 |
by Hugh F. Gouldthorpe,
Jr.
Innsbrook Today Columnist
Emeritus vice president and head cheerleader,
Quality and Communications,
Owens&Minor, Inc.
headquartered in Innsbrook
Hugh.Gouldthorpe@owens-minor.com
|
Don’t Let the
Sun Go Down on You
 |
Over the years, Elton John has had many
hit songs. He’s one of those singers who has spanned
generations. His songs appeal to all, and if you’ve
followed or know anything about Elton John you know
that his “look” has changed over the years.
He is known for his different outfits and hats that
catch the attention of many.
With all of these changes however, the one thing that
hasn’t changed are the two things that have made
him successful; his voice and his unbelievable piano
skills.
There’s a great lesson that we can all learn from
Elton John. He understands that to be successful in
life you have to constantly change, but in all of that
change you must stay true to those things that are your
strengths and to the basic things that are responsible
for your success.
It’s Scary
Change for most people is scary. We are all creatures
of habit, and we get very comfortable in the way we
do things. However, great people and organizations understand
that change is critical to one’s success. I’ve
always felt that if you live with what you’re
successful with today, you will die with it tomorrow.
Successful people and organizations understand the need
to do things differently, and to color outside the lines.
They are never satisfied with the status quo, in fact
those two words are not part of their vocabulary.
Don’t Procrastinate
There have been some wonderful companies and leaders
who, because of their hesitancy to change, became dinosaurs.
Best Products, one of my favorite companies, and Service
Merchandise are great examples of companies who no longer
exist. They became very comfortable with the services
and products they were providing. At the same time,
Costco, Sam’s Club, Wal*Mart and Target not only
provided the same products, but made it easier to do
business with them. Success is the enemy and to continue
to soar to new heights, you must embrace change and
seek the new.
Seek the New
One of the great mentors in my life has been Gil Minor
III. chairman of Owens & Minor, He’s a true
visionary, a caring man, and a true giraffe that consistently
sticks his neck out. Early on in my career with Owens
& Minor, Gil taught me that you must grow or go!
And the only way to grow is to seek the new and try
new and better ways to do things. If you don’t
grow as a company or person, the sun will go down on
you and you will have missed some great opportunities.
One of my favorite country artists is Lee Ann Womack,
and one of my favorite songs in the whole world is “Sit
It Out or Dance.” And my answer to Lee Ann’s
song is DANCE.
When you dance, you’re active, moving and trying
new steps. If you’re sitting at a table watching
others dance, you’re inactive, stagnant, and you
miss out on all of the action.
Elton John has had some wonderful song titles on and
many golden records. However none more provocative than
“Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on You.”
If you do, you’ll be in the dark and never grow!
Top
|
