What it’s like to meet Jack Welch

“I’m here to pimp my wife’s book” were the first words spoken by Jack Welch, when he presented alongside his wife, Suzy Welch, to an audience at the Indigo book store at the Manulife Center in Toronto, on April 27, 2009.

Jack was referring to Suzy’s new book, 10-10-10: A Life-Transforming Idea. (As an aside, 10-10-10 received poor reviews. I believe reviewers compared the book to Suzy’s first book, Winning, which she co-wrote with Jack. 10-10-10 is nowhere near the caliber of Winning, though I think Suzy targeted the Oprah Book of the Month Club audience with 10-10-10.)

Kevin Kane in Croatia, holding the Croatian edition of one of his favorite books, Jack and Suzy Welch's Winning

When I heard that Jack was coming to Toronto, I just *had* to meet him. This is Jack Welch, the man who was named “Manager of the Century” by Fortune magazine in 1999; who during his 20-year tenure as CEO of General Electric, from 1984 to 2004, increased GE’s market capitalization from $14 billion to more than $410 billion, making GE the largest and most valuable company in the world.

So what’s it like to meet the man in person? Jack entered the store with his wife, the much younger and stunning Suzy Welch. Suzy is the former Executive Editor of one of my favorite magazines, the prestigious Harvard Business Review. Suzy speaks with considerable authority and presence, and has a vivaciousness that initially made me wonder if she might actually upstage her husband.

But once Jack started answering questions, the words of Warren Buffett came to mind when Warren said, “When you talk with Jack about management, his energy and passion fill the room.”

Though Jack genuinely tried to let the evening be Susie’s show, he couldn’t help but oblige the audience by answering a few of their questions. Here are, at random, a few thoughts which Jack shared:

• Jack was challenged on whether his admonition to “follow your gut” might lead people to not consider important data in the decision-making process. Jack responded by relating “gut intuition” to “pattern recognition”: your gut identifies patterns of experience you’ve seen before, and intuitively hints you toward a correct decision based on your previous encounters. Jack advised us: “Don’t ignore your gut. Your gut is a legtimate data point. But combine your gut with additional data to make a better decision.”
• People naturally dismiss ideas from people they dislike, regardless of the merit of those ideas.
• Two questions Jack asked himself during his life and career: “What do you want people to say about you when you’re not in the room?” and “What would make you cry with regret on your 70th birthday?”
• On the economy, and the US government’s plan to “spend its way out of the recession”: “How are we going to pay back the debt incurred, when realistically, the US will grow at only 4-percent, we have more global competition than ever, and people have fundamentally become more frugal?”

I approached Jack after the question and answer session and asked, “Which idea is tougher to sell inside organizations – candor or boundarylessness?” (These are two concepts Jack strongly endorses in his books.) Jack’s eyes widened and he responded, “They are both as tough as nails to sell!” He looked at me intently and stated emphatically, “You have to reward these behaviors.” Discussing these ideas really got Jack fired up, and we shared stories about them for some length of time.

Then Jack started asking questions about me and my career. He took a keen interest in me, and he is very encouraging. He maintains a relaxed but focused attention when he speaks with you, and he projects a down-to-earth warmth and sincerity. He frequently makes funny remarks, and he even laughed at all my jokes. Even my girlfriend doesn’t get all my jokes, so clearly Jack is a very enlightened person from my perspective. Meeting Jack Welch reminded me of how gratifying an experience it is when you discover that a celebrity whom you have admired from afar turns out to be just as impressive and likable when you meet them in person.

Jack: “You’re not going to ask me for an autograph, are you?”

Kevin: “Wait a sec, I thought you wanted *my* autograph?”

Jack: “So you’ve read all my books? And you think you’re pretty smart now, do you?”

Kevin: “Yes and yes.”

Jack: “Don’t forget: Always be candid and boundaryless!” Kevin: “You got it, Jack!”

