Brand…what does it mean?

There are a number of elaborate definitions for what a brand is or should be.  For example, the Canadian Marketing Association refers to a brand as, ” the emotional, physical and intangible attributes that defines a company, product and/or service in a unique manner. “

The American Marketing Association defines brand as, “A name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.”

What this proves is that as an industry we have different views on the fundamental concept of brand, but agree on the unique differentiation that a brand should deliver.

A brand is more than a product or service, it is the sum of all the satisfaction a buyer receives.  Once the reception of satisfaction is consistent, an image is then created in the mind of the buyer which allows the organic development of the brand’s perception.  Ultimately, this perception leads to a promise which is what l believe a brand is at its primal level.  Whether through vision, mission or commitment, a company’s actions will convey what is their underlying promise to the marketplace.

Therefore, it is important for a company to manage its brand through their culture.  A company cannot profess to be a customer-centric organization if internally employees are measured by profit driven metrics.  Some of which outweighs the interests of the Customers, this type of management style is short-term and cannot provide prolonged benefits in markets that are experiencing macro market changes like, globalization, educated consumer base, eco-consciousness and technological advancements and innovation.

Marketers need to engage the employees and create a culture aligned with the company’s vision which capitalizes on it’s unique value proposition.  Creating clarity with internal messages, and ensuring that leadership reinforces and embodies the values and promise to the marketplace.  Developing ways to engage the employees and integrating them into the development and evolution of the brand will ensure long-term success.

Gone are the days when a marketer can measure their achievements through the number of brand impressions they developed in their market space in print, TV, radio…  If Customer engagement and dialogue is not created through effective use of the 4 P’s including campaigns, advertisements, training…organizations will be prone to attack from competition.

Transparency will become a key determinant of future success,  and it is the responsibility of marketing leaders to assist their organizations develop strategies that align with this new paradigm.   Only then can a company realize its true market potential by realizing its unique value-proposition.   The term, ” responsible marketing”  is a skill set that will enable tomorrows marketing leaders, create brands that are entrenched in the hearts and minds of their markets and Customers.  This will provide a true renaissance in brand theory and  management.

I look forward to this new tomorrow, and it’s inevitable impact on the world markets.

 

Idealism vs. Reality

It is basic human nature to further ones goals through the development of ideals.  Whether it is political, economic or personal there is a constant quest to create the perfect system.    Unfortunately, there also exists a fundamental paradox, complacency; which is the root of all evil, as it relates to progress. 

Take for example an aspirational political view — socialism,  it’s greatest goal is to create a system from which the people govern themselves.  It’s greatest drawback, complacency which has rendered the system weak.  The areas in which it is most weak are in development and innovation.  Because standardization of goods and services is required free thinking gets stymied.  Additionally, it’s hopes are that every individual within the society performs their roles at their full potential.  We know this to be theoretically true, but realistically unachievable.  The system will be marred by those who procrastinate, feel inequity or just unable to manage the quotas.  

Our free-market system is not exempt from this disease, complacency within organizations has hindered growth and impeded product lifecycles which directly effects innovation pipelines.  Individuals that fear fresh ideas suffer from  ”threat to the old guard” syndrome and perpetuate a protectionist behaviour which leads to poor productivity and performance for organizations.  This has left many an organization lifeless or dying in its wake. 

What can be done to eradicate this evil? Allow individuals the opportunity to grow in vocations which they enjoy.  Retrain those that are not aligned correctly, and take responsibility for ones own actions.  You have more of an effect on your respective economies than you may think.  Fundamental change is required in order for the global community to survive and thrive in the new millennium.  Let’s each do our part to make it a better place for future generations.

 

What is Sustainability?

What does sustainability mean? Is it an aspiration veiled in a lie, or can we truly as a society have the moral conditioning to do more for our species, community and world around us.  I believe that it begins with one act, whether it is true of heart or driven by a need for recognition.  A single act can influence the behaviour of an entire cause. 

Many individuals and organizations are proposing this “wait and see” tactic.  They feel that a clear leader will be created within their spheres of influence.  What we need to understand is that waiting for a leader to emerge or someone to publish a ”how to” guide is in and of itself unsustainable.  By making the conscious decision to do something, however small, is the real necessity that we as individuals and society need to encourage.  As the old  adage goes a tidal wave begins with a single ripple in the water.  May our future only hold tsunami’s of change.

