Are Bad Drivers Putting You Out of Business?

Folks, it is not rocket science and it doesn't have to be. It is real simple:

Business Owners if you have vehicles with your company's name on the side, back, or on top do you know who is driving and promoting your business?

If you do not know, you really should know who it is and how they're doing it. A lot of businesses tend to forget that the way their vehicles are being driven reflects directly on the business who's name is stenciled on the side of the vehicle.

There isn't an old saying, you may heard of it, and I really believe especially in business; "the first impression is the ONLY impression." I am more than certain that all business owners do not want any potential customer's first impression of the company to be that of one of your vehicles driving recklessly, changing lanes without using the turn signal, rolling through a stop sign or blowing past them on the highway with no regard for their own safety or the safety of the other drivers.

This certainly is not a good way to do business. In the current economy, no business can afford to lose future customers, before they even get them, because company drivers are not properly trained with the company's expectations when it comes to driving a company vehicle.

I haven't started talking about current customers. Imagine the horror in your customer's eyes when a vehicle from a business they had a long time relationship with cuts them off out on the highway.

Business Owners I do so hope you get the hint. If you don't get it, then you deserve every customer you lose because you chose not to address a very serious situation. Remember, on the road, a first impression is a very long, lasting impression (that's what billboards are expected to do).


Using Creative Commons credit image courtesy of ***Karen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarahbelle1/3017785110/




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3 Rules for Dealing with Kids as Customers

This public service message goes out to those that work in the entertainment industry. Especially, in the entertainment industry that is aimed directly at children under the age of 12.

If you want repeat customers, especially those that will throw a fit when parents asked them where they want to go, then it is wise to know and live by these three SIMPLE rules .

#1. Never hurt a kid's feelings by telling them NO with anger in your voice.

#2. Never hurt a kid's feelings by Over-Promising and Under Delivering

#3. (a.k.a. THE GOLDEN RULE) NEVER, EVER PUT YOURSELF IN A SITUATION THAT WILL GET YOU ON MOM'S BAD SIDE!

Here is a BIG Hint to not breaking Rule #3: DO NOT BREAK RULE #1 OR #2 OR #1 & #2.



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Under New Management

What if you went to a restaurant and the food or service or both were TERRIBLE?

Would you go back? Probably not!

OK, who would want to subject themselves to the same punishment? the same bad food? the same bad service? Unless, you are masochist it is understandable to never set foot in that place, again.

Now fast forward 6 or 8 months later. You drive past that same restaurant, in the front window a sign reads "Under New Management" and now your interest is piqued.

Do you dare venture in? Most will, if only to give that restaurant a second chance.

Consider this: Does having an "Under New Management" sign mean that some pixie dust was sprinkled within and among the restaurant's staff and it magically stopped being terrible?

Probably not! If there was not a complete replacement of the staff, the policies and procedures the organization will continue to do what it has always done. Sure, they make change for the short term. Maybe just long enough to create some "regulars" but eventually the new paint will start to peel off and the layers of grease, grime and bad attitude will come out. Then you are right back where you started.

Consider this: When an NFL or College football team replaces the Head Coach, the rest of the coaching crew is replaced. Typically, this is not done by the organization itself but by the Head Coach. The new Head Coach will say that this a "brand new" program and not the continuation of the old way of doing things. If the organization wanted to continue doing the same old thing they would not have fired the Head Coach in the first place. Thus cleaning house is not only in order but expected.

While it is fully understandable that not all the waitstaff and cooks can be replaced at one time (or can they?) However, some measurable change must take place even if it is until the entire old crew can be phased out and a new crew is phased in.

Therefore, if you do decide to return and you don't see a change in personnel, especially where the problem area was then then only change that took place was that someone got a great deal on an "Under New Management" sign and that is a crying shame!


Image of kitchen and cooks by Seattle Municipal Archives and used under Creative Commons License.


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Train Your Replacement

Train Your Replacement.

EVERYDAY!

The military does it, successful organizations do it and if you are not doing it you really should. You would be amazed at the amount of stuff you do, especially if you have been around a while.

