Letter on the Third — April 2025

Dear Datamax Family,

Every morning, after I’ve had my workout and before I leave for work, the same thought crosses my mind: “What do I need to tell Patti before I go?” Even if she’s still sleeping, I naturally do a mental rundown of what might need to be communicated before I drive off. What can I say? It’s a habit.

This natural occurrence is #8 from our Little Blue Book in action: “Keep Everyone informed.” Throughout every day when situations evolve, I consider, “Who do I need to speak to and what information needs to be shared?” When we communicate openly, we eliminate confusion, foster teamwork, and empower each other to make informed decisions. I encourage each of you to make #8 a part of your routine every day at Datamax. When #8 thrives, so does our culture.

#8: It’s Essential.

This Little Blue Book Principle was (and still is) the backbone of our organizational well-being. Let me take you back to 1995: Here in Little Rock, we were growing substantially, but not everyone felt great about it. Employees were overwhelmed and scrambling. People were doing things as fast as they could just to keep up, and not everyone knew what was going on around them. We didn’t do a good enough job with communication. When we met later that year to begin outlining our Philosophies and Principles, #8 was absolutely critical.

We just had our Annual Meetings in Texas and Arkansas. As a reminder to all of you, a key driver for these events is ensuring that we are keeping everyone informed. Where do we stand as a company? How are we doing? Where are we going? Some have mentioned that these meetings are “too long.” My response to that would be, I’m not sure how we could keep everyone informed in a shorter timeframe. Again, #8 is essential to our well-being as a company. However, if you have ideas on how we can communicate differently to keep everyone informed, we are always open to them.

#8: Don’t Wait!

When the pandemic occurred 5 years ago, I remember I was talking to a neighbor, just learning about businesses shutting down.  I knew right then that I couldn’t waste any time. Immediately, I began communicating with everyone about how we were going to prepare for the offices closing and more importantly, letting people know that no one was losing his or her job. People were hearing things. They were worried about what was next. It was important that everyone knew the plan as quickly as possible.
When you come out of a planning meeting, or you observe anything that could be a benefit to someone around you, or a customer or prospect for that matter, think of #8. Don’t hesitate to reach out. Keeping everyone informed strengthens our culture and it solidifies trust. It keeps us moving forward.

#8: Be a Natural.

I like to call it being an unconscious competent. Make #8 a natural next step after any interaction to share what you learned with the people who need to know.  Make it routine. Make it a habit. 

The Best is Yet to Be.

Your Raving Fan,