Imagine if you worked in an organization where staff members have no idea what other staff members are doing, management has no idea what staff is doing, standard operating procedures aren’t followed, important things often “fall through the cracks,” there’s a lot of redundancy of effort and communication, and any improvements implemented quickly go by […]
In the almost 30 years I’ve been in the adult working world, I’ve found that people vary greatly in their ability to keep from sharing personal business at work. There are some people who have all types of personal problems or issues going on in their lives and no one at work ever hears about […]
About a week ago, I was shopping in a retail client’s place of business doing some “recon” before preparing a customer communication program for their customer care employees. As I watched customers come and go with their various products they wished to return, I noticed a trend. The customers who were calm and politely requested […]
Let’s face it, we all like being comfortable. I love my comfortable jeans, my most cushy pair of shoes, and the amazing new mattress on my bed. I love the comfort that I have being a self-employed person, of being able to work from home when I want, set my own hours, and choose how […]
A few years ago, I was asked by a client to speak to a group of senior managers about coaching employees. During the program, I discussed the power and importance of praise for a job well done. When it came time for Q&A, one high-level leader asked, “Why should I praise my employees for doing their […]
I remember when I first realized how annoying vocalized pauses can be. I was sitting in a college course listening to student presentations, when I began counting the number of times each speaker said “um,” “uh,” or “you know.” These fillers were so distracting, that by the time each speech was over, I couldn’t tell […]
Conflict is an inevitable consequence of human interaction. However, most of us don’t like to confront conflict at all, let alone by ourselves. As a result, we seek support from others. Instead of going directly to the person with whom we have a problem, we discuss the situation with just about everyone else, hoping they’ll […]
The other day, I sat through a presentation by a “subject matter expert” that was so boring, I began daydreaming about standing up and screaming, “Get to the point already!” I also momentarily considered jumping up from my chair and running screaming from the room. It was torture! Have you ever been in a presentation […]
One day an old man was casually walking along a country lane with his dog and his mule. Suddenly a speeding truck careened around the corner, knocking the man, his mule, and his dog into the ditch. The old man decided to sue the driver of the truck, seeking to recoup the cost of the damages. […]
The number one most incorrect quote about customer service that is perpetuated time and again, is: “The Customer is Always Right.” WRONG! Training employees to believe this fallacy and insisting that they live by it is not only wrong, but it’s bad for business. Consider these situations: Would you let a naked customer dine in […]
