Bi-Partisan Postal Reform and Its Impact on Small Business Manufacturing Distribution

The cost and quality of shipping is highly important for the overall success of small businesses. It can be hard to compete against larger companies that have better profit margins and higher levels of negotiation skills. Small businesses rely on shipping and the small product distribution processes that will become increasingly important in economic development. If you can't ship efficiently and on time nationally (and/or internationally) it will be hard to stay competitive for long (i.e. the need for Soo Locks investment and better distribution systems. See Delta County Shipping, Infrastructure Synergy, National Infrastructure Dev., Michigan EV, ).

Within the Delta County Cluster Model I'm developing that focuses on innovation the use of USPS (and other shipping services) are important for success of small batch custom micro manufacturers. In this model, local micro manufacturers can contribute to local tourism through branded projects that improve the downtowns but may end up receiving much of their income from selling nationally and internationally (Hedging American Start Ups, Rebuilding Downtown Escanaba/Gladstone, Delta County Start Up Firms, Bi Partisan Infrastructure Bill and UP.). For example, if your selling custom snow shoes, polo mallets, fishing poles or golf clubs you would need a distribution system (Your not Walmart with your own fleet!) so you will rely on existing distribution/shipping systems. 

There are a few concepts and ideas that seem to be focused on they are (Bergman, J. Feb. 8th, 2022):

• Eliminate the requirement to prefund retiree health benefits 

• Improve transparency 

• Protect six-day delivery

• Help implement Postmaster General DeJoy’s 10-year Reform Plan 

• Support local community newspapers 

• Strengthen oversight and accountability 

You may want to read more about the......

 H.R.3076 - Postal Service Reform Act of 2022

Shipping is very important for businesses. The Pandemic caused a lot of delays and that is continuing on today with distribution chains spread across the world in an unreasonable and expensive fashion. Small businesses that can ship and receive products quickly in a cost effective manner are going to do better than those who can't receive the supplies. For example in Michigan 48% of small businesses are experiencing domestic supplier delays. You can review the Small Business Pulse Survey that shows the difficult businesses have in locating foreign and domestic suppliers and the delays in each (Small Business Pulse Survey {Michigan}, January 27th, 2022).

What we might need to keep in mind is how to we promote small business in this country to support things like innovation, investment environment, organic wealth generation, small town development, middle class growth, and diversity. The distribution system is a big part of local and national success. The cost and speed of shipping is a big chuck of profit margins and growth in business development. We are developing high speed internet (virtual transactions that lead to sales, innovation, and knowledge) while ensuring our ground based infrastructure is ready to receive supplies and deliver products (See Chaos Economic Evolutions and Legislation, Infrastructure, Inflation)

Bergman, J. (Feb. 8th, 2022) Bipartisan Postal Service Reform Bill Approved in U.S. House {Congressional News Letter}

Postal Service Reform Act of 2022, H.R.3076, 117th Congress (2021-2022)https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3076

Small Business Pulse Survey {Michigan} (January 27th, 2021). Census Bureau. https://portal.census.gov/pulse/data/#weekly

Side note: See the term Bi-Partisan in most of these legislative actions and behaviors in a way that is getting things done which will likely increase economic performance (in turn business and lives) for the region. Hyper politics pits arguments against each other while ignoring 90% of the solutions in the middle. I wonder if we can do this on other important things? Just saying! 😲😱

The Good and Bad of Sports Culture ("Toxic Jock" vs. Fully Capable Adults)

I'm a lover of sports and think it has an important place in education to develop fully functioning adults. Some sports cultures contribute to the growth and development of society while others are more focused on developing inappropriate social norms. The difference between that which works and that which doesn't becomes increasingly apparent when such cultures become inward leaning, socially rigid, and encourage adult racism and bullying.  Let us consider a few ideas on how we might better manage such groups. 

