Having spent a good percentage of my career in retail marketing, I came to the conclusion there are two distinct management styles in regards to customers. I've worked with management teams that focused on the thought that the customers were there to make life miserable: customers steal, customers mess up the shelves, customers try to take advantage of offers, customers leave the restrooms in disrepair. In other words, the end result was that customers were looked upon as detractors (in retail?!)
The second belief structure focused on the ability of the customer to make the retail venture more successful. We focused on what the customer wanted and tried to deliver that. We honored that the customer had a budget to spend and structured our thought process so that the customer wanted to spend their money with us. Guess which of the two retailers was more successful. . .
Likewise, I have seen managers who, much like the first example, seem to believe that their team members exist for the sole purpose of making their life miserable: they focus on what their teams don't do, how much time they take away from work, how the team isn't as invested as they are.
And then there are managers who focus on what their teams deliver daily: the talents each individual brings, the distinct point of view of each individual, the sacrifices the team makes for the good of the whole.
Guess which manager feels like the "richer" leader? It certainly isn't the one who believes everyone exists just to take from him or her.
The richest team leader is the one who believes in the value of each and every member of the team; and they increase their wealth by continually integrating each team member's thought process in the daily operations.
So, if you want to be wealthy in the new year - recognize and revel in the wealth of talent and dedication that surrounds you daily. . .and if you do that, your dividends will multiply.
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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for e-readers, PCs and tablets on Amazon Kindle.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
One Wish for Christmas
Here is my wish for you for Christmas. It will take less than five minutes and will continue to give to you throughout the new year.
Consider someone who you are in contact with almost every day. Pick up the phone, swing by their office, pull them aside. Tell them that, at this holiday season, you want to sincerely thank them for the excellent job they do . . .the great attitude they have day after day. . .the perseverance they consistently exhibit. . .their great ability to figure out complex problems. . .their extraordinary customer service.
Look them in the eye. . .shake their hand. . .and offer your gratitude.
Now, here's the thing. If everyone were to make this simple offering. . .the world would, maybe just for a minute, be a much better place. If just you were to make this gesture, you will brighten someone's day. . .maybe even their month. And even though you are making this gesture to genuinely benefit another. . .the magic within it is that it so greatly benefits you.
By acknowledging the role that others have in our lives. . .and extending our thanks to them. . .we expand our horizons. Our own world becomes better, because we have embraced the reality that in this great village we are indeed beholden to one another.
So make this wish for you. . .and others. . .come true this Christmas. The rewards that you find will probably make you want you to do this every day of the year.
Share yourself. . .and make the world a better place.
Consider someone who you are in contact with almost every day. Pick up the phone, swing by their office, pull them aside. Tell them that, at this holiday season, you want to sincerely thank them for the excellent job they do . . .the great attitude they have day after day. . .the perseverance they consistently exhibit. . .their great ability to figure out complex problems. . .their extraordinary customer service.
Look them in the eye. . .shake their hand. . .and offer your gratitude.
Now, here's the thing. If everyone were to make this simple offering. . .the world would, maybe just for a minute, be a much better place. If just you were to make this gesture, you will brighten someone's day. . .maybe even their month. And even though you are making this gesture to genuinely benefit another. . .the magic within it is that it so greatly benefits you.
By acknowledging the role that others have in our lives. . .and extending our thanks to them. . .we expand our horizons. Our own world becomes better, because we have embraced the reality that in this great village we are indeed beholden to one another.
So make this wish for you. . .and others. . .come true this Christmas. The rewards that you find will probably make you want you to do this every day of the year.
Share yourself. . .and make the world a better place.
Friday, December 18, 2015
Talk When People are Ready to Listen
One of the most common complaints is this: no one seems to listen to me. As a leader, this becomes a real problem, because if there are not receptors for your message, no action will be taken.
Here's a key thing to remember. . .speak when people are ready to listen.
Contemplate your own listening habits. There are times when you really don't want to hear what someone is trying to say. You may be tired. You may be pissed off. There may be a hundred and one other things going on and there is not capacity to take on. . .one. . .more. . .thing.
What is true for you is also true for the people to whom you are speaking. They have the same emotions and competing priorities as you. . .and just as you may not be receptive to certain messages at certain times. . .neither is your audience.
What exacerbates this dynamic is often when we decide to say something. . .we believe it NEEDS TO BE SAID RIGHT NOW.
To be sure that your message is heard. . .slow your roll and do an honest evaluation of the receiving parties' ability to listen to what you need to say.
