Jaycees – Russell’s Ramblings

A Lesson I Learned from Coach – Ray Parlier

The below article was written for the August issue of FLAME.

I am not sure there is a single principle more important than simply loving your people. I’ve always enjoyed reading books by John C. Maxwell, and in one of his books he had a statement from President Theodore Roosevelt, “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

In 1985, I met a man named Ray Parlier. Ray and I were very involved in the South Carolina Junior Chamber (Jaycees) and later he would lead the state organization as President. He also became one of my political advisors when I was National President of the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce.

While Ray was extremely successful in the Jaycees, his real impact was shaping the lives of kids at Furman University where he served as Athletic Director during the time when it claimed its only National Football Championship. Ray’s influence on me was profound, but his greatest lesson was to love your people. If you demonstrate how much you care about the people you lead, they will follow you anywhere. People always came first with Coach Parlier and he was a master at making you feel special.

He called until it was too late to talk on the phone. Then he would switch to addressing postcard after postcard thanking folks for the smallest things. Ray was a fierce competitor and he believed everyone had a place on the team. The quarterback who made the perfect fade pass was important but so was the trainer who conditioned the players. Ray gave out more plaques and incentives than anyone I ever met and sometimes it was the smallest tokens that people desired the most. It was not the size of the reward but the appreciation for the job well done. I am not sure I ever saw as many grown men hug each other as they did under the leadership of Coach. He made you feel good about yourself and your effort.

Someone recently asked me to what I attributed the success of the Lake Norman Chamber I lead here at Lake Norman. Location is a critical factor for any business, but it really benefits those who make their home at the lake. We have businesses that work their plan, take advantage of our networking events, and our outstanding personal growth and business programming. However, the thing that sets our chamber apart, which enables us to be the “Best of the Best”, is our appreciation of each other. You must show folks how much you care. It is the foundation of leadership.

I still remember a Saturday morning in Charleston, S.C. when I had just been elected President of the South Carolina Jaycees. Coach Ray Parlier put his arm around me and hugged me tight. He then looked deep in my eyes, with a wide smile across his face and reminded me, “Bill, love your people and they’ll love you back.”

As I look back on a life that has spanned six decades now, that may well have been the single best advice I ever received.

Bill Russell

A Fighting Chance

Last month, business, community, and elected leaders gathered along with health care officials at the opening of Atrium Health Levine Children’s Pediatric Emergency Room at Lake Norman. The new facility located at exit 25 in Huntersville is a 24/7 emergency room specifically trained in caring for children.

The highlight of the morning was hearing from the parent of a young baby who was evidence of a death-defying miracle – Scarlett LaPierre. Mike LaPierre, the general manager of Skybrook Golf Club in Huntersville, shared how Scarlett was delivered by a C-section at 26 weeks, weighing less than a pound and a half. Two weeks after her premature birth, Scarlett developed a massive clot inside her heart.

Fortunately, the doctors at Levine Children’s Hospital had advanced knowledge of a treatment that few babies in the world had ever been exposed. A new drug had recently been developed called “TPA” which busted the clot but not without concerns of side effects which threatened her life.

The parents Mike and Tracey LaPierre had been prepared to say goodbye to their precious little girl named after Scarlett O’Hara from “Gone with the Wind”. Much like the character for whom she was named, little Scarlett was a fighter and survived the ordeal.

Mike LaPierre credited the team at Levine for both finding and treating the clot. There had only been 10 similar documented cases published worldwide, so the odds had been heavily stacked against her. Had it not been for the outstanding physicians and resources of Levine, little Scarlett would have been another statistic. Instead, she is a miracle growing healthier each day.

Listening to Scarlett’s story, I thought about a visit I took to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Medical University at South Carolina in 1993. I had recently been asked to take part in the Blue-Ribbon Commission Partnership with the March of Dimes. The commission was an effort by the healthcare advocate to engage national civic organizations in their fight against birth defects.

I was 34 at the time and chairman of the board of the largest young people’s service organization in the country – the United States Junior Chamber. We toured several wings of the hospital before one of the physicians took me down a darkened corridor. There to the right and left were rows and rows of incubators with little premature babies who could have easily fit in the palm of your hand. I was told many of these babies were “crack babies” born to mothers addicted to cocaine. Others were the result of alcohol, heroin or other narcotics.

