U-R-G On the Go
An informative podcast for the United Recyclers Group. Each week we will feature an entertaining guest that will share their knowledge and information with you, providing you with tips and tools to help you become a more profitable business.
U-R-G On the Go
Creating Lasting Impact in Business and Life with Richard Flint
What if your business could not only survive but thrive in the post-COVID landscape? This episode of URG On the Go promises to equip you with transformative insights. Join us as we welcome Richard Flint, a seasoned expert, who breaks down the five critical areas where COVID-19 has reshaped traditional business operations. From shifting mindsets towards future readiness to the validation of leadership strength and the prioritization of people over profits, Richard covers it all. We also delve into the renewed focus on quality customer care as a cornerstone for success in this new business environment.
But that’s not all. Discover how to create a positive presence in both your personal and professional life. Richard shares actionable strategies to foster a positive environment, emphasizing that "behavior never lies" and that leadership is more about presence than position. Learn how consistently demonstrating a positive presence can attract and retain both employees and customers, and why this is particularly crucial in the auto recycling industry. Tune in to uncover how to redesign your business from the inside out, ensuring it remains resilient and future-ready in these ever-evolving times.
Welcome one and all. You are there and we are here. This is the URG On the Go podcast, the true voice of the automotive recycling industry. We do our best each and every month to do episodes that bring you new, informative ways. You're going to love the guest we have today. He will definitely help you improve your bottom line. We have Chuck Camp, the producer, here in the studio, dj Harrington, better known as the cardiologist or the doctor, and we have our guest and really the host of the show, amanda Morrison, director of Member and Vendor Relations for URG. So first let me bring Amanda on. Amanda, how are you?
Speaker 2:I'm good DJ. How are you?
Speaker 1:I am excellent. It's beautiful in Atlanta and I know you're out in Texas, right.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, it's been heating up quite a bit over here. It's awesome, though I'm loving the summertime. I came down from Montana originally, so I'm actually enjoying the heat.
Speaker 1:Well, everybody at URG knows Amanda Morrison, and our guest today has spoken at URG many, many times. He's a very gifted individual, so I'll turn it over to you, amanda, and you could ask Richard whatever you'd like to do.
Speaker 2:Thank you, dj. Hi, richard, it's so great to have you on the podcast. We love having great informative speakers on here. We'd love to hear what you guys are thinking up over there and what you have for us today.
Speaker 3:Well, amanda, I am so excited to be back. I've done a couple of these podcasts before and the response to them that I've gotten through emails and text messages have really spoken to me and I put a lot of thought into what I wanted to talk about today, and I put a lot of thought into what I wanted to talk about today. So I know we don't have a lot of time, so let me just share my thoughts with you. If COVID did one thing to our society, it disrupted our society in a way that it probably hadn't been disrupted in over 50 years, and there wasn't an industry and probably a very, very limited amount of people that COVID didn't create an interruption in their life. And for basically the last three years, I have been researching companies as to try to understand what did COVID bring to your business and how has it affected you, and I can boil it down into five consistent things that I heard from business owners representing a multitude of different types of industries, but I don't care what your business is. Even in the recycling industry, covid had an effect upon your business. So let me share the five things and then I want to go deep into this. The first thing that I heard over and over again is that COVID challenged their business design Because before COVID, so many businesses were living from yesterday to today and in that design it was okay Because they could continue to do what they had always done. And then, all of a sudden, without my permission, amanda's permission, dj's permission or Tim's permission or your permission, covid came in and said folks, you can't do what you've been doing. And it opened up a world of fear, a world of challenge, a world of uncertainty, because for years the design had been let's continue what has worked. But COVID rearranged that and it really brought about the idea you can no longer live from yesterday to today, you have to live from today to tomorrow. I was on the phone this morning with a company that's wanting me to do some work, helping them with their leadership team, and they had been in a program that I did recently. He said, richard, when you made that statement that most companies were living from yesterday to today, I looked at my general manager and we both just turned white because he said that's what we've been doing. But COVID said you can't live that way anymore.
