didn’t make much sense to Rice, but he followed his coach’s strategy. In 1988, Rice led Notre Dame to a national championship.
I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY... “The best strategy is always to be very strong, first generally, then at the decisive point.” Karl von Clausewitz, On War, 1832
“Strategy is the art of making use of time and space. I am less chary of the latter than the former. Space we can recover, lost time never.” Napoleon
“Where there is no strategy, there is no victory.” Nate Carr, Olympic bronze medalist
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