I stood at the glass and looked down at one of the babies. Bright pink, this little “preemie’s” eyes were closed tightly as they fought for each labored breath. I remember asking naively about the parents as the female physician looked at me, paused, and carefully chose her words which have haunted me since.

“In most cases these little babies are born to young mothers exposed to drugs such as barbiturates or heroin,” she replied. I asked what would become of them? The young physician looked away and then turned to me and replied, “Most will not likely survive the week. Those that do, may have cognitive or developmental issues.”

I didn’t dare ask another question. Instead, l looked back down, focusing on the little baby whose chest rose slowly up and down. His fingers were clenched tightly and every soften, seemed to take a wild swing through the air.

Today, we are so fortunate to have a facility like Levine Children’s hospital here at the lake. As a community, we are blessed to have outstanding providers like Atrium, Novant, and Lake Norman Regional Medical to take care of our employees, families, and children.

Listening to Mike Lapierre who held baby Scarlett tight in his arms, I couldn’t help but think of that young “preemie” almost three decades ago.

No child should be left alone in the darkness of that room, with no one to love and no one to love them back. It is important we educate young expectant mothers on lifestyle decisions and as importantly, we as a community need to invest in our healthcare, making sure each child has that fighting chance. It’s a fight we can win together and a fight we dare not lose.

Bill Russell

A Life Well Lived

dad1 — William E Russell Jr and William E. Russell Sr at the Panthers Game

One month ago, I lost my father to cancer. Daddy was much more than a dad. He was my mentor, my confidante, my supporter, my best friend and the inspiration for much of what I have done in my life. My mom has also been a guiding influence and I love her dearly. But as Lewis Grizzard put it best, “My daddy was a pistol and I’m a son of a gun.”

If you’ve been a Chamber Member for a while, you may have read the countless articles and columns I have written about my father and grandfather and the lessons I learned growing up on our family farm. The house and the halls where my father and his father roamed, along with the pastures they trod, and the rich soil we turned in the garden together, hold special memories for me.

My dad, a lifelong member of Bethesda Presbyterian Church, was an Ordained Elder of the church, and served as Clerk of Session. It surprised me when I learned that he did not want a church funeral. Instead, he requested a small graveside service and a visitation of just family and close friends upon his passing.

While my Dad spent much of his lifetime committed to civic service, with years of dedication to the Red Cross, Kiwanis, Jaycees, Little League and other community activities, deep down he was simply a quiet man and was not one for show. That’s one quality I’ve yet to learn from daddy. I have always struggled with the “humility thing” and since I was young, I kind of thought the world may indeed revolve around me.

Daddy would have been taken aback by the hundreds of people who crammed into Greene’s Funeral Home in Rock Hill on that mournful Saturday afternoon. Jaycee friends from across the state drove hours to visit with our family, and to share in our moment of reflection on the life that had impacted so many in 81 years.

In addition to the family and friends, more than 50 Lake Norman Chamber members also drove down to South Carolina for my father’s funeral. Some were former or current chamber board leadership, others were long time chamber members, and many were Lake Norman neighbors I’ve been lucky enough to meet and call friends. A few never met him, yet they all gave up their Saturday and drove for several hours through the challenges of I-77 for one reason – to show they cared. And to each you who were there on the saddest day of my life, your presence was a comfort that I will never forget. Pic A Dad

I’ve often been asked what makes the Lake Norman Chamber different from any other Chamber. The answer for me has always been simple – We are a family. We encourage each other when we need inspiration and we’re there for each other when times are tough. And we celebrate together. This month we added to our family at the Chamber with the addition of Sylvia Spury who many may know from her 18 years of service with the Mooresville South Iredell Chamber. She has 20 years of Chamber experience and we are so lucky to have her on our team.

The past month has been one of tremendous difficulty for me personally due to the loss of my father. The announcement that Sylvia had been selected as the new Executive Vice President caused some to wonder if I had left the chamber or was retiring to our family farm. But the reality is we hired Sylvia to complement our chamber leadership team and we are very excited to have her on our staff. She brings new ideas, vision, and synergy to our organization. We’ve also just unveiled a new chamber website which will allow us to unleash unbridled opportunities when it comes to marketing and promoting our chamber membership.