If you haven't thought about it but the COLD HARD REALITY is one day we will stop coming to work, we will no longer be doing the job we are doing now. Thus, no better time than now to seek out and train your replacement.

One thing to remember when you start training your replacement:
TRAIN THEM RIGHT

This is your opportunity to get rid of bad habits and start making things right.

Thanks for your time.




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Communication vs. Leadership

Have you ever noticed that people are so eager to blame problems on lack of communication? Usually the blame is put on the other party and not the one calling attention the problem(s)!

Let's take a look at this; the word “communication” is defined as "a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior" (Merriam Webster Dictionary, 2010). An "exchange between individuals" sounds to me like the individual calling attention to the problem is part of the exchange between individuals and therefore part of the problem.

While it easy to blame others for their lack of communication, it is also a bitter pill to swallow when you have to admit to yourself that you are perpetuating the same issue as your counterpart is in the lack of information exchange department.

Why not be the one to take the first step, be the leader, be the driver and take the situation to a better place. Remove all the barriers and the issue of lack of communication becomes MOOT.

Failing any attempt on the complainer’s part to change the situation leads me to ask: Is the issue really that of lack of communication or is the issue really just a lack of leadership?

Go ahead, put pen to paper and write a letter, pick up the phone and start a conversation. Begin a dialogue. Put your fingers on the keyboard, bang out that email now and get your reply. Press the speed dial on your office phone and make that call. The sooner the lines of communication are open, the more apt they are to remain open.

Who knows the person on the other side of the exchange may be thinking that the lack of communication is on your part? Go ahead and prove him or her wrong.

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A Leader's Impact

As a leader you are in a unique position to impact people's lives. You alone have the power to elevate the people that work with you and for you to a new level. You are the one that they will turn to tomorrow when it comes time for leadership, guidance, and motivation.

Do not let them down when they come to you for anything. Take the time to pay attention and lead them, it will leave a lasting impact in the lives of your peers, co-workers, and those that look up to you.

Remember, what you do today will have a deep and lasting impact, so do the right thing.



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Setting yourself apart from the crowd

In today's current economy and tight job market words like downsizing, layoffs, rightsizing, and the doing more with less are as common as words like profit sharing, stock options, and bonuses were not too long ago. I'm hard pressed to find any organization has not been touched by the current economic situation.

Having said that organizations are not tolerating anything less than complete employee dedication and commitment to the mission. When individuals find themselves delivering less, they quickly find themselves being escorted out the door, hopefully, under some sort of amicable conditions.

There will always be times when even those that dedicated and committed to the mission will find themselves without a place to go on Monday morning. What can one do to prevent this from happening? To paraphrase Patrick Townsend and Joan Gebhardt, authors of Five-Star Leadership, your organization "cannot settle for a random selection process for its leaders. Waiting for leaders to develop naturally is out of the question when the penalty for error is swift and permanent, as it is in combat...To ensure a continuous supply of leaders, leadership training" must be part of not just your organization but of also you.

The answer is quite obvious set yourself apart from the crowd. By setting yourself apart from the crowd means that you have to be eating the crowd (in the right direction) and not be struggling behind the crowd (the slowest follower).

Taking the queue from my favorite military organization and maker of leaders: the United States Army and it’s Be, Know, Do Leadership principles I offer the following quick list of what you can do now set yourself apart from the crowd:

• Be:
  Be technically proficient. Know your job to the point that you become the recognized leader in doing your job for your organization. Additionally, it is good to know the job of the people 1 to 2 levels below on the process chain and 1 to 2 levels of above your job on the process chain. For example, if you are a computer programmer it does know what the hardware people know and it certainly helps knowing what the Quality Control people are looking for. In most cases, this may mean going back to school. Remember, you are never too old to go back to school.
  
  If it is training you need then take that shot and invest in your future. If that means spending money then always know that money spent on your education is money never wasted. If all it takes is to spend $20.00 on a book that will increase your technical proficiency then that is a wise $20 investment that will yield a sizable return on investment in the long run. Then again it may also cost over $30,000 dollars to get that edge over those that are choosing not to invest in their future. Every situation will be different but then again every situation will call for a different level of commitment to achieve what you need to achieve.
  