 

Selfishness vs. Selflessness

Interesting story about what prompted this post, as it was my recent research on Ayn Rand, and her books. After learning, quite a few people were disturbed at how l was spending my time.  I heard comments like, “you’re an objectivist?,” or “l can’t believe you would waste your time.”  Well if your current choice of reading correlated to your views, then l am guilty of being an objectivist.  However, my belief it that there needs to be a constant quest for knowledge, and as you expand your knowledge you also expand your views on the world, this will always lead to positive change.

Here’s what l can say about Ayn.  She was a visionary, based on her ability to articulate views on her surroundings and the world she lived in, as it enlightened many people.  At the same time her material was so controversial for the time that she had many people who detested her based on these same views.  Ironically, these foes assisted her in propagating her message through continued discussion.  Some might say that she was a pioneer of viral messaging and disruptive advertising.

She held firm to her beliefs and never gave up, as evidenced by her persistence and consistency of message.  Her behaviour on the other hand l will challenge later in the discussion.  The Fountainhead was rejected by more than 12 publication houses before if finally went to print. It was only through her diligence that this was made possible as she never quit.  This post is not meant to be used as a historical portrayal of her life or work, as the topic is more focused on how one person’s views can have significant influence on the masses.

So in this time of social interaction and virtual collaboration we need to respect the views of each person and understand the uniqueness that everyone provides.  Rand believed that the only way a person could truly be happy was to capitalize on the virtue of selfishness, while others believe that the only path to happiness is through selflessness or altruism.  Before l continue here are definitions of each courtesy of our friends at Wikipedia:

Selfishness (or self-interest) is commonly denoted by an exclusive concern with oneself or concern with one’s own interests.^[1] Selfishness is the opposite of altruism or selflessness.

Altruism  /ˈæltruːɪzəm/ is a concern for the welfare of others. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures, and a core aspect of various religious traditions, though the concept of ‘others’ toward whom concern should be directed can vary among cultures and religions. Altruism is the opposite of selfishness.

Now, I don’t purport to be a master of philosophy or theology, but here is my view and question.  Is selfishness and selflessness mutually exclusive?  Could it be that in order to be happy, truly happy, there needs to exist phases in individual development?  Many of the “enlightened” leaders, sages of the ages had periods of self-reflection, often in solitude.  Did this not require a detachment from society, responsibilities, families? But their reflection, led to actualization, which progressed to self-realization.

As a result of this ”sacrifice,” as some have come to define it, led to a period of selflessness. Whereby, they shared their views and learning, to others so that they may benefit.  Maybe at a deeper level so that they did not have to endure the sacrifice or selfishness which they themselves faced.  Is this not what Ayn tried to do in the latter part of her life?   Explain objectivism to the masses.  So, was she not in effect contradicting her own belief system with these acts of selflessness?  Unsure, still researching…maybe it was purely capitalism, or her ego wanting to leave a lasting legacy.

So back to the point, can it be a process?  Let’s face it if we were all selfless, there would be less consumerism and more charity, but everything has a time and a place.  As individuals we need to be happy, whatever way that may take shape, and once we reach that phase we are then prepared to share.  At least that’s what l’d like to believe.  So buy the brand, eat the meal, meditate in solitude and just plain enjoy life. Remember three things: 1) We will each go through this process at different rates 2) Happiness is transferable and 3) When you’re ready to give,  GIVE FREELY.

As l have mentioned in earlier posts, how we develop as individuals can be related to organizations and cultures, so think about how this topic can relate to the bigger picture.

 

The Fallacy of Paper

This post like all of my others is my interpretation of a particular topic, and should be used only as a means to stimulate further discussion.  I am going to write about something that has pained me for a long while, which is the credibility that people and organizations vest in certificates, degrees and other designations as marks of status.  Don’t get me wrong, the time, energy and resources someone puts into achieving these milestones and the learning gained is a testament to an individual’s perseverance; something for which they should be proud.  In many cases, they confer ability, allow certain rights and privileges and ensure that individuals in certain fields have a standard base of knowledge.  It allows people to develop an image of who you are and creates credibility to individuals whom you may not know well.  However, these are not the only means to gain knowledge, credibility or evaluate talent.