At the end of the graveside service, after most had driven the long road home, a close friend shared a conversation that she’d had with a previous chamber board chairman. When she thanked Bob McIntosh and his wife Ann for coming to support us that day, Bob simply said, “It’s all about family. We show up because it matters. It’s what we do.”

I am grateful that the Lord gave me a great father to learn from and love. While his saddle may now be empty, his presence in my life still fills my heart and lifts my soul, as so many of you have also done this past month.

The words Bob McIntosh conveyed that afternoon embody why I have spent 23 years at this Chamber of Commerce. We’re family here at Lake Norman. That is and will always be the difference. We do the things we do because it matters. It’s what we do.

Bill Russell, Jr.

The Politics of Business

Russell thoughts 1 Tip O’Neil, the 55th Speaker of the House and perhaps one of the most influential members of the United States Congress once said, “All politics is local.” He coined the phrase in a 1992 Congressional campaign running against an attorney who was heavily financed with out of state campaign contributions. What O’Neil was referring to was the principles that a politician’s success is directly linked to his or her ability to understand fully and influence the issues of their constituents.

The last few weeks and the week ahead will see a flurry of campaigning for local office and school board by both incumbents wishing to hold onto their seats and newcomers looking for an opportunity to serve. This year’s town boards are quite competitive with perhaps the most ever seeking an opportunity to represent their community.

The last local election could have been seen as a referendum on I-77 as tolls at Lake Norman figured prominently into the debate. There is no question that transportation – whether they are state roads or under local control – are critical in the minds of voters.

The Chamber has aggressively advocated for the cancellation of the Cintra Contract and moving forward with general purpose lanes since we adopted a Resolution calling for that action in June of 2015.

At a recent trip to my dentist, he pointed out I-77 has significantly impacted his business as they almost daily have to shuffle appointments from patients who are caught in traffic. Those of course are patients who choose to reschedule! Reagan

This election cycle, voters in Mecklenburg County will decide the fate of a $922 million Charlotte Mecklenburg School Bond. As I write this article, your Chamber Board has not taken a position on the Bonds and may not.

As business leaders, we understand that education – public and private – is the foundation of our economic and business development. Our schools provide our workforce and the future generation which will inherit our communities tomorrow.

One of my favorite politicians of all time was Ronald Reagan. I met Reagan when I was National President of the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees).

It is well documented that Speaker O’Neil and President Reagan were constantly at odds. O’Neil said Reagan was the most ignorant man who ever occupied the White House and “a cheerleader for selfishness.” In his memoirs, the Speaker was asked about the attacks on the President and how the two seemed to remain friends. O’Neil commented, “Before 6:00 pm it’s all politics.”

Reagan himself once quipped, “If you’re afraid of the future, then get out of the way, stand aside. The people of this country are ready to move again.”

Our economy seems to be doing quite well and I believe our citizens are ready to get moving again. The businesses of Lake Norman have looked to the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce for 30 years to help create jobs and provide an environment that encourages entrepreneurship and business development.

The bottom line is we as business, community, and elected leaders cannot go back and change any mistakes that were made yesterday but we can create a brand new beginning. A change that begins with us, one person and one community at a time. It is the charge we have from our past and the responsibility we owe to the future.

Bill Russell

This column was written originally for the October Lake Norman Chamber Splash Newsletter and appeared as a Guest Column in the October 4th issue issue of the Lake Norman Citizen Newspaper (Page 32), Photo taken at the 72nd Annual Meeting of the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) Portland Oregon, June 1992.

A Lasting Lesson From A Moment In Time

As summer vacations begin to wind down, many of us are refocusing on local businesses, seeking to learn new techniques to attract customers and create new revenue. Learning comes in many forms – seminars, forums, and continuing education. Sometimes though, the most lasting lessons come from the briefest encounters.

For more than a decade, I have served as the advisor to a group of special needs adults called the Kiwanis Aktion Club. These young adults meet each month at the Lake Norman Chamber to socialize, conduct community projects, and participate in programs to enrich their lives.

