Posts Tagged ‘Positive’

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Exceed Normal Expectations

Monday, August 30th, 2010

Dave Weber - CEO/President

This is part 10 of a 12 part series that I call the 12 X’s of Leadership.

We have all heard the old phrase, “Never promise more than you can deliver and always deliver more than you promise”.  It is one of the first business quotes many of us learned when we got out first jobs. And there is a lot of truth to it.

It has to do with managing the expectations of others and then exceeding those expectations to leave them with a great experience and great feeling of working with you.

What is interesting to note is that exceeding normal expectations many times does not have to be a herculean effort on your part with gut wrenching upheaval in your life. It sometimes means just doing a little bit better.

For example, do you know what the difference is between a baseball player that hits .200 for his career, makes just enough money to cover food, and never leaves Single A division and a player with a career .300 batting average, making seven figures annually, and in the Hall of Fame? Just one hit in every ten tries!

When I encourage people to exceed normal expectations, I mean to simply focus on making little improvements all along the way…not necessarily huge life changing shifts.

It’s like a horse race. I went to the Kentucky Derby two years ago. Now, I am not sure how much prize money is actually awarded, but let’s just say the first place horse won a million dollars and the second place horse got a half million.

In order to get twice the reward did the first place horse have to run twice as fast? Did it have to run twice as far? Did it have to train twice as long? NO.

How much better did the first place horse have to be than the second place horse? Just a nose.

Is there room in your life today to be just a nose better than yesterday?

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Exclude Negative Thinking

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Dave Weber - CEO/President

This is part 9 of a 12 part series that I call the 12 X’s of Leadership.

“Can you believe there is nothing chocolate on the dessert buffet!

You pay this kind of money and you certainly expect to have at least one chocolate item!

This buffet has certainly gone down hill since the last time I was here!

I cannot believe this!”

Have you ever known someone who whenever they open their mouth, something negative comes out? I just want to smack them! I don’t have many pet peeves, but this is one of them.

  • Whiners.
  • Complainers.
  • Naysayers.

These are the people who could have been given tickets to the Super Bowl on the 50-yard line and then complain that the team logo, in the center of the field, is facing the other direction.

It doesn’t matter what the setting is, they will find something to complain about, grumble over, or belittle.

Many of these people think they are being funny. But the truth is they are simply sabotaging the atmosphere around them…and you need to avoid them. Why? Because attitude is contagious and these folks will destroy the culture and climate around them and slowly suck the life out of relationships.

As I write this blog I am in Morgantown, WV, sitting in a very nice restaurant. The “Saturday Night Prime Rib and Crab Leg Buffet” is the weekly hot spot for fine dining in the area.

Seated at the table next to me was a woman who had been grumbling for 10 minutes that there was nothing chocolate on the dessert portion of the buffet.

Clearly, her dinner companions got fed up with her and just wanted her to shut her pie hole (I know, sorry, bad pun). I watched their evening slowly dissipate into a very negative experience.

After hearing all that talk about chocolate, I was in the mood for some too. I asked my waiter about the lack of chocolate on the buffet and he said, “Let me see what I can do for you.” He came back a moment later and asked if I would like chocolate cake or chocolate ice cream—I got both.

What is amazing is that many times the very things people are complaining about, they could actually do something to correct. But rather than try to do something to rectify the situation they prefer to grumble and whine.

While it is easy to see this in others, be careful that it does not worm its way into your life.

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Exchange Non-Essentials

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

Dave Weber - CEO/President

This is part 3 of a 12 part series I call the 12 X’s of Leadership

For the last 23 years, one of the most frequently requested training programs I have conducted is an advanced time management and personal organization workshop entitled “I’m Spread So Thin You Can See Through Me”. In this amazing course I literally teach people how they can learn to manage every detail of their life and never have anything fall through the cracks.

Tens of thousands have participated in it and I typically ask attendees why they sign up and come. Without a close second, “It is because of the title.” they say.

Can you identify with it? Most certainly do.

It seems these days there are more demands on our time, energy, and effort than ever before. I mean think about it…Are you busier right now than ever? Most people answer with a resounding “YES—I’M DYING HERE!”

It seems we have more meetings, emails, commitments, and to-do’s than ever before and not only is the volume greater, but everything seems to be “the most important thing.”

Stress and burnout are at all time highs and it seems that everyone is trying to do more with less, faster, cheaper, safer, and better. The result is a world full of folks who are living on the ragged edge.

Sleep is more difficult to attain because we have trouble turning our minds off. Then if we do fall asleep, better pray that you don’t wake up at 3:00am, because if you do, you will not be able to fall back asleep as the mental to–do list starts racing through your mind as you think about all your commitments.

We have got to learn to purge, or as I call it here — Exchange Non-Essentials. In his best selling book, Good to Great, author Jim Collins introduced a principle that has truly entered into the mainstream of society:

“Don’t let the good things rob you of the best things.”

There are many good things in which to be involved. Special projects at work, committees at church, environmental efforts, social causes, the list goes on and on…these are all GOOD things. But if they are interfering with the BEST things (time with family or friends, your health and well-being, whatever you determine is the BEST), then you would be wise to purge them from your life.

Yes, it hurts. Yes, it is tough to do. But in hindsight you will be so glad you Exchanged Non-Essentials.

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Words to Use to Better Serve Your Customer – Part 2

Friday, April 16th, 2010

Here are a couple of additional “helpful” ways to use your words more effectively when talking with your customers.

  1. Say, “Can you help me understand …?” rather than “Why?”. Saying the word “why” might carry a suspicious tone. I’m sure we’ve all had someone ask you “why?”, and in your own mind you’re going through a quick mental drill of wondering to yourself, “why are they asking me why?”, or “what ulterior motive do they have for asking me why?”. Don’t be in a situation where your customers are going through that mental exercise with you.
  2. Say, “I understand” rather than “Yep”,“I see”, or “Uh-huh”. Saying “I understand” implies that you fully comprehend what the customer is saying, and that you and your customer are advancing the conversation. If you really don’t understand, then refer to #4 above.
  3. Say, “Here is what I can do now” rather than “Should have”. “Should have” might imply that it’s too late to fix it. Even if something “should have” been done, had we known the “should have” at the time, it wouldn’t be a “should have” now. Deal with the current situation. It’s better to say, “Here is what can be done now …” and move forward.

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Words to Use to Better Serve Your Customer

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Over the past ten-plus years, I’ve conducted numerous presentations to my clients on the topic of “Customer Service”. There are clearly dozens of helpful ways we can all serve our customers better. One of them is in the choice of words we use when trying to address an issue or solve a problem. Over the next few blogs, I’ll share some way to be more “helpful” with the words we use with our customers, that can help build relationships with our customers, rather than barriers.

  1. Say, “Yes” rather than “No”. Our customers come to us to solve their problem(s). Don’t send them away mad or frustrated. Take the time and energy to come up with ways to help them.
  2. Say, “Can” rather than “Can’t”. Sometimes saying “can’t” is even worse than saying “no”. Could your customer perceive that you “could” help them … but are choosing not to?
  3. Say, “Here is how I can help …” Even if it isn’t the complete solution to the problem, it certainly is heading in the right direction. Effort does count, especially when building relationships with customers.

More good word choices in my next blog.

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