Thank God I'm Unemployed

Well, I’m not really that thrilled with the fact that my company ceased operations this past April, and yes I do wish I was back in the workplace contributing to a company’s bottom line while drawing a paycheck, but I thought I would look at the silver lining inside of the dark cloud.


Being unemployed can force you to discover who you are. I’ve assessed my skills and strengths and have looked at my weaknesses. I have learned about new industries and I’ve learned about what other people really do at their jobs and careers.


I have met so many new people and am developing new friendships. I would not be out attending networking events and attending job group meetings if I was still employed. My circle of contacts would still be limited to that safe area we all fall into.


I would not have discovered how deeply concerned others are about my situation. My support group at church has been phenomenal about praying for me and asking if they can help me in any way. They lift my spirits every week and are there to talk to when I am really down about not finding a new career opportunity.


I would not have attended a four week session on how to become more employable. The information and insights I gained will stick with me long after I am employed again. I would not have met Don McLeod who so freely gives of his time and talents to help others.


My last position had become a dead end job. I loved my job but the company was reducing it’s workforce before it ceased operations and unless it had dramatic growth I would have continued not utilizing many of the skills I possess. I am thankful I have the opportunity to find a position where I can again utilize those talents and succeed in ways I could not imagine.


I am thankful for Facebook. Yes, some people overdo it, but I have been able to connect with my former co-workers. Many of us regularly communicate with each other where before we only saw each other at annual meetings.


I am thankful that I have a source of income while I pursue a new career. I have spoken with many people whose situations are far worse than mine will ever be. They have no health insurance, have depleted their savings and IRAs and some face the prospect of losing their homes. They are becoming desperate and will take about any job they can find.


Finally, I am thankful for all the little things we tend to overlook when we are rushing to get to work or to a meeting. My wife, my family, my dog (even though he sleeps all day), having a working car, food on the table and a roof over my head, good health and friends who really care.


Happy Thanksgiving to All.

Who Will Change Your Life?

So, who are you going to meet who will change your life?