Speaker 3:The second thing that COVID did it opened and showed the lack of business preparation. You see most businesses when they get comfortable with a routine, they keep repeating that routine over and over again. But yet somewhere, out of nowhere and without permission, covid came in and showed most business owners you're not prepared for what you're going through right now Because you've been comfortable, you've been productive in your own way, but with what has happened, you can no longer just be routine driven. The third thing and this was huge is that COVID validated the lack of leadership, that the people who owned, who ran, who managed companies didn't have the skills to really adapt and adjust to this new business terrain. And what it has done is it's caused leadership to have to take a step back. And one person who owns several different businesses told me, richard, I wasn't prepared. Owns several different businesses. Told me, richard, I wasn't prepared and my business has suffered because I walked into a new terrain and his words not knowing how to handle this situation.
Speaker 3:The fourth thing that COVID did it showed that the interest in most companies had gone from people to the bottom line. Dj and I were talking about this yesterday. It used to be in business. The model for business was people, product and profit, but over the past few years, before COVID, it had been rewritten, it had become profit, product and people. So, just as leadership wasn't prepared for this change in the terrain, neither were the people, because they had moved away from training their people and put the emphasis on doing everything we need to do to continue to make a bigger and bigger profit. And I don't understand it sometimes why people don't understand. Profit is a result. It is a result of quality people doing a quality job, of what Customer care.
Speaker 3:And then the fifth thing that COVID did and it was huge it exposed the fact that when life changes without our permission, 99% of the time we don't know what to do. And folks, we got to get back. We got to get back to understanding what business is today, and I'd like to spend just a few minutes talking to you about the fact of how do you create a presence of quality? Because you know any business is actually made up of people and product. Now, when you take that apart, psychologically, the product is what gets you noticed. It is your product that brings people to your door and once they come into the door, then they experience the people, and we have to understand if the product gets you noticed. It's the people that create repeat and referral business, and the connection between those two is the presence that you create as an owner, a manager or a leader. It's the presence you create with your internal customer, because I believe there are two types of customers there's the internal customer and the external customer, and in all reality, the internal customer is more important than the external customer, because that internal customer most of the time, has more connection with your external customer than you do.
Speaker 3:So the emphasis has got to be placed on the fact that we have to deliver a presence that's based in quality. And what is quality? It's never being satisfied. What is quality? It's never being satisfied. What is quality? It's bringing that word exceptional into your business. And one of the things that I work with businesses on is the fact today, being great isn't enough, because in today's world, because we've lowered the standard of quality, great is good, good is average and average is poor. So what we have to do is we have to get back to that commitment where we're no longer going to just work on being good or great, we're going to be exceptional.
Speaker 3:Now let me give you my definition of exceptional. If exceptional, it's taking the step beyond where others stop. It is the business separation factor. You never become satisfied, you don't allow yourself to be comfortable, but every day, as the leader, you're challenging yourself, because whatever your business is is created by you, the leader. The behavior of all people is consistent with what leaders allow, and I wish I had an hour or two to talk to you about this.
Speaker 3:The thing that I'm seeing in business today that I've never seen before is the level of people that are tired. This revamping of business that COVID created has created a tremendous amount of mental and emotional tiredness. What I heard in so many of the business owners that I was talking to is Richard, I used to have a lot of energy man. I could go all day and not be tired, but most of them told me I feel fatigued today.
Speaker 3:And what is fatigued? It's more than just being tired. It's not being able to recoup, it's not being able to have the energy at your disposal when you need it. It's like your inner well has just dried up and we have to get back to building a business that's no longer committed to just being good. You know, I had a business owner tell me he said Richard, I hear what you're talking about and I listen to it. But he said let me tell you something we're good enough. You want to know the challenge with him today. He's not in business anymore, because being good enough is not good enough. So why don't we take a pause here and I know we need to take a break here then let's come back and talk about presence.
Speaker 2:Yes, thank you, Richard.
Speaker 4:It's all great information We'll go ahead and take a quick break. Urg can help you streamline your business for maximum efficiency and increased profits. Access powerful software and unique tools. Receive top-level training with industry experts. Network with hundreds of recyclers. Employ e-commerce solutions to boost business. Receive support, resources and discounts Starting at just $150 a month. It's the smartest investment you will make for your business this year. Go to u-r-gcom and click on Become a Member. Your path to a profitable future is just a click away. That's u-r-gcom.
