'When you sling mud, you lose ground'
By Ray Allegrezza, Editor in chief -- Furniture Today, August 5, 2002
Some of the most intuitive, intelligent people I've been fortunate enough to know never had the benefit of a formal education.
One of those people was my grandmother, a wise old woman who possessed the enviable ability to cut through a complicated or convoluted situation and get right to the heart of the matter, typically with a startling economy of words.
I remember a time when my sister and I were verbally assaulting each other, and she immediately stopped the altercation by quietly saying, "When you sling mud, you lose ground."
By and large, we've been an industry driven primarily by two things: people and products. And until recently, I think the vast majority of industry players have done a very credible job of letting their respective products speak for themselves.
However, as competition in our arena continues to heat up, so have the occurrences of competitors using harsh words when discussing rivals.
Early in the year, I heard a flurry of negative comments about products coming in from offshore. Similarly, offshore suppliers had some uncharitable things to say about domestic resources.
More recently, we've heard some verbal grenades tossed from the respective trenches of those in favor of either the San Francisco market or the proposed Las Vegas market.
My philosophy, also courtesy of my grandmother, is to "stick to my knitting." For me, that means constantly looking for ways to make Furniture/Today an even more valuable and compelling publication.
I like to operate on the assumption that if our staff continues to enhance the paper, we won't have to tell you how good it is. Furniture/Today will speak for itself.
This is not to say that I am unaware of our competitors. Knowing your competitors' strategies, strengths and weaknesses is essential. But denigrating them is unnecessary and counterproductive.
I believe that same approach holds true whether you are a furniture maker, retailer or are in or plan to be in the exposition side of the business.
If I were a manufacturer, my objective and focus constantly would be to bring the most compelling products to market at competitive prices.
If retail were my game, I would strive ceaselessly to make sure my store — by virtue of product, pricing and display — conveys my identity to the consumer.
And if my business were trade expositions, I would work to have a show so essential that neither buyers nor exhibitors would want to go elsewhere.
I think my grandmother was right. One does lose ground when mud gets thrown. How much better for us all if we fill in those potholes and all take the high road.
