Supporting The Arts (Cuba, Part 3)

In Cuba, we encountered artists at every turn.  Some of them were brilliant and a number of us in our group bought paintings and prints directly from those artists.  However, as in any market, there were a number of less-talented folks hustling to make a buck.  On one foray through a public square in Havana, several of us were accosted by this young man armed with a sketchbook and a sharpie who was dashing off caricatures and then hawking them.

I’m a sucker for these pitches, especially when the kid with the pen says he’s a student trying to earn his way through school.  Hey, he even had a badge in a lanyard that seemed to suggest he had some official reason for pestering us!  So, after some negotiation, I bought the caricature of me for $5 even though it looks a lot like the caricature that John Lee showed me HE had bought from the same guy!  The more I looked at mine, though, I started to think it actually resembled Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) in Reservoir Dogs:

I think I’ll just tell people it’s a drawing from the movie!  Gotta admire that guy’s hustle (if not his drawing skills.)

What Am I Reading?

I’d had a copy of Simon Senek’s Start With Why on my stack of business books for at least a year and in all likelihood it would have continued to be buried by new arrivals.  Fortunately, several recommendations (from Marty Wolff and Kelly Gray) pushed this to the head of the list.  It’s a quick read with some fundamental thinking on the importance of thinking about “Why” we do what we do both as companies and individuals.  The book resonated with us and is helping to frame our upcoming National Sales Meeting.

Peak Design Frozen In Time (Cuba, Part 2)

Before we traveled to Cuba, everyone asked the same question: “Can you bring me some cigars?” (Answer: I’ll try.) Upon returning, everyone is asking “Do people really drive those classic cars?” (Answer: Yes.)

I’m actually giving short shrift to a complex set of issues with my second answer. The truth (as shown in these photos I took while wandering the streets of Havana) is that classic cars are everywhere and are the primary vehicles on the road. Any family that owned a vehicle prior to the Revolution that culminated in the overthrow of Batista in January 1959 appears to have done anything they can to maintain those vehicles. The U.S. embargo made obtaining new vehicles nearly impossible, but having a car is important not only for transportation but also status (just as it is throughout the world.)

And, while I lamented the lack of Cuban innovation in my last post, necessity has made engineering geniuses out of the Cubans who’ve managed to keep 60-year-old vehicles running by scavenging spare parts from other makes and motors (even lawnmowers!)

Broadly speaking, one of the appeals of modern Cuba to an outsider is the sense that you can witness peak design in action. Have there ever been more beautiful cars than those created by the U.S. design studios in the 1950’s? Forget functionality, mileage and safety: These rockets were beautiful. They reflected our space obsessions and inspired generations of designers to aspire to create things of beauty. Is it any wonder that visionary designers at Tesla, Google and even Apple are all turning to cars to fuel their ambitions?

It’s also worth noting the fantastic architecture (see a few representative photos). It’s hard to imagine that these designs were in any way practical but they are striking. Wouldn’t it be cool if the next iteration of Cuban design leaped right from the ‘50’s to the 2020’s and skipped all the cookie-cutter boredom of the intervening years?

Finally, for anyone who wants to read an expanded journalistic version of my last post, I would highly recommend the April 6th issue of Time magazine, which devoted its cover story to Cuba and did a wonderful job of covering the impending arrival of hordes of American tourists.

That article contained an hopeful quote from a senior government official who explained that the new Cuba will be based on elements of Capitalism but still be Cuban and insightfully offered:

“We have to find ways to make the life of our people better. The world is not the way you want it to be. The world is the world, and you have to find a way to be in harmony with it.”

Can we have some serious U.S. politicians embrace the same philosophy?

Your Man in Havana

Colleen and I just returned from an amazing trip to Cuba that was organized by our friend Larry Dorfman from GWC’s sister company APCO. Our travel companions included dealers, agents and others who, I have to say, were among the nicest people I’ve ever bonded with in the auto space. They were also prodigious rum consumers but what happens in Havana stays in Havana!