Speaker 1:Welcome back listeners. You know you're listening to the best episode ever of URG On the Go podcast with the great Richard Flint. Every week, we bring you new informative programs. You can listen to us Now. Remember, tell your friends, we're available on Spotify, itunes, pandora, stitcher, iheartmedia, amazon or wherever you get your podcasts. I want all of our listeners to grab your pads, your pens, your iPads. Richard Flint, who has spoken to over 200,000 people each and every year, has 19 books, 100 programs. He's our guest today. He's been changing lives for 30 years and he's a real gift to URG. Amanda, let me pass it to you.
Speaker 2:Yes, thank you, DJ Richard. You've been discussing about, you know, understanding business and what business is today, and I completely agree with your point of making sure that you're staying on top of leadership and all of this great feedback what's a good way to get a hold of you for a business that's looking for more in-depth information from you?
Speaker 3:Amanda, they could go to rflintcom R-F-L-I-N-T, S-E-M, s-e-m at AOLcom it stands for Richard Flint Seminars, rflintcom at AOLcom, and I'd be happy to talk to anyone about what they need to do today to create that presence of quality.
Speaker 2:Perfect. Thank you so much, richard DJ. Did you have something that you wanted to say?
Speaker 1:No, I think if we continue, I want all our listeners to grab a pen and paper, because I'm taking notes like a crazy person here.
Speaker 2:Me too, because I do.
Speaker 1:I worry about the internal customer more than the external, so that's good. I'm glad I did that. All right, Richard, you take it from here.
Speaker 3:Okay, you see, when you talk about a presence with quality, you've got to understand something Every one of us has a presence and that presence is good or bad. That presence can be positive or negative. And so, just real quickly, let me share with you the characteristics that I see in people negative and positive and I don't have time to go in depth, but let me just give you a checklist to them and see if people come to your mind. A negative presence Promises are made but they're never kept Rejects anything that causes them to have to come out of their comfort zone. Emotions rule their decisions. They see their life through the rearview mirror. They live every day, from yesterday to today, and not today to tomorrow. They enter everything and every day of their life there is a sour attitude that is demonstrated. Nothing in their life that happens is ever their fault. Confusion and conflict is where they hide, and every day for them is Groundhog Day. Now I'm just wondering if you can put any names by that, because I'm sure some of you can. Now. A positive presence this is the other side. Promises made, promises kept. Do you think people remember when you break a promise? I was writing this morning on a presentation that I'm doing about how do you repair a broken promise, and you know how challenging that is, because when you break a promise, you're also breaking trust.
Speaker 3:A positive presence, resilience is a big part of whom they are. You can knock them down, but you're not going to keep them down. They're enthusiastic about all day. Why? Because every day, they bring their passion, because this is where they know they need to be with their life. They see their life through living forward. They live from today to tomorrow. They enter every situation looking for a solution and in their life, negative isn't tolerated and they don't keep negative people around them. Positive presence, communication that they have is always solution driven, and then positive presence enjoys whom they are and they show it now. Can you see the distinction in those two different groups of people? I have 16 laws that my life is governed by, and the third most important law that I live by is this Every day, I want to create a positive presence that has presence when I'm not present. I want to create a positive presence that has presence when I'm not present. Can you see that? Can you see the power in that statement? Every day, I want to have a positive presence that is present when I'm not present. And if you can create that, it's amazing how you create an energy field around you where people want to be and know more and more and more about you. So when we talk about this presence, what are we talking about? And let me go back to say this to you Leadership is not a position, it's a presence.
Speaker 3:You know how many companies I work with that the most self-destructive person in the company is the owner. Why? Because they don't challenge their people, they don't push their people to grow. They're so interested in focusing on the bottom line that they don't provide their people with the training that they need to be the representative that creates that presence that makes people want to come back. There was one company and urg that I worked with after I spoke at the last convention where I spoke and I spent three days with them and I got to meet one gentleman that was there, that had been with him for 15 years and you know what was interesting about him? He had such a presence that people came just because he was there and they would stand in line and wait to have him help them because of the presence that he had.
Speaker 3:You got to have that presence that is positive, that every day is creating a presence that is present when you're not present. I had one guy tell me. He said, richard, I'd love to come to one of your conferences, but he said I can't come because I can't leave my people. If I leave them there, they're going to destroy the company, I said. Then the answer is simple you stay there and let the company be destroyed.