I’ve been attending a self improvement seminar by Donald Wayne McLeod of Listen Up. (http://www.listenup.biz/) He ended this past week’s session with “You never know who you will meet who will change your life”. He then asked how many of us were married. His point was made. Since then I’ve been thinking about some of the people who have changed my life. This list is hardly inclusive but will highlight a few that immediately come to mind. I’ll skip over my wife since that is so very obvious.
Bill O’Neil
We moved from Cleveland Ohio to the small town of Circleville about 25 miles south of Columbus just prior to my sixteenth birthday. My father was transferred to the PPG facility that still operates on Rt. 23 south of town. I enrolled in choir that fall as I have been a singer most of my life. Bill was the band and choir director at Circleville High School. I started playing the organ at the age of 10 and at age 12 became the organist at our small church in Cleveland. I loved making music but certainly was not considering it as my college major. I was a pocket-protector, slide rule geek who was planning on a career in engineering or math. Bill changed all of that.
Bill recognized my talents. He encouraged them and nurtured them. I was not part of the band and did not play any instrument besides the organ. In the Cleveland schools you had to choose between choir and band in elementary school and I chose choir. Bill was short of tuba players in the marching band and asked me to learn the instrument. I went home with a tuba and by the second semester that year I was ready to join the band. When it came time for state solo and ensemble contest Bill encouraged me to form a men’s quartet to sing in the competition. I did. Then I formed a folk group that sang at nursing homes, civic meetings and choir concerts. He helped me select music and guided me along the way, but I was able to stretch my wings and direct these groups.
After graduation, Bill moved to Marion Ohio and besides teaching in the schools became the brass instructor for the Marion Cadets Drum & Bugle Corp. Bill asked me to come and march that summer with the Corp. I played contrabass bugle, practicing in my back yard, and then moved into the spare bedroom at Bill & Dee’s house for the summer. I was the smallest contrabass player we saw the entire year. It was me at 135 lbs vs. a 23 lbs. bugle. I later spent a year as an assistant brass instructor with a now defunct NJ drum corp.
Bill allowed me to become a leader. He ignited in me a passion to teach that I still possess today. He encouraged me to pursue a college education in music and I am forever grateful to him.
Eugene Roan
Gene Roan was my organ teacher at Westminster Choir College in Princeton NJ. Tall, lanky and about 15 years older than me, he was a mentor to so many of us. He was born with incredible musical talents and generously shared them with others. I had a one hour lesson each week with Gene and he taught me that even though I did not have the talents to become the next international organ recitalist it really didn’t matter. What is more important is that I utilize the talents that I have to the fullest. During my sophomore year I was part of the European Organ Study Tour and Gene was on of the two faculty members that lead the trip. I am happy to say that during those three short weeks he became not only teacher, but friend.
Larry Gelfund
Larry became Director of Training and Development at Handleman Company in 1999. He was hired to create what became known as Handleman University, a complete program to provide continuing education to all employees of the company. Though I had been training all the employees I’d hired for a number of years, Larry rekindled in me a desire to become the best trainer. He developed a course known as “Train the Trainer”. We explored how people learn and the various means of recognizing and utilizing learning styles. I had been part of two previous Presidential Review Committees that had updated our field training materials in the past and I soaked up every minute of the classes. I was hooked on teaching again. It was Larry’s clear and methodical method of teaching that enabled me to later become part of two international training initiatives.
Ann Abel
Ann was our Regional Director at Handleman when we acquired a company in the UK. I still remember being at a regional managers meeting in Detroit in the spring of 2001 when Ann asked me if I would like to travel to England to be part of a training initiative. I would be one of four field sales representatives chosen to help facilitate training the use of hand held computers, laptops, and in house field sales software. I think it took me less than two seconds to decide.
That July I traveled to St. Helens England, between Manchester and Liverpool. It was a week to remember. I meet so many great people, had the chance to chug down a few beers at The Cave in Liverpool, the Beatles home club, and then to spend time in London before returning home. I also had the opportunity to continue to hone my skills as a teacher and trainer.
It was during this trip that I meet Maggie Curtis. A fellow manager from Ohio had worked with Maggie a few months prior as they transitioned the UK accounts. He suggested we connect when she came in for the training. Maggie and I have staying in touch since then and we had Maggie and her husband Alan as house guests last summer.
Thank you, Ann.
Glenn Dangerio
In 2003 Handleman launched a company wide update of our field hardware and software. Each of the three US Business Units, Canada and the UK each recommend two people to work with our corporate field sales staff to test the units and software, develop training materials, train all our district trainers and facilitate training all 400 plus US and International field sales staff. Glenn chose me as one of those two people from the Central Business Unit. I will save for another day the whole story of SFAII as it was known for it will take more time than allows at present, but thank you Glenn for giving me such an incredible opportunity.
I want to end by telling the story of how Glenn became part of Handleman. Bob McCann was one of my full time employees and was seeking an opportunity to become a District Manager (I think we were called Supervisors when this happened.) I had spent two weeks in NJ helping out with store remodels and our team leader happened to be the Assistant Branch Manager. He mentioned that they were in need of a Supervisor in NJ. Since there were no opportunities for advancement in our branch I suggested Bob contact the Baltimore branch. He transferred to NJ shortly afterwards and became a supervisor for the northern portion of the state. Bob had an opening for a full time rep and Glenn applied. Bob hired him and as they say the rest is history. Glen went on to move up in the Baltimore branch, became Regional Director, Regional Vice President, Vice President Market Development, Vice President of Marketing and Merchandising and is now Director of National Accounts at Walt Disney Music. That chance meeting with Bob McCann truly changed his life.
So, who will change your life? Are you ready to recognize the opportunity? Are you ready to take the risk? Are you bringing your best everyday?
I know I am.

(Note – Handleman Company entered a closure of business plan in June of 2008 and currently has ceased all operations)