First, one of the reasons why I'm writing about this is because I believe in education and I believe that all of the tax payer dollars we spend should be focused on developing our youth to be happier, brighter, independent thinkers with self confidence. A number of members with extremist leaning views are part of a sports club based in dysfunctional childhood social networks. There was something about this group that set them apart from the many other positive sports clubs/groups we may have seen in other places. 

Without exploring the difference between healthy and unhealthy sports culture we won't be able to ensure it becomes a contributor to our communities and peoples. To be fair, this group is in a rural area so there isn't much interaction with the outside world so they have sort of developed their sports culture around a few "chip on shoulder" personalities (This is not a blanketing of everyone as most people are perfectly good people, but they follow the more dominant personalities of the members.) However, on prompting, some members support and acted on what appeared to be un-American values.

Sports Clubs that Resist Diversity/Difference

A study in Sports Management Review discusses that personalities within voluntary sports club of key leaders are the ones who resist allowing others (deemed different) from being involved (Spaaij, Knoppers & Jeanes, 2020).  They contend that six discursive practices where club leaders resist diversity in speech acts, moral boundary work, in-group essentialism, denial/silencing, self-victimization, and bodily inscription. Dysfunctional groups have certain characteristics that researchers can pick up on (I encourage researchers to sort of look at a few key members of the group and how their social networks seem to revolve around these inflated personality archetypes.)

Fixing this issues is often a micro and macro issue with the top of the organization may have official rules but it is the micro engagement that warps those values to create non-inviting or hostile environments. In this case we are talking about a few dominant-aggressive personalities lots of small minded followers (...again not all.). Thus most of the poor behavior resides on the social level in the day-to-day identities and ethnocentric social networks in which they live. 

The "Toxic Jock" Study:

I came across this term "Toxic Jock". With distorted self-perceptions (something we talked about prior) there is going to be issues as they relate to poor behavior to ensure those delusions are reconfirmed. Looking at a few psychological pieces of literature I came across a study that helps to describe the behavior of this "super cool" hate oriented members that would help to explain aggression, bullying, immaturity, constant comparison (and put down), ego centric behavior. 🥁.......to the study.......

A researcher by the name of Kathleen Miller published the study, "Sport-Related Identities and the “Toxic Jock” and the differences between  a "jock" and an athlete perception in the forming of a sports oriented identity (It should be noted that many of the group have more sports oriented identities that are healthy but there is a significant amount of less than stellar performing "toxic jocks" with the big attitudes. Its interesting I met a few football players, a team owner, 2 world champ boxers, professional dancers, martial artists, MMA fighters, swimmers, volley ball players, BMX racers, and other more noteworthy athletes and almost none of them had a big ego. Its bazaar! I'm kind of still waiting on meeting a curling champ to see if they might have big egos!🤷).

One of the biggest differences is that athletes focus on skill development while "toxic jocks" focus on proving their great value. Athlete perceptions focus on putting effort into learned skills (i.e. meaning they practice a lot and have a better chance at being professional) while "toxic jocks" want the perception of feeling better than others through natural talent (cheating if necessary). That might help explain how the people that I have met who were advanced in skill knew the commitment it takes and moved up into professional status while the mediocre "star" players with the super large egos haven't moved past rehashing the few points they got during a highschool game (By pure randomness they are likely to get a few points, even if it means tripping through the goal line. If I owned a professional sports team I would avoid people with super large egos who promote racist/bigoted rhetoric.). 

No one likes jock itch!

Fixing Sports is Beneficial

I'm a supporter of life long benefits of sports to encourage good mental and physical health. We have an obesity problem in this country and inclusive life-long sporting activities are beneficial. It is hard to prepare our youth for meaningful careers in various duties such as the military, police officers, and general societal health without positive pro social sports cultures. Thus, sports is preparation for a healthy life and for careers that rely on the skills learned during practice and team work.