Most of what l will be discussing is related to the business, and business-related education.  Other professions that require certification do this to ensure a minimum level of knowledge, ability, practice and governance and are usually overseen by regulatory bodies.  So the hypothesis would be that in order to become successful in business you should get formal training to gain credentials and if at all possible go to the best school in a related field whether it be economics, marketing, finance, global management…and this would make you an instant leader.

Nowhere is this idea of leadership credentials and scrutinizing their importance more evident than the last decade and the recent collapse of many major multi-nationals led by individuals were deemed to be leaders with proper “credentials” and proper pedigree.  The term “proper pedigree,” in this context means someone that went to a highly-ranked school, was employed by major multinationals, involved with certain social circles i.e. associations, clubs…these accomplishments have come to symbolize traits of a leader in their field. 

However, the collapse of organizations like Enron, Lehman Brothers, World Com, and other lesser known organizations like Octaviar, Freightlink, EBusiness Supplies, and Midas shed light on some deficiencies that may exist with this type of thinking.  Even some companies that struggled through the economic recession/depression (that’s a major topic so l will let you decide which) suffered casualties.   GMC, Vodafone, JC Penny, and most recently Berkshire Hathaway, and even entire countries, like Greece, were not exempt from poor leadership.  My point is not based on how these organizations failed through their governance issues, aggressive debt structures, lack of customer insights…but more around how even though they were led by individuals with proper pedigrees at the end of it all they suffered from the simplest weaknesses of the human condition, greed, short-sightedness, egotism and power mongering. 

So how does this relate to the topic on business education and learning? Well it’s simple, business schools can teach students their philosophy, theory and models on how to approach organizational issues and market conditions, but at the end of the day it is still left up to the decision of someone that needs to have a natural ability for governance, leadership, risk aversion, creativity…those that have read Stratovate’s “Honeycomb Effect” philosophy may look at this as propaganda, and an example of shameless self-promotion. Maybe it is, and quite possibly l may suffer from some of the conditions just mentioned, but l still feel compelled to continue.

I have had the great pleasure of working with many people, from different walks of life, educational backgrounds and experience levels.  What made many of these individuals stand out and successful was not their education, but their genuine ability and passion to share their knowledge, help others and give back.  They may not have been in charge of a business unit, but whatever their roles, they were leaders within their respective scope of work.  It is unfortunate that many Executive MBA schools have made a fortune taking mainly non-business professionals and putting them through intensive training to create business leaders.  I am not disputing the effectiveness of the schools teaching, nor their students who already have established views and skills and they use their learning to reinforce these current strengths, rather than build new ones.  It’s more about individuals who walk around with these “papers” not understanding that it’s not the paper that makes a difference but how you use your new found knowledge.  I have worked with enough of them to tell you that it improves their marketability, but not their attitudes.  The best mark of this is that l have provided many tools that some of these graduates have supposedly used in developing strategies and they are either: 1.) unfamiliar with tool, or 2.) feel that it is only purely an “academic” exercise and therefore not relevant in real world. This shows a lack of free thought or innovation even when provided with the means.

I watched an HBO special entitled the Journey Into Dyslexia. It was a film that tried to destroy many of the misunderstandings surrounding individuals with the condition.  Namely, individuals with Dyslexia or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may have a different approach to learning, but that is because we try to fit them into our simple-minded approach to standardise.  Many of the featured talents were individuals that had no formal training because the system didn’t have the flexibility to meet their needs. So, what did they do? They leveraged their natural abilities and excelled in areas where most “normal” individuals with training struggle.  They quoted a figure that more than 37% of successful entrepreneurs have Dyslexia and/or ADHD, which would mean that individuals with this condition have a greater propensity to innovate.  This may be because as individuals we try to save time and energy not “reinventing the wheel,” if l can use the cliché. But what they are really doing is limiting their ability on unique thought and tapping into their natural abilities.

So those of you that feel you are better than others because you had the privilege and opportunity to attend a good school, or had your company pay for graduate studies, think twice.  The piece of paper you earned is meaningless without proper understanding of who you are and how what you have learned can be used to effectively create positive change within your organizations.