Kevin Kane, holding the Croatian edition of one of his favorite books, Jack and Suzy Welch’s Winning

Lords of Loads & Logistics: 8 billionaires who built the shipping empires which bring the world’s goods to you

The cover story of the October 2009 edition of Forbes magazine features America’s 400 most wealthy people. Eight of 400 built their fortunes in the transportation industry. The eight are quite the motley cast of characters. I’ll share some highlights and sidelights, and their impacts on Canada.

Dennis Washington, $4.2 billion, Marine & Rail Transportation, Mining, Montana. With a net worth of $4.2 billion, Washington leads the pack of logistics moguls, and is the 61st richest person on the Fortune 400 list. He owns the largest tug and barge fleet in British Columbia. Washington also owns a large private estate on Stuart Island, British Columbia, including a luxury fishing lodge and golf course. He began his business career at age 30 in 1964, with a $30,000 loan and a single bulldozer.

Victor Fung & family, $2.6 billion, Li & Fung, Hong Kong. Despite the recession, outsourcing firm Li & Fung actually increased sales 25% in 2008. They supply clothes, furnishings, and toys to retailers including Disney, Abercrombie & Fitch, Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart, and Target.

Donald Schneider, $2.5 billion, Schneider National, Wisconsin. Schneider National is the US’ largest privately held freight carrier, with sales of $3.7 billion. Schneider managed to take market share from some smaller, struggling competitors during the recession. A Wharton MBA, he introduced a 60-mph speed cap on his fleet last year, in order to reduce fuel costs. In one of my Canadian Institute of Transportation and Traffic (CITT) courses, we debated the efficacy of speed caps. The general consensus of my colleagues is that speed caps actually increase total transportation costs: Savings on fuel are outweighed by an increased expenditure on driver hours, and other costs associated with delivery delays.

A Schneider National truck is overturned. When the accident occurred, I wonder if the driver was moving at less than 60 mph? Though truck drivers sometimes get a bad rap, the high majority are excellent, safe, and professional drivers.

Stewart Rahr, $1.95 billion, Kinray, New York. Kinray is the world’s largest independent pharmaceutical and generics distributor. Rahr started Kinray after dropping out of law school. “Stewie Rah Rah, the #1 King of All Fun” adorns the wall of his office in Queens, NY. The business card he used this summer is a one-billion dollar bill, featuring a picture of Rahr with Donald Trump, Arnold Palmer and Bill Clinton. Now that’s original. Reminds me of Jeffrey Gitomer, who used to distribute a business card for his company’s mascot, which was his pet cat,”Leo.”

Fred Smith, $1.65 billion, Federal Express, Tennessee. Fedex is the world’s largest private shipping firm. The bulk of FedEx’s business is in the movement of courier packages, which is why everyone reading this article has heard of FedEx, though many outside the logistics industry will not be familiar with the other companies, which primarily distribute freight to manufacturers and retailers. A Yale grad, Smith envisioned an integrated network of planes and trucks in his senior thesis; he then launched FedEx in 1971. How about that! A thesis turned into a business plan! I published a thesis myself, though it has yet to yield $1.65 billion. Smith pioneered elaborate tracking systems, saying, “The information about the package is just as important as the package itself.”

Fred Smith, who founded FedEx so that he could continue to play with model airplanes from childhood to retirement

William E. Conner II, $1.5 billion, Supply Chain Services, Hong Kong. Conner began working for his father’s company at age 12. He holds an MBA and law degree. With 35 offices in 20 countries, more than half of his business comes from women’s apparel and home goods, with the balance from textiles, lighting and other apparel.

Manuel Moroun & family, $1.3 billion, Central Transport, Michigan. Manuel is battling the Canadian Canadian government to maintain his priceless monopoly over the Detroit River border crossing. He owns the Ambassador Bridge, which is a channel for 25 percent of the commerce between the U.S. and Canada. The Bridge handles 8,000 trucks a day, and $100 billion worth of goods each year.

