Can-do attitude one key to success

posted by Roger Hrabe

Recently, in the process of preparing for a local leadership class, it was recommended that I read a book, Boom Town USA: The 7½ Keys to Big Success in Small Towns by Jack Schultz.  Even though I still have some reading to do, it was apparent from the very start that this should be required reading for anyone interested in helping their community become a “thriving” community.

One column cannot possibly cover the entire book, or even the first half of the book as far as that goes.  My thought was to discuss selected parts of the book throughout the next several months in this column.  Hopefully, it will spark some thought that might lead to meaningful change.

The first key to success is adopting a “Can-Do” attitude.  I hardly found it surprising that this key was listed at number one.  Amongst the myriad of communities throughout western Kansas, the one’s that have a can-do attitude stand out like Molly Ivins at a Bush fundraiser.  Communities with this attitude do not allow negativity to guide their discussions or plans for the future.  They focus on what they can do rather than what they cannot.

This is not to say they don’t have just as many obstacles to overcome as any other community.  There are always those who will say it can’t work or that something is a waste of time and money.  A community with a can-do attitude is never pre-occupied with the negative, and is always willing to take the risks necessary to encourage progress.

It is almost humorous to read Schultz’s portrayal of the four personality types that you find in any community—mules, moles, jackals, and eagles.  It is humorous because we can all relate to people in our communities that fit the bill for each.

Mules are people opposed to any change, and they tend to be proud of it.  How many times have you heard, “That is the way it has always been” as an excuse for not changing something.  It is hard not be discouraged by the mules, but they will always be there and we just have to make sure that we are not a “mule community.” Many small towns that refuse to look at change as an option have either died or are on their way.

More than likely many of our communities are more moles than mules.  Mole communities aren’t necessarily opposed to change as much as they are afraid of it.  The fear of failure keeps them from taking the risks necessary to take advantage of the opportunities that are always there.  They look at other towns’ successes and say, “We could have done that.”   Could have, should have, would have.  The bottom line for the moles is that they will never step out of their comfort zone and, because of that, they will stay on the same path to oblivion.

Jackals are more parasitic.  While exhibiting many of the same qualities as the mules and moles, the jackals sit back and watch others fail rather than taking the risks that might lead them to success.  Then, when others succeed, the jackals, while denying that they would ever stoop to the levels of the other town, will not turn down any of the fruits of the other town’s hard work.  They feed off others but never have the can-do attitude that will allow them to succeed on their own.

The challenge for us all is to become an eagle community.  Eagles have great vision and are fearless when it comes to pursuing their prey.  An eagle community sets clear goals and then sets out to achieve them regardless of what others around them do or say.

A town with a can-do attitude will not necessarily have more eagles than the other personality types.  But the eagles, while seeing opportunities and looking to capitalize, will also find a way to bring along the mules and moles by winning them over and getting their buy-in.

I enjoyed the short story on Tombstone, Arizona that ended the chapter on adopting a can-do attitude.  It seems that someone forgot to tell the mayor and other eagles in Tombstone that they are located in the middle of nowhere (how many times have we heard that about western Kansas), and they are supposed to dry up and blow away.  However, the city selected the motto, “The Town Too Tough to Die” and has proceeded to capitalize on its resources to become a thriving tourist city.

I suppose it would be plagiarizing or unethical to adopt the same motto for some our communities, but the least we could do is to “live” by the motto by showing the resolve to overcome the obstacles that each of our communities encounter every day.  The first thing it takes is a can-do attitude.

Roger Hrabe

Director, Rooks County Economic Development