Weekly 5: Sec. Zinke stresses need for 21st century infrastructure

The BI Weekly 5 is a collection of tips, news and data affecting the boating industry this week. Be sure to look for the BI Weekly 5 every week on BoatingIndustry.com.

1. Sec. Zinke Stresses Need for 21st Century Infrastructure in Nation’s Lands & Waterways

Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke testified last week before the full House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources, regarding the Interior’s FY18 budget, which Congress is in the process of developing, according to the NMMA.

During the hearing, Secretary Zinke repeatedly talked about the need to update transportation infrastructure on public lands, as well as efforts to reduce the Department’s multi-billion dollar maintenance backlog.

2. Why Your Company Culture Should Match Your Brand

Having a distinct corporate culture allows great organizations to produce phenomenal results, according to Harvard Business Review.

“It doesn’t matter if your company culture is friendly or competitive, nurturing or analytical. If your culture and your brand are driven by the same purpose and values and if you weave them together into a single guiding force for your company, you will win the competitive battle for customers and employees, future-proof your business from failures and downturns, and produce an organization that operates with integrity and authenticity.”

3. For Millennials, Thinking And Emotions Are Equals – More Or Less

To effectively work with Millennials, managers must go beyond the attitude of simply managing emotions and move toward accepting them as a necessary and legitimate part of leading and interacting with their younger employees, according to a recent column in Forbes.

“A central aspect of leadership, in today’s world, is more appropriately defined as the ability to bring a dream or vision to reality. For Millennials, emotions are central to delivering that vision for all of us.”

4. Why You Should Strive to Be a Beginner

In his latest blog post, Don Cooper asserts that having a “Beginner’s Mind” helps salespeople, executives and business owners get smarter, sharper and better.

“no matter how much you know, there’s always more to learn. No matter how good you are, you can always get better. The moment you believe you have mastered what you do, you’re in trouble.”

5. Millennials are fueling new growth in recreational vehicle sales

Manufacturers in the recreational vehicle industry expect to ship 446,000 RVs in 2017, up 3.6 percent from last year’s 430,691, USA Today reported.

Of concern to the boating industry, sales are being largely driven by younger enthusiasts seeking cheap, versatile vacation travel, not just retirees looking to tour the country in motor homes.