This requires restraint, patience and the ability to read your audience. Observe the other individual. Think of the information they have given you ("I'm in a really good mood today," vs. "It must be a full moon.") To be able to do this well, you also need to invest in time to spend with your team, which always is one of the wisest investments you can make at work.
You are too busy to be wasting time communicating when people aren't listening. Find the time (and the mood) in which people are receptive. . .then go for it. What you will say will go a whole lot further.
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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for 2.99 from Amazon Kindle.
Here's a key thing to remember. . .speak when people are ready to listen.
Contemplate your own listening habits. There are times when you really don't want to hear what someone is trying to say. You may be tired. You may be pissed off. There may be a hundred and one other things going on and there is not capacity to take on. . .one. . .more. . .thing.
What is true for you is also true for the people to whom you are speaking. They have the same emotions and competing priorities as you. . .and just as you may not be receptive to certain messages at certain times. . .neither is your audience.
What exacerbates this dynamic is often when we decide to say something. . .we believe it NEEDS TO BE SAID RIGHT NOW.
To be sure that your message is heard. . .slow your roll and do an honest evaluation of the receiving parties' ability to listen to what you need to say.
This requires restraint, patience and the ability to read your audience. Observe the other individual. Think of the information they have given you ("I'm in a really good mood today," vs. "It must be a full moon.") To be able to do this well, you also need to invest in time to spend with your team, which always is one of the wisest investments you can make at work.
You are too busy to be wasting time communicating when people aren't listening. Find the time (and the mood) in which people are receptive. . .then go for it. What you will say will go a whole lot further.
Like it? Share it!
My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for 2.99 from Amazon Kindle.
Friday, December 11, 2015
How to Write "Good" E-Mails
Today, over lunch, we were talking about how we more naturally engage with those tasks that are pleasant - thus, somehow avoiding those that are not. A very smart person said, "It's like I only want to read the "good" (as in those containing good news) e-mails."
In that very true and simplistic statement is a huge opportunity for all. Is it not a truth that we want to read that which contains good news - and are less likely to engage with those communications that are negative?
While certainly not everything that is communicated (in e-mails or otherwise) is good news, we can make ourselves heard better and more often if we present news as positive versus scorched earth.
Which subject line would you rather read?
"Your Uncontrolled Spending is Threatening the Very Existence of Our Company"
Or. . .
"Some Thoughts on How We Can Partner to Assure Better Profitability"
Which opening statement is most likely to engage you?
"I'm really not a complainer, but I really feel like nobody is listening to my opinion and I'm just being bullied into submission. . .can a lawsuit be in the not-too-distant future?"
Or. . .
"Let me add some positive thoughts to the discussion that we've had recently. . ."
Hopefully, in both cases, it will be the latter statement. So, let me present a few positive opportunities for e-mail communication that will result in greater (and more satisfied) e-mail readership. (Because each and every one of us wants our e-mails to be read - right?!)
Re-read your e-mail with a cynical viewpoint: what could be misconstrued as negative or unconstructive (remember that e-mail does not have advantage of the reader seeing your face or hearing your inflection)? Re-cast anything suspect in factual light and. . .
Avoid hyperbole: "nobody, " "everybody," "every single time," "all of the people I talk to," "never,". . .these are all words that invoke emotion, and not a positive one. Likewise, avoid the direct accusatory, "You never told me. . ."
When possible, avoid negative words: "big problems," "way too expensive," "hurtful," "uncooperative". . .
Replace negativity with a positive opportunity, words like . .well: "opportunities," "several options are available," "we can assure greater cooperation by. . ." "I want everyone on the team to be satisfied. . ."
Which brings us to. . .actually try to please people with your e-mails. That's not pandering, it's good, common sense. You want to work with people who want to work with you.
And there's always the golden rule. . .write e-mails that you would like to read. E-mails are often a complaint of the workplace. . . you can make life (you and your readers') easier and better by crafting e-mails that people actually want to read.
Like it? Share it! (Send a nice e-mail with a link)
My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for PCs, tablets and e-readers on Amazon Kindle
In that very true and simplistic statement is a huge opportunity for all. Is it not a truth that we want to read that which contains good news - and are less likely to engage with those communications that are negative?
While certainly not everything that is communicated (in e-mails or otherwise) is good news, we can make ourselves heard better and more often if we present news as positive versus scorched earth.
Which subject line would you rather read?
"Your Uncontrolled Spending is Threatening the Very Existence of Our Company"
Or. . .
