The Pride Trap...

Has pride hurt your career or your relationships?  Sometimes it can be easy to let the ego call the shots and determine your actions.

But consider taking a different path.  Listen to feedback, be it positive or negative, with an open mind.  Remember, it's very likely that most growth in your life came out of some kind of challenge.  

Try to disconnect yourself from ego and then give yourself the same advice that you'd give a friend in that situation.  Isn't it funny how we tend to give others better advice than we give ourselves.

Let the new year signal an end to limiting beliefs.  If you're still not sure if you're ready to make that leap, then you should listen to this short audio clip:

If you can't see the clip, click here.

7 Secrets of the Nutcracker

Get the inside scoop before you see The Nutcracker.  Dazzle your friends with the trivia you'll learn.  There's also a lesson here in perseverance as a show that once was called a flop went on to become a worldwide sensation.

Not Resolutions But Thoughts for the New Year

Now is the time that so many of us look back on the past year and consider changes that we can make in 2010.  I like to focus on certain areas where I know I can improve. Here's some food for thought for the coming year:

 

1.  Be more patient.  Patience is really a gift that you give to someone.

 

2.  You can always be a better listener.  How many things have you missed because you were not paying attention?

 

3.  Ask more questions.  You'll learn more, make fewer mistakes, and make someone else feel like "the expert."

 

4.  If you receive feedback, act on it.  Sure you may not like hearing about your deficiencies but don't be afraid to change. 

Magic Words for Retail

In my TV news days, I did a lot of stories about holiday shopping. (One year my holiday meal consisted of a order of natchos shared in a smelly live truck but that's a story for another day.)

I remember well an interview I did with a Target Team Leader (otherwise known as store manager).  I asked him what the key was for a good holiday season.  His response: Keep the shelves stocked and the floors clean.

While I'm sure there were other elements involved in planning a successful holiday season like loss leaders, staffing, and store hours, I thought it was great that the company plan could be boiled down into one sentence.

How many of us can do the same in our business?  And if we can't, why not?  Sometimes a simple message or mission is the best way to communicate your vision to your team so that everyone can enjoy mutual success.

Is Your Message Consistent?

Imagine that you're enjoying a meal with a friend in a restaurant.  Your friend is nice and charming to you.  But when dealing with the server, he or she suddenly becomes quite rude and demanding.  You have a front row seat for the behavior change and you find it quite unnerving.

A lot of companies are the same when when it comes to customer service.  Recently I had to switch out some cable equipment with Comcast.  The people I talked to on the phone were great.  They were helpful and apologetic about the situation.  Later when I went to an office to pick up my new cable box, I found the staff to be confused, unsympathetic, and not very helpful.  The experience was duplicated at another office that I had to visit.  Apparently staring blankly at a customer is part of their training.

It's too bad that Comcast can't get its customer service messaging to be more consistent.  The person who handles the phone operators has done a great job.  The office training is poor.  Too bad customers end up getting a mixed message.

The Power of No....

Recently I was in a department store waiting to make my purchase. There was only one clerk working so I had a moment or two to watch him in action while he served the customers ahead of me.

The line seemed to be moving a bit slower than you would expect and I realized why when I listened to the clerk. He was asking everyone the following questions: Would you like to give $1 to a charity? What is your email address? And would you like to get a credit card from the store?

All of this was happening before any items would be rung up. While I'm a patient person, I decided that on this day the store was giving me too many reasons not to buy from them. I put my items back on the shelf and walked out.

I don't blame the clerk as he was likely following the script from management. Management that seemed determined to make the shopping experience as unpleasant as possible. It wasn't like people were being asked if they'd like to submit their email address so they could receive updates on products. Instead it was positioned as if it was a condition of a sale. (I never would sign up for anyone's list without understanding their privacy policy.) And you'd think after the credit crash, stores would be pushing their credit cards a bit less.

Ultimately, I felt that the store wasn't "serving" me at all. I'm a low maintenance customer but I like my shopping to include as few questions as possible. Give me a clean store, stocked shelves, and a helpful sales team and I'll be your customer for life.

Judgement vs. Advice

Imagine that a friend asks you for advice. You probably give careful thought to his or her situation. This may mean giving them advice that they may not want to hear but need to follow. It's all about helping someone overcome a challenge in the best way possible.

Now think about how you give yourself advice. Do you follow the same process? For many, we follow our own unique judgement. The funny thing is that usually it has a lower standard than the advice we would give someone else. It's like telling your kids to not talk on their cell phones while driving, only you're telling them via your cell phone while driving.

This kind of thinking can hurt you. You would tell a friend to lose a few pounds yet postpone your long overdue diet. You may urge someone to chase their dreams while sitting on the couch, waiting for yours to magically materialize.

