Posted: September 15, 2022 | Categories: Customer service, Leadership, Self-Improvement, Team Building

In my post on September 13th, I talked about how we can prevent gossip by speaking up and confronting situations directly.  But wait a minute…What if we try to speak up and it ends up in a vicious argument?  We don’t want that.

To create and facilitate a quality conversation that solves problems, builds trust and prevents resentment, here are some points to keep in mind:

1. What is your trust level with this person?  If we don’t like or respect them, we can bet our attitude about them will leak.  (Attitudes almost always do)
2. Begin in a friendly way.  Assuming we do have adequate trust established, we should begin in a friendly manner.  In other words, don’t start out saying, “I have a bone to pick with you!”
3. Relate the fact.  Without judgment, relate the fact of what the other person did or didn’t do.  Then gently describe the effects this action had on you and your ability to do your job.
4. Ask them for a solution.  Instead of dictating, give the other person a chance to take ownership.  Ask them for ideas.  Listen, ask questions, and respond.
5. Come to a consensus.  Decide on solution and make sure you both agree.
6. Reassure.  Give reassurance that you are good with the solution and the problem is solved.  Agree to put the situation behind you, and move forward!

No matter how hard we try, we are going to do things that create a burden for someone else.  When we do, imagine how much smoother things will go if we approach in the way outlined above.

Posted: June 30, 2022 | Categories: Self-Improvement

“We carry ourselves with us wherever we go” – Dr. Wayne Dyer

In these stressful times, one thing we all value is peace of mind.  Without it, life can be a rough road.  In gaining and maintaining peace of mind, I find it often boils down to the choices we make and how we look back on them afterwards.

About a month ago a roofing contractor came to my home and wanted to inspect my roof.  He referred to a hail storm we had about a month earlier, and said it was likely our roof was damaged.  If so, we could make an insurance claim and get a free roof.  I recalled the hail storm he was referring to, and I remember it was no big deal.  There weren’t even any cars damaged.  My instincts were telling me, “This doesn’t seem right.”  I listened to my inner thoughts, and declined the inspection offer.

Within two weeks there were no less than 20 yard signs in my neighborhood, all with the name of the roofing contractor.  Considering all that, I began to wonder if my roof had truly been damaged.  I called my insurance company and they recommended I call a roofer I knew and trusted.  I did, and my roofer did inspect our roof.  He found no hail damage and said our roof would be good for another 3-5 years.  Immediately, my wife and I felt more at ease.  Rather than react, we took the time to trust and follow our instincts.  This is my message to you:  When things seem too easy or “slick”, take a step back and get in touch with your values.  You will make better decisions that help ensure a quality of life.

Posted: May 25, 2022 | Categories: Customer service, Self-Improvement

Have you ever seen skywriting?  Skywriters fly planes carrying banners with special messages on them.  The message could be an ad or it might be a marriage proposal above a football stadium.  Whatever the situation, you can bet that a high price is paid for each word.  There may be a lesson here for all of us.  The fewer words we use to communicate a thought or idea, the easier the message is to absorb.  Here are some examples:

“at this point in time”                                                   change to                                “at this time”

“keep in mind that…”                                                   change to                                “remember that”

“held a meeting to discuss”                                         change to                                “met to discuss”

“in the event that”                                                         change to                                            “if”

“Until such time you are in a position to…”            change to                                “when you are able to”

“Your check in the amout of $360”                          change to                                 “your check for $360″

”

Keeping our communiation simple and direct allows us to be better understood and more likely to be influential

Posted: April 20, 2022 | Categories: Management, Sales, Self-Improvement

“Successful people form the habit of doing things that failures don’t like to do” `

`                                        -Albert Gray: “The Common Denominator of Success”

Do you have a vision?  With all your gifts and abilities, do you have a picture of what you want to achieve, and who you want to become?  Let’s assume the answer is “yes” to both of these questions.  Next step:  A plan of action!

We know that realizing your vision will require much planning, persistence, and hard work.  When we plan, we list all the tasks, activities, and resources we need to make the vision happen.  We categorize and prioritize these tasks and list them in proper sequence.  Once we have our momentum established, we will be doing specific things each day that are taking us toward our vision.  But what if we are not in the mood to do our “single daily action”?  It doesn’t make any difference! We have planned well and we know that the task before us is the most important thing we need to be doing.

Here’s an example: My first task today was writing this blog.  My first thought was, “I’m not in a writing mood today.”  Then my special self-discipline angel on my shoulder gave me some tough love:  “Steve, the deadline for your newsletter is this week.  You know this is the most important thing you should be doing now.  Do it, whether you want to or not!”  I did.  Here it is.  How do you like it? (Now I’m in the mood!)

I conclude by asking another question posed by Albert Gray:  Do you prefer pleasing methods or pleasing results?  Your answer to this question can tell you where you are at with “The Common Denominator of Success”.

Posted: April 13, 2022 | Categories: Leadership, Self-Improvement, Team Building

“The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing”  

-Henry Ford

I work with teams and organizations that want to be the best and stay that way. The first quality I look for in a team is the level of trust and respect they have among each other. The next quality is ownership. This quality is also critically important.

Have you ever been on a team that didn’t take ownership? If so, you probably had your fill of blame and excuses. Whether it is justified or not, there is a fear of making mistakes…and owning them!

At the risk of sounding trite, let’s acknowledge that we all make mistakes. There is no perfection this side of heaven. Since everyone on any team will make a mistake once in a while, we need to change our attitude about mistakes.

When we make an error that has created more work or has been costly in other ways, let’s admit it, quickly and emphatically. We do not blame or make excuses. Next, we decide on our corrective action using input from our team as a resource.  As it is often said, “two heads are better than one.” Finally we implement the plan. As a result, we will improve ourselves and help make the team stronger.

When we admit our mistakes and are eager to learn from them, we help do our part in building a strong team that trusts and respects each other.