LookoutRI Johnny's Back Episode 07 - Overcoming

Johnny reveals a unique approach to tackling obstacles.

Episode Transcript

(00:06):
This is Lookout Rhode Island -Johnny's Back.
I'm Matt Boline.
Thank you for joining us on a ten-minuteleadership journey with Rhode Island
manufacture and business ownerJohn Hazen White, Jr.
Recognizingyou have challenges is humbling.
Admitting them out loud takes courage.
Advocating for yourselfand working through them is grueling.

(00:28):
But winning support and accomplishingsomething, says Johnny, is exhilarating.
I've learned a lot of things in my lifeabout overcoming.
Overcoming the ability to grasp thingsin a certain way was difficult.
It's a fact in my life.
I have to work around things thatsome people are naturally very good at.

(00:49):
For instance,if I were to still have to take a test
that were in SAT format or a typical
fill in the little circle thing,I can't do that.
I simply cannot test.
Does it mean I'm stupid?
No. Nor does it mean anybody elsewho can't test well is stupid.
One time I was asked to get up in frontof a roomful of executives here at Taco.

(01:13):
Do the numbers on the boardwhile everybody was throwing them at me.
So I'm writing these numbers downand made a transposition somewhere.
And I made some mistakesand people started yelling at me.
My father was in the room.
And finally I turn around,I put the eraser down on the thing.
I put the chalk down on the thing.
Actually in tears at the time
because I was getting pushed so hardand so fast by so many people

(01:37):
expressing anger at my lack of abilityto do better and faster.
I said, “Excuse me.”I said, “I just want to ask a favor.
I would ask you to slow down.
I'm dyslexic.
So if you don't mind, if you slow downI'll be okay.”
Would you know about three guysjumped up to the board to help me?
It was a great learning experiencebecause my boss at the time

(02:00):
was a very high ranking generalin the United States Army.
Took me in his officelater and said, “Never
show your vulnerabilities.” I said, “Ithink it just worked beautifully.”
And I've carried that with meall the way through my life.
Why not drag people into helping yousolve a problem
as opposed to standing thereacting like you know more than they do?
So you're going to do it?

(02:21):
I can't do that.
I'm not that smart and I don't want to be.
If somebody is that damn smart,that means they don't need any help.
And what's the fun and not having help?
If you're going to pirouette outsideon your own there, that's pretty lonely.
If you share your vulnerability,
people want to help you succeed.

(02:41):
When I was in school, in this boardingschool, we had an assembly every day,
and I figured out pretty quicklyin seventh grade
that I was not comfortable in my classroomin speaking up.
So if the teacher said, “Doesanybody have any comments?”
Or they may have any thoughts,I would never be the guy to raise my hand.
I went to the headmasterand I said, “I got this issue.

(03:03):
I have anxiety every timeI have to be in front of a group.
Is there any way to sort of workaround that?” And he said, “I don't know.
What do you think?”I said, “Well, how about this idea?
Would you give me a half an hour a weekto be in front of the whole school?”
And he said, “Surely.” So every week
I read a short story from Reader'sDigest to the whole school.

(03:26):
You know, now, if I walk into a room full
of a thousand people,I walk in with no plan.
I'll just simply feel the moodand the and the attitude of the room
and do what I do.
I’ve never...
I was invited one time by Ink Magazineto attend their annual
manufacturing conferenceto talk about business turnaround,

(03:47):
because we had been through oneand I had led that.
So I'm coming down a hallwayand this guy comes over
says, “Are you Johnny White?”And I said, “Yeah!”
He said, “I'm going to introduce youat the thing.” And all that.
And I said, “That's that's nice.”
So he said, “Do you need a overheador do you need a...” I said, “No.
I don't need anything.” He said, “Okay.
What do you have handout material?”I said, “No.” He said, “Where

(04:08):
is your material?”I said, “What material?” He said, “What?
Where is your speech?” I said, “Oh.
I don't have one of those.” He said,“What?” I said, “I don't have anything.
I'm just... Matter of fact.”I said, “What is it?
You really want me to talk about?”He said, “Jeez,
these people have paid $1,000to come to this thing,

(04:29):
and you're walking in with nothing.”You’re really uncomfortable with this?
He said, “Yes.” I said, “Okay.
Do you have a... Give me your pad of...”He had a pad of paper.
And then I ripped offtwo pages of paper from it.
He said ”What are you doing?”I said... I folded it in half.
Handed him the pad back.
I said, “Let's go.” You know,if somebody knows you're doing your best
but you can't quite do what they'reabsolutely expecting,

(04:50):
at the very least, they'll understand.
At the very best.,they'll jump up in and help you.
I had a customer one timewhen I was the O.E.M.
salesman.
And I sold him$200,000 worth of something.
I said, “Here's your price.” I quoted him.
And he called me.
He said, “This price seems a little low.”And I said, “Oh.
No.” I said it...
“I did.
I did the thing myself.

(05:11):
And I, you know, did the multiplier.
You know, I priced it out myself.”
He said, “if they really.” I said, “No,I did it myself.
We're all good.” Well he called me threetimes to say that these prices were low.
And I kept saying, they're fine.
So finally, he sent in the order.
And so the cost accounting department
came to me and said, “What have you done?”I said, “What do you mean?”

(05:35):
Well, what had happened was somebody'sin the middle of all of this, had applied
the multiplier
and given me that price.
Me thinking that was the list priceapplied the multiplier.
So we were losing bazillions of dollarson whatever this thing.
And so I called the guy back.
He'd already priced his productto his customer using my thing.

(05:59):
And I called them back and I said, “Youknow, Steve,
I just want you to know you were right.
I really screwed this up.
And I want to thank youfor calling me three times.
because I, I should listen to you.
I should have paid more attention, butI didn't.” And he said, “It's all right.”
He said, “Icosted that into my product at twice
what you priced itbecause I knew this was wrong.”
Now that is honest.

(06:22):
And me going back to him was vulnerable.
Next time on LookoutRhode Island - Johnny's Back.
Johnny flips the scriptand tells his employees
that actually in business they come first.
LookoutRhode Island is produced by Beauline
Media and was recorded in Cranston,Rhode Island.
It was written by Dylan Gerber, MelissaCarden, Bradley Glenn and Matt Boline.

(06:46):
Original Music and recordingsby Ray Memery.
Editing by Billy Florio.
Technical guidance by Matt Ohnemus.
Thank you for subscribing to the podcastand sharing
your feedback on social and LookoutRI.com.
We hope some of the lessonsJohnny shared have helped you
on your own leadership path.
Johnny would like to thank his sons.

(07:06):
Johnny, who gave him the couragewhen he was alive to do what he's done.
And Ben, who upholds the pledge.
To his wifeLiz, daughters-in-law Kirsten and Kate.
To his granddaughters, Madison Marie White
and Winona Rose White,who keep the future bright.
To his best friendswhose caring and kindness uplift him.

(07:27):
And to all the employees of TacoComfort Solutions
who simply gave him a chanceto be himself.
Thank you all for listening.