Sigh...

"What a drag it is getting old"

Mick Jagger--"Mother's Little Helper"

George Kling died over the weekend.  I had pretty much decided that George would never die--or at least he would die and come back several times.  That was the way he "retired", anyway.  There were at least four George Kling Retirement Parties (I know I went to at least three of them), but he never actually "left".

And that was good for us.  His presence was always a good thing. He knew everybody, he was willing to promote our business everywhere, and he was always "there".  I met George in 1989 when I had no idea what our business was and how it worked.  He was one of my first Mentors in this channel.  He got no benefit from helping me other than to watch someone slowly (VERY slowly) "get it". 

I always sought out his advice--I knew that whatever I heard in that big bass voice would be useful to my career and my business.  We only had one disagreement that I can remember:  the day I started my consultancy he said that I had "picked the exact wrong time to start".  Perhaps he meant that April Fools Day was a bad idea, but I think he meant that the days of consultants in our market had passed.

Hell, he wrote the book on that subject, so perhaps he was right.  You often hear about a unique personaliity that "they broke the molds" when that person was born.  In George's case, they not only broke the molds, they also burnt the drawings.  We'll not see his kind again.

He was front and center in our market--looking out for his clients and his own practice at the same time.  He got companies to give him money IN ADVANCE to help them.  Try doing that today. 

He also decided that his clients should meet once a year to discuss the business and plan for the following year.  This get-together became Special Markets Dialogues, and evolved from a client meeting to a "meeting of the minds" for the incentive and "premium" businesses that continues to this day.

When he decided to retire (for good this time), I asked him if he'd consider letting me facilitate.  I had been to enough Dialogues meetings to understand what was going on and thought I'd do a decent job.  He said "sure, but don't expect to make any money at it".  Boy was he right about that...

He attended the first Dialogues I faciiltated.  Sat there for two days, and pronounced that he wouldn't be coming to any future events because he thought I was capable of taking it forward.  I worked my 8th event last November, and every one has been a privilege.  I designated George our "Facilitator in Perpetuity". 

Over the past few years we interacted less frequently, I always sent him the Dialogues "Manifesto" that described what we talked about, he would send me 4 jokes/links a day.  I often thought about asking him to de-list me from his broadcasts but I never did.  I got a handful of them just last week.  They are my final link to him. 

I guess I'll have more of these "moments" now that I'm officially an Old Fart.  Perhaps I'll become inured to them and nod solemnly.  But this one isn't like that.  I lost a friend, a mentor, and an example.  I am the worse for it, just as I am the better for having known him and engaged him. 

Rest in Peace, George.  See you on the other side...


Pete