Speaker 3:It's amazing how many times leaders come to me and want me to help their people. It's like the guy in Omaha, nebraska, who said I'd love to have you come and work with my people, but I know if you come, you're going to want to work with me too. And he leaned in and said I'm not the issue, it is my people. I leaned into him and I told him do you realize that your people are simply a reflection of you? If it doesn't start at the top, with leaders working to create that positive presence, it can't filter its way down. So in the little bit of time I have left, I want to talk to you for a moment about what is his presence all about? How do you create this positive presence that has presence when you're not present? And let me give you what I think is the answer.
Speaker 3:First of all, to create this positive presence, you have to have a presence that is persistently consistent, because it's consistently persistent. You have to have a presence that is consistently persistent because it is consistently persistent. Folks, how many times are we good one day and not good the next? How many times have you looked around after a day of business and said, man, this was a great day, and maybe tomorrow? You look at the day and you go we really messed up. Why? Because we don't put an emphasis on consistency. Right, and consistency means that three things are happening.
Speaker 3:First of all, we know our purpose, and our purpose is to make sure that every day, when a customer enters that door and comes in contact with that internal customer, they're going to have the greatest experience of their life. Why? Because you know what a business is about. The purpose is customer satisfaction. Number one thing a customer wants to know is that they matter. So if I'm going to be consistently persistent, I have to make sure that I am persistently consistent.
Speaker 3:We have to have the purpose. There has to be communication. The company that I was working with last week. One of the big things we found is that there was no open communication, they would have their meetings but the gentleman in charge, he would take the whole time and he would just wander from one place to the other and so people dreaded going to the meeting. Communication is about creating clarity of purpose and you've got to always, always remind your people of the purpose that we're in business to create that positive presence that has presence when we're not present. And then there has to be a common agenda. People have to align themselves around the purpose. What happens when you have a purpose? You're working to create that consistent persistency within the company and you've got one or two people that don't want to be a part of the agenda. They tear the whole thing apart, which means if I have my purpose, I'm communicating with clarity, I've got that agenda and we're going to agree to that agenda. Why? Because we're all committed to moving the company forward. So if I'm going to create that positive presence, there has to be the presence that is filled with consistency and persistency.
Speaker 3:The second thing if we're going to create that presence, your reputation has to matter. Your reputation has to matter and you know, over the years I have found this that has happened. We've lost the real meaning of reputation. It seems like in business today it's not as important. I had a business owner tell me well, we're all going to make mistakes and I said to him do you understand? The issue here is you keep making the same mistake over and over again and in reality you can only make a mistake once if you keep repeating the same mistake. That's the plan, and the plan has become has become okay.
Speaker 3:I was working with a very, very large uh dealership, automotive dealership, and in their service department they had this big banner out there that it was across the front and it said fix it right the first time. Why did they have that? Because the average car came back four times. So one morning I got in there real early, jennifer helped me, we got a ladder and some paint and I climbed up on the ladder and I marked out first time and I put in there fix it right the fourth time. Boy, you think people weren't mad. But why? When people don't care about the experience of the external customer, then they don't care about the business. And let me define reputation for you. It's real simple. It's what people feel after they have experienced your presence. It's not while they're doing business with you. That's not right. Reputation is what I feel after I have done business with you and remember presence is the key. That positive presence is the key to repeat and referral business. If I'm going to create that positive presence, the energy of my people must be to help that external customer.
Speaker 3:I walked into the front door of a hotel where I was going to stay a couple of years ago. I walked up to the counter and all I wanted to do was check in. I was tired, long flight across the country, and the young gentleman that was behind the counter was on the phone with his girlfriend and so I sort of waved to him and he waved back to me, but he continued to talk to his girlfriend and I stood there and after about a minute and a half I just reached across the counter and disconnected his phone call. He looked at me and said what'd you do? I said all I want to do is check in. He said I would have gotten to you. I leaned in and said son, I don't think I would have lived that long.