Athletics moved from being a necessity in developing the skills of our youth for war and physical work (skill development) to taking on primary entertainment value for the parents. Only certain kids are played regularly (In this case its not even the best players but the one's most connected to some of the coaches. Again, its not a blanket statement.) and an over focus on winning at the expense of its greater purpose of developing youth. When we stop using it as preparation we are wasting a lot of time and money on pleasing parents versus developing kids (Cheaper to have them take a health class, buy a pair of jogging/walking shoes, and read a nutrition book. I'm not advocating for it but I'm highlighting the point that if we can't use sports for positive pro-social healthy purposes there are cheaper ways to get the very basics done. That would not be the preferred route.)

We should be able to balance the need for winning championships and developing young adults to their fullest potential. However, when the dysfunction of key club leaders becomes apparent and there is a warping of values we then run into problems where sports clubs are no longer focused on their primary purposes but on appeasing internal stakeholders. This is where sports clubs move from being a contributing factor to society to taking away from the educational development of theirs and other kids that want to have healthy physical outlets without the negative influence of their parents (In this case some of the parents tried to teach and engage kids in hate based behaviors. Not a single member can say me or my children have done anything to them but that didn't stop them from teaching children, and other adults, how to act and behave toward the the other 51% of Americans.). Such a group should be focused on the full development of youth to adults.

Miller K. E. (2009). Sport-Related Identities and the "Toxic Jock". Journal of sport behavior, 32(1), 69–91. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3107047/

Spaaij, R. Knoppers, A. & Jeanes, R. (2020). “We want more diversity but…”: Resisting diversity in recreational sports clubs. Sport Management Review, 23 (3). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1441352318305813

How Companies are Overhauling Supply Chains (Reshoring)

We have gotten used to off shoring our supplies to save money and then selling them back to American consumers with mark ups. As a people we are addicted to consumer products. Sometimes that can have a positive benefit to Americans as long as the manufacturing, sales, distribution, truck drivers, etc.... are primarily located in the U.S. (I guess you could also include regional allies and philosophical allies. One of the reasons why I think MX and CAN should be part of the initiative.) However, when we are buying primarily from cheaper sources overseas with a complex web of suppliers we creating more wealth for others and losing our long term capital development (Not a bad idea if you invested in the entire supply chain but very inefficient and destructive to the environment). . Some of it is an investor problem and some of it is a consumer problem. Reshoring holds some promise to bring companies back to the U.S. (Assuming we build the infrastructure and create probusiness policies that also encourage worker development). Reshoring could be an important part of economic development and refunding our way of life (i.e. why I'm sort of working on a cluster model. Perhaps a philosophical approach, converted to a tangible/measurable economic approach and then injected with economic capital.). 

(My son is trying to go to college and has been waiting for his lap top for months. 😠 🤬 I told him with supply chain issues to just go to the store and buy it but $50 cheaper comes with a lot of headaches! Yet that is a lot of money for a kid! I wonder what the economic cost of slow computer deliveries and having a difficult time getting your money back? 🤔 People are Dying from Not Finishing Degrees. Its dangerous out there!!! 🙀)

Anyway....the Wall Street Journal has a very nice video.

Standing up to Hate and Standing for Learning and Accountability

Hate is one of those things that can destroy society and creates barriers in our lives, in communities and within society. In many ways we have become two different nations and that will hamper our ability to master emerging challenges. Where our leaders should be bringing us together many are trying to exploit artificial divisions. Where justice is supposed to rule supreme it becomes perverted in the process of political rhetoric and "blind eye" support for criminal behavior. The things I have seen over the past three years in terms of coordinated group hate that impacted and influenced local decisions was too grotesque to look in the other direction. These behaviors should not be allowed in modern civilized society. As long as we fail to take them seriously we will be on a national path of destruction. Our two worlds will either be merged into one or they will split into two (I understand that it seems like a complete and absolute impossibility but we are trending there. There are those who try and exploit division and there are those who are trying to keep us together. I'm not even sure what patriot means anymore. 🤷)

Beware of Snake Oil and Snake Charming! 

