One of my New Year’s resolutions was to do a better job of showing more appreciation to those around me. While on vacation two weeks ago, I discovered that my phone charger for the car was dead. It provided a real challenge since I was relying on my phone for navigation. I mentioned to my […]
Since today is Independence Day in the U.S., I’ve been thinking a lot about the things that hold us back in life and keep us from being truly free, especially things over which we have 100% control. If you’re tired of suffering under the tyranny of technology, being ruled by bad relationships, or being held captive by […]
If you look up the words explanation and excuse in the dictionary, at first, they appear similar. However, if you look closer, there’s a significant difference: Explanation: clarification, reason, details, an account of … Excuse: justification, defense, to try to remove blame from … When most people offer an explanation, they usually do so as fact—as […]
Self-talk is the act of communicating to oneself, either aloud or in your head. Self-talk can be positive, such as when we pump ourselves up for a job interview, “This is the job of my dreams and I’m going to get it,” or negative, “I’m never going to get the job. I don’t have enough experience.” […]
We all know the importance of giving feedback to others, especially employees, but what about seeking feedback? When was the last the time you asked your boss, employees, customers, and even your family members, “How am I doing? What could I be doing better?” Never assume that people will let you know if there’s something […]
Although not many of us want to admit it, we’re all pretty self-centered. Someone drives too slowly in front of us and we get mad because they’re messing up our schedule. Our child gets in trouble in school and we’re embarrassed because it reflects poorly on us. A coworker gets credit for something we did […]
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 […]
One of the things bloggers always want to know is “What are my most popular posts?” They want to know so that they can meet the needs of their readers. However, when I look at my top five blog posts for the past six years, they’re quite frankly, all over the place. Why Laziness is […]
I was with a group of healthcare leaders when one person posed the question, “How do you manage conflict?” Many of the responses I heard surprised me. There was a lot of advice to “wait and see what happens,” “let it go,” and “rise above.” The advice given seemed to directly contradict what healthcare leaders would […]
