THE LEADERSHIP LENS Newsletter <download pdf>
July 2008, © Mark Sincevich, Staash Press, LLC (dba Leading with Focus)
A monthly resource providing insight, opinion and practical information on creativity, life balance & powerful communications

I Can Drive the Truck

Fashion conscious Clark Dearman at the Baltimore, MD location of The Clothing Warehouse, (c) Mark Sincevich

The road noise was beginning to grate on my sense of hearing. This near auditory overload was caused by the crinkling hum of the massive diesel engine, the vibration of six substantial truck tires and my futile attempts to find anything but static on the factory installed radio. When I first got the keys, I had never driven anything more than a very conspicuous minivan. Yet here I was staring at a large 22-foot yellow truck with two extra diesel tanks, four rearview mirrors and practically a staircase to ascend to the trucking command console. Luckily for me this rig included an automatic transmission as I have heard stories about the even larger tractor-trailer trucks having a manual transmission with about 16 different gears. Now that would be grating!

As I gripped the handle to steady myself into the climb up the driver's side, I took a deep breath and imagined I had been driving a truck for many years. It was at this moment I became a trucker albeit missing a CB radio! I believe attitude is nearly everything when determining the outcome of an event. I was just missing the few percentage points of experience and a certified trucking instructor. I looked over to the passenger side of the truck. Nope. An instructor did not come with this rental package. I was alone except for my backpack, camera and a 1.5-liter water bottle. It was just going to be my wits and white knuckles that were going to get m through my over 700-mile journey.

I exited out of the parking lot and realized that I needed to make for a very wide turning radius. All of a sudden those signs on the backs of tractor-trailer trucks on the highway suddenly made sense. You know the ones with a simple picture of a truck next to an automobile with an 'X.' Don't block the truck in its right hand turn. This simple lesson was brought all the more clear to me as I nearly took out a telephone poll on a narrow road in Atlanta's Little Five Points neighborhood. I'm sure if you look about 10 feet up from the ground on the corner of Mansfield and Moreland Avenues you will see yellow paint scraped deep into the wood of that telephone poll. During that turn, I was wondering why the truck didn't seem to glide around the corner! The only other incident I had was not paying attention to the bottom right hand rear view mirror on the highway. I nearly ran a Honda sedan off of the road. These incidents only made me pay more attention to what was around me. It also confirmed my aversion to truck driving at night at least on my first road trip.

While I would like to believe I was living my own version of "Three Days of the Condor," with a cargo of critical supplies for the CIA, instead, I was transporting dozens of boxes clothing, hangers, mannequins and racks. NO, I didn't rob a clothing store either hoping to be the 'king of fashion' for the next few years. Actually I was transporting the initial inventory from Atlanta for my new classic vintage clothing store! Screech or you can just imagine hearing the sound of a record player needle skipping and sliding on vinyl to the end of the plastic disc with a dull thud. After the birth of our second son, my wife and I more fully realized being self-employed means WE are the business in many cases. We felt the strong need to create a little diversity in our income, so after 14 months of research, paperwork and build out, we are the proud owners of a Classic Vintage Clothing Store located in Baltimore's Federal Hill neighborhood. In fact, Baltimore Magazine just gave the four block stretch along South Charles Street where are store is located the best shopping in the Baltimore region! We are the fifth location of The Clothing Warehouse, http://www.TheClothingWarehouse.com/Baltimore

We have been open for over a month, have a very competent and positive store manager, four part-time employees and two public relations and marketing interns. And our sales are starting to take off just as we roll out our sales and marketing plan complete with Fashion Shows, VIP club events and Vintage Explosion parties. The great thing about having a business of my own is that it ties directly into my work as an executive coach and as a leadership and communications expert. When you Lead with Focus, your leadership has to begin on the personal level. A tripod of creativity, communications, and life balance supports Leading with Focus. And most of the challenges a leader or a manager must face begin with an honest assessment of the self and the critical positive attitude that goes along with it.

I brought the same 'I can drive the truck' attitude to the opening of my first vintage clothing store too. I was the general contractor, owner and virtual ATM (automatic teller machine) to over 11 different workers during the six-week build out process. Many of the workers spoke limited English, but I didn't want to settle for this language or communications barrier. I made it a point to get to know everyone's name, I looked them in the eye and said, "thank you" often, shook their hands, and I even bought their lunches each day as an extra incentive. Treating everyone with respect and kindness is no different in the build out of a retail store or in the boardrooms of Wall Street. In fact, Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-mart was legendary for remembering every one of his workers names down to the retail clerks. And he certainly drove a truck to each one of his locations, but I have no idea how this affected his sense of hearing.

About Mark Sincevich
Mark Sincevich is an executive coach and the chief perspective officer of his company, Leading with Focus. He works with motivated and skilled executives to help them understand themselves, visualize their potential and influence their future. Mark also works with organizations to develop leaders with more focus and creativity. He does this through a unique photography angle in his speaking programs and writing. As a result of Mark's programs, his customers gain a fresh perspective, generate new ideas, sharpen the focus and create more business. Mark is a member of the International Coaches Federation (ICF), the National Speakers Association (NSA) and the executive director of the Digital Photography Institute. Mark is also the author of three books including The Leadership Lens, and he is frequently quoted in the media. He can be contacted at 301-654-3010 or www.LeadingWithFocus.com .  

Improve your leadership performance by working with Mark in his executive coaching program, www.CoachingWithFocus.com .

If you'd like to learn more about Classic Vintage Clothing, please download http://www.staashpress.com/Advanced/Classic.Vintage.Explained.pdf .