Overall, much of what I had imagined about Cuba was true: The cars were mostly pre-1960 American models, the architecture hearkened from the same atomic age and the people were relatively poor but surprisingly happy. We didn’t experience a sense of oppression (in fact, I’ve found Washington DC to be a much more intimidating, security-conscious venue since 9/11) and met a number of Cubans who travel freely in and out of the country. More surprisingly, the television in our hotel included U.S. channels such as Disney, HBO, CNN and ESPN (generally translated to Spanish); i.e., this is NOT North Korea.

Rather, it’s a solidly Communist country where, for more than 50 years and several generations, people have lived peacefully. They’ve received good educations and world-class health care along with provisions for their minimum needs even as they live under an extremely authoritarian dictatorship. However, it’s strange to experience a dearth of stores and markets with virtually no brand competition or other commercial opportunities. As a lifelong American, it’s hard to reconcile the minimalistic living, oppressive government and reasonable contentment of many of the people.

What really struck me was the lack of initiative and innovation. I joked that if Raul Castro simply named 2015 “The Year of Painting” and required every Cuban to pick up a brush and adopt a building, the place would look 10 times better than it does today! And, despite the well-educated population, there do not appear to be any significant inventions being developed to make life easier or better for people (despite the obvious need.) I can only chalk this up to the lack of profit and status incentives to stand out, to innovate, to be better than the rest.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., despite our many internal political challenges and increasing wealth inequality, we continue to rapidly evolve, with new thinking and new businesses leading us to even more relative prosperity. It’s a fascinating comparison with our neighbors only 90 miles south of Miami.

What Am I Reading?

I’ve been re-telling the “20-Mile-Marchers” story about the 1911 quest to reach the South Pole as relayed by Jim Collins for several years and apparently have unconsciously developed a keen interest in arctic expeditions! “In The Kingdom of Ice” by Hampton Sides takes place a few decades earlier and tells the tale of the ill-fated explorers on board the USS Jeanette who attempted to reach the North Pole. It’s a gripping story of bravery and heroism in the name of exploration. It also demonstrates how little we knew about the world’s geography; some people actually believed that the North Pole was an open circle of warm waters that may have even led to a Jules Verne-esque underground civilization! If only that were true….

Lists, Lists & More Lists

I have always been a “list” person.  In fact, if you’ve ever read Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity (or seen the movie starring John Cusack) you will understand when I say that I’m a clone of that “Rob”, at least when it comes to list-making.  I’ve been putting together “Best-Of’s” for friends annually since I was a teenager and decided this year to share a few of my 2014 faves with a wider audience.

Albums
Beck:  Morning Phase
Interpol:  El Pintor
Lana Del Rey:  Ultraviolence
Dum Dum Girls:  Too True
Parquet Courts:  Sunbathing Animal

Songs
Mac Demarco:  Passing Out Pieces
Anna Calvi & David Byrne:  Strange Weather
The Soronprfbs:  I Love You All
Hamilton Leithauser:  Alexandra
Ariana Grande:  Problem

Concerts
Sky Ferreira, Music Hall of Williamsburg
Slowdive, Vic Theater in Chicago
Beach House & Friends, No Other (The Songs of Gene Clark), Union Transfer in Philadelphia
Peter Hook & The Light, Trocadero in Philadelphia
Katy Perry, Consol Center in Pittsburgh
Britney Spears, Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas

Movies
Birdman
Under the Skin

Book
Ben Horowitz:  The Hard Thing About Hard Things

What Am I Reading?

I’ve been slowly moving through this book, which has topped several other lists this year and really like it.  Yet another dystopian novel, it’s an extremely warm, human look at, among many characters, a troop of traveling actors performing Shakespeare in a post-disease-ravaged world.