Recently, a friend asked if I had a personal connection to this group. Perhaps a family member with special needs or a friend with a disability? As I started to reply, I had to suppress the tears. Yes, there was a story. There’s always a story.

In 1983, I joined a local community service group called the Jaycees and jumped head first into nearly every local project. Then one day, the Chapter President asked for volunteers to participate in Camp Hope Sunday. The statewide charity was a summer camp for children with disabilities. Each year the Jaycees would dedicate one Sunday to drive to this special camp and spend an afternoon with the young campers. The volunteers would take a picnic lunch, usually stopping at KFC just outside of the camp, and spend time with the campers. After lunch, the kids would sing a few songs for their hosts.

The first few times I was asked to join in, I always found an excuse why I couldn’t attend, but in 1986 I was president of our Jaycee Chapter and felt that I had to go. Once there, I was assigned a little boy. Thirty one years later I still remember his name … Jason. Jason was just like any other ten year old child except he was considered special. Jason had Down Syndrome.

Shortly after we arrived, we sat down for our picnic. The room was loud with laughter and chatter and Jason hardly took a breath between bites as he filled me in everything that came to his mind. When he reached over and started picking up food off of my plate, I was slightly taken aback. But Jason just laughed as if he had told the biggest joke of all.

Several minutes later Jason joined a group of kids to sing a few songs. Picture twelve children, all singing the same song, but each and every one in a different harmony and pitch. I caught Jason looking directly at me, eyes locked on mine, and he was smiling from ear to ear. After the last song, he ran back to our table, anxiously asking could I hear him? “Absolutely,” I replied. I’m quite sure he was the loudest child on stage! As our group gathered to depart, I’ll never forget that moment when this young boy who I met just hours before, wrapped his little arms tightly around my waist, and said “I love you Mr. Bill.” Aktion 2

We drove three hours back to Rock Hill and although others in the car were carrying on conversations, my thoughts were still on Jason and the other campers. That’s the day, the very moment, I realized Jason didn’t have a special need – I did. But not anymore. I truly believe God gave me that moment with Jason for a reason.

When my friend asked me recently did I have a special needs child of my own? I said yes. I have a couple of dozen of them actually. We meet every month at the Chamber. We call ourselves the Aktion Club.

Some Aktion Club members are in their 20’s, some in their 30’s and they may not be kids – but in a very special way, they’re my kids. When they have every reason in the world to rail against their own particular challenges – they laugh, love, learn, and serve.

Jason touched me in way that I have never forgotten. This ten year old child with Downs taught me I didn’t need to be afraid. He had enough love for us both as he wrapped his arms tightly around me as my body literally shook. Three decades later I remember that simple hug. It was the afternoon I found God’s Grace in the heart of a child.

Bill Russell

The above article was written for The Lake Norman Citizen Newspaper – July 26, 2017.

Lots to be thankful for!

Last weekend, a longtime friend called to inform me she was moving to Colorado and hoped we could get together again before she made that trek out west.

Jill was one of the first people I met at the lake when I took over the helm of the Chamber in 1996. She and I could not have been more different in our political philosophies. She was a diehard progressive and I was clearly a conservative when it came to my beliefs and values. Yet, our love of the Lake Norman community and the potential of this region transcended our partisan differences.

jaycees As a reporter for the only newspaper in the area at the time, Jill and I were both involved in many of the milestone events for our area, such as the groundbreaking of the “New” Exit 25 on I-77 and the grand opening of Birkdale. Since she also served as president of the Lake Norman Jaycees and was active in both the Chamber and Rotary, she and I interacted a great deal over two decades.

As we sat together on her last weekend in town, we lamented how partisan, bitter, and angry politics have turned both nationwide and locally. Ironically, we also both remarked how glad we are that it will soon come to an end – at least until next fall! We spent the next two hours reminiscing friends we have lost here at the lake and celebrating how things have grown and prospered since we first met over 20 years ago.

As we started to say our goodbyes, almost on cue – a beautiful Lake Norman sunset burned brightly in the sky above The Port City Club. We watched as the sun slowly sank below the cool waters, glistening orange and yellow as the day gave way, surrendering to twilight.