  
• Know:
  Know yourself and know your limits. Never be afraid to accept and admit to the fact that you have your limits that cannot be exceeded. Also by knowing yourself you know what you have to work on as far as seeking self-improvement goes. Therefore, you will always seek self-improvement as an example for when it comes to becoming technically proficient.
  
  Know your organization. Know and fully understand your organization's mission and vision. Know where in the organization's big picture you fit in. Lastly, know what it will take to get you to the next level.
  
  
• Do:
  Do become a follower and a leader (sometimes at the same time). It has been said that every great leader begins, as a great follower and I, 100%, believe that. If you've never followed then you have never experienced a good leader or a bad manager.
  
  Do not be afraid to live by your morals, value, and belief system. Living and sticking to your morals, values, and belief system will go a long way towards establishing yourself as an individual and not as someone who sticks to the pack and has a “follow the pack” mentality. It also builds credibility and authenticity. Being credible and authentic are two highly coveted labels that any leader strives to be considered by his peers. A word of caution, while it is difficult to achieve and maintain those labels, it is so very easy to lose them. Be Careful.
  

Certainly, there are other things you can do to ensure you are set apart from the crowd. As a word of advice be sure that as you are setting yourself apart from the crowd you are moving towards the front of the pack into the lead position and not the last person so far behind that the only way to move to the top is to let the leader lap you (and that is not a good thing).



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When To Shoot Out The Glass

Not too long ago, I caught an airing of the 1996 motion picture Eraser on cable TV. This movie featured the then action star Arnold Schwarzenegger and the always lovely Vanessa Williams. If you haven't seen the movie, Arnold plays U.S. Marshal John 'The Eraser' Kruger and he is tasked to protect William's character, Lee Cullen, and ultimately erase her past life after testifying. However, along the way as in most action movies things go awry and that is when the action begins.

As the action heats up Kruger and Cullen are being chased by Good Guys turned Bad Guys who have one thing on their mind and that is to erase Cullen from this existence as well as Kruger. Naturally, our hero and his charge find themselves in the reptile house of the Bronx Zoo (in New York City).

As always, the situation is grim, outnumbered by the bad guys and Kruger is running short on ammunition. It was something like 9 or 10 bad guys and only two bullets. Kruger is looking for the way out of the building to keep himself and Cullen alive long enough for her to testify.

Realizing that two bullets is not going to be enough to put a dent in the 5 to 1 ratio, you can almost see the "light-bulb" moment when he realizes what he needs to do. He shoots out the glass to the tank that separates numerous alligators from the reptile house visitors. As soon as the first gator hits the ground the attention of the bad guys is shifted from Kruger and Cullen and onto the potential man-eaters that are now scattering about. At that moment of shifting focus Kruger and Cullen make their getaway. Mission Accomplished, the witness has been saved.

While this is a Hollywood motion picture, it is still not bad for a man who suddenly finds himself outnumbered, outgunned, and (almost) out of options. By changing the situation and shifting the focus away from himself, Kruger was able to make a getaway and live to fight another day.

In changing the situation, he also changed the force ratio from 1 good guy/gal for every 5 bad guys to ratio that added one too many man-eaters. He also changed the ability for the bad guys to maintain their undivided attention on a man with a dwindling ammo supply.

He also reduced the time he spent in one location. Had he stayed in the reptile house any longer he would have given the bad guys a greater opportunity to completely surround the building. By changing the parameters of the situation Kruger increased his life expectancy and made it equal to everyone else in the building (except that of the gators).

How does this apply in everyday life? First of all, there will be very few times that you will find yourself charged with protecting Vanessa Williams in a reptile house at a zoo, but if you do you'll know what to do. Seriously, this can be applied to just about anything that we have to deal with in life. When things appear that they have you under their control you can always change the situation by shifting the focus and buying yourself some time.

Use the time that you have just been granted to regain control and get back on top of things. Do not fail to successfully exploit this limited opportunity and it is limited because once Kruger and Cullen left the reptile house there were other bad guys to deal with outside that building (but there were also more witnesses on the outside).

