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.

Posted: March 17, 2022 | Categories: Self-Improvement, Team Building

About 20 years ago I was brought on as a consultant by the president of a moderate-sized manufacturing business. His name was Roger, and he wanted me to help him with his retirement plans. Before Roger set his exact retirement date he wanted to be sure that his son and the rest of his team could implement a smooth transition.

I asked Roger what he wanted help with. He replied, “I take a few weeks off every year to stay at my cabin up north. When I return to work, everything is in a crisis mode. As I am scrambling to get things back in control again, I begin to question the benefit of ever going away again. What I want is to come back to my plant with confidence that all will be in order. I want my return to be a pleasant experience that I look forward to.”

With that picture clearly in mind we got to work on building into the team all the skills and discipline needed to make the self-reliant team Roger was looking for. As you might guess, these areas included skills in emotional intelligence and clear communication wrapped in a blanket of trust and accountability.

About three years after we began, Roger and I were talking about the effectiveness of the training. He had just come back after a several week stay at his cabin and returned to a working environment that was relaxed and in control. No one came to Roger with a crisis. I was happy to hear this, but then I noticed Roger’s facial expression. He looked a little down. I asked him if something was wrong.

He said, “I know this is what I wanted, but I don’t feel as much a part of the group, and I am not as important.” We all love to feel important, don’t we? Roger lost some of that. I asked, “So even though this is what you wanted, you are going through a “grieving process?”

“Yes!” he said,  “You hit the nail the head!”

What Roger and I both learned: If you want something that involves a change, consider what you are leaving behind, and let your mind prepare.

Posted: March 9, 2022 | Categories: Leadership, Sales, Self-Improvement, Team Building

This past Sunday we attended our usual church service, and after the service ended we began filing out to return to our homes and enjoy the rest of our Sunday. As we were walking towards the door, my wife Joyce turned around and went back to talk to a member of the Praise Band. His name was Gary, and Joyce went over to express her sympathy. Gary’s mother-in-law had just passed away. As I was waiting for Joyce, the minutes started passing by, and before long I realized Joyce and Gary were in a long conversation. Gary’s mother-in-law was very special to him, and he wanted to talk about her. My wife is a good listener, and she is always there for people to listen to them and bring them comfort.

I must confess my initial reaction was impatience…You know…”C’mon, we haven’t got all day” default. That thought quickly passed as I reminded myself that what I was seeing was my loving wife doing what she was meant to do: Give comfort and take time to listen to those who need a sympathetic ear. I went back in the narthex and found a devotion book I could read until Joyce was finished. If the truth were known, Joyce’s conversation with Gary was probably about 10 minutes.

We want to have strong relationships with the special people in our lives. If we run a business, we want our team members to be productive and give us their best. One of the best actions we can take to achieve these objectives is to take more time to get in touch with others, and be a sincere and sympathetic listener.