Johnelle Hunt, $1.1 billion, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Arkansas. Johnelle is the widow of trucking titan Johnnie Hunt. With sales of $3.7 billion, J.B. Hunt is the largest U.S. public transportation company, serving the U.S., Canada and Mexico with over 10,000 vehicles.

Proactive Personality and the Successful Job Search – Journal of Applied Psychology

While obtaining my degree in Psychology at the University of Waterloo, the hardest work I did might have been writing an undergraduate thesis. I was incredibly lucky, though. My thesis adviser, Doug Brown, was working with three other colleagues on the publication of a large paper to be submitted for publication in the most prestigious journal in Industrial / Organizational Psychology, which is the Journal of Applied Psychology (JAP).

At the University of Waterloo, Bill Gates is a bigger draw than Britney Spears and Paris Hilton combined

For my thesis, Doug invited me to write a paper that would contribute to this larger article for the JAP. The opportunity to be published in the JAP, as an undergrad, was an auspicious stroke of fortune that I couldn’t turn down.

Of course I had no idea how much I’d have to work my butt off! But it paid off, and I still had a little bit of butt left when all was said and done.

Since the JAP is best, most world-class publication of the field, my paper had to be world-class, too, which is an unusual expectation of an undergraduate student. But Doug was a tremendous coach. He mentored me every step of the way, helping me improve my standard of excellence with each subsequent revision of my paper. In other words, he made me rewrite that damn paper about 26 times!

But I’m grateful his standards were so high, because he taught me to become a much better scientist and writer. He taught me how to:

• thoroughly conduct research, so that I understood the literature surrounding my topic, and so that my argument was buttressed by existing peer-reviewed evidence
• make powerful, empirically-supported, and logically consistent, arguments
• write more clearly and succinctly
• present a compelling and persuasive story

Below is a synopsis of the article, and a link to a pdf of the full article:

The current article tests a model of proactive personality and job search success with a sample of 180
graduating college students. Using structural equation modeling, the authors tested a theoretical model
that specified the relations among proactive personality, job search self-efficacy, job search behaviors,
job search effort, and job search outcomes. Job seekers were surveyed at 2 separate points in time, once
3–4 months prior to graduation and once 2–3 months following graduation. The results suggest that
proactive personality (a) significantly influenced the success of college graduates’ job search, (b) was
partially mediated through job search self-efficacy and job search behavior, and (c) was independent of
self-esteem and conscientiousness. The findings are discussed in terms of their general implications for
understanding the nature of the process through which distal personality factors, such as proactive
personality, affect the nature and success of an individual’s job search.

Keywords: proactive personality, job search, social– cognitive theory, self-efficacy

Ah, this brings back memories (nightmares?), of final exams at U of Waterloo. Notice that the three guys on the right look totally stumped, hands on heads, whereas the girls to the left are cool and collected.

Note: I contributed to my portion of the article in 2002 and 2003, though the article was not published until 2006. It typically takes this period of time for an article to be reviewed and published in the JAP.

Proactive Personality and the Successful Job Search – A Field Investigation – Journal of Applied Psychology – Brown, Kane, Cober, Levey – 2006

Multiple computer screens: maybe the fastest way to boost your productivity immediately

What do Bill Gates, Al Gore, and Kevin Kane share in common? Other than the obvious that we’re all devastatingly handsome studs, rich and powerful? Read on to find out.

For years, I’ve been using multiple monitors on the computers I use at home and at work. The investment I’ve spent in an extra couple monitors has more that paid itself back in enhanced productivity (and fun). As written in the NY Times, “Survey after survey shows that whether you measure your productivity in facts researched, alien spaceships vaporized, or articles written, adding an extra monitor will give your output a considerable boost — 20 percent to 30 percent, according to a survey by Jon Peddie Research.” Research by Microsoft suggests that adding a second screen can achieve productivity increases of 9 to 50 percent. Apple as well touts research showing that larger screens increase work output, as discussed in a Slate article entitled, “Why gigantic screens are the best computer upgrades ever.”

