Team Orrin Woodward

Be A Champion!

The article below can be found online at Success Magazine or in the March/April 2007 issue of the magazine. After reading Ruben Gonzalez's essay on what it takes to be a champion I knew this needed to be shared with our readers here. Isn't it amazing how the very foundational principles of success and being a champion are universal no matter what you endeavor to achieve? Whether you are building a business, aspire to be an Olympian, working towards a college degree, or are striving to be successful in your career field there are basic principles that can help you accomplish your goal. Orrin Woodward teams up with the best speakers nationally as he discusses his proven ideas and principles on how to be successful. It is always amazing to me to see people from very different backgrounds that have been successful and see that those principles are universal. I hope you enjoy this article by Ruben Gonzalez.

The Champion’s Creed
Talking Business with Ruben Gonzalez
Success Staff

RUBEN GONZALEZ SUCCEEDED in making his dream of competing in the Olympics a reality. Gonzalez took up the luge, hurling himself down an icy track on a sled at speeds over 80 MPH. While most Olympic luge athletes begin training by the age of 10, he started at 21.

To some, Gonzalez’s dream seemed hopeless, but four years later, he qualified to compete in the Calgary Olympics and again in Albertville. But his most memorable Olympics would be at Salt Lake City in 2002. At age 39, he was so much older than his competitors that some mistook him for a coach! Nevertheless, Gonzalez’s story embodied the Olympic spirit, which is why he was chosen as one of 200 Olympians to carry the torch that year.

Gonzalez is the author of The Courage To Succeed and will be featured in the upcoming film, Pass It On. Now a motivational speaker, he shares his story and provides insight to audiences on how to push beyond their limitations. Success asked the three-time Olympian for his advice on achieving your dreams.

IGNORE DREAM STEALERS
“If I could go back and give advice to myself when I was starting out, I’d say not to listen to the dream stealers. When I first started, I called Lake Placid (home of USA Luge) and the man who answered laughed at me when I told him I was 21. I knew that hanging up wasn’t an option. After awhile he realized I was serious about training. You cannot listen to people who try to keep you from your dreams. What if I had taken that first no? That would have been the end of the story.”

PROBABILITIES AND POSSIBILITIES
In luging, nine out of ten people quit in their first year. These odds would make most wary, but not Gonzalez. “I got excited. I was going to outlast everyone. Most people look at their dreams and start calculating the odds of them ever happening. They can tell you the probabilities and that number keeps them from even getting started. They don’t understand that probability has nothing to do with success. Don’t focus on the probabilities, focus on the possibilities.”

COMMIT TO YOUR GOALS
“In my first two years, I crashed four out of five times. By the third year, I got better and would crash only one out of 100.” When Gonzalez recently taught his 6-year-old daughter, Gabriela, how to ride a bike, he saw history repeat itself. “After the first day she fell. The second day she kept falling and told me that she didn’t want to do this. But I wouldn’t let her give up, and by the third day she was able to stay on. Her third day of learning to ride her bike was like my third year of training. Commitment is what makes success possible.”

FOCUS ON RESULTS
“Whenever you are trying to accomplish something, don’t worry too much about how you go about getting results. Focus on whether you are getting results. If not, change approaches. Be open to new ideas and information. One “ YOU CANNOT LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO TRY TO KEEP YOU FROM YOUR DREAMS.” new idea could literally transform your life.” HANDLE SETBACKS “Next time you experience a major setback, do what top achievers do: recover quickly. Right away, they force themselves to look at the bright side of things. If you recover quickly, you don’t lose your momentum and your drive.” How you choose to react to something can significantly improve your chances of success.

BUILD A “DREAM TEAM”
“Create your own ‘dream team’ of people who believe in you and who will encourage you when you are going through challenges. My family’s been 100% supportive. Mentors who have done what you want to do are necessary as well. My coach is like the Michael Jordan of luge. Who you surround yourself with will determine how far you go. When these people believe in you, you will begin to believe it too.”

Orrin Woodward: Do The Right Thing!

"Bad corporate decisions are made because a company would rather look good than be good."

Page 205 What They Don't Teach You AT Harvard Business School by Mark H. McCormack

What a great quote! I am going to shoot straight and tell you like it is. Corporate America is full of gutless wonders. I am amazed at some business leaders who are so preoccupied and obsessed with corporate reputation that they make horrible decisions based on wanting to look good rather than be good. You see it all the time. One great example is the end of each quarter as corporate executives try to hit earnings for Wall Street. The US is known for its short sightedness as executives routinely make horrible business decisions that will plague a company for years to come all because they want to look good in the moment. Enron is a classic example of this as they took it to epic levels of deceit which ultimately led to the financial ruin of many American investors who were lied to.

However, this type of behavior does not stop there. There are many examples of corporate ignorance placing reputation and the desire to look good above making good corporate decisions which would favor customers, investors, and business partners. There is no excuse of such short sightedness. Our company has been blessed with great leadership starting with Orrin Woodward and his intense desire to make sure all corporate actions are in the best interest of the customers and business partnerships we have fostered.