We hugged one last time and she left for her new life out west. Driving home, I was reminded that during this season of Thanksgiving, how very fortunate and thankful I am to all of the many people like Jill who have profoundly shaped our community and my life. And, how much better the Lake Norman region is because of these remarkable individuals. I am also very thankful that unemployment is down, our local real estate market is thriving, and commerce is strong. The chamber continues to introduce new businesses to the Lake Norman market, engage new members and benefit from the immense dedication of our volunteers. For these things, we are immensely grateful!

Recently, the Chamber held a Public Safety Luncheon where we saluted our local Police, Fire, and First Responders for keeping our families and businesses safe. While riots and protests ensued just a few miles down the road, our communities were safe! For that and for the services this special group provides each day, we should all be relieved and thankful!

We also celebrate the growth of our Lake Norman Chamber Young Professionals who celebrate their second anniversary this month! This group is growing as we see more and more young adults get involved in their community. America can feel the power of her young people and nowhere is that more evident than Lake Norman. ed-collab

Last month, we called on local businesses to help our Lake Norman Education Collaborative and you responded recognizing the need for businesses to partner with our public education. Thank you!

While I am thankful the campaign season is coming to a close – I am also very grateful to the men and women who both serve and those who seek political office.

As I watched Jill walk away, it occurred to me sometimes it’s the smallest of things and the people who have touched your life you cherish most of all. You may not remember all they said, perhaps not all they did, but you remember how they made you feel and the impact they have had on your life. It really is a lot to be thankful for.

Every Picture tells a story

Chamber candidate forum — Lake Norman Chamber Candidate Forum

It seems as if the last few weeks have been nothing but a flurry of political activity. The first week of September, the Charlotte region hosted the Democratic National Convention. Later that week, a delegation from the Chamber and Visit Lake Norman made our annual trip to Washington DC to meet with our federal delegation and to attend the N.C. Business and Economic Development Summit with members of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation and Senate.

These past two weeks we have held two candidate forums featuring our candidates for United States House District #9, Mecklenburg County at large and District #1, and the new N.C. House Seat District #92.

A few weeks ago, I was interviewed by Kristy Etheridge from WBTV who asked did our businesses see much of an impact from the DNC? I told Kristy that months ago, we cautioned area retailers and hospitality businesses from being overly optimistic that delegate spending would be a “silver bullet” for our local economy.

In speaking to some local business owners both here and in Charlotte, as well as DNC vendors, sales were for the most part disappointing. While our hotel industry did quite well, some retailers in Charlotte were actually hurt in that regular customers and clients did not patronize the businesses during the DNC.

The real strength of the DNC was its ability to showcase our area to not only the nation, but the eyes of the world. A political event of that nature is perhaps second only to the Olympics in terms of international exposure. Media coverage, as well as national and international awareness, focused on the Charlotte and Lake markets.

Before the gavel sounded at Time Warner Arena, our Chamber had already been contacted by a Senior Producer with RTL Netherlands, a television news organization, on giving our perspective on the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care act (Obama care). Their producer had seen the media coverage of our August Focus Friday on the subject.

Perhaps Vinay Patel, whose company SREE owns Marriott’s Courtyard and Residence Inn in Huntersville, summed it up best at this month’s Visit Lake Norman Board meeting when he pointed out the DNC proved to the world Charlotte is no longer a second-tier city when it comes to hosting an event.

Tom and Bill 2012 — Tom Coderre and Bill Russell

While I did not have a chance to attend any of the official DNC, I did tour the facility and had a chance to have dinner with a close friend I had not seen in over a decade. Tom Coderre, the Chief of Staff to the Rhode Island Senate President and a former State Senator himself, attended the DNC as a delegate.

Tom was a National Vice President of the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) in 1992-1993 when I was the National President. One of the youngest NVP’s to ever serve the Jaycees, he was assigned to many of the larger states like Texas and Kansas. In the beginning, some of the Jaycee leaders from those states could not imagine such a young man from such a small state could be that much of a resource. However, Tom soon proved true the adage “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog.” Among the ten National Vice Presidents, Tom was recognized at our Annual Meeting in Greensboro as the Most Outstanding National Vice President and received the coveted Don Cavelli Memorial Award.

