It was 5:00 pm Christmas Eve 1989, and I was locking the front door of the supermarket where I was Store Manager.
Over the years, I made it a tradition for me to close the store on Christmas Eve.
Inside the store, my employees where rushing around counting their register tills, sweeping the floor, and generally preparing the store for closing down, so they all could rush home to their families for Christmas.
At approximately 5:30pm, I heard someone tapping on the front door.
“I just got off work and I need to shop for my family", the gentleman on the other side of the glass door shouted.
“Sorry, we are closed.” I answered.
“Please, I really need to shop and you are the only grocery store open.”
In the background several of my employees yelled out to me… “Mr. Gambone, I hope you don’t let him in, we all want to go home.”
I turned to my office manager and said , “Cindy, I feel bad for this guy…will you stick around with me until we get him checked out.”
She looked at me with a frown, “Well, I hope he only needs a few things, OK.”
We let him in…he was very gracious, grabbed a buggy and started to shop.
“I’ll only take a few minutes,” he said.
Then all of a sudden, he turned around and looked at Cindy and me in desperation… “Shit!..I’m sorry for swearing, but I left my wallet in my overalls at work….I can’t believe this!!!”
He abandoned the buggy and started walking towards the front door to leave.
Cindy looked at me and said… “Well, I guess we can leave now.”
“Hold on!” I said… “Sir, you pick up what you need and come back the day after Christmas and pay us.”
Cindy looked at me as if I was crazy. The gentleman was overjoyed and continued to shop.
When he completed his shopping, Cindy and I checked him out and bagged his groceries. He purchased lots of milk, cereal, bread and basic groceries along with some gift-wrap and children’s toys.
We wished him a Merry Christmas as he left and Cindy and I locked up and went home to our families.
...............the gentleman never returned...................
Yes, I took some heat from my boss when he found out…but that’s okay. I knew in my heart that it was right thing to do at the time.
“The good you do, will come back to you.”.... Lou Z.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and may you and your family have a glorious New Year.
Bob Gambone, The Pecan Pie Guy!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Roads of Success
The other day a client of mine asked me, what is the difference between a coach and a consultant? ...a teacher and a trainer? ...and a mentor and a coach?
He inspired me to write the following:
He inspired me to write the following:
The Roads of Success
Show me the road,
and you are my teacher.
Show me how to travel the road,
and you are my trainer.
Show me the road that you traveled successfully, and you are my mentor.
Show me the road that you have improved for me to travel successfully,
and you are my consultant.
Show me the road that you and I will travel together successfully,
and you are my coach.
Show me the road,
and you are my teacher.
Show me how to travel the road,
and you are my trainer.
Show me the road that you traveled successfully, and you are my mentor.
Show me the road that you have improved for me to travel successfully,
and you are my consultant.
Show me the road that you and I will travel together successfully,
and you are my coach.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
***This is just a sample!... if you would like a full-slice of "Pecans of Wisdom", be sure to indulge yourself in my new book:
"Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order"
BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM --click on link below.
“Copyright (12-15-2010) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Entrepreneurs need a “Secret Recipe”
Entrepreneurial experts around the world continue to debate over why small businesses fail, however they do agree on one thing; now more than ever entrepreneurs need to differentiate themselves in the marketplace.***
We have all heard the buzzwords:
“Branding”
“Point of Difference” (POD)
“Unique Selling Proposition” (USP)
“Secret Recipe” (from yours truly)
Think about this; every Fortune 500 company has a brand, a trademark and a tagline. Did you ever ask yourself, why?... Yes!...we all know the answer!
Because it is a fundamental business strategy!
So why do millions of entrepreneurs fail to create a “Secret Recipe”?
David F. D’Alessandro (best selling author ) says it best:
~ A business based on brand is, very simply, a business primed for success. ~
***Sources: Small Business Administration, Entrepeneurship.org, Personalbrandingblog.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
***This is just a sample!... if you would like a full-slice of "Pecans of Wisdom", be sure to indulge yourself in my new book;
"Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!
"BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM --click on link below.
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM
“Copyright (12-09-2010) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
We have all heard the buzzwords:
“Branding”
“Point of Difference” (POD)
“Unique Selling Proposition” (USP)
“Secret Recipe” (from yours truly)
Think about this; every Fortune 500 company has a brand, a trademark and a tagline. Did you ever ask yourself, why?... Yes!...we all know the answer!
Because it is a fundamental business strategy!
So why do millions of entrepreneurs fail to create a “Secret Recipe”?
David F. D’Alessandro (best selling author ) says it best:
~ A business based on brand is, very simply, a business primed for success. ~
***Sources: Small Business Administration, Entrepeneurship.org, Personalbrandingblog.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
***This is just a sample!... if you would like a full-slice of "Pecans of Wisdom", be sure to indulge yourself in my new book;
"Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!
"BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM --click on link below.
