SERENITY

The following is a perspective by postal commentator Gene Del Polito for Direct magazine.

Have you ever heard of the Serenity Prayer? It goes like this: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." There's a message in there for catalogers. The key is to have the wisdom to know what you can or can't change.

There are lots of things in life over which you may have little or no control. The sureness of death and taxes, the need for electricity to run an information-based business, the need for water and sewage to handle daily human needs.

Unlike death and taxes, those in the mailing business can actually exercise substantial control over the postal outcomes that shape their businesses' destinies.

Many, however, suffer from the "Scarlett O'Hara Syndrome." Talk about postal, and they'll quickly want to put it off until "tomorrow." Tomorrow, of course, never comes.

Instead, of taking responsibility, they shirk. "I don't get involved with postal issues because my [fill in the blank] takes care of that for me" is a response that's frequently heard.

Success in business requires sharp strategic thinking. Believe it not, success in business isn't only determined by the tactical thinking of one quarter at a time. It's time to take off the blinders and get a quick schooling on what the Postal Service has proposed in the R2006 rate case, because the many outcomes are sure to shape your enterprise's fiscal vitality.

You really ought to take a look at some of the stuff that has been proposed by Postal Service and a number of others in testimony that's been filed with the Postal Rate Commission. A lot of it, if approved, can (and undoubtedly will) send a number of businesses to the poor house. Don't believe it? Then just take a look at what the Postal Service has in store for those who use larger-than-lettersize mail pieces in the conduct of business. If 40-80% postal rate increases is something you can live with, then forget everything I've said thus far. But if you can't, then it's time to shake off the postal somnolance, and start taking a hand in shaping your business' postal future.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." The choice is simple. Get off your duff and get involved, or suffer your postal mugging and give yourself the luxury of a minute to get used to it.