Quick, close your eyes and think about your life for a minute. Think about the experiences you've had that have made you the person you are today. Can you tie anything about who you are, or what you value, to anything that currently drives you?
I was in my weekly Toastmasters meeting recently and one of our younger members asked me a question about my life and asked me to describe something that was inspirational to me in my life that still provides inspiration to me today. I looked back on my life and I quickly realized that one of the biggest influencers that I've had in my life has been my decision to get involved in music. Specifically, I look back on my time in Marching Band that has been a direct influence on my success in business.
The business world is a competitive place! We are constantly striving to sell our products to people who have a plethora of choices available to them. We are tasked with delivering a high-quality product and describing the qualities of our product that differentiate us from our competitors. As a company, or organization, we are mindful that our team is responsible for notifying the public about our goods and services and we work together as a team to project a quality image to our potential audiences. This doesn't happen overnight and it doesn't happen before a great deal of work and preparation is done. While marching band is typically an elective in school, I believe that it has been the foundation for most of my success in life.
Marching Band taught me about work ethic and teamwork as a daily practice. My high school marching band started rehearsals before most students got to school and we typically met after school for sectionals and other practices. This is the same for business. If you want to produce a quality program for your customers, you must be willing to put in the extra hours necessary to learn about it. You must practice your pitch and get it ready for the audience who will listen. Practice makes perfect!
Marching Band taught me to be competitive because I knew that other schools had top quality marching bands who were as driven and determined as ours. In band, I practiced on my own because I wanted to be as good as I could possibly be on my own instrument. I knew that others were practicing on their own and our entire ensemble depended on the efforts of each individual who was playing on the stage. In business, the sales guy must be strong on the pitch, but the customer service department must be ready to back up the sales team to complete the delivery of the product. The marketing team must be ready to spread the word and develop more sales opportunities for the sales team and the directors of the organization must provide quality leadership to make sure the team is strong and cohesive. We all worked together to deliver the best product we could. Teamwork makes the dream work!
Marching Band taught me about building relationships and esprit de corps! I learned how to depend on others in the furtherance of our collective mission toward excellence. Whether you an instrumentalist as part of an ensemble, or an Account Executive on a sales team, you are on a team that functions as a family. Your work family takes pride in your successes, as if they are their own, and your ensemble shares in your virtuosity as a musician. One of the most difficult things about the public health order and the COVID crisis has been the need to distance ourselves from our coworkers. Business is all about relationships! We work together, we play together, we live together and we are a family!
There are so many more reasons why I believe that Marching Band has prepared me for life in business, and I look forward to sharing them with you in a future book I will write on this subject. In the meantime, I want to talk to you about your business here in Grant County. Do you and your staff work cohesively as a well-oiled machine when it comes to the daily operation of your business? Does your business bring you joy and satisfaction in the products you promote and the customers you serve? Our role as a chamber of commerce is to help you create a healthy environment in which your business can run successfully. It doesn't matter if you need help with your marketing, your networking skills or are simply looking for opportunities to get more of either of these, the Silver City Grant County Chamber is here to help. Call me today and let's talk about what you need. Our consultation is always free.