 

Proximity vs. Brand

Well it was a rainy day, and my friend and l were late for our Advertising class.  It was a long day so we were really looking forward to grabbing a latte and head into class for a good discussion on advertising.  Maybe it was the weather or just the time of day, but we couldn’t find parking close to the building.  We were forced to walk more than a few blocks and knew that we were not going to be able to get to our regular coffee spot.  We then decided to find another cafe where we could get a good cup of coffee or maybe a latte. 

Well after walking a couple more blocks in the blistering cold we decided to just head to class.  We got in and were still a bit early, and our other classmates were settling into their seats.  My friend and l looked at each other and decided to attempt another run for sustenance because our energy level was low and needed some assistance.  We ran outside, across the street stood the infamous coffee chain that puts low price ahead of quality and customer service.  The very establishment that we joke about when we see our colleagues drink it, mocking them about their tastes.  Yes some would call us coffee snobs, but we prefer individuals with discriminating taste (okay fine, coffee snobs).  Our thinking is that if you’re going to add a stimulant to your body, you might as well have one that’s high quality, and done the way you like it in an environment that fits your comfort level.

Well we felt the cold and looked at each other and with heads held low we headed in and proceeded to order a coffee and some doughnuts for our classmates.  As we waited for our order, the individual behind the counter was taking their time as they seemed to have something better to do, and couldn’t get our order straight.  We began to chuckle as the irony set in, and we could hear our own remarks in our heads.

As we stepped back out into the cold street, l looked over at my buddy and said, “we compromised ourselves tonight!”  ”What do you mean?” he replied.  Well we changed our brand preference because of convenience, it seemed like proximity won.  We then talked about it for a while, this must be exactly what some of our Customers experience when our products are not at a destination they frequent, or when they are traveling and not close to their regular locations.  We knew that convenience needs to be a top-of-mind consideration for our business.  We need to make sure our Customers understand our unique value-proposition, but also we need to give them adequate access to these solutions. 

Thus began our search, one where we will try to understand the Customer tolerances as it relates to their brand and which items are impacted most by proximity?  Logic would dictate that low-involved purchases would immediately be classified into this category, but we feel  there are other variables at play and are looking forward to gaining a better understanding and insights.

I’ll report back as we learn more.

 

Food For Thought

I use burger restaurants as an analogy for organizations; hopefully this will come to light as you read further.  What prompted this blog was me experiencing what l must class as the best burger l have ever tasted.  Now this may seem as something trivial, but for someone that has spent a lot of time searching for the perfect burger, l think not. 

So as l began my “quest” for the perfect burger, something became quite evident.  Burger restaurants are broken into what l consider to be the following categories.  This is based on their product offerings and the way the organization handles its patrons:

Diversified – An establishment that has a wide variety of offerings catering to multiple taste profiles from burgers, salads, sandwiches, soups, to even burritos.  These restaurants pride themselves on being a “one-stop” shop for fast-food.  Some differentiate based on having the largest menu, others based on value and others still by having it “your way.”  The experience is pretty sterile, ensuring the revolving door bringing in the Customers is not congested is the order of the day (pardon the pun).  Customer service is a secondary thought because that is not what their target market requires (so they believe).  When Customer service is conveyed it is done through a process that tries to drive consistency, but instead comes across as contrived, and phony.

Specialty – These restaurants specialize in a specific type of burger and their specialty is their differentiation.  They have a small menu, and may promote the freshest ingredients, the largest burgers (they don’t call their burgers – sandwiches, this is said to be the realm of companies who lack clear identity).  Many have unique ways in preparing their patties like wood grilled, or oven-baked and even fried.  But they all have one thing in common a passion for delivering a consistent product which may not necessarily equal quick-service.

Boutique – These places are all about the experience, they have high ideals for Customer service and ensure the “guest” (that’s what they call their patrons) enjoys their offering in an atmosphere that will enhance the experience.  They may offer exotic meat, sauces or toppings, but these high end ingredients try to turn the common burger into an art form elevating the patty to gourmet status. 

Now all these establishments feel that they are catering to the needs of their target audience, but which one is the most effective.  The answer is that it is relative to the patron, and the same patron may be looking for different offerings at certain points in their regular routine or life stage. 

REFLECT – now is it not interesting how the burger industry is segmented, look familiar?  If you answered yes, well you would be correct, most industries have similar segmentation criteria, the only difference being the burger is replaced with their respective products or services.

