by David Chapman
Staff Writer
“When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
Both legendary football coach Knute Rockne and Joseph Kennedy, father of President John Kennedy, have been credited with the inspiring quotation that’s been mimicked, parodied and retold countless times over the years.
Much like players on any team, the same inspirational, motivational and tactical speeches and information can be applied toward business, as evidenced by the more than 12,000 people who turned out to hear the likes of Colin Powell, Steve Forbes and Rudy Giuliani during the “Get Motivated” business seminar tour during its Jacksonville stop in early November.
Yet, while their keynotes and seminars aren’t as high profile as the recent tour, Northeast Florida has numerous speakers, authors and trainers whose business revolves around their words and actions increasing everything from business productivity to improving the attitudes of owners and employees.
But when the going gets tough for business owners, do they tend to turn to inspirational or leadership tacticians?
“No, that’s not always the case,” said Richard Hadden, of local Contented Cow Partners. “In a down economy, the need goes up, but the willingness for employers to spend on such services doesn’t always go up with it.”
Hadden is a local author, speaker and consultant who specializes in making businesses more profitable through its people. His speaking engagements at large conferences and association meetings make up around 80 percent of his work, he said, with very little of it happening in the area.
His calendar is relatively full of engagements, but said employers and associations in 2009 — and even before — were cutting back.
“Attendance was down and that drives what they’re able to spend,” said Hadden. “Many organizations and associations that held conferences were also staying closer to home ... instead of a New Jersey group going to Naples, Fla. for example, they were staying in New Jersey.”
Hadden has seen a pickup heading toward 2010, though.
More groups within a region are consolidating their conferences to central locations instead of holding independent gatherings and association bookings are also returning to the larger, more glamourous venues that are destinations.
Like Hadden, Jon Gordon sees a brighter business outlook for his craft and others in 2010.
“I’m an optimist,” said Gordon, a speaker, author and consultant himself. “I feel like it’s going to get better.”
The last year has been a good one for Gordon, who credits his successful 2009 (“I have been busier than ever,” he said) to a positive, rallying message in tough economic times.
In their lines of work, preparation and the audience is often key to making an impact.
Both said they researched and spent time with organizations they were to speak to, with Gordon even recalling a recent engagement at Pepperidge Farm where he spent a day with one of its truck drivers to get a “day in the life” experience he could tell the audience.
“The response was amazing,” said Gordon.
It was a steady year for Buddy Folkner, owner of Folkner Training Associates. Folkner is licensed to offer the Dale Carnegie Training corporate and leadership programs to help businesses throughout the area grow and while the last year has remained steady, it’s a mixed reaction when a down economy affects businesses.
“The answer (to what business owners do in down economies) is a little bit of both,” explained Folkner. “Really, there are two major categories: those businesses that are preparing for the future and those looking to sustain. They’re both different.”
Folkner believes the economic conditions have created a lot of pent up demand for those leadership services and is ready to explode, which has him optimistic that 2010 will be a highly successful one for those in the field.
As for a little advice for business owners heading into 2010?
“One thing I say to every audience is that there’s no way anyone can survive in business without the full engagement of everyone on payroll,” said Hadden. “You have to get them (employees) fully engaged.”
Gordon said business owners should simplify and create a unifying vision – not so much a lengthy, convoluted mission statement as a simple, rallying vision. Along with that, he has one other piece of offer.
“Have no fear,” he said. “Fear is a paralyzer ... if you think your best days are behind you, they are. If you think your best days are ahead of you, they are. Just believe.”
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