Remember, desperate times call for desperate measures and when it appears that hope has started to fade do what you must do even if it means shooting out the glass that separates the alligators from their food.


image courtesy of Stefano. Used under Creative Commons permission.



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"We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people"

I recently read something that is attributed to General George S. Patton as saying, "We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way."

Since the end of World War II (especially since around the time of General Patton's unfortunate passing) there have been many quotes that have been attributed to one of the United States' greatest fighting Generals. Some of these quotes have been outright falsehoods (or a product of Hollywood), some have been twisted to suit other needs, and some have been spot on. However, this quote (We herd sheep...) falls somewhere between spot on and just off the mark.

This quote makes the classic distinction between manager and leader crystal clear. Anyone can drive cattle, with a little training, of course. Heck, Billy Crystal and Daniel Stern did it in "City Slickers" with Curly's help, of course. As for herding sheep, that may be a little more difficult, as a lot of trust is put on the shepherd in that he/she will take the flock where it needs to go. In the end, both the cattle and the sheep will wander around aimlessly and therefore cannot be effectively led. A manager, in this case, in the form of shepherd or trail boss, are certainly not true leaders.

Now when it comes to people (human beings) on the other hand are dynamic and depending on the situation can either do one of following three things: Lead, Follow, or Get out of my way.

Having to pick from one of the three means that it is up to the individual and not the collective (the flock), to determine what path he will take. The individual can either pick up the Staff of Leadership and lead other people to where they need to be or will he pass the baton to someone that will lead him. Then again, the individual can throw his hands up in the air, step aside and watch the parade go down the road and out of sight (without him) while he wanders aimlessly like the cattle that broke away from the herd.

Which one of the three do you like? Just like General Patton, I love being at the front of the parade instead of watching it from the curb hoping that the clowns wave at me.


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Classic Wisdom for the Professional Life (another book review)

Everyone needs a place they can turn to for inspiration and a resource for inspiring others Classic Wisdom for the Professional Life is that resource. This little black (very dark blue) book pulls no punches and offers no fluff just plenty of nuggets of wisdom and wit from many notable individuals from all walks of life, past and present.

From the first page to the last the quotes contained are applicable at almost any time and any point in one’s life. Most books that host a collection of quotes tend to be a gathering of the same quotes from the same people that were in all the other books that make a book of quotes look like all the other books of quotes.

Editor Bryan Curtis took the time to ensure that Classic Wisdom for the Professional Life was not like all the other books that contain a gathering of quotations. From the first page the people that the quotes are attributed to are, in some cases, the last person anyone would expect to say what they said. Those are the kind of quotations that keep the reader turning the page to see who said what. Above all, having a copy of Classic Wisdom for the Professional Life within reach is essential in these rough and turbulent times.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Flip The Funnel (a review)

Back in October of 2007 on my blog I compared Joseph Jaffe to Donald Trump to the 80s band Duran Duran. The comparison was how the three have a rhythm that is "uniform and a well-coordinated action." The Donald, Joseph, and Duran Duran continue to be relevant and not allow any part of their brand to get stale, as they wouldn't allow it. After all, it is their name (their brand) that gets people to buy into what they are selling. In 2007, that comparison dealt with Joseph Jaffe’s book Join The Conversation.

Now, Joseph Jaffe’s done it again with his latest book, Flip The Funnel. This time he takes the reader on a journey and makes it an experience that is filled with tools and tips that will take anyone (from business owner to client/customer) to the next level in customer satisfaction or, better still, Relationship Building.

In Flip The Funnel, Jaffe provides real world examples of people and organizations that get it right and those that can’t seem to get it right no matter how hard they try or fail to try. For both, though, he offers answers to creating and sustaining a lifelong relationship with stakeholders (internal and external).

Right now, in an economy where up is down and down is sideways we all certainly need people to be spot on 100% of the time. What Jaffe delivers in Flip The Funnel is something that can only be described as SPOT ON!

You can get your copy of Flip The Funnel at Amazon.com | Barnes and Noble


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The Saturday Morning Magic Hour

There is one time of the week that I love above all:
Saturday mornings!