Speaker 3:Look at cell phones today. How many of the internal customers live on their cell phones while they're at work? How many of them are on calls and the customer comes in and they notice them, they nod at them but they don't end the personal call. That they're on Reputation matters and that is creating an experience with that external customer that makes them want to come back. I think to create that positive presence, that those energy, then that means that energy is there to help the customer, because without the customer you're out of business, and too many businesses today because their emphasis is not on the quality of the experience of the external customer, it costs them business.
Speaker 3:I think another thing that creates that positive presence is a smiling face. Have you ever noticed how few people smile today? But when I'm on an airplane I don't care what airline it is in first class I have an aisle seat and when people get on the plane I sit there and I just smile at people that get on the plane. Do you know how many people won't smile back? They'll look at you and you're smiling at them and they turn away real quick. Why? Because we live in a society today where there is so much anger and stress on people. We've lost the meaning to the word hope in a lot of people's lives. We've lost accountability, we've lost respect and today people don't know who to trust or who to believe, because trust has become a fleeting moment and you've got to have people who are happy with what they're doing and people who are happy smile, and I'll tell you what. I'll spend more money if I go somewhere and get to deal with people who are happy. I'll pay more money if I go somewhere and get to deal with people who are happy. I'll pay a little more for the experience of being around positive people.
Speaker 3:To create this presence, you have to have exceptional as the word you're striving to achieve. You know, one of the new programs I've written and I've done this because of what I'm not seeing is the face of exceptional leadership. What is it that makes leadership exceptional? Because being greater good no longer cuts it. You've got to have that next step beyond great, and that's becoming exceptional. Listen, there are three more things I want to say to you about how you create that positive presence, but let's catch our breath for a moment and take a break, okay.
Speaker 2:Thank you, Richard. Yep, we'll go ahead and take a quick break.
Speaker 4:The URG Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2014 in honor of individuals who give their talent, time and, very often, their own finances, to auto recycling employees and the children of employees that are attending four-year and technical or trade schools to assist with their education. Don't leave money on the table. If you have a child or if you're interested in attending continuing education, this money is available to you. In attending Continuing Education, this money is available to you. Go to u-r-gcom and click on the Scholarship Foundation tab. Urg keeping our industry strong through education.
Speaker 1:Welcome back listeners. Of course you know you're listening to URG On the Go podcast with the great Richard Flint and I want all of you to know here's a guy that's been around a long time and I'm making notes and if you're not, you need to be. Most of you have a presence that is present when you're not present and he is a master at it. I've gone to a lot of your locations and a lot of you have these coffee cups. That says behavior never lies. That's one of richard flint's expressions. So remember to like us and we have a hotline number if you want to hear another professional person in the industry, like a richard flint who's been to a lot of locations. Our phone number here at the podcast center 706-409-5603 amanda morrison, who is the director of member and vendor relationships, her direct. If you want to get a hold of amanda, just go to a morrison and I'll spell morrison out for you m-o-r-r-I-S-O-N. At u-r-gcom. Her direct line 512-887-3951. And without further ado, amanda, how do you think it's going so far? This is your guest.
Speaker 2:Yes, this is going phenomenal. I love hearing all the different tips that you have and I think it is really key. You know the magnetism of you, know the positive presence. I think that'll draw people to you as well as customers. So I think this is all great tips and tricks for everyone in business in general. So thank you so much for discussing this and I'll give it back to you, richard.
Speaker 3:Okay, thank you, ms Amanda. Listen, we're talking about how do you create this presence of quality, and we talked about consistency. We talked about your reputation matters and that the energy that your people express to your external customers must be. I'm here to help you and you're not afraid to smile. Your face is not going to break when you smile. And then negative in any form is not tolerated Folks. It only takes one negative person to suck the life out of an environment. And one of the things that I work with on companies, because most companies become an orphanage, and they become an orphanage because they keep the wrong people and, in the long run, they lose the right people. And so many leaders today are afraid to confront their negative people, because every industry is having trouble finding people. But your positive people will always step up when you have the courage to eliminate a negative person and then two more of these that create presence, the caring attitude that is expressed.