For a week, when it comes time to make a decision, base it on the advice you would give someone else. See if you're suddenly making better decisions, even if it involves some hardship.

My Breakfast is normal. Yours is weird...

While recently talking to a friend, I learned that she likes to put maple syrup on mashed potatoes. She says she loves the mixture of the salty and sweet flavors. Another friend then chimed in and said her Saturday morning routine is not complete unless she has pizza for breakfast.

Breakfast is called the most important meal of the day and it seems like it can be the most varied too. Some are traditionalists and have something like eggs and toast while others start their day with a diet soda. My breakfast choices have mellowed a bit over the years, become more traditional, and probably more nutritious. As a young lad, I was very picky about what I ate for my first meal of the day. This was highlighted by an ongoing aversion to jelly and a restaurant once serving me a hamburger for breakfast when no other options would suffice.

The thing that strikes me as interesting is that so many of us have unusual breakfast habits but to us, they all seem normal. Having leftover Chinese food first thing seems a lot more normal to me than eating a doughnut or getting a breakfast sandwich from a fast food restaurant.

This is another example of how our perception of a situation really colors our perception of it. There really isn't one "right breakfast" that towers above all others. Ultimately, no matter how weird your choices may be, if they work for you, then ultimately that's all that matters. Perhaps it would be useful to use a similar lens when considering other differences in life.

Can I Save the US Postal Service?

If you like questions, then you'll love today's Postal Service. During a visit to a branch, I was asked several questions including:

Do you want to buy some stamps?
Do you want buy delivery confirmation?
Do you want insurance?
Do you want to send it overnight? (This cracked me up as I was sending a letter about 30 minutes down the road.)

I've read the stories of how the Post Office is billions of dollars in debt and am sympathetic to the need to bring in more revenue. But I found that the efforts to raise more revenue a bit amateurish. Here's why:

Myself and the others in line ahead of me were asked the same questions. No doubt the clerks are following a script but none of us were mailing the same kind of thing. Does a cookie cutter approach really serve the customer's needs? After hearing the people in front of me be asked if they want to buy stamps, I think I would have realized whether I needed to buy them or not before I reached the counter.

It seems that the Postal Service is following a model based on selling people things that they don't realize that they need. But the way the questions are structured, they'll only get a "yes" or a "no" answer. Why not engage the customer in a dialogue. Let's say I'm sending a package overseas. Wouldn't it be better to say, "Gee, that package is going a long way away and will go through a lot of hands. Would it be useful to find out when your package has arrived?" In this example you're looking to sell people on the benefits of a service by making them realize how it will make their life better. You're selling peace of mind.

The Post Office needs to offer specials like any other business. When I go to the concession stand at a movie theater, I'm asked whether I would like to double the size of my drink or popcorn for just a dollar more. Why can't the Post Office bundle it's products into special deals. Make it easy for people to want to invest more.

No doubt there are current regulations or time honored practices that would prevent my ideas from being used. But for agency that's $10,000,000,000 dollars in debt, maybe it's time to try some new things.

Why Many Leaders Fail...

Whether you're the CEO or a supervisor, how effective is your leadership style? When asked that question, many leaders will respond by saying something like, "I know that I'm a tough boss. That's my style and I'm sticking to it" or "I'm a people person and I get the most out of my staff by being understanding."

In both examples, the leaders could be making a mistake. Too often a leadership style is only seen as being about the leaders and not the employee. Employees are seen as needing to be "broken," like a horse, to a particular style. When people don't change in the desired way, a lot of time is spent on trying to fix them.

Instead you may find it more effective to ask yourself whether your leadership techniques are getting you the results that you want. If ruling with an iron fist isn't working then try a few more pats on the back. And vice versa. Keep in mind that this process is not about you but rather it's about generating a positive outcome. As a leader it can be very easy to lose sight of this and instead take staff performance personally. That kind of thinking can create a very antagonistic situation and can isolate you from your team.

College football coaches change their leadership styles all the time. They can't be as demanding of a freshman heavy squad as they would if their team is full of experienced seniors. But in both cases, the ultimate goal is winning the game and getting the most out of the team.

In a perfect world, leaders would be able to install a staff that perfectly fits their style. But most of the time, you inherit employees and you become a part of their existing work culture. In the past, those who didn't fit your style would eventually leave the organization for a better environment. It's a different story in today's economy, where downsizing and cutbacks have people staying in their current jobs because they don't have anywhere else to go.

Isn't it better to focus on maximizing the talents of the team you have in place? Adjusting your style to fit their needs will not only boost productivity but save you from the hassle and expense of hiring and training someone new.

Change and the Channel...

Recently, I saw some 20 year old sports highlights on TV. I immediately noticed that the athletes were not as muscular as they are today. But even more surprising was the fact that the TV image was so uncluttered.