There is a time from when I wake up to when everyone else in the house wakes up, cinematographers call that the magic hour.  For them, it is that first hour of sunlight of the day (or the last hour of sunlight). That time is best for filming because the light is softer and the shadows are longer. Something about the light exposure on film is better than dealing with darker shadows and overly bright spots when the Sun is directly overhead. Depending on where on the planet one is filming or taking pictures the time and duration of the "magic hour" can vary. Therefore, in the filmmaker's and my case "hour" is used rather loosely.

I try to keep the same wake time everyday (makes it a little easier come Monday morning). During that two hour or so period there is, typically, no pressure to get out the door, get something done, or to wake up everyone in the house. That time is mine (all mine)...call me selfish, I do not care, it's still mine.

That "magic hour" is my time to reflect, meditate, and get focused. Now whether I choose to do all of them is beside the point, typically I will do one or two but it is very seldom that I do all three.

Of course, there are some mandatory things that I do during the magic hour. First, I brew a fresh pot of coffee and as coffee drinkers know there is nothing like a hot cup of java to get your day started. Next, either I crack open a book and catch up on my reading (currently: Joseph Jaffe's latest Flip the Funnel) or head over to the living room, fire up the laptop, and get caught up on required blog reading. That's about as intense as I want things to get, remember I am using this time to reflect, meditate, and/or get focused.

Now as the sun gets higher and the day starts to kick into high gear, my second cup of coffee is poured, and I am ready to get the weekend started.

I am curious, when is your magic hour?


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ARE YOU CRUSHing IT?

I recently finished reading the second book of my Book Trifecta for the first third of 2010: CRUSH IT!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion by Gary Vaynerchuk. CRUSH IT! is one of those unique books that not only conveys a message but also the author’s passion. Sometimes the black letters on white paper tend to be emotionless or subjective to the reader’s interpretation, this is not the case with Gary Vaynerchuk and his message in CRUSH IT!. If you ever heard him talk either in person, on the web, or on television you know what I am talking about. If you have not heard him talk you really should.

In his book, Gary Vaynerchuk lays out, in no uncertain terms, his master plan towards the successful purchase and ownership of the New York Jets. How does this apply to the reader? Gary gives you his playbook and reveals how by following it he and his organizations have reach and level of genuine authenticity that keeps customers coming back for more and hoards of new and potential customers banging on his door.
There are no magic beans, no smoke to cloud your judgment; no ego stroking talking mirrors, no secret handshakes, or hidden links to what Gary is offering in CRUSH IT!. He tells it like it is, that my friends is the secret to Gary Vaynerchuk's success. Throughout the book, Gary reminds us that business is playing by a new set of rules and every one is on the same level playing field right along side the big corporations.

The level of the playing field starts to change when people either fail to do something about their situation or do something about your situation. When they do something positive about the situation they find themselves in thus they can start to rival those top tier mega organizations. When individuals and small businesses fail to do something about their situation they fall behind and the longer they wait to do something a further behind they will be. In CRUSH IT!, Gary tells us that not only do we need to start doing something about our situation, we do not need to worry about the other guy we only need to worry about ourselves and ultimately "Keeping it real…Very real."

Lastly, Vaynerchuk offers up what Social media services have helped propel him to top of his field. In one chapter, Gary dedicates himself to telling us what works for him in the Social Media arena and how to create community by digging your own “Internet trench.” In that chapter, Gary is saying is that by creating an online presence one must be prepared to shake a lot of hands and never stop shaking. While everyone might not like your message you'll have to continue shaking hands until those that want to hear your message find you. Then and only then is the rest is up to.

I will close by adding the following: CRUSH IT! is a book for everyone. There is at least one golden nugget for everyone and that is a good thing. At the end of the book there's a message that sums up what Gary has been saying for the previous 133 pages, "listen to your DNA-it will always lead you in the right direction." He’s not kidding, Gary tells us this straight from his heart. As an example, he took his father’s liquor store from $4Million operation to $50Million operation in just eight years and more recently reaching #2 on the New York Times Bestseller List with CRUSH IT! with success like that what can go wrong?

Complete & Total Disclosure: I am a huge fan of @garyvee (if you are not already, I recommend you follow him on Twitter and on Facebook at facebook.com/gary). Also, check out his Wine Library video blog on Winelibrary.tv it is loaded with great stuff.