One of the fastest ways to destroy the glue that binds society is to not uphold certain values when it is obvious not doing so is inherently corrupted and morally bankrupted. Want something? Lie. Need money? Steal it! Want to damage someone? put in a false police complaint. Not allowed under law? Use your police friends to circumvent the law . Want to feel morally justified? Capitalize on bigotry and hate. That doesn't work? Get your gang of friends to target them and their kids. None of that works? Ostracize and bully others to reject them and damage their local opportunities to ensure you ethnic cleanse them out! Want to break the social contracts of society? Do nothing! Want to destroy all of society? Consistently do nothing across wide sections of society.

Thank god most of us are not like that. Yet these behaviors have become socially acceptable to many and to those who fail to see the bigger purpose of their positions and institutions their short sightedness is inherently dangerous.  We are a collection of many different peoples and there is only one way forward and that is through inclusion (Think about all the different people in the country. Do you think its possible to continue with two different societies?). Where I have been targeted I have asked for accountability that includes mental health evaluations of perpetrators and a forensic review of a root incentive (Not saying something was taken but if it was and they owe it they should pay it. Where it would ruin them they can keep it with my blessing.)  However, a free pass only placates bad behavior (Group members engaged because they were afraid to stand on their values for fear of social consequences. They are actually correct. Most people in their group don't really have the freedom to think and act genuinely.) 

Dualistic Thinking Limits Options

Dualistic thinking is destructive because it fails to see all the other possible solutions. Some will even argue if you are against a corrupted cop that has received multiple community complaints for potentially illegal behavior must mean one is against all cops (See how the the premises and conclusion are not connected through a strong chain of logic. The conclusion came with the premises and there wasn't any explored alternatives. Little direct connection between A and Z.). That is black and white underdeveloped thinking. I'm for cops and love the profession. I want to make them stronger, better, more skilled, promote good cops (remove bad cops) and ensure the system functions as it should. That sounds fairly pro cop to me (Few things seem reasonable in our current political spectrum.) while still being pro people (You know the ultimate stakeholders of society.) Justice must be wise so that it should help those who can be helped and deter those who need to be deterred (carrot and/or stick.) 

My Intentions Have Been the Same from the Beginning

Not much has changed since the first day the hate group got involved (My opinion and intention is documented.). In this situation my goal was to understand, encourage those who need help to get help, expose official misconduct, and further encourage pro-social behaviors. The goal wasn't money (not that I wouldn't be entitled to it but I haven't asked because it wasn't essential to the main problem. That also doesn't mean we should pervert the laws so that we consistently short stick certain "classes" of people in the legal system. We should be mindful of systemic issues.) but that it was an opportunity for many to learn about extremism and how that is tied to mental health and inappropriate social values. It also taught about dysfunctional social networks (in this case a mediocre sports group from 30+ years ago) and the inability of people in those groups to think for themselves. I did not ask for prison (although some may have deserved it!) and thought about win-win situations for people and institutions who either willfully engaged in bigoted behavior or emboldened themselves on manipulative hate narratives (They only needed a false justification to act.)

Strategies to Deal With Large Hate Groups If/When they Revert to Old Patterns

The situation has now changed and it is sort of a mixed bag. I doubt everyone has learned from the situation. For example, in a few years we may find the behaviors continue. If I'm aware that such destructive behaviors continue, other minorities are targeted, and official misconduct continues unaccounted there may be a growing need for a different type of strategic approach. That reversion of values happens if we have not done what was right the first time (I'm not saying everything was done right or wrong but that it took some time for people to recognize the inappropriateness of the behavior and act upon it. The aggressive, racist, and dishonest behaviors were easy to spot right from the beginning. One must just be open to it. People just choose to ignore it. Our laws should not be subjectively applied.) 

Not that it would be easy to hold a large group accountable but I suspect one could build a coalition of different non-profit organizations (especially those protecting minority rights and transparency), political interests, government officials, business leaders and concerned citizens (especially those who who also experienced a breakdown of the moral fabric of society), those who believe in freedom and the Constitution to push for accountability, appropriate prison sentences,  etc...  It is possible to build a powerful network based on shared moral sense of purpose. It would need to have purpose beyond this situation and to ensure we have the best functioning system on the planet (Not on Republican or Democrat dynamics but on good moral conscious alone. There is a large but silent middle untapped path.)