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM
“Copyright (12-09-2010) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
Monday, December 6, 2010
“Taking Care of Business!”
“Taking Care of Business!” by B.T.O.
I love that song!
Yes, I know, I am really dating myself…but that’s ok because we all need a song to get us fired up!
...And no matter how many times I hear it … I get fired up!
Music can really be a mood changer, and for me I always look for a song that will brighten my day, or get me out of a rut, so to speak.
How about you? What song or songs set you free!... Change your blight into excite?
Now don’t procrastinate…you know what song(s) ignite your passion.
Get that song(s) on an IPOD, MP3, tape, CD, etc…. and keep it handy… listen to it when needed and start Taking Care of Business!
T.S. Eliot says it best...“You are the music while the music lasts.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------
***This is just a sample!... if you would like a full-slice of "Pecans of Wisdom", be sure to indulge yourself in my new book; "Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!
"BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM --click on link below.
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM
“Copyright (12-06-2010) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
I love that song!
Yes, I know, I am really dating myself…but that’s ok because we all need a song to get us fired up!
...And no matter how many times I hear it … I get fired up!
Music can really be a mood changer, and for me I always look for a song that will brighten my day, or get me out of a rut, so to speak.
How about you? What song or songs set you free!... Change your blight into excite?
Now don’t procrastinate…you know what song(s) ignite your passion.
Get that song(s) on an IPOD, MP3, tape, CD, etc…. and keep it handy… listen to it when needed and start Taking Care of Business!
T.S. Eliot says it best...“You are the music while the music lasts.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------
***This is just a sample!... if you would like a full-slice of "Pecans of Wisdom", be sure to indulge yourself in my new book; "Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!
"BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM --click on link below.
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM
“Copyright (12-06-2010) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Betty the Barometer
Let’s call her Betty the Barometer.
Now this story dates way back to when my hair was still black and I looked more like Mark Spitz than Jay Leno. (not to say I can compare to either of them, but you get my drift).
I was assigned as the Grocery Department manager in a new store.
Towards the end of the second week, I was walking through the store in a terrible mood because the night stocking crew did not complete their assignments and my department was not meeting customer requirements... I probably looked like a chicken with my head cut off because I circled the inside parameter of the store several times barking out orders to my employees and completely ignoring the customers.
Betty, a very petite and soft-spoken meat wrapper with 23 years in the business, had been observing me in my state of frenzy while she was stocking the meat case with fresh cut meat... As I passed by her for the third time, she called out to me.
“Gambone! …come here for second.”
I quickly stopped in my tracks and started walking towards her with a huff and a puff.
“What Betty, can’t you see I’m busy.”
“You know Gambone, that’s your problem, you are too busy. You look like you are ready to explode. What happened to that smiling face I am used to seeing?...and hey, you didn’t even say hi to me this morning!
Well, I don’t know what’s going on in your head but you can’t let your employees and customers see that you are pissed off…we need you to lift us up, not let us down.”
I looked at Betty and said, “Wow Betty, thank you …I never would have thought I'd hear that from you….but you are right…thank you again.”
From that day forward, when I got in a bad mood, I would always check with Betty to see if my “mood” was actually coming to the surface.
We all need a Betty in our lives.
Ask yourself…Who is my “business barometer?”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
***This is just a sample!... if you would like a full-slice of "Pecans of Wisdom", be sure to indulge yourself in my new book;
"Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!"
BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM --click on link below.
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM
“Copyright (11-14-2010) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
Now this story dates way back to when my hair was still black and I looked more like Mark Spitz than Jay Leno. (not to say I can compare to either of them, but you get my drift).
I was assigned as the Grocery Department manager in a new store.
Towards the end of the second week, I was walking through the store in a terrible mood because the night stocking crew did not complete their assignments and my department was not meeting customer requirements... I probably looked like a chicken with my head cut off because I circled the inside parameter of the store several times barking out orders to my employees and completely ignoring the customers.
Betty, a very petite and soft-spoken meat wrapper with 23 years in the business, had been observing me in my state of frenzy while she was stocking the meat case with fresh cut meat... As I passed by her for the third time, she called out to me.
“Gambone! …come here for second.”
I quickly stopped in my tracks and started walking towards her with a huff and a puff.
“What Betty, can’t you see I’m busy.”
“You know Gambone, that’s your problem, you are too busy. You look like you are ready to explode. What happened to that smiling face I am used to seeing?...and hey, you didn’t even say hi to me this morning!
Well, I don’t know what’s going on in your head but you can’t let your employees and customers see that you are pissed off…we need you to lift us up, not let us down.”
I looked at Betty and said, “Wow Betty, thank you …I never would have thought I'd hear that from you….but you are right…thank you again.”
From that day forward, when I got in a bad mood, I would always check with Betty to see if my “mood” was actually coming to the surface.
We all need a Betty in our lives.