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Do you have a Corner-man?

Everyone needs a good Corner-man. The fictional Boxing Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa had Mickey Goodmill. Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, José Nápoles, George Foreman, Jimmy Ellis, Carmen Basilio and Luis Rodriguez each had Angelo Dundee as their Corner-man.

Who is fighting in your corner? Who is the one person that can look you in your bloody eye and tell you that you can go the distance and beat the bum?

What if you don’t you have a Corner-man, then what? You get yourself a Corner-man ASAP!!! Get one as soon as it is humanly possible. Of course, you just can’t walk up to a complete stranger and say, “Hey, will you be my Corner-man?” You have to recognize that a Corner-man is what you need.

Once you have accepted that fact, they you do what you can to find one that will take you to where you want to be. You start hunting high and low for the one person that will be in your corner, all the time. However, until you find that person you will have to pay your dues and rest assured, it will be a struggle.

For example, in the motion picture Rocky, the first time we see Mickey and Rocky together, Mickey tells Rocky about why Mickey is paying more attention to another boxer, “Dipper’s a contender, a climber, you know what you are? A tomato. That’s right a tomato, I run a business here not a soup kitchen.” Mickey pulled no punches with Rocky and that is exactly what a good Corner-man should do. When Rocky asked Mickey why he didn’t care, in no uncertain terms Mickey said, “You had the talent to become a good fighter and instead of that you became a leg breaker for some cheap second rate loan shark…It’s a waste of life.” They worked out their issues and Mickey was in Rocky’s corner when it came time to fight the big fight. In the end, it was Mickey, the Corner-man, that went on to help make Rocky the success he went on to eventually become the champ (see Rocky II).

In real-life, Angelo Dundee is considered the greatest Corner-man in the history of professional boxing. He not only made champions, he made household names out of George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Muhammad Ali. Dundee made them champs because he pulled no punches and always gave them exactly what they needed: Someone to tell them the truth no matter how much it hurt. Each one of those great boxers had what it took to be champion but it was the Corner-man that kept their vision focused and kept them on track when it came to preparing and fighting the Big Fight.

Everyone needs a great Corner-man to keep them focused, keep them on track, and above all to keep them real. How do you find a great Corner-man? The answer is real simple: Become someone else's Corner-man.

While it is that simple, it is not going to be that easy. Becoming someone’s Corner-man will not happen overnight, nor will it be handed to you. What it will be is difficult and lengthy. That along with a large dose of being authentic, genuine, and the willingness to share will all but ensure your place as great Corner-man. Then by setting the standard you let any would be Corner-man know what you will expect of them.

The concept of a Corner-man isn’t new especially as it is based on common sense plain and simple. Always remember that no matter what you do and how hard you work the trick is to ensure that your Corner-man does not become your “Yes-man”.

“Yes-men” are dime a dozen and offer no real benefit other than to stroke your ego. There is nothing wrong with someone stroking your ego but if that’s all you have then you have no real shot at the success that comes by having someone fighting in your corner. No shot at being great because you’ll start believing what those that are stroking your ego are telling you. Certainly, that would be the last thing you want and that would defeat the purpose of having a Corner-man altogether.



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Who is your middleman?

Who is your middleman? How many middlemen (or women) do you have between you and your customers/clients? How many do you have that are giving the first impression about you or your organization to potential customer? Are they all talking the same talk as you, after all they are the first voice of your company that they hear? They are the first face they see when they walk through the front door.

Those are some seriously loaded questions and rest assured the answers are just as loaded.

Right now, there is a customer that needs your help. Right now, that customer or client is reaching for the phone and someone other than you will answer the phone. Right now, that client is banging out an email and will you be the one that gets it? Probably not.

In large organizations it is with great certainty that there will be a middle-person that will run interference for some top-level official(s). Thus further down the corporate ladder the need for a middleman drastically diminishes almost to the point that the person at the bottom of the corporate ladder is the middleman.

There are those Small-, Medium- sized Enterprises that the existence of a middleman is all but assured. For the most part, the one-man operations are exempt (to a certain extent). Those organizations that have grown to a point that now someone other than the boss is answering the phones will have a middleman (or woman).