Tom and I avoided most of the political issues of the day and focused on what we were doing with our professional careers. However, before we went our own ways he introduced me to other delegates from Rhode Island including his Mayor from the City of Providence – Angel Taveras, and I had the chance to meet delegates from Maryland.

One by one, they each told me how much they were enjoying Charlotte and the region. “Charlotte is a beautiful city,” one remarked and when I identified myself from Lake Norman, another commented, “Oh, I was there yesterday – spectacular!”

Travelling back home in my convertible that night, an old Rod Stewart song came on the radio. I listened to the refrain of the familiar song I had heard so many times before… “So remember, every picture tells a story don’t it” In this case… I couldn’t agree more!

Climbing the ladder of success

Dad & I Riding — Dad & I riding in Fort Mill (SC)

I’ve been one fortunate guy in my professional career. I cannot begin to describe how much fun it is to work at the Lake Norman Chamber with some of the most creative, energetic, and generous business people in the Charlotte region. A couple of months ago I attended a fundraiser for Triple Cross Ranch which helps instill confidence in young people with special needs riding and working with rescued horses.

It comes on the heels of the Ada Jenkins Ice event which raised well over a hundred thousand dollars for our outstanding outreach center. Add to that the Chamber’s Habitat Build and the generosity of Wells Fargo and our many other businesses and you understand what I mean about the generosity of our business community.

Prior to going to work at my first Chamber of Commerce 19 years ago, I was active in a service organization called Jaycees (Junior Chamber of Commerce). I had no grand plan to lead the organization other than serving as a local president like my dad did in 1965. Through hard work and a great deal of help by many people working together, I was fortunate to climb the leadership ranks of the organization eventually being elected national president in 1992. I travelled to 47 states and seven countries speaking to Jaycee chapters across the nation.

Montana Jaycees — Meeting with the Montana Delegation in Portland, site of the 1992 Convention

Years later, I had a young man ask me how a local Jaycee becomes national President. As I talked about the lonely nights traveling hours by car to meetings as a state officer to a membership night only to find a handful of people and no prospects in the room – or turning around the next night and driving four more hours to train officers to find 3 or 4 people had shown up – how demoralizing that could be.

However, it was all worth it seeing new clubs and chapters making an impact in their community or an individual who might have been one of those handful I spoke of one day becoming a business, community, or elected leader because we encouraged and pushed them to be their absolute best.

As I spoke to this young man, I saw him glancing all around the room, not listening at all to what I was trying to tell him. He was more interested in who he was going to talk to next. He wanted to be the best but he was not interested in the journey – just the destination. That journey is the dues we all have to pay to get there. There is no elevator to the top of success. You have to climb each step one at a time, working hard every step of the way.

There are simply no short cuts to success. That’s why sports teams practice each day leading up to the game. That’s why successful business men and women seek out business coaches, mentors, executive training and never stop in their search to learn and be better each day.

As I mentioned, I simply love what I do. Each day I get a chance to work and learn from the very best. People who dare to reach for the stars every day and even if they fall short of the sky, they clear the tree tops and leave the ground far behind.

Lessons I have learned along the way #6 – Knowing when to stop!

The following is the sixth a ten part series of “Lessons I’ve Learned Along the Way…”

Knowing when to stop

While I lead a non-profit Chamber of Commerce today, my first occupation after graduating from Winthrop University was serving as a marketing representative for Harper Brothers, an office furniture and supply company in Rock Hill (SC). Sales isn’t really a subject you can learn from a text-book. It really derives from natural and learned abilities, experience, knowledge of your product, customer needs and expectations and competitor information as well as good advice or coaching from a mentor or professional coach.

One of the first golden rules I learned from sales was that most people have a tendency to try to pack too much information into their delivery. We tell them how to build a watch instead of just what time it is. Sometimes the best sales approach are the simplest ones. Public speaking is another area where people get caught up in their message and say way too much when they already have their point made. When I was a teenager, I was terrified of getting up in class and giving reports at Northwestern High. Eventually though, I overcame that fear through practice and experience. In 1992, I addressed a convention with a 35 minute speech to 3,500 delegates. That would not have been possible without practice and preparation.

