Posted: August 19, 2024 | Categories: Customer service, Sales, Self-Improvement

“Good manners are made of petty sacrifices”

-Henry David Thoreau

One of the most time-worn expressions we hear is “go the extra mile”.  I think it is time we all take a step back and go deeper in to the extra mile concept and how we benefit when we incorporate this mantra into our daily experience.

I recently experienced a sterling example of this:  It began nearly 10 years ago when I won a raffle prize at a marketing event.  My prize was two $25 gift cards to a local auto service shop.  Since I already had a place to service my car, my wife and I set the cards aside. The years went by and a couple months ago we decided we would try out the gift cards rather than just throw them away.  When we arrived at the shop, the owner greeted us with a hearty smile and cheerfully agreed to honor the gift cards.  We used one of the cards and got some new wiper blades.

A couple months later I had some used motor oil I wanted to dispose of.  I went to the same place.  The owner saw me in the parking lot and eagerly came out to greet me and accept the oil.  This was the second time that fellow went the “extra mile”, and this time I was hooked.

This week I needed to purchase a new set of tires.  I headed straight to the friendly shop and they had me fixed up in an hour.  As a drive away, I was a happy customer and committed to stay that way.  We respect and appreciate those who go the extra mile for us, and they earn our loyalty. (And get our money)

Posted: August 8, 2024 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Self-Improvement, Team Building

“How would I fill his shoes?  I can’t.  I need to find my own shoes” –Jim Daly:  President: Focus on the Family

The above quote from Jim Daly was said in 2005 when a reporter asked him how he was going to fill the shoes of the world-renowned organization founder, James Dobson.  To use a cliche, James Dobson was a “tough act to follow”.

In 1978, Lee Iacocca took over the helm of the nearly bankrupt Chrysler Corporation.  No one I knew truly believed that Mr. Iacocca could revive a company in such serious trouble.  Mr. Iacocca went to Congress and convinced the government to give him $1.5 billion in loan guarantees.  He got to work and brought Chrysler back to profitability.  The loans were paid off early.  Iacocca, the father of the beloved Mustang, had seemingly performed a miracle.  He retired in 1992.

Bob Eaton was hired to replace Iacocca.  Bob had his own style, and it was quite different from his predecessor.  Raised in Kansas, Bob had a low-key temperament and quiet demeanor.  He knew what he was doing, and he developed a workforce that led Chrysler to be one of the most cash-rich corporations in the country in 1996.  Bob knew his own style and strengths, and he put them into play.  Here are some things he did to strengthen the company:

• Transformed the culture from “combative to participative”.
• Had a clear vision.
• He was flexible, forceful, a good listener, and eager to learn.
• He engaged the labor force of the company to become more than the sum of the parts.
• He introduced new models with cost-cutting discipline.
• Led Chrysler to be the lowest-cost auto producer.
• Developed effective cross-functional teams to design cars quickly and cheaply.
• He saw opportunities that had not been seen before
• He fostered teamwork, set goals, and rewarded achievers.
• Briefed everyone after Board meetings
• Would not agree to acquisitions.

I think we can safely say that Bob “found his own shoes” and left the company better off than when he started.  Bob knew his strengths and the unique qualities he brought to the table, and he used them.  We can too!

Posted: June 17, 2024 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Self-Improvement, Team Building

Two weeks I was talking with a client (we’ll call him Sam) who was struggling with a dip in his confidence as a leader.  A couple months ago Sam had made a serious error of omission, and the result was going to be a heavy fine for his company.  Sam takes pride in his work and he took this “ding” in his record personally.  Rather than brood, Sam decided to take action to help get himself ouf of his “funk”.

The action Sam took was to conduct “Stay Interviews” with all his direct reports.  Management consultant Richard Finnigan defines a “Stay Interview” as “A structured discussion a leader conducts with an individual employee to learn specific actions the leader can take to strengthen the employee’s engagement and retention in an organization.”

As a result of the interviews, Sam found himself well on his way to regaining his confidence and momentum.  His people were positive and affirmed how much they enjoyed working for him.  The team members also gave helpful and consistent feedback on what Sam could do to make their jobs easier.  (What do you need from me?)

Sam’s decision to conduct “Stay Interviews” proved to be just the right action to give both Sam and his staff a boost.  It is important to note that Sam had already built a high level of trust with his team and he also had a very supportive boss.  Sam had put together the right team atmosphere to make the “Stay Interview” effective.  If you are proud of your team and committed to continued professional growth, I recommend you consider the “Stay Interview”.

Posted: June 6, 2024 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Self-Improvement

Being a loyal team member is a virtue.  So is maintaining our personal integrity.  What if you run into a situation where you have to choose between the two?  The following true story illustrates this scenario as good as any I know:

In 1914 at age 27, Herm Krannert was hired by the Sefton Corporation.  Sefton made corrugated boxes, and they were at the top of their field.  Herm was eager and worked hard.  At age 30, he was rewarded by being promoted to VP and director.  There was one condition:  He would be required to vote as the president wanted him to.  This offended Herm and he saw it as an affront to his integrity.  He immediately quit.  Imagine being promoted to Vice President and director of a major company and unemployed in one day!

Herm came home and shared the news with his wife, Ellnora.  She comforted him, and assured him things would work out fine.  They did!  A group of co-workers heard what had happened and they quit also.  They said they wanted to pool their cash together and start their own company, and they wanted Herm to be president.  That was the beginning of the Inland Container Corporation, which would end up to be the 2nd largest container manufacturing corporation in the country.

If you walk the campus of Purdue University, you will find Herm’s name in many places.  Most noticeable, there is the Herman Krannert School of Management.

Herm was a man of rock-solid integrity.  We respect people with such a quality.  We also respect one of the most important ingredients we need to achieve and sustain our integrity…COURAGE!

Posted: May 17, 2024 | Categories: Management, Self-Improvement

“Success in business is a series of steps”

– Rodger Ford: Founder of Alpha Graphics

Would you care to guess what percentage of multi-million dollar lottery winners go bankrupt in the first 3-5 years?  If you guessed 40%, you are correct!  How could that be?  People who have and keep money have developed the habits and discipline of being good managers of money.  Those who win the big jackpot are often not the best stewards of their resources.  If we want to succeed, we need to “crawl before we can walk”.  For any worthwhile achievement there are steps involved and we must work through each one.

When I was an infant, I never went through the crawling stage.  I just went right to walking.  Who wants to crawl when you can walk?  It turns out that jumping the gun was a bad move.  When a baby crawls, he or she gets used to putting one hand in front of another.  That is important, because when we do walk we will have many a fall, and we need to instinctively put our hands out to protect ourselves from bashing our head.  I had to wear a football helmet for nearly a year.  I had leap-frogged over in important step in development and I suffered.

As Americans, we want what we want and we want it fast! Before we can succeed we need to painstakingly go through each important phase.  A good plumber was once an apprentice.  A major-leaguer was once in the low-paying minors.  Whatever we want, there are stages and steps involved.  We must be patient and focused to thoroughly complete each step.  If we do, we can look back with pride about all the grit we put in along the way.  What is your next step?