In most cases that person is known as the Receptionist. They are the ones that are the face of the company, the first person a guest sees when they arrive and the last person they say "Goodbye" to. They are the ones that will answer the phone, they are the ones that will convey your message to everyone they come in contact with everyday.

The long and short of this is really simple. Those middle-men and -women will either make or break you. They will only do that with your permission. Train them right and they will make you look good all the time, every time. Fail to train them and you get what you give.

So, why not take some time tomorrow morning and have a quick one-on-one training session to ensure that your message and that of your organization is easily understood and can be passed along to your guests, clients, customers, and potential customers without any deviation. A little investment in ensuring that your middleman is an extension of you and not the antithesis of you will certainly go a long way towards ensuring that customers are guaranteed to hear the same story of you and your organization from the first "hello" to the last "goodbye."




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Change is all around

I know I have talked about it in the past and yet it never ceases to amaze me how people handle change. While some people will embrace it, others will go into panic mode, and others will become spectators as change unfolds right in front of them. Which one are you? There are no other options just three and you do have to make a choice.

I firmly believe that while change might not always be for the better, it does serve a greater purpose in life. If not for anything else than to realize that change is going to happen again and again until the end of time. No matter how much we wish for it to go away, change will continue to be part of this existence.

This past week was a great example of how change affects people. The 21st Games of the Winter Olympics kicked off last Friday, but not before the death of the Georgian athlete on the last turn of the Whistler Luge track. While it was shocking and horrific to see, it was a most unexpected change that served as a catalyst for subsequent changes. Being proactive, ok reactive, the organizers of the Olympic Games in Vancouver took charge and made the necessary changes to make the course a little safer before competition started thus preventing any such future calamities, hopefully. Change is coming and it can make you or break you.

The economy is certainly full of changes. Right now, there are people still sweating bullets for fear that their job is on the line. Instead of increasing their value within their respective organizations, they are getting mad, panicking and doing things that will all but ensure their dismissal. Change is coming and you better be ready for it.

The world is constantly evolving and change is always happening. Natural and man-made disasters are always occurring. There is nothing the average person can do to prevent natural disasters, but when those changes occur you have to roll with the punches because last time I checked no one can “fool with Mother Nature.” When the changes are man-made, if you are not right there at the moment just before it happens there is really nothing anyone can do to stop the change. Change is all around you; accept it as the price of admission to live on this planet.

Right now, people are facing personal struggles that will change their life forever. They are the ones that are allowed to be angry and mad, but only for five minutes. As Tom Hanks as Astronaut Jim Lovell said in Apollo 13, “We are not gonna do this. We're not gonna go bouncing off the walls for ten minutes...'cause we're just gonna end up right back here with the same problems--” Five minutes is all you get because change is coming, no, no it is already here!

We do not have to like change, we don’t have hate it either. We just have to accept the fact that when it comes to change we must Be Strong, Be Brave, and Be In Charge.

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SWITCH has arrived and Comfort Zones are put on notice!!

The latest book by Dan Heath and Chip Heath titled Switch: How To Change Things When Change Is Hard has hit the bookstore shelves and it could not have come at a better time. Like the sun coming out this book gives us a chance to see change in a whole new light.

Just before this past Christmas holiday I received an advance copy of Switch and it was the first time receiving an advance copy of any book. It was not only unexpected but it was a thrill to be the first kid on my block with something this cool.

I dove into the book and deliberately took my time to read and absorb what the Heath Brothers brought to my table. In Switch, they offer a unique way to make change go a little smoother. Now, I am not talking that all change is not smooth or can’t go smoothly but there are times (OK, the majority of the time) when change can be the bumpiest, roughest road anyone has ever been on.

The current economic times, are no exception and are taking us on a ride that we really would rather not take, but nonetheless, here we are together. Like it or not change is happening all around us all you have to do is look around “it will astound you.”