So what does it all mean, well you really need to understand your Customers, know exactly what they are looking for and when, then ensure that all of your products, services and experience is aligned with those needs. This is the simplest road to success.

So back to my “best burger,” well it was Five Guys Burger and Fries, this restaurant has done it right, and l would classify them on a fourth segment – The Hybrid.  I’ll explain, as l enter l am exposed to a regular diner type layout, but then greeted with a simple menu.  The burger selection is regular burger, hamburger, cheeseburger or bacon, which the patties can be doubled.  The toppings range from the regular to grilled mushrooms and onions, the fries and drinks come in two sizes regular or large.   As l place my order, given an order number, and take my seat l help myself to a container and load up on the self-serve roasted peanuts bin.  The beverages are “all you can drink” and as l wait for my order to be called l can’t help, but smell the sweet perfumes from the grill as the hand-made patties are being cooked.  My number is called and l receive my order in a large paper bag, if you order fries you’ll understand why as the large can feed four, and are fresh cut and amazing.  I rip open the bag unwrap my burger and bite into the juiciest burger that l have had the pleasure of eating.   Now, the price is quite high as a single bacon cheeseburger is around $5.49 CDN, but if you are looking for quality the price is well worth it.  Now, l am not professing that everyone will like this burger, or the experience will evoke the same interest as it did for me.  I am not even considering this to be the only burger that l will eat from now on, just that it’s a damn good burger, from an establishment that is confident with their identity and ability to deliver something they believe in, and judging by the line-up out the door, it seems to be working.

 

Can customer lifecycle management grow sales?

How important are your customers to your future success? The answer is their success is tantamount to your organizations’.  Companies are all run by the democracy that is the free market.  Everyday Customers place a vote by purchasing products or services through their preferred organizations.  In most instances the choice is aligned with their core ideals and philosophies.

It is the responsibility of marketing to ensure that the organization’s strategies are aligned with their promise to the marketplace.  This promise becomes an experience, and the experience when positive becomes a your sustainable competitive advantage.

So it behooves us to do all we can to ensure each interaction a Customer has whether they are existing or new is consistently repeatable and reproducible.  The first dimension is done through identification of each Moment of Truth (MOTs) an interaction point in your business process whereby a customer can draw a positive or negative perception of your business.  It is these MOTs when combined become your total organizational experience.

The second dimension is deploying tools and tactics that allow your Customers to grow with you through their respective life-cycles.  If you are in the B2B market it is relative to their business and the growth phases of their organization, which is a combination time and penetration within their respective marketplace.  As we relate this to the B2C it is made up of their demographics, and social shifts.

Progressive organizations know how to capitalize on these phases and deploy programs, products, and services that will allow organization to improve their ownership of their Customers share of voice and share of market.

Simply put, hold your Customers hands and walk through the phases of growth together allows for stronger relationships to be created and results in immediate mutual benefit.  It provides in depth insights on what works, what needs improvement and what is needed.

Enter the days of humbleness, honesty, integrity and transparency, and Customer intimacy.  Welcome to the revelation of common sense, which will bring new meaning to the words “cradle to grave.”

 

Extinction Level Event for Sales?

Yes we are at the end of days….fortunately the virus l affectionately call, “affectus fides” will only wipe out that dreaded of species the ABC Salesman.  This creature has preyed on the innocent and weary for many millennium and while l sympathize with the organizations that will be impacted l know they will survive to become stronger, better and more sustainable as a result.

Once infected, the virus attacks the ABC’s pride and creates tremendous insecurity and paranoia, the condition progresses until their precious Top-line sales is impacted which develops into a downward spiral that leaves a mass of withered and broken numbers.  The ABC’s are forced to leave with tail behind their legs looking for another host organization to latch onto.

To better understand what brought upon this cleansing it is important to characterize the species.  Most of you know this awful creature, some have been at the wrong end of their sales tactics, others still have had to live with them in their workplace environments, and dare l say be managed by these vestiges from prehistory.  As with Cro-Magnan man this species too will suffer at the hands of Darwinian evolution.  The ABC’s think that there is an endless supply of Customers and that every person is a mark, or sale, they revert to an Always Be Closing (ABC) mentality and feel that only through them is the success of their organizations evident.  While the sun doesn’t rise and fall on these individuals they fail to realize that it is not through them that organizations prosper, but through the collective efforts of the few that l will refer to as the “Emotarians.”