Orrin Woodward says that people who are worried about reputation have their priorities wrong. Having proper character is the key. He teaches to focus on character based actions and not to worry about reputation for that is something you can not control. You can only control your character and in the end the truth will be known. The world is full of politicians who have worked hard to have a great public reputation but their character was lacking in private and in the end their lack of character leads to their downfall. I spoke about this in my previous post about Congressman Mark Foley and Duke Cunningham. You can fake reputation but you can not fake character!

Business leaders who want to have a lasting success with their company and a legacy to be proud of should follow the example of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was a man who worried about doing what was right. He is the epitome of a man of character. In some circles his public reputation was not good. There were many people who tried hard to disparage him and his reputation because they felt threatened by his teachings. Jesus was not worried about his reputation however; he just did what was right and set the example for the rest of mankind to follow. Don't worry about your reputation, worry about doing what is right!

Orrin Woodward Review

Orrin Woodward Review II

Orrin Woodward, Chairman of the Board

Orrin Woodward: How to succeed in the game of business!

"Never underestimate your competition. I think a competitive spirit is essential to both personal and corporate business success. And how you stack up against the competition is one of the best yardsticks for measuring that success. But there is a major difference between competition in business and competing in sports. In both cases the idea is to win, to beat everyone else. But in business there is no end to the game. There are no insurmountable leads. The competition always has time to catch up.”

What They Don’t Teach You At Harvard Business School by Mark H. McCormack

In 1980, a small retailer was a one billion dollar a year business, barely noticeable in the business landscape of America. In 2005, this little known company from Arkansas has trounced all competition and stands atop the hill as the mammoth retailer known as WAL-MART, doing over 260 billion dollars a year in sales. Not only has it beaten all the competition within its line of work, but it is now the largest company in America and has global reach and direct cause and effect in economies all around the world.

Their results show that the leadership of this company realized that in business the objective is to bring value to the market place, customers, and shareholders. In effect, if they help their sharholders, business partners, and customers win they will succeed. I am sure there were many one billion dollar businesses in America in 1980 but where are they today? Some for sure are out of business or very near. We all know what WAL-MART did to K-MART. WAL-MART provided greater value to its customers and the free market place voted by flocking in mass to shop at WAL-MART. There are other businesses that measure the same size today as they did in 1980 and although better than being out of business they lost market share. One could assume the leadership of those companies could not keep up with the market place and bring value to its customers, stock holders, business partners and thus they their business faltered. Some businessmen play not to lose instead of playing to win.

If a leadership team espouses a de-facto strategy of putting their head in the sand and ignoring the facts and the changes that are happening in the market place, they will quickly find themselves as a non-factor in their business. Orrin Woodward has impressed upon the leadership team of our company that we must always be learning and advancing because the business environment is never stagnate but dynamically changing. Peter M. Senge in his book, The Fifth Discipline says “In the long run the only sustainable competitive advantage is your organization’s ability to learn faster than the competition.”

Read any book about WAL-MART and you will see that Sam Walton and all the senior leadership of that company understood this fact and they were constantly pushing the envelope, looking for ways to improve, grow, and bring value to the customer and the stockholder. They are the epitome of a learning organization. As a small backwoods retailer, they used this core principle to build and grow into the largest company in America and thus change the face of the economic environment around the globe. Their competition did not grow and learn as fast as they did and we have all witnessed the end results.

Warren Buffet, founder and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, has had great success in the investment arena in the past thirty years, amassing a personal wealth of over a 42 billion dollars. He says that he studies the leadership of a company when making the decision to invest. If they have a great leadership team, he knows the company will do well and advance in the market place, and be a great investment opportunity. He never invests in a company that may look good on the surface but lacks leadership as he knows it won’t be long before that company is losing money.

Great leadership teams of companies espouse some key traits. Orrin Woodward says the first key is to be principle based with moral courage to do what is right. You must always operate with integrity. Second, you must play to win. You can not ignore the competition and the market place and hope to be successful in your little corner of the world. In a global economy in the internet age, you are competing against everyone whether you like it or not. Finally, you must develop a learning organization that is monitoring the market place and understanding the trends and making appropriate adjustments to your business to remain viable and on the cutting edge. If you are not advancing and growing then you are actually losing.

If you are in business for yourself, these key principles will help you succeed. If you are an investor, learn what you can about the company you want to invest in. If they follow these principles espoused by Orrin Woodward, you will have a very profitable investment for years to come.

Orrin Woodward and The Rising Tide of Capitalism (part II)

In my previous post titled “The Rising Tide of Capitalism” I highlight Orrin Woodward's conversations with me regarding the economy and the socio-economic changes afoot in the world today.  Orrin methodically discussed the erroneous assertions of some economists who espouse a closed economic system where the “total wealth in the world is a fixed or static sum.” (Capitalism by George Reisman p.326) 

President Ronald Reagan poetically described the rising tide of capitalism in a speech when he likened capitalism to a tide that helped raise all the boats in the harbor whether rich or poor.  Everyone, regardless of economic background, gained due to the advancements and progress of a capitalistic society.