Ask yourself…Who is my “business barometer?”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
***This is just a sample!... if you would like a full-slice of "Pecans of Wisdom", be sure to indulge yourself in my new book;
"Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!"
BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM --click on link below.
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM
“Copyright (11-14-2010) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
The Diamond RULE²
-----------TOP RATED POSTING-----------
We all know the Golden Rule (treat others the way you want to be treated), many of us have heard of the Platinum Rule (treat others the way they want to be treated)…
The Diamond RULE² applies specifically to leadership.
R- Respect everyone; everyone’s job is just as important as everyone else’s…pay grade is based on the position, not on the importance of the person.
U- Understand their vision, it may be different from yours; strength of a team is in its diversity of its members.
L- Listen and learn how to help; we all learn something new everyday, from anyone.
E- Enthusiastically and passionately support your team; attitudes are contagious, believe in them and they will believe in you.
E- Exceed what is expected of you; leadership is not just making a living, it’s making a life.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
***This is just a sample!... if you would like a "full-slice" of passion, be sure to indulge yourself in my new book,
"Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!"
BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM --click on link below.
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM
“Copyright (7-1-2010) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
We all know the Golden Rule (treat others the way you want to be treated), many of us have heard of the Platinum Rule (treat others the way they want to be treated)…
The Diamond RULE² applies specifically to leadership.
R- Respect everyone; everyone’s job is just as important as everyone else’s…pay grade is based on the position, not on the importance of the person.
U- Understand their vision, it may be different from yours; strength of a team is in its diversity of its members.
L- Listen and learn how to help; we all learn something new everyday, from anyone.
E- Enthusiastically and passionately support your team; attitudes are contagious, believe in them and they will believe in you.
E- Exceed what is expected of you; leadership is not just making a living, it’s making a life.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
***This is just a sample!... if you would like a "full-slice" of passion, be sure to indulge yourself in my new book,
"Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!"
BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM --click on link below.
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM
“Copyright (7-1-2010) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
From Manager to Leader…My Own Personal Journey
---------------------Top Rated Posting -----------------
I was the best.
(well, at least in my own mind)
No one could build displays, order product, stock shelves, take inventory and write schedules better than me.
“He never slows down, runs around 24/7..."
"…Bob is the hardest worker I have ever seen.”
(words often expressed by my co-workers and Store Managers.)
So why was I passed over for upper level management time and time again?
I was a great manager, everyone said so. I was winning all the display and selling contests.
I was the best at getting work done, and lived by the credo: if you want something done right you need to do it yourself.
In fact, every time I would go on vacation, I would return to deplorable conditions and I would have to work overtime just to get the department back up to standards.
Again, so why was I not promoted?
In one word…leadership.
I was lighting fires under the feet of my employees instead of inspiring the fire in the hearts of my team.
And then I was given a revelation…a great mentor of mine said:
“Bob, it's not how good your department looks when you are here, the true test of your leadership is the condition of your department, when you are not here.
We want our managers to work smart not hard.
Yes, you will always have to pitch in, but you need to let go and have your team pinch hit for you, you can’t always do everything yourself."
From that point on, I realized:
Managers live for the task, leaders live for their team.
Three months later, I was promoted.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
***This is just a sample!... if you would like a full slice of "Pecans of Wisdom", be sure to indulge yourself in my upcoming book, "Pecan Pie", fresh from the oven, early November!...stay tuned! “Copyright (10-13-2010) by Robert V. Gambone Sr.”
I was the best.
(well, at least in my own mind)
No one could build displays, order product, stock shelves, take inventory and write schedules better than me.
“He never slows down, runs around 24/7..."
"…Bob is the hardest worker I have ever seen.”
(words often expressed by my co-workers and Store Managers.)
So why was I passed over for upper level management time and time again?
I was a great manager, everyone said so. I was winning all the display and selling contests.
I was the best at getting work done, and lived by the credo: if you want something done right you need to do it yourself.
In fact, every time I would go on vacation, I would return to deplorable conditions and I would have to work overtime just to get the department back up to standards.
Again, so why was I not promoted?
In one word…leadership.
I was lighting fires under the feet of my employees instead of inspiring the fire in the hearts of my team.
And then I was given a revelation…a great mentor of mine said:
“Bob, it's not how good your department looks when you are here, the true test of your leadership is the condition of your department, when you are not here.
We want our managers to work smart not hard.
Yes, you will always have to pitch in, but you need to let go and have your team pinch hit for you, you can’t always do everything yourself."
From that point on, I realized:
Managers live for the task, leaders live for their team.
Three months later, I was promoted.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
***This is just a sample!... if you would like a full slice of "Pecans of Wisdom", be sure to indulge yourself in my upcoming book, "Pecan Pie", fresh from the oven, early November!...stay tuned! “Copyright (10-13-2010) by Robert V. Gambone Sr.”
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