Bill Gates uses three LCD displays, as pictured here:

Bill Gates uses three monitors on one computer, and he keeps a tidy desk to boot

Gates writes, “On my desk I have three screens, synchronized to form a single desktop. I can drag items from one screen to the next. Once you have that large display area, you’ll never go back, because it has a direct impact on productivity. The screen on the left has my list of e-mails. On the center screen is usually the specific e-mail I’m reading and responding to. And my browser is on the right-hand screen. This setup gives me the ability to glance and see what new has come in while I’m working on something, and to bring up a link that’s related to an e-mail and look at it while the e-mail is still in front of me.”

Multiple monitors aren’t just for the tech geeks, either. Check out Al Gore getting-in on the triple-screen action:

Al Gore uses three monitors on one computer, and he keeps a tidy... oh, nevermind

Gates and Gore use three screens with desktop computers. For those with laptops, the picture below shows my work laptop connected to two screens (and hey, I’m just as famous an example as the guys above, right?):

I am enjoying the pleasant fiction that my desk is never clutterred. Here it is after I moved in, with zero mess and zero personality.

Now I know what you’re thinking:

“So… what exactly do you do with all those screens?”

The nice thing is that anytime, you can swap which program you can have on which screen. Typically, I’ll have:

• on the left screen: Microsoft Outlook for email
• on the middle screen: A document I’m editing, such as an email, word document, or spreadsheet.
• on the right screen: A web page related to the document I’m working on, or other supporting or reference documents.

I work in sales. So let’s say I’m on the phone with a customer, discussing an email they sent me. I might have the customer’s email message on my left screen, while I’m typing call notes in Microsoft Word on the middle screen, and maybe I’ve got their website on my right screen.

Or let’s say I’m researching a company before I meet with them. I might be keeping an eye on my inbox on my left screen, completing a company profile template on my middle screen, while reading a news article about the company on my right screen.

So generally, I have my inbox on the left, what I’m typing or editing in the middle, and what I’m referring to on the right.

I suggest you give this setup a try. If you do, I bet you’ll concur with the sentiment expressed in the Microsoft research: “Give someone a second monitor, let them use it for while, and then try to take it away. It just isn’t going to happen.”

It doesn’t cost much, and it’s easier to setup than you might think.

How do I add additional screens to my computer?

If you have a laptop, you can add a 25″ LCD from Tiger Direct for $220 as of this writing. Follow these five simple steps to add a monitor to your laptop.

If you have a desktop, the setup is basically the same. Various set-up options exist.

My personal setup includes:

• a Lenovo T61 laptop, running Microsoft Vista. The laptop has a 15″ widescreen, with 1680 x 1050 resolution. The higher the resolution, the more content you’ll see on the screen, which will reduce the amount of scrolling you have to do.
• an Acer 23″ widescreen LCD in the middle, at 1920 x 1080 resolution. The Acer screen is connected with a VGA cable to my laptop’s monitor port.
• a Dell 22″ widescreen LCD on the right, at 1680 x 1050 resolution. The Dell screen is connected with a USB 2.0 VGA adapter cable to one of my laptop’s USB ports.

If you’re using a laptop, and like me, you want to have a total of 3 screens rather than just 2, I recommend you use a USB to VGA adapter, rather than a dual-head device such as the Matrox DualHead2Go Digital Edition. I recommend the USB to VGA adapter over the dual-head device because the USB to VGA adapter is better in the following ways:

1. It allows you to have 3 independent screens, each with unique resolutions. By contrast, the DualHead2Go requires that all screens be set at the same resolution, and the two screens you attach to your laptop will have a stretched resolution across them, which decreases usability in some ways.
   