"Some Thoughts on How We Can Partner to Assure Better Profitability"
Which opening statement is most likely to engage you?
"I'm really not a complainer, but I really feel like nobody is listening to my opinion and I'm just being bullied into submission. . .can a lawsuit be in the not-too-distant future?"
Or. . .
"Let me add some positive thoughts to the discussion that we've had recently. . ."
Hopefully, in both cases, it will be the latter statement. So, let me present a few positive opportunities for e-mail communication that will result in greater (and more satisfied) e-mail readership. (Because each and every one of us wants our e-mails to be read - right?!)
Re-read your e-mail with a cynical viewpoint: what could be misconstrued as negative or unconstructive (remember that e-mail does not have advantage of the reader seeing your face or hearing your inflection)? Re-cast anything suspect in factual light and. . .
Avoid hyperbole: "nobody, " "everybody," "every single time," "all of the people I talk to," "never,". . .these are all words that invoke emotion, and not a positive one. Likewise, avoid the direct accusatory, "You never told me. . ."
When possible, avoid negative words: "big problems," "way too expensive," "hurtful," "uncooperative". . .
Replace negativity with a positive opportunity, words like . .well: "opportunities," "several options are available," "we can assure greater cooperation by. . ." "I want everyone on the team to be satisfied. . ."
Which brings us to. . .actually try to please people with your e-mails. That's not pandering, it's good, common sense. You want to work with people who want to work with you.
And there's always the golden rule. . .write e-mails that you would like to read. E-mails are often a complaint of the workplace. . . you can make life (you and your readers') easier and better by crafting e-mails that people actually want to read.
Like it? Share it! (Send a nice e-mail with a link)
My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for PCs, tablets and e-readers on Amazon Kindle
Friday, December 4, 2015
Leader of the Brand
Brand development has been a significant chunk of my career. Simply put, brand is the personality of the entity. Just as simple: the leader of the work group greatly persuades how the brand is presented.
My observations, especially in the retail realm, have been that no store goes anywhere without the leader taking them there. That goes for both the good. . .and the bad.
Recently I was in a store that I admire. . .and I greatly respect the manager of the store. The manager's mark is all over the store; it runs so well it virtually makes its own kind of music. My last visit, however, found the store to be less vibrant. Small wonder that when I visited with the manager, I found the manager to be stressed and tired.
As leaders, we may chose to believe that our day to day actions have little impact on the whole. The opposite is true. Daily, our actions, our cues, our moods and our attitudes sway the workplace. We are, then, the leaders of the brand.
The temptation is to get so into the numbers, to execute the routine and check off every list. . .that we minimize the impact we have just by the way we present ourselves. Telling you what, if we are not energized, the team we work with will not have energy. If we don't like what we are doing - the team will probably dislike what they are doing.
If, however, we approach our work positively, the team will be positive. If we are creative with our own work, the team will be creative with that they are assigned. If we believe in ingenuity, the team will drive ingenuity. If we embrace customer service, we will be working with a strong customer service team.
Every member of the team is, in fact, the brand. As leaders, it is our responsibility to assure that we are setting the example for what we desire the brand to represent.
Like it? Share it?
My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for PCs, e-readers and tablets on Amazon Kindle.
My observations, especially in the retail realm, have been that no store goes anywhere without the leader taking them there. That goes for both the good. . .and the bad.
Recently I was in a store that I admire. . .and I greatly respect the manager of the store. The manager's mark is all over the store; it runs so well it virtually makes its own kind of music. My last visit, however, found the store to be less vibrant. Small wonder that when I visited with the manager, I found the manager to be stressed and tired.
As leaders, we may chose to believe that our day to day actions have little impact on the whole. The opposite is true. Daily, our actions, our cues, our moods and our attitudes sway the workplace. We are, then, the leaders of the brand.
The temptation is to get so into the numbers, to execute the routine and check off every list. . .that we minimize the impact we have just by the way we present ourselves. Telling you what, if we are not energized, the team we work with will not have energy. If we don't like what we are doing - the team will probably dislike what they are doing.
If, however, we approach our work positively, the team will be positive. If we are creative with our own work, the team will be creative with that they are assigned. If we believe in ingenuity, the team will drive ingenuity. If we embrace customer service, we will be working with a strong customer service team.
Every member of the team is, in fact, the brand. As leaders, it is our responsibility to assure that we are setting the example for what we desire the brand to represent.
Like it? Share it?
My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for PCs, e-readers and tablets on Amazon Kindle.
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