Scott Adams
It happened so fast. At one point during the final round of the 2016 Masters, defending champion Jordan Spieth hit four birdies in a row. As he headed to No. 10 of Augusta National, he had what looked like a commanding three-shot lead.
Who would have ever guessed just 37 short minutes later he would be trailing by four strokes?
On my ride into work this morning I listened to a sports talk show. They had a respected golf analyst discussing Jordan’s collapse. The analyst made a statement that I think is also true in healthcare today. During those 37 minutes of tremendous pressure and change, things sped up for Jordan, and he made a few huge mistakes, ultimately costing him the tournament.
The same thing has been happening to our industry the past 37 plus months. We all have more pressure than ever, and things are changing so rapidly we can barely keep up. We all need to do what the analyst suggested that Jordan’s caddie should have advised the young golfer: Take a big deep breath and slow down. Accept that things are changing, evaluate those changes, and come up with a game plan to help your accounts and manufacturer partners through the hazards in front of them. You are their caddie and they desperately need you.
I regularly write in this column that it is crucial for distribution reps to stay educated on current events affecting their customers. So forgive me for saying it again – you need to be up to date on the changes coming that will affect your accounts. By being the expert on these topics, you set yourself apart from price, private label, and competitors.
We will continue to write about and build short 2-4 minute videos on these changing dynamics to help you stay in the know. If there are things you would like to see us research and cover please email me at sadams@mdsi.org.
All of us won’t make it through the changes coming. There will certainly be more attrition to come, but those that set themselves apart and become a resource for solutions will always be here.
Dedicated to Distribution,
- Scott Adams