Knowing my interest on this subject, Orrin Woodward gave me a book by George Reisman titled Capitalism which I have referenced a few times in this blog.  Orrin said he highly recommended it to anyone interested in economics and I must say although VERY long and in-depth, it is an excellent read.

One section that I felt tied in well with my previous discussions is found on page 326 under Economic Inequality.  In this section, Reisman shows that in a capitalistic division of labor society, a fixed sum or static state of wealth is just not possible.  He states, “Yet, this assumption of a fixed, static amount of wealth that can be produced is clearly incorrect in the context of a division of labor society.  In such a society, a growing body of technological knowledge, manifested in ever growing power over the physical world in which he lives, makes possible a continuous increase in the sum total of what is produced. (Capitalism, page 326)  Reisman further concludes, “Now it can not be stressed too strongly that in a division of labor society, one person’s gain is not another’s loss, but is the other people’s gain.”  This is exactly what Orrin Woodward calls operating business with a win/win mindset where everyone wins together.

Operating continually with these principles in mind, he leads and builds his businesses knowing that everyone must have the opportunity to advance and be rewarded but that it is “constantly subject to change by virtue of his own efforts and abilities” as Reisman explains.  Thus Orrin’s saying, “As you perform so shall you bonus” holds true to the very cornerstone of economic principals taught by the most respected economists throughout the ages.

Orrin Woodward: Let the Shopping Begin

Today marks the day before the mad rush of Christmas shopping that occurs every year.  Typically the day after Thanksgiving is the biggest day of the year for retailers.  It is amazing to own a business that can take advantage of this rush and at the same time avoid the chaos of flying elbows and the worst of human nature.  Orrin Woodward, founder of the TEAM, and I are exceptionally excited about the up coming year.  On-line sales currently make up only a tiny percentage of the overall purchases made each year.  However, on-line sales are growing much faster than in store sales.  These two facts account for much of my excitement.  Looking forward, on-line shopping will continue to grow.  This, along with the available market share that exists makes for exciting growth.  Thanks to the leadership of Orrin Woodward, the TEAM will not just prosper but soar to new heights yet seen in this industry.  Thanks again Orrin for your unwaivering commitment and leadership.

Orrin Woodward: Reflections on Thanksgiving

Tomorrow families across America will gather together to share a meal, a football game, and some much needed time sharing with one another.  Let us not forget the true meaning of Thanksgiving and its origins.  We all, whatever our circumstances, have much to be thankful for.  I am very thankful for so many things, including my friendship with Orrin Woodward, the wonderful business model the TEAM provides, and for all the incredible relationships my business has provided me.  After all it's the people in our lives and our relationship with God that truly counts.

Orrin Woodward: Graces the Cover of Achieve

Congratulations to Orrin and Laurie Woodward for appearing on the cover of Achieve Magazine.  Achieve Magazine recognized the Woodward's latest accomplishment of being the first ever Executive Diamonds to represent the TEAM.  The article helps to highlight the importance of family in his life.  The following photos were taken at Orrin Woodward's home.  Photos are taken from www.Quixtar.com

                                        

Orrin Woodward: Woodward vs. The "Tarpon"

Earlier this year Orrin Woodward had the opportunity to fulfill a life long dream of tarpon fishing.  The beautiful Florida Keys was the setting for one of the great battles of 2004. 

  Orrin Woodward vs. the "Tarpon."  Orrin, on a guided fishing expedition, soon found himself locked in a battle of wills with a large and equally stubborn tarpon.  The battle raged back and forth for sometime.  As both parties tired, the large tarpon, now laying on the surface of the water, made eye contact with Orrin.  In this glorious moment so reminiscent of Orrin's own life, the tarpon, exhausted and inches from defeat, found freedom by digging deep inside.  In one last burst of energy, trying one more time, the tarpon broke free to fight another day.  Orrin and that tarpon found mutual respect that day.  There would be no losers, only victors, one reclaiming his freedom and the other fulfilling an experience equal to his years of dreaming.   

Orrin Woodward: Achiever's

It is nearly time for this years Achiever's trip.  This trip, part of Quixtar's Business and Incentive Rewards, is always a great time.  This years trip is to sunny Florida and will most certainly be memorable.  As great as these trips are the highlight of every trip is time spent with Orrin Woodward, Chris Brady, and the other leaders of the TEAM.  I look forward to spending time with one of the greatest business minds of all time, Orrin Woodward.

Orrin Woodward: Wins spot on IBOIA

For those of you who didn't know Orrin Woodward continues to forge ahead.  Orrin has established himself as one of the most successful men in business history.  Recently Orrin Woodward won a spot on the powerful IBOIA board.  Orrin won despite just being a write-in candidate.  I don't know for sure but this may have been a IBOIA first for a write-in candidate.  Congratulations Orrin on your success and thanks for setting the pace, we are so proud of you!!!