Topics >  Leadership and Managing >  Strategy and Planning > 

The Plot Thickens

It was at the end of the third day--about an hour before Hoynes had to leave to catch his plane back to New York--that suddenly, unexpectedly, everything fell apart. Maybe it was compassion fatigue. Banta had filled up sheets and sheets of paper with notes on possible action steps, but as she looked them over, she felt a certain despair. What did it all add up to? Where was the business going? Where did Kepler want it to go? "The problem is," she said, "we don't know where we're heading."

Hoynes looked at her skeptically. "I don't know about that," he said. "I think we want to see the business get to the point where it can sustain itself."

Then it all came tumbling out. "You know, I began at Kepler's feeling I could make it all happen fast," Banta said. "I found out I was wrong, and I felt terrible. That's why I was crying last spring. I was devastated. I felt I wasn't adding any value. Then I realized I had to talk to customers. I began learning from them, seeing what we could do, and I felt better. But I can't be effective on my own. When you go into start-up--and I consider this a start-up--you need a board that commits to 24-7 and puts in at least one full day a week. We don't have that. We couldn't even schedule a board retreat because it was more important for people to go skiing. We need board members who know this industry and will make a big-time commitment for two years."

"I don't disagree," said Hoynes, "but I don't think Kepler's needs a new mission and vision. You've had one for over 50 years. The hope for the future is to be what you've been."

"If Clark's goal is for Kepler's to be what it's been, I would not know what to do. No one in the store knows what we should be doing."

"There are ways to make Kepler's extremely profitable," Hoynes said.

"But I don't know what we want to be! I think, in the next year, we should put in the minimum number of things to make us profitable but leave time for Clark and me to focus on where we're going. If we're not going to do that, I would recommend that Clark get rid of me and hire a marketing person. There are lots of good people who can do these action items."

Kepler sat there, looking overwhelmed and a little bewildered. "Well," he said, "I think that has potential, but it raises a lot of questions in my mind."

"If Anne is not going to be involved, you'll have to find other people to take over from her," Hoynes said. "Your staff costs are high as it is, and you don't have the managers you need. I don't think anyone there can do what she's been doing. Replacing her will take time, in addition to the disruption. But I don't know how you can do these things and not deal with the staff issues."

"That's a good point," Kepler said.

Banta turned to him. "When I say, 'Empower the staff, you and I work on the vision, get a more involved board,' how does it make you feel?"

He thought for a moment. "How it feels is uncomfortable," he said. "It's out of my comfort zone, and that's good. This business needs to get out of my comfort zone. We need to do things differently without compromising the passion and the sense of purpose we have here. Am I the right person? I don't think it's a job that I am uniquely qualified to do. It's just a job I'm willing to do. Without a financial reward, there's no reason for other people to do it."

"It was uncomfortable for me, too, last spring," Banta said. "It will get uncomfortable again. We won't know if we will be successful. Things can shake out in so many ways. I think we can do it. But critical things have to change."

And that was that. Shortly thereafter, Hoynes left for the airport. Banta, Kepler, and Slomiak had one more meeting before going their separate ways for the holidays. They agreed they all had a lot to think about before they got back together in early January. By then, they would know just how good--or bad--the Christmas selling season had been. But would the time off make a difference? Would they be any more in agreement in January than in December? Would they be able to decide on a plan to take to the board? For that matter, would there even be a board meeting?

As they said goodbye to one another and exchanged best wishes for the holidays, none of them knew the answers.

Editor-at-large Bo Burlingham is the author of Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big.

---

Part 3

The Kepler's saga continues…

As Clark Kepler and his supporters continue to search for answers and as the financials come in on the new Kepler's first full year in business, we will continue to follow the story.

Bo Burlingham: Burlingham joined Inc. in 1983. An editor at large, he is the author of Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big. The book was a finalist for the Financial Times/Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award in 2006. Burlingham is also the co-author with Norm Brodsky of The Knack; and the co-author with Jack Stack of The Great Game of Business and A Stake in the Outcome. @boburlingham