From a strategic perspective one would need a keen understanding of macro data, mass marketing, politics, social movements, fundraising, human behavior, criminal networks, etc... At such a point in history one would have no option but to officially enter the world of politics even if they are promoting a universal value (something I've been debating but also avoiding due to the toxicity of the current environment. Its a difficult, thankless, stressful, job with lots and lots of pit falls and moral hazards. We should be creating environments that encourage good people to come forward instead of those that promote self-interest.). 

Standing up to Hate isn't Magic!

Dante Reading from the Divine Comedy

by Domenico di Michelino, 1465

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence.

I once had a very important person ask me whether or not he could trust me? I gave him a confused/conflicted look and unfortunately didn't get a chance to respond before our game ended and we parted ways. It is hard to respond if you need to work through the context and contingencies (It is a little like an exploding electric current that searches for all the connections and then prunes them back to what makes the most sense logically. Kind of like metacognition. Intellectual Gifted and How Brain Works. ). However, if I had a few extra moments to think about the deeper meaning of the question, the slightly skewed/probing line of conversation, and the nature of meeting for our game, I might have uttered, "It depends🤷". It depends on a lot of things of which the main one is whether I believe in what I'm doing (i.e. believe in it for myself and I believe in it for others.). If you watch the honest communication of people and are willing to listen they will tell you everything you need to know about them. You don't need to be a "magician" to sniff/conjure up the inherent value of a moral code while still recognizing the nature of human folly🧙‍♂️🎩🐰. 

Side note: You don't need to be perfect to have a moral code or believe in the value of our nation. You only need to be honest with yourself, others, and faithful to a bigger purpose. We are all perfectly imperfect! We build great nations by recognizing our own faults and working together to maximize our strengths and hedge our weaknesses (Kind of philosophical here. 🤔😏)

And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.
--January 1, 1863 Emancipation Proclamation

Kirkpatrick Performance Model and Performance Formula Applied to Business and Government

To understand whether someone has successful achieve their training goals is dependent on their ability to incorporate key concepts into deep learning where they create noticeable change of action/behavior. It makes no difference if we are talking about a company training situation (something like a small start up) or a large group (even as large as governmental entities/bodies). Learning occurs whether or not we are training or not however training is often more focused in an effort to create competitive competencies. A solid tool is Kirkpatrick's Performance Model to help formulate a method of review to ensure meaningful learning is occurring.

You can read a book that discusses the basic executive and leadership model 1. Reaction, 2. Learning, 3.Behavior, 4. Results HERE. 

Performance can come in many different levels but sometimes putting them into a formula can help. Three variables used in the Performance Formula 1.) Ability-capacity to perform the job individually or collectively. KSA; 2.) Motivation-Willingness to perform the job; 3.) Environment-environmental issues such as systems, co workers, politics, resources, etc. 

You can look at a formula that sort of describes how this functions.

The Performance Formula

Performance = f(KSAs × M × E)

KSAs = Ability; M = Motivation; E = Environment

f=function of

Sometimes its easiest to use an example. Let us say we are dealing with a challenge (i.e. a new market competitors, international conflict, complex decision making, etc...). We would need people who have the knowledge, skills and abilities to overcome the challenge, the motivation to overcome the challenge, and the proper environment to overcome those challenges. If any of these factors are not present, there will be difficulty in developing to full capacity and increased risk of failure.

There are many ways that training development can be derailed and lead to lower overall organizational performance. If we have narrowly relied on inappropriate KSA (i.e. nepotism versus inherent ability) then we would be limited in the first variable, if the motivations are wrong (i.e. self seeking versus organizational mission) then we aren't likely to gain the collective effort (or it will be derailed into improper uses.), and the environment (policies, structure, pressures, etc... that can derail efforts).

