Don't Make Me Go Glengarry On You

These economic times have not been kind to my industry. It is almost like a battle front that you would have in a war and the first line has already fallen. Nearly half of my stores have cycled through employees in the last two months.

When I first started looking after these stores I promised a gentle guiding hand, but when times are tough, it is time to dust off the riot act. I find it amazing that with all the media circus surrounding the current crisis, people just don't know what is going on. You find people goofing off, or just putting in a lacklustre performance. I've had many walks in the backlots of these stores lately with these individuals, pointing out "this is it man, this is your job, this is your income, this is your livelyhood. There isn't anything else, there are no other jobs in the business. If you are out of here, you are gone. All that you currently know is gone." But for the most part, they just don't get it.

So I've been thinking of dragging out the Alec Baldwin speech. Although I've been under so much stress lately, I don't know if I can hold his composure.

If you have never seen David Mamet's masterpiece that is Glengarry Glenross, do yourself a favour and go rent it this weekend. It is an acting and storytelling tour de force. I would say easily in the top 20 movies of the last 20 years. Lemmon, Pacino, Baldwin, Spacey, Pryce, Harris, Arkin, what more can you say?

In the meantime, put in your best effort. It's scary out there.