Switch will definitely astound you. It offers clear examples of how ordinary and not-so ordinary people faced challenges and turn them into crusades that made positive change, for a lot of people, happen. Also, within the pages of Switch, Dan and Chip introduce the reader to the Elephants, the Riders, the Path and how to identify them when you are confronted with change. All of which will come in quite handy when it comes to dealing with unexpected change and the obstacles associated with the unexpectedness that will need to be overcome in order to achieve success.

Trust me, change will happen and it is up to you to decide how it will happen. Switch will give the reader a set of tools to use in almost any situation thus giving greater power to the reader over how change will happen and how she will own it.

On a side note, after reading Switch, you may never see another advertisement for Target the same way you did before reading Dan and Chip’s book, I know I already do.

Switch @ Barnes & Noble @ Amazon.com


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You’re Welcome vs. No Problem

Not too long ago, I read a very nice reminder to say “You’re Welcome” when someone says “Thank you.” It seems that many of us have shifted away from saying, “You are welcome” to saying “No Problem.”

Think about it for a second, you do something for or say something to someone and you are given a very nice “Thank you.” In return you respond with “No Problem.” Does that mean that what you did or said was a problem or it became a problem? I am more than sure that was never your intent.

Therefore, do not convey the thought or idea that what you did was a problem or a potential problem to the person that is giving you the thanks. If you did or said what you said or did with the most honorable of intentions, then give them a good old fashion “You are welcome” or use the conjunction and say, “You’re welcome.”

If I ever remember or if I never do, to whoever you are that wrote that nice reminder, I want to say, “Thank you!”



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It's All About Trust & Respect (±)

Just before the recent holidays really got underway I had a brief, yet unusual conversation, with a section manager and during the course of the conversation he took me aside and said that he did not trust the employees he supervises and manages. I was shocked that this individual said that to me. I have never had that kind of conversation or relationship with this person. I have known him for about 3 or so years but never has he mentioned anything like this. I know that there have been problems with his staffers a little after he arrived and through the years he has all but replaced everyone in his section. He was present at every interview to fill those vacant positions, is the approving authority to make the job offers and he is still not happy.

Well how can he be happy? He hires them and he doesn’t trust them. Maybe he is not happy with himself but he doesn’t see that. All he sees that they are staff that are bad and cannot be trusted.

Going back to the conversation. After the initial shock wore off, I did ask him, “Do you respect them?” He looked me right in the eye and changed the subject.

Folks, it is this simple:
If you don’t trust how can you respect and if you don’t respect how can you trust?

There is no other way to see it, learn it, know it, or live it.



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handshake image courtesy of Aidan Jones (http://www.flickr.com/photos/aidan_jones/1234618279/)

That’s not my job

As we enter 2010 full of wide-eyed wonder and excitement of what the future will bring we can only guess at how long the excitement and wonder will last. How long will it be before we hear the first “that’s not my job” or “that’s not in my job description?”

By my estimate before the end of this week you will hear it at least one time. What is the first thing you think when you are at your local super mega low mart and you hear an employee say, “that’s not my job?” I know I am certainly not thrilled when I hear a cashier or receptionist or medical office records clerk say those words. After the shock has passed, the first thing that I think is who is leading and training these people? Not someone who cares and most certainly, not a leader.

Now let’s turn this around. What if it was your staff or employees that said, “that’s not my job” or “that’s not in my job description?” How does it make you feel? You won’t feel so good, I bet. First off, it speaks volumes about you as a manager but don’t take that too much to heart as that kind of staff behavior is expected from people that are being managed by “just a manager”. Now, what does this say about you as a leader or mentor?

What does it really say? First, it says that you must find a way to never have any staff member or employee utter those words again. It is at this point that you need to take stock and get to the root cause of why the people you are charged to lead are saying those dreaded words. Once you determine the cause, you need to determine why it is happening, develop a plan to surgically contain or eliminate the problem, and then act on that plan. The more specific and detailed your plan of action is the better the outcome will be. In this case it is essential to curtail the “not my job” kind of attitude that can quickly fester and poison those not yet affected. Therefore, swift execution is essential, as a leader cannot afford to hesitate.

Hesitate and subsequently fail to prevent an employee from saying “that’s not in my job description” again will most assuredly put you on the fast track to the back of the “just a manager” line.



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