I learned to craft talks on a subject and rehearse it over and over until I had the delivery just right. Then one day, one of my mentors from the Junior Chamber (Jaycees), Charlie Madsen, gave me some simple advice. “Bill, when you give one of your motivational talks, look around the room. If you see them eating out of your hand, you know you got them hooked, finish it. Don’t go into another story or make another point no matter how good you think it is.”

Charlie reminded me of the young politician on his first campaign speech. He booked a big auditorium hoping for a great crowd, but he found only one man sitting alone in a chair. He waited and waited but no one else showed up. Finally he looked at the lone guy and he said, “Hey, you think I should get started?” The man looked at the politician and said, “Sir, I’m just a farmer and all I know are cows. But if I take a load of hay out and only one cow shows up, I’m still gonna’ feed it.”

So the politician reared back and gave him his best. He talked on and on for an hour, then two as the farmer shifted back and forth in his seat. Finally when the politician wrapped up with his big delivery, he asked the old farmer just how he did.

Once again, the farmer pondered and then said, “Sir, I’m just an old farmer. All I know are cows. Of course, I do know that if I took my whole load of hay down to the pasture and only one cow showed up, I wouldn’t dump the whole load on him.”

Charlie winked at me as he made his point. Your talks, speeches, and sales presentations are defined as much by your audience as your product. I learned to tailor talks to groups using the people in the room. Reading expressions to see whether my points had been made or needed to be expanded upon.

The bottom line know your product, know your competitor, most importantly know your audience, and finally know when to stop.

“Dare to be Strange” – Lesson #5 in the lessons I have learned along the way

Wallace Owings — Wally Owings, Former US Jaycees NVP

The following article is lesson #5 in lessons I have learned along the way…

More than two decades ago, I met an accountant who had a slightly different twist on the phrase “Dare to be different.” Wally Owings was serving as a National Vice President of the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce from Virginia assigned to my home state of South Carolina. Owings met with the local presidents and state officers from South Carolina’s largest young people’s organization and encouraged us to get out of our comfort zones.

Nearly all of us were familiar with “thinking outside of the box” but Wally took it the extreme. He said as leaders we were all likely comfortable with leadership and daring to be different. But it wasn’t enough to be different – we had to dare to be strange. You cannot be afraid of having people think you are odd or peculiar if you’re going to push people past limitations they impose on themselves, often accepting the status quo.

Owings shared a story he had read about Walt Disney when Disney was a young fifth grader. The teacher assigned students in his classroom to color a flower garden. As the teacher walked down the rows observing all the students carefully coloring in the lines with bright bold colors, she stopped by young Walt’s desk. The teacher noted that all his drawings were quite unusual – actually strange. Picking up one of his drawings, she remarked, “Walt, your picture is all wrong. Flowers don’t have faces on them.”Walt looked back at the teacher and confidently said, “Mine do!” and continued busily finishing his task. Have you been to Disneyland or Walt Disney World lately? If you have, you’ll see all the flowers still have faces.

This past January we recognized former Cornelius Mayor Nannie Potts with the Chamber Diversity Council’s first Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the community and region bringing people of all races and backgrounds together. Ms. Potts, an African-American, participated in the sit-ins at the Woolworth Department Store in Statesville, similar to those taking place during the civil rights struggle of the early 1960’s.

The actions of those engaged citizens were looked at by some as more than strange, in their view it was an act of defiance. However, Potts and those that joined her that day saw a wrong and they attempted to right it. Leadership is getting people from where they are to where they have not been. According to, Owings, “It’s often doing the scary and uncomfortable. We worry too much about what others think but they are not prepared to go where we are moving. Leadership is lonely by definition.” Wally summed it up to us young business leaders two decades ago, “You just have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable – that’s as strange as it gets.”

Some people saw the actions of Wally Owings, Nannie Potts and Walt Disney as strange. However, they saw the world around them and did more than dare to be different. They pushed the envelope, dared to see the world differently than it was, and accepted nothing less than their very best.