Back then, the were very few onscreen graphics. The corner of the screen didn't show the score of the game, the time remaining in the contest, as well as other scores from around the league. It was perhaps a bit more like watching the game from the stadium.

Today some might say we receive too much information while watching sporting contest. Quite a few NFL fans turn their dens into Mission Control centers where they can watch multiple games from anywhere in the country. For them, watching a game is about enjoying multiple contests simultaneously, monitoring the players who are in their fantasy league, and interacting with other fans through social media.

While part of me may miss the days of yesteryear where our appetite for information could be easily satisfied, it would feel weird to go back to the way things used to be. Like many forms of change, we don't notice how it can happen gradually as well as how adaptive we can be to new ideas. Think about this, the next time you're asked to take on something new and different in your life.

Should Lance Armstrong Be Worried?

As a cancer survivor, I've proudly worn a LiveStrong bracelet since they first came out in 2004. I admire the work Lance Armstrong and his foundation have done to raise more funds for cancer research as well give those dealing with cancer a chance to come together as a community, both online and in person. More than 70 million of the wrist bands have been sold. It truly was the start of a movement that has take on a life of its own.

So it's been with great surprise that during the past year I've been asked the same question by many who point at the bracelet and say, "Hey, what is that about?" When I explain what it is and what it means, some people remember what I'm talking about. But a lot seem totally surprised that such a program exists.

While the bracelets probably peaked in popularity back in 2004 or 2005, they are still worn by a lot of people today. Perhaps those who don't know what they are have been fortunate enough to have never been touched by cancer. At the same time, I have an awareness of a lot of things in our culture (like Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers) that really don't interest or appeal to me.

And it worries me if they learned about LiveStrong years ago and have since forgotten about it. Has our culture developed such a short attention span that we forget significant branding and slogans in the space of five years? Perhaps what bothers me most is the idea that awareness of cancer as a problem may be fading at a time when it is still affecting countless people.

What the Supermarkets Don't Know...

I've noticed a lot of cloth bags being sold in supermarkets, which is a nice environmental trend. Hopefully it can cut down on the amount of paper or plastic bags being used. Usually I see the branded cloth bags being sold for a dollar each. That likely makes it a pretty high profit item for the stores.

Think about it: The bags probably cost a few pennies to produce and take up very little space. They're not all that big so it's likely that a family would end up buying several of them.

This got me to thinking whether the cloth bags are being marketed properly. Should a store make a customer pay a buck to walk around with a bag featuring its logo? Perhaps the supermarkets could require consumers to do something in order to get one of the bags for free. Every time you spend $50, you get a bag. It could build store loyalty, give people a reason to go above a pre-selected price point, and perhaps get some people to start using the cloth bags who otherwise wouldn't have paid for them.

What's in it for the stores to change their business model? Besides the environmental reasons, the more cloth bags that are given away (while supplies last), the less paper and plastic ones the store has to purchase, ship, and store. The grocery store also gets some free advertising and perhaps some increased brand loyalty. Would I shop at Albertsons if my cloth bags says, Publix?

Workplace Communication: Giving Feedback

In your job, you may be required to give your staff negative feedback on their performance. It can be a tough thing as well meaning advice can often be lost in a sea of hurt feelings. With office harmony in mind, here are some things to remember the next time you try to help someone improve their performance:

Is the criticism fair? Are you focused on the outcome of work or the person who did the work. There is a difference between saying, “You did not achieve your performance goal,” and, “You’re a lazy bum who can’t get the job done.” One can start a discussion, the other is more appropriate when ending a career.

How would you react? While it can be dangerous to assume that everyone will react the same way you will, it can be a good thing to keep in mind. Remember, your goal is let the other person examine what went wrong and figure out how to prevent future problems. It’s very likely that her or she already knows that they performed below expectations. Your goal should be to refocus them on success.

Don’t go “bad cop.” If you interrogate the employee like a tough police detective, they may become so flustered that they won’t be able to think. The discussion could escalate into an argument. That doesn’t serve your big picture needs, unless you plan on firing them. If you don’t, then you want to empower the employee.

Try to start a discussion through the use of questions. Ask them how they could reach their sales goal by saying something like, “What do you think would be a good way to make sure that you reach your next sales goal?” Along those lines you may want to also ask, “How can I support you better so that you’ll achieve your goal?” You want this to be an exchange of ideas that ultimately gets the results that both parties want.

Is there a next step? After you’ve had a good discussion, make sure that you’ve outlined a next step that builds upon the discussion you’ve just had. This helps ensure that your employee won’t fall back on old behaviors that didn’t work and instead will be focused on making a positive change.

Give the Gift of Your Attention

How many misunderstandings do you experience in the workplace or at home because you weren't paying attention to someone? Perhaps this happens with a particular person who has a different communication style than you. I can get impatient with people whom Jerry Seinfeld might