Speaker 3:You know, I walked into a restaurant this morning and I hadn't been there in a long time, and when you walk in, the first thing you hear is welcome. You hear it from everybody and it makes you feel good. Why? Because it makes you feel at home and I'm not talking about not treating this as a business, because a business cares about the people who come through that front door and then, if you're going to have this positive presence, one of the things that has to happen is that the experience that that external customer has makes them want to come back. So a question for you how important in the recycling business, how important is repeat and referral business? Do you know that repeat and referral business is the greatest marketing that you can have? I watch people every day. Companies spend tons of money on marketing that's destroyed when they walk in the front door. Because when they walk in the front door, because when they walk in that experience it's not positive. And you know I think you'll agree to this because you've had it in your life when someone's negative, you can feel it without them even opening their mouth.
Speaker 3:And DJ mentioned something that is just. It's one of the probably the most important philosophies I've ever written, and that is behavior never lies. Folks. I believe that the essence of truth is not what you say, it's what you do. 99% of all the confusion that is in relationships, that is, in business, is created when there's not the truth between what is said and what is done, and it's up to leadership to create that business environment that is exceptional because it understands, in this new business environment that we're in, you can't. You can't do business like you did four or five years ago. It's a new world. It's a new terrain. That terrain is changing every day and if I've raised any questions that you'd like to put to me I very rarely ever do this, I get in trouble with my staff when I do it but email it to me, richard, at richardflintcom, and I will personally answer your email. No one answers my email.
Speaker 3:And if you'd like to have some information on one of the new things that we've just finished, which is an eight-part module of redesigning your business from the inside out, through what, understanding what a business is, the place of leadership and dealing with the top five things that destroy every company that becomes self-destructive. And I'm excited. I've enjoyed this time with you and Amanda. I want to thank you and for you for allowing me this opportunity, because I think that we have to get back to understanding this thought the most powerful statement of respect that can ever be paid to you is when you have a positive presence that is present. When you're not present. That's the secret to growth in this changing terrain that we're living in today.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much, richard. I completely agree with you. I think this is such a good informational podcast for everyone to listen to and I hope you guys had your notes and DJ, thank you so much for having both of us on here.
Speaker 1:Well, this is a real gifted guy and I hope everybody. I want you to know if you send an email to Richard at RichardFlintcom, Richard will email you back. He answers all his own mail. You know Denise doesn't do it, that's his secretary and she's really a great lady. Also, the whole team at Richard Flint Seminars. They have a wonderful group of people there. But Richard is a caring guy and he really does go out and visit the recyclers and he's spoken at URG numerous times and down the road maybe we'll hear him again. But this is a gifted guy that folks. You need to listen to him. Richard, we archive these podcasts and I will, in my column next month in the magazine, make a mention of this podcast in the column so that we have more listeners, because this is you know, this was a good one, am Amanda?
Speaker 2:I completely agree and, yes, I think I do the same thing walking down and just smiling at people and it's crazy how many people don't smile back, and I think it's a good message for everyone to see and listen to and really absorb. I think it's all awesome information.
Speaker 1:All right, richard, here's what I want to ask you. If you had a parting shot to all of our listeners, what would you say to them?
Speaker 3:One thought Somebody's going to need me today, and I want to always be prepared for that person.
Speaker 3:Be it business, be it personal, whatever it is, Somebody is going to need my presence today and I want to be prepared for that person. Be it business, be it personal, whatever it is, Somebody is going to need my presence today and I want to be prepared for that. And DJ, my website, richardflintcom. On there is a list of some of the great things we're doing right now some new things. Folks, check it out, Richard, at richardflintcom. No, that's my email. Richard Flint dot com is my website yeah, and your website now, richard.
Speaker 1:I went there the other day. That's where I got some of the stuff to remind me about you. You have two or three programs that they could actually listen to. Don't cost them a nickel yep, yeah, we have.
Speaker 3:Every Friday morning we have an open mic where we have a question for the week and I do a little monologue and then we open it for 90 minutes and it's just an open mic. You can talk about whatever it is you want to talk about, and it's just a. It's become like a family where, together, we help each other. It's become like a family where, together, we help each other. In today's world the world is pulling at us so much from the outside We've got to surround ourselves with people that we trust, we have faith in and who are part of what we're seeking to achieve with our life.
Speaker 1:Completely agree with that. Well, Richard, I thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for your time on the URG On the Go podcast and, Amanda, we'll see our guests on the road and we'll see our friends next week on the URG On the Go podcast. You.