Kordell Norton - Author of the book

Throwing Gas on the Fire - Creating drastic change in Sales and Marketing

by  Kordell Norton

978-0-9793045-0-7 (ISBN 13)

0-9793045-0-4 (ISBN 10)

copyright 2007, all rights reserved

<= Click on an image to the left to see the front cover or back cover of book.

 

 

A business parable of two men who discover a long lost journal and the secrets it reveals. 

 

Excerpt from book:

Throwing Gas on the Fire - Creating drastic change in Sales and Marketing

by  Kordell Norton

 

The present . . .

 

The note was typical for him.  In his characteristic handwriting it was scrawled . . .

 

Meet me in the dungeon at 2:00 for a conversation about The Conversation. 

 

 

The Dungeon . . . 3 hours later. . .   

 

Our office complex consisted of two buildings – one, a tall glass creature where most of the executive offices were located; the second a short concrete job with limited windows and reinforced walls to protect the computer systems from the enemy, be that terrorists or acts of God in the form of foul weather.  On its lower floor and a back corner was a conference room, affectionately called the Dungeon.  The dark, windowless hall that led to it probably inspired the unique name.  It was the ideal location for getting some serious work done in meetings without intrusions. 

I arrived a few minutes early, dropped my planner on the table and was settling into a chair when he pushed open the door.  Brock McCarthy seemed to be cheery to a fault and this afternoon was no exception as he flashed his charismatic smile. 

“Hey, Big Guy, how are you doing?”  Not waiting for an answer, he moved into the room.  “I thought we could meet here so we could visit a few minutes without interruptions.  I thought you might want to know how I’ve been doing it for the last year.” 

“Doing what?” I asked.

“How I’ve been kicking your behind in sales,” he said with a wry smile.

“What?” I wasn’t quite sure where he was going with this.

“Would you like to know how I’m doing it?” he asked.

Actually, I did want to know, even if I wasn’t ready to admit it.  Although we had both worked for the same company for many years, lately his efforts had become almost legendary.  It seemed his team had moved into a different realm.  His productivity numbers increased three-fold over where he was in the past.  Even working with programs he’d previously introduced, his success seemed to be gaining momentum.

He rested his elbow on the table and cupped his chin in his hand, tilting his head to the side.  “I wish I could take credit for what has been happening.  The truth is that my success of late is the result of my dad.” 

He tightened his lips and his eyes moved to the tabletop.  I knew about his father’s demise, but that was several years ago.  Brock McCarthy loved his dad.  Although I had never met his father, I felt I knew him in a very personal way, especially since in the pictures they looked so much alike - both with a full head of gray hair, square jaw and straight Romanesque nose.  There were the stories of them doing things together.  After every family event, Brock had stories to tell.  His father had the ability of taking an average activity and turning it into a something to write a book about.

There was the “bubble” experience - a weekend family get-together at the park that turned a picnic into a soap bubble extravaganza.  In addition to the food and laughter, there was a small wading pool filled with 10 gallons of a Mr. Bubble type solution and a hula-hoop for giant bubbles.  Of course, there was the standard issue bottle of soap bubbles for each of the kids and bubble guns.  I would have thought I was doing well to buy my kids a bottle of bubble solution.  The McCarthy family, on the other hand, just naturally went beyond the mark.  

“You’re telling me that your success is some sort of tribute that you are orchestrating for your father?”

“No.  I’m telling you that the success is a result of something my father left for me,” he said as he leaned back and focused on me through slightly narrowing eyes, the wry grin slowly returning.

“I don’t get it.  Your father passed away three or four years ago, but your success has really skyrocketed in just the past six to twelve months.  What happened?”

Pushing back from the table, he laced his hands behind his head.  “At the time of Dad’s passing, I was pretty devastated.  Those sad grieving days were filled with going through his stuff and deciding what to keep and what to give away.  Because of the funeral and all the arrangements, there were some boxes I just put in my attic figuring I would go through them later.  So a little over a year ago, I finally got around to that task.  It was in the very last box that I found this.” 

He set a faded brown leather journal onto the table which he gently slid the book toward me.  I reached  and picked up the book, the worn leather cover soft to the touch.  The journal was about the size of a very thick paperback.  I looked up at him and without a word he nodded his permission to open it.  Wrapped around the book was a long leather throng that held the book closed.  Unwinding the strap, I started to leaf through the pages.  I could see a strong hand and various black and blue inks, with journal entries dated over many years.  The cursive letters were almost art.  Beautiful loops and slants made by someone who developed his handwriting in the days before the typewriter and personal computer. 

Brock said, “Its funny how ‘time’ makes us appreciate history more.  That little book is different from the journals that my dad kept later in his life.”

He went on.  “It was there that I finally found it.  Dad had said all his life that one of the most significant things that ever happened to him was The Conversation.  He said that one day he would share it with us, but, you know how busy life can be.” 

He gestured for me to hand him back the book. 

I slid it back across the table and he picked it up and started turning to find an exact page.  “Dad would often say that a major portion of his success in life, with his job, his kids and his other interests, were all a result of The Conversation.  With his death, I thought I would never hear the details, but guess what I found?”  He turned the open book to face me.

“The drastic successes for me and my team I can directly attribute to having read The Conversation a year ago.  Are you a little curious?”

“Are you kidding?  I had figured all of your success had come from some business school concept or “how to” book.  But it was really…this?”

Brock smiled knowingly.  “We don’t have much time.  I have to get to a meeting, but if you have about fifteen minutes to spare, let me share part of The Conversation entry with you.”

“Go for it,” I replied as I leaned back in my chair. 

Brock settled the book in front of him on the table and in his distinctive voice started to read his father’s journal. 

 

 

… The Journal …

Spring, 1966 – an airport in the Midwest

 

It was a great conversation. 

Applying what I got out of our discussion has brought huge changes in just the short time I have been using it.  I don’t see this being a short-term thing either.  I suspect that I can use the principles I learned in that conversation for the rest of my life. 

      It had been quite a business trip.  . . . . . .

 

Praise for the Book

"Just wanted to drop you a line and make a request as well. In our business of Adult Education and "growing" our client base, I have the priveledge of speaking to the Brunswick Area Chamber of Commerce in September of this year. In addition, I am involved in bringing a waterpark (of the Kalahari) type with a few variations, to the Lodi, Ohio area and I am involved in a campaign to run for Mayor of Lodi.
Some would say that my plate is full as my regular job, wife, children dog and cats are thrown in there (not in that order obviously) as well as time for things I like to do besides work.
None of this would be possible had I not read and re-read and surveyed and read again "Throwing Gas on The Fire". You really put "it" in perspective and provide a map of how to arrange the agents of change in our lives.  . . . . Again, thank you for your wisdom and insight into enacting change in areas where life seemed dull and business opportunities appeared to be lacking. You have given me a new lease on my salesmenship techniques and put a fire in the boiler."
All the best. 
Dan Goodrow, Medina Business Institute, Director-Industrial & Compliance Training

 

 

 

 

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