The ABC’s cannot see past the next sale and live in the here and now foregoing all potential for long-term success, they are only driven by making their number, getting the recognition they so deeply require (borne through a childhood of depravity and lack of love or caring) and beating their chests as weak attempts at alpha male/female posturing. Their lack of talent is self-evident and they function in spheres of unemotional consequence, decisions and behaviour leave disloyal customers, disengaged employees and poor organizational culture in their wake.

It is shameful to know that many good organizations let their businesses be led by such ill-equipped, short-sighted individuals, but who can blame those that could not see the recession as temporary test, and needed an immediate influx of the rejuvenating “Top-line sales.”  What these organizations fail to realize is that this rejuvenation is short-term and akin to drinking an energy drink, quick boost, but short-run.

Meanwhile, as this is all transpiring, the dedicated Emotarians who use their natural abilities and passion for their roles provide positive dialogue with those they interact with, thereby, creating emotional connections to themselves, their brand and the organization as a whole.  The create these spheres of positive consequence, and emotional connection with those who have had the good fortune of working with them.

Unfortunately, there are too few of the Emotarians to stem the damage the ABC’s are causing.  The organizations response mechanism train the masses that fall outside of both factions, and make-up the major population “Communos” to mimic the work of the Emotarians.  This response is problematic, no amount of training can make-up for natural ability, and what begins to happen is a long cycle of ineptitude and disarray in which the  organizations are left in a static state with no true growth.  Trying to gain control Human Resources tries to create incentive and enrichment programs to stem the organizations shortcomings.  What they fail to realize that no amount of enticement can make up for emotional engagement. All the while requiring the ABC’s to make-up for shortfalls and honoring them with additional perquisites like company vehicles, expense accounts, resources to complete menial tasks…Is it a wonder they felt like Titans of industry.

Fortunately, a few phenomena were taking place on the world stage, a global community began being formed, leading to increased diversity within organizations, technology provided improved insights on Customers needs as the Customers themselves became more educated on their requirements and needs they saw value beyond price, and a significant movement towards sustainability in all aspects of work and life sprung up.  Individuality became more pronounced and generalizations about Customers became less and less evident.

Many progressive organizations recognized these macro trends and began to realize that in order to succeed they should begin looking at their people as individuals, understanding their wants, needs, desires and strengths.  They found by aligning their resources to each of their strengths they could increase productivity, improve employee engagement and create loyalty with Customers because they feel the passion from employees and see their  natural ability.  This started stemming the tide of negativity the ABC’s created.

Now the ABC’s didn’t take this lightly, they created much pomp and circumstance around this new paradigm trying to shift the thinking back to their days of old.  Many organizations collapsed in the wake of this pressure, some say that is what created affectus fides, a response to  a need to cleanse the landscape of this scourge.  Some say that it was technology, or a government plan to accelerate evolution and grow GDP, others simply say that it is their time to go.  Whatever the reason l am glad that we will soon be seeing an end to these recessive individuals, may they find peace in the graveyard where all things that are useless and add no value go, Politics.

 

Ultra-Darwinism

One form of evolutionary theory is Ultra-Darwinism, which relates development not to survival of the fittest, but of the fittest genetic material. In socio-cultural evolution, the equivalent of the gene has been called the meme, an idea, saying or ritual which propagates itself through a society in much the same way as the spread of a computer virus.

It is evident that evolution can be related to not only socio-cultural change, but organziational development.  The basic premise of evolution theory is that when faced with challenging conditions the most innovative and ingenious species, cultures and organizations adapt and change.  Thus, technologies could be considered memes carried by organisations and replicated at different levels within an organisation and beyond. What can also be considered memes are the employees within an organization.  If they embody the best and brightest, then their ideas become the catalysts for change.

What is clear about evolution theory, irrespective of what area is being researched is that when faced with widespread challenges within an environment, market, economy or social system a pruning of the weak occurs.  That is, the innovative, most nimble and quick to react evolve and adapt to meet the requirements of their surroundings.   It forces shifts to occur, and re-engineers organisms, organizations and cultures into more refined beings and entities.   This is where the truly strong survive. 

We should all take a long hard look at ourselves and our impact on our environment.  Are we the agents of change, or the impediments to future success.  Only time will tell.