Thanksgiving is the kick-off to the holiday season. It’s often the first chance for family and friends to gather in large groups and enjoy each other’s company. Unfortunately, holiday gatherings can also be a big communication challenge for many families. Trying to do and say the “right” thing, meet others’ expectations, and deal with family members’ lack […]
Have you ever suffered from BSS? Body Snatcher Syndrome? You know it. It works like this: You THINK you’ve done everything right in the interview process and you THINK you’ve found the right person for the job, but somehow between the interview and the first day of work, the person you hired is body snatched […]
I understand that everyone has bad days and one day’s actions might not be a true reflection of that person. I understand that you can’t know what else might be going on in someone else’s life that could cause them to behave badly. I also understand that dealing with customers who are schmucks comes with […]
Motivation. The elusive Holy Grail of managers around the world. “Why aren’t my employees motivated?” “How can I motivate my employees?” “Why can’t I keep motivation going?” At least once a week I’m asked one of these questions by a caller, client, or workshop participant. The Gallup organization estimates that disengaged, unmotivated workers cost businesses about $300 billion […]
If you’ve ever seen one of those “When Animals Attack,” reality television shows, you know they’re based on stories and sometimes graphic video footage of animals attacking people. Sometimes the result is humorous, with the human simply being embarrassed by the encounter. Other stories end in tragedy. Many who watch these shows walk away concluding that the animals were […]
I doubt there’s anyone reading this who hasn’t heard the saying, “honesty is the best policy.” It’s a simple statement about telling the truth, but living the policy isn’t always so simple because people’s perceptions of honesty differ. Is a little-white lie okay? Is hinting at the truth the same as stating it? For those who […]
The other day I was sitting at lunch with a group of people, when a woman I just met asked for my business card. She glanced down at it, looked at me, and said, “Can I give you some FEEDBACK on your business card photo?” My response? “Hell no you can’t give me feedback on my photo!” […]
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 […]
