July 15, 2009: Advocacy for Leadership

When I created my Hickory Hound Facebook account, months ago, I had to pick a category to describe the purpose of the group. I never thought of the mission as that of being an Advocate, but that is the category that I chose. After thinking about it and having some in-depth discussions with possible candidates in these upcoming races, I realized that that is truly what I am.

I honestly don't care about politics and I have real doubts about my ability to campaign should I ever decide to run for elective office. One, I am honest and loyal to a fault and I don't like what I interpret to be calculating politicos. In my opinion, it construes to a lesser form of integrity. Two, I don't believe in being a gracious loser or good sport. If you lose you have to respect it, but the living with the loss part is hard; not because of the label, but because of the rejection. This does not mean that at a point in the future I won't seek office, but I will promise you that it won't be as the typical politico.

Advocate - to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly. I am this, because this city needs to move forward and I believe it is my calling to play a role in making that happen. Too many times we have seen the privileged people in this city looking towards the nostalgic vision of yesteryear and a smaller, more sanguine Hickory. One where "Old Hickory" was flying high, their family's business was floating in cash, and they had the whole world in their hands.

But, that vision looked in the mirror and driving by looking in the mirror, instead of looking out the windshield and down the road, will ultimately lead to a crash. It seems like I have said it a million times before, but the city's leaders, whether government or business, were not laying a firm foundation for the future. This city's leaders and businessmen needed to invest in its most important resource -- Human Capital.

I heard someone say this the other day and I truly believes it's true, because I think it is part of the metastasizing cancer that is flowing throughout our community. This person said that a combination of greed and short-term thinking will ruin just about anything . A metaphor of this is when I have personally witnessed local business people take money out of the register to use it on personal expenses or writing a check from the business account to do the same. That is not a good business model. Usually these types of arrangements end in cash flow problems. Getting through the day or robbing Peter to pay Paul are expressions that come to mind.

I have also witnessed many business owners who will pay as little as they possibly can to their employees and then luxuriate themselves to the Nth degree. Many of these business owners don't reward employees that go above and beyond with appreciation, much less a raise or bonus. Why should an excellent employee ever have to go ask for more money when what they are doing has a direct, positive effect on a business's revenues? It is little wonder that employees that work under such management, where they are taken for granted, have morale problems or do the least they possibly can get away with.

I believe that this was the normal business practice in "Old Hickory." Many people will say, "That's capitalism." Well, Capitalism does not necessarily equate to good business people or practices, and without good business people, we can't have a good, stable economic foundation to build a community upon. A good Capitalist gets to know his or her employees personally and understands that a business's most vital asset is its employees. If you invest in your employees with decent wages and benefits, along with continuing training and education; then you will, I believe, have larger and more stable returns in the long run. This is the principle of investing in Human Capital.

Okay, now time to step down from the soapbox on that issue, but forward thinking leadership, in this city, would recognize that this has been an area of weakness and we need to make sure that going forward that we instill in local area business owners that it is a true necessity to invest in its employees. I have spoken to one of our areas best up and coming young businessmen who truly does understand all of this. He told me, "The last few months have been really tough. I could have been ruthless and kept my full salary and laid off a bunch of my employees, but I called them all in and explained that we were having financial difficulties and everyone was going to have to take an across the board pay cut, including myself." He said to me, "I can't afford to invest in these employees, and let them go, for a temporary fix."

As a community, we need to invest in our future. This city has been and will continue to crumble around us if we don't. This is not about politics. This is about life. I think we are all tired of "Politics as Usual." Whether we do anything about it or not is a different story. Politics is defined by exercising or seeking power in the governmental or public affairs of a state. Politicians are worried about accumulating power. I do not seek to accumulate power, I seek to disperse it. I think we must empower the individual.

I think that is Hickory's (and the surrounding areas') way out. If we make individuals stronger, then we will all be stronger and more secure. We are in dire need of selfless leaders in this area that understand the need to invest in Human Capital. We don't need individuals seeking a position, title, or resume enhancement for future personal goals. In these dire times, I am appealing to you, it is truly time to seek out the type of direction that John F. Kennedy called for in his famous 1961 inaugural address: Ask not what Hickory can do for you. Ask what you can do for Hickory!!!