Gazing Beyond Our Overpowering Present & Into Our Ever-Uncertain Future

It takes real discipline to learn from the past, look beyond the current condition and envision a future that is by definition different from today. It comes naturally to a handful of gifted people and they are fascinating to meet. For example, last year I was lucky to hear futurist Ariane van de Ven speak at a conference. Ms. van de Ven has an ability to synthesize current trends and offer a compelling outlook based on her observations.

Most of us, however, do not have that capacity. Our worldview is shaped by our experiences (with heavy weighting on our current situation). This means that when we are struggling with a boss who doesn’t understand us, we can’t even envision the day a new boss (or different career opportunity) appears on the scene. Likewise, if the economy is challenged, it feels like things will only get worse (and visa-versa). We see this on a global level, where various economists have been chasing a non-existent threat of inflation for years simply because that’s a threat they grew up with in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s.

It’s important to keep this blind spot in mind in every situation so we can remain realistically optimistic about the future and open to its unexpected possibilities.

What Am I Reading?

Do we really need another “zombie” story? I know they’ve been all the rage for several years and I almost passed on The Girl With All The Gifts in part because I feared that there wasn’t much new to discover in the genre. Fortunately, I trusted the glowing reviews and dug into the book, which is a fascinating look at human and not-quite-human relationships. And isn’t that what the best science fiction does? It presents us with a world different from our own yet filled with striking similarities from which we can better understand the human condition.

Business Relationships

As a naturally introverted person (an INTJ for those familiar with Myers-Briggs), I have always struggled with the multitude of surface level relationships that accompany a business career.  I love sharing deep conversations about things that are important to others but it’s taken me a lot of effort to get comfortable with the superficial discussions that can open many doors in the business world.

Adding to my frustration, I spent many years working for large companies filled with salespeople who bragged about the strong relationships they had forged with their customers.  When those supposed relationships didn’t facilitate sales, it only hastened my cynicism about their value.   In fact, I frequently found myself chiding salespeople by proclaiming “relationship” to be the most overused and abused word in business.

In my five years with GWC Warranty, however, several things have happened to change my outlook.  First, I’ve continued to mature:   When I was younger, I thought success was earned through intelligence and hard work, and that the story was always in the numbers.   Today I have a much greater appreciation for the people side of things. 

Second, I’ve come to see how, in a true sales culture, relationships matter in ways I was unable to appreciate when I worked with inferior sellers.  The best salespeople at GWC don’t get ahead by schmoozing or collecting relationships like trading cards.  Instead, they earn relationships based on respect, sincerity and really delivering for their customers.  It’s why I continue to believe that the top GWC salespeople are world class sellers and world class people.  And it’s another reason why I’m lucky to work for a company filled with people who can do things much better than I could do them myself.

What Am I Reading?

It’s mid-summer but I haven’t been to the beach once, so let’s use that as an excuse for my limited reading of late!  However, I am just starting Alice Hoffman’s The Museum of Extraordinary Things, which traverses horror, magic and love at a Coney Island showcase of living wonders circa 1911.

A more realistic excuse is that I’ve been using the air-conditioned summer to binge-watch a number of amazing television shows:  Season 2 of Orange is the New Black, Season 1 of The Americans the bleak new HBO series The Leftovers (based on the Tom Perrotta book I blogged about last year) and finally, all 3 (admittedly short) seasons of BBC’s Sherlock, starring the omnipresent Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, both of whom seem to be popping up in way too many movies and shows these days! 

Sherlock, however, is fascinating and I’ve been telling everyone who will listen to at least watch the first 4 episodes (there are only 9 in total, each 1-1/2 hours) and prepare to be astounded.  Great storytelling, compelling characters and riveting performances from everyone involved; makes me want to go back to England (as if I need another reason to long for that trip!)

Finally, if you want to know more about what’s keeping me interested and entertained between blogs, follow me on Twitter (@RobGlander).  You will only rarely get a business-related tweet and are more likely to hear me share interesting travel photos or rave about a band or movie I love, but it’s quick reading; I can only do so much damage in 140 characters!

