The Favre Factor

I rarely have time to listen to sports talk radio, but I was running some errands yesterday and the radio was set to the radio station from the day before. On Sunday I listened to part of the AFC Championship game on the way to one meeting, or another.

Yesterday, the commentators were discussing their opinion as to whether the Minnesota Vikings made a mistake or in signing Brett Favre to a contract for the 2009 season. Those who thought it was a mistake pointed to the fact that the team had just missed the Superbowl and that there is speculation (again) that Favre will not return next year.

Let’s take a look at this scenario:

Downside:
The Vikings did not make the Superbowl due to several turnovers, a penalty at the end that took them out of field goal range and a pass that should never have been attempted (resulting in a turnover and the end of the Vikings chances to advance).

Upside:
Brett Favre enjoyed one of his better seasons in a storied carrier, with 33 touchdown passes and only 7 interceptions. His leadership provided a boost to a young team that enjoyed a memorable season.

I applaud the Vikings for signing Brett Favre. While they took a chance for the long term, they decided that signing Favre for the 2009 season would give them a good chance to make it to the Superbowl – and they were right. While the outcome was not what Viking fans would have liked, they were one play or so from getting back into the Superbowl for the first time since 1977.

While Sunday’s game is not important in the scheme of things, the decisions that we make to act or not act are much more important.

How often are we just one ingredient away from success, only to talk ourselves out of taking the chance?

If we take the right risks in life, we give ourselves at least a fifty percent chance of success, if not greater. However, if we fail to take the right risks and don’t believe in our abilities, we have a one hundred percent chance of not succeeding.

So my advice to anyone taking inventory of what they’re lacking to take their game to the next level is as follows:

Decide what you need…Go get it…..and give it your all!

It’s important to remember that “Monday Morning Quarterbacks” are always out there and have seldom suited up for battle.

Reflecting on The Dream

All across America school was out today. It seems like there are so many days off from school these days, between holidays and weather related closures. This day was different. This day was necessary.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dared to dream in the teeth of fierce resistance. As a result, he received threats, jail time and sacrificed his life. He could have lived a quiet life, settling for the status quo, but he dared to lead others.

That is why I use the holiday each year as a valuable opportunity to discuss the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with my children and to reiterate the importance that I personally place on service. We talk about the importance of serving many times throughout the year, but because the school system takes a pause, I believe that it places a little more impact on my words. As many of you know, children do not always take the words of their parents at face value…

This past week, ‘American Idol’ viewers were treated to a performance of the song “Pants on the Ground” written and performed by General Larry Platt. Not Larry Platt, as he reminded the judges gently, but General Larry Platt.

Many may have wondered when General Larry Platt served in the military and which campaigns the sixty-three year old may have been a part of. Thankfully, the power of Google allows us to take a closer look at the life and times of General Larry Platt.

Which campaigns did the General serve in? He proudly served in the Savannah, GA and Selma, AL campaigns. For you see, General Larry Platt received the nickname “General” from the late Rev. Hosea Williams for his dogged determination to the Civil Rights movement. He helped to organize SCLC sit-ins across the South and suffered battle wounds on the Bloody Sunday march from Selma to Montgomery.

September 4, 2001 was proclaimed “Larry Platt Day” in Atlanta because of "his great energy and commitment to equality and the protection of the innocent and for his outstanding service to the Atlanta community and the citizens of Georgia."

The United States and the world are better off today because Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dared to dream and dared to lead. We owe it to ourselves to share the story with our children, as they may also dare to dream and make a difference in their world and for generations to come.

The Time to Act is Right Now

The images from Haiti are often too difficult to look at and the statistics are too difficult to comprehend. How does one fathom an earthquake with a 7.0 ML rating on the Richter scale that originated perhaps five or six miles underground? How does one grasp the sheer number of casualties? While it’s too early to count the deceased, it has been said that at least 100,000 people of Haiti will have lost their lives in Tuesday’s earthquake. Many think the number will be much larger, since 3 million people (approximately one third of Haiti’s population) have been affected.

While it is disturbing to see some of the footage and difficult to get a feel for the severity there is one thing that is abundantly clear to me – the mission is critical and the time to act is right now. Lives are on the line!

As always, many individuals will reach into their wallets to provide some much needed assistance to charitable organizations on the ground in Haiti. The American Red Cross reported that as of 8am this morning (January 14), people have donated $3 million to their relief efforts by texting ‘Haiti’ to 90999. The donations came $10 at a time and will be added to the donor’s phone bills. The Red Cross fund will continue to grow as well as funds by various other charitable organizations due to your generous support.

According to a report on CNN, many companies and organizations have stepped to the forefront to help rescue and relief efforts in Haiti. These organizations are worth noting:

Coca-Cola
UPS
Lowe’s
Abbott Laboratories
Bank of America
Wal-Mart
GoDaddy
Western Union
The New York Yankees

While the list is preliminary and many organizations are probably putting plans into place to assist with funding and materials, I can’t help but think that there should be a construction equipment manufacturer or two included. Given the state of our economy, it is clear that inventory is available.

I know all of the arguments and questions for not providing equipment and supplies. The list is lengthy, and includes some of the following:

Who do we reach out to?
How do we secure our property and ensure it’s not destroyed?
Who is going to head this up, given that we have limited personnel?

I also know all of the rewards of stepping forward, having led an effort to provide equipment to support the needs of residents living in Biloxi, Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina.

While it was difficult to get upper management to fully understand the benefits initially and while it was difficult to find the right group of volunteers (people who knew how to operate the equipment who would not charge the residents for their help) and while it was also difficult to get consignment agreements in order and coordinate the logistics -- it certainly was worth every bit of effort.

By partnering with a group of volunteers from around the country (mostly from the Western part of the United States affiliated with Burning Man), Doosan Infracore was able to make a difference in the lives of many people living in Biloxi by donating the use of an excavator, a wheel loader and a lift truck.

Along the way we received the heartfelt appreciation from people looking for a way to get their lives back to a form of normalcy and of course, some excellent press coverage. In addition, our participation provided a strong sense of internal pride within the organization.

So, regardless of whether an effort is undertaken in order to receive favorable public relations, enhanced goodwill in the community, or benefit people who are in desperate need of assistance, the time to act is now.

If you or your organization is sitting on the fence in regard to lending assistance to the people of Haiti, I urge you to take a second look at the upside.

The time to act is right now.

Note: Since uploading this post on January 14, I've learned that JCB is in the process of sending backhoe loaders to Haiti and Hyundai Construction Equipment is coordinating with a relief agency to send over equipment. Great moves by a couple of outstanding companies!