2. The USB to VGA adapter allows you to add up to 6 displays (if you bought 6 adapters). The DualHead2Go seems incompatabile with adding additional screens, at least when I tried to add a 4th screen to it with a USB to VGA adapter.
3. I find the DualHead software to be a little buggy at times.
4. The USB to VGA adapter is physically smaller than the DualHead adapter. The USB to VGA adapter and its USB wire takes up less space, creates less “wire mess”, and is more portable.
5. The USB to VGA adapter costs less (I bought it for $40, with free shipping, on Ebay), than the DualHead adapter (which is about $200 or more).

But is it worth the investment?

I hear a lot of people say (whine?), “Well I’m not spending my own money to upgrade my work system. My employer should do that.” I agree that companies should invest in resources that help their employees achieve higher productivity. However, if your company can’t provide you an extra monitor for whatever reason, invest a couple hundred bucks in yourself, anyway, and get yourself the tools you need.

After I read  Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Red Book of Sales Answers, I decided to buy for myself (or invest in myself is how I think of it),  whatever I thought would help me be more productive. In his book, Gitomer answers the question, “My company won’t buy me a laptop? What should I do?” Gitomer’s answer is basically, “Quit bitching and go buy yourself one.” You’ll get your investment back on the first extra sale you make due to having the laptop. If you are not willing to invest in yourself, what makes you think that your customer will be willing to invest in you and your products and services? I’ve tried to adopt an empowering attitude of, “I’m not going to complain about anything. I’m going to find a way to get the resources I need to support my success. If that means I have to invest a few hundred to earn a few thousand, so be it.”

4 tips to make your commute and driving time more productive and enjoyable

Many of us spend a lot of time in our cars, or use public transit. Taking me for instance, I started a new job last week. My commute from home to work is about two to three hours a day. If I then spend the night at my girlfriend’s house, it’s another 30 minutes drive to her home.  Not to mention time spent driving to the gym, running errands, etc.

I asked myself, “What are the best ways I can maximize the use of my time in the car?” Considering my work commute alone is about 20% of my non-sleeping time, I want to make the best of it.

Here’s what I’ve been doing that I find valuable:
1. Listening to audio books and programs. I went to the library and was delighted to discover that I can borrow 100 items at a time! I took out some great books on CD in some of my areas of interest, such as business and sales. I borrow titles including Good to Great by Collins, Authentic Happiness by Seligman, Advanced Selling by Tracy, Freakanomics by Levitt, and The Last Lecture by Pausch. I find it very cool that throughout the day as I’m speaking with people, I naturally bring-up interesting and thoughtful things I learned from the books that are relevant to the conversation we’re having. Most of us want to read more to improve our expertise and knowledge, or just for the sheer joy of it. I find that listening to books on CD/mp3 as I drive really helps me accomplish my weekly dose of reading.

2. Reviewing my mission and mantra. On my BlackBerry, I have a task note about my life’s mission and vision. It consists mostly of affirmations of my vision for the future of the world, and the positive impact and contribution that I am making. I find it powerful to read it aloud. (Note: I’m not encouraging anyone to read their BlackBerry in busy traffic. I’ll glance at it if traffic is stop and go.)

3. Eating on-the-go. I keep a cooler in my trunk, with healthy foods in Tupperware inside. I eat breakfast and other meals as I drive, so I can get on the highway earlier to get ahead of the morning rush (or some of the rush, anyway).

4. Phoning people using a headset. This might be a controversial suggestion to some, though for what it’s worth, I enjoy speaking with people while driving. With a headset, I can keep both hands on the wheel. If I’m on my handset when I’m on the highway, I just drive behind a tractor trailer in the slow lane, and I maintain a safe following distance.

I need to do the above four activities at some point in my day, whether I’m driving or not. I like to think of the driving time as my allotted time to invest in these activities without distraction. It guarantees me that I’ll have time to get these things done. Looked at from this perspective, maybe my commute is a bit of a blessing.