November 19th – Beyond Words

November 19th – Beyond Words

I often think that the most valuable aspects of what a co-op provides is almost beyond words. It is more of a felt thing. An inner sensing. During this week of Thanksgiving I hope we all take a moment to pause in all our busyness for just a moment, close our eyes, and...
November 12th – Today

November 12th – Today

To me, the cooperative retail adventure is rich in texture, color, and experiences. Each day is an unrepeatable adventure. And it can so easily be hidden away in the mundane, day to day grind of running a food store. No fist pumping at a finish line, no big adrenaline...
November 5th – Mind the Rudder

November 5th – Mind the Rudder

There’s an old saying, “You either mind the rudder or answer to the rocks.” I can’t think of a more appropriate saying with respect to setting the culture in our stores. Who is the keeper of the rudder? It’s each one of us managers. A...
October 29th – What If They Have a Point – Part 2

October 29th – What If They Have a Point – Part 2

Last week I wrote a message about listening to a peer who is complaining all the time about a co-worker and how to disengage from them gracefully. It’s a topic that stirred quite a bit of dialogue among the M2M tribe last week. I got a lot of comments and...
October 22nd- When to Talk and When to Walk

October 22nd- When to Talk and When to Walk

Ever been in a situation where a peer co-worker frequently comes to you to hard-core complain about somebody else? I mean real emotional complaining, blaming, accusing, defaming etc. These can be tricky moments for any listener. So this is a good time to engage our...