Trick Shots & Making Customers Happy

I recently took my 11-year-old daughter Lily to see the Harlem Globetrotters on their annual visit to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre. I was surprised and secretly delighted that she wanted to attend, as the Globetrotters have always held a storehouse of memories for me, some of which I’ll touch on in a few minutes.

In the meantime, Lily and I had a great time at the game, laughing at all the trick shots and gamesmanship that made fools out of their hapless opponents, the inappropriately named World All-Stars. And it’s worth noting that in the course of that enjoyment we consumed dinner and snacks (on top of what I thought was a relatively hefty ticket price) and excitedly bought a red, white and blue basketball as well as a Globetrotter branded Sharpie in anticipation of what we thought we be the capper to a great evening: A promised opportunity to go down on the hardwood floor and collect photos and signatures of the team’s thrilling players immediately following the game.

Needless to say, that’s not quite what happened. Shortly before the game ended, the court was roped off and, as the final horn sounded, most of the crowd attempted to find the undefined pathway to two unmarked openings to the court. Meanwhile, two of the players were led over to backdrops behind one of the hoops where makeshift lines began to form.

Failing to make our way to the court, Lily and I defaulted to the players behind the hoop. And after about 45 minutes of waiting, Lily worked her way to the front of the line for one photo and autograph opportunity. Here she is dwarfed by Hi-Lite Bruton:

Unfortunately, before we could even line up for another player, team officials were shutting down the lines and hustling the players off the court. Lily was shocked and even remarked that they hadn’t given most of the fans any time at all to spend with the players.  And this reminded me of a similar disappointing Globetrotter story from my youth.

I spent most of my childhood growing up in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, a town of 33,000 people on the shore of Lake Michigan. As Manitowoc was 75 miles north of Milwaukee and 40 miles south of Green Bay, we had limited entertainment options. Yet the Harlem Globetrotters made regular visits to our school gymnasiums and amazed us with their trick shots and team play. This was during the period when star players included Meadowlark Lemon, Curly Neal and Goose Ausbie, all of whom were featured in the Globetrotters’ Saturday morning cartoon series, trading cards, etc. It was thus a thrill to see them live as we sat in the stands at our YMCA or high school field house.

Naturally, when it was announced that Hallie Bryant, one of the team’s stars, would be appearing to sign autographs at the Mid-Cities Mall the evening before their scheduled game with the New Jersey Generals, it was the talk for days among many of us young basketball fans. When the appointed evening arrived, there was a massive line that stretched from Montgomery Ward at one end of the mall all the way to JC Penney at the opposite end.

As I worked my way up the line toward Hallie, however, I noticed something odd: He was not actually SIGNING autographs. Instead, every fan was being handed an 8-1/2 x 11 photocopy of an old Globetrotter press photo (that strangely included comedian Red Skelton for some reason). Then, as each fan reached the front of the line, Hallie would STAMP his signature on the photo! The poor kid in front of me had brought a basketball along and Hallie even tried unsuccessfully several times to stamp that before sighing and begrudgingly pulling out a Bic pen and signing the ball.

It was a huge letdown. And given our recent experience I have to believe that despite decades of experience, the Harlem Globetrotters have still not figured out the art of delivering what their paying fans crave: An authentic, personal experience that leaves them as thrilled with the meetup as they are with the game. And I’m reminded that even years of practicing successful trick shots can be diminished if you don’t execute in every aspect of customer service.

What Am I Reading?

The Swan Gondola by Timothy Schaffert is a novel that is right in my wheelhouse: Historical fiction that deals with an imaginary World’s Fair in Omaha in the late 1800’s while promising a taste of the fantastic, some sleight-of-hand and a bittersweet romance. Colleen loved this book and highly recommended it, and so far I’m about a third in. It’s everything she promised (if a bit heavy on the romantic yearnings of our protagonist) but still a compelling story.