When any of these components/variables are missing/weak we run into an issue of inability/ineptitude. That creates problems because we are unable to overcome challenges unless we start to learn the skills (in comparison to non learning organizations), create the motivations (i.e. performance = rewards), and the development of environments/systems that are more conducive to success. Its a process that moves beyond "big attitudes" within the company/organization.

I can say that being able to overcome environmental challenges and threats takes focus and constantly building capacity. Some organizations do this because they develop learning institutions around core values and principles. Those that don't eventually collapse as the cost of internal transactions rise through derailed effort and lost opportunity. Leadership within a growing organization can help put together the pieces/factors that lead to environmental master but must always move toward higher levels of macro perform through shared principles and effort. 

“The purpose of education is to free the student from the tyranny of the present.”- Cicero

Should Local Officials Reject National Political Dialogue

 We are moving into uncharted territory as a nation as hyper politics breaks down freedom of speech and pro-social options. We have a highly charged political environment where winning seems like the only thing that counts (At least to the people who take much and give little. They would rather lose our future vitality versus use common sense reasoning). Good moral conscious, safety of the nation, protection of democracy, strengthening the republic and inclusive society that maximizes it benefits is increasingly skewed for the political elite on either side of the isle. Local officials should chart their own course even if that doesn't fall in click heals national political pressures. Do what is in the best interest of their people and support those who are fit to lead and not those who are the most connected.

I want you to read this article by Contact: Jeff Karoub  and Daniel Rivkin entitled, "Michigan local government officials worry about local impacts of national political discord" which is based on the Michigan Public Policy Survey. Its an interesting concept that local officials are concerned about the impact of national hyper politics on their communities. (Where democracy started and thrives are concerned about the decisions of their national leadership.)

-A full 61% of Michigan’s local leaders believe the current environment of national partisan politics hurts relationships

There are some other statistics and polls that indicate declining trust but this is the one I would like you to ponder for a moment. Hype politics is destroying the foundations of democracy and the momentum for increased conflict is rising. Encouraging a larger central leaning Republican and Democrat base mixed with greater access for independents can do a lot to break up the current aggressive dynamics of leaders. People are becoming increasingly encamped and engaged in destructive behaviors that should lead to local communities rethinking negative national influence🙉. 

This isn't about winning elections. It is about ensuring the republic, democracy, and our ideals stay in tact from this generation to the next. The coming elections will be a big one and will determine whether we have the capitol to overcome our international pressures and emerging threats over the next 10 years (Behaviors between two communist oriented states seem to be in tandem to knock Statue of Liberty off her perch. Its not even about them! Its about order and stability in the U.S. and the world at large). Inadvertently (in most cases but not in all) our politicians are increasingly part of the problem and have no idea how they are making our adversaries smile (See China-Russia Collaboration. Should we expect them not to be strategic about our internal strife and encouraging the selling to highest political bidders our time honored values? This isn't an emotional argument as much as it is a strategic one). 

Just like I would encourage the Millennials to reject hype politics as they rise to positions of authority I also encourage our local officials to think about connecting to each other (local Republicans, Democrats and independents working together around some basic American principles) versus taking any negative prompting from the national political elites (Take what is good and reject what is bad.). If there is one thing that local leaders can walk away is this, "Don't let national dysfunction into your communities and into your decision making." Do what you were elected to do and safeguard the needs of the people in your community. Success can only happen by bridging the political gaps and working toward constructive solutions (Reject the voices tearing us apart).. Your inner voice is more important than the wonton political ramblings and self-interested rhetoric of an elite national few. Make choices based what that little inner voice tells you to do (inner values). It will come to define you. 💓

Side note: I have always been transparent about my political beliefs. I lean a light right Republican on fiscal values and maximizing individual choice while slightly left on encouraging development of an inclusive middle class (including small business). The rest is sort of situationally dependent on the challenge and resources available; called evidence based thinking (at least as much as I can do.) 

Night Time on the Harbor (Red Hue)

Ok so I have a few moral leanings and while we sort of wait around to see what national competitive choices (or lack thereof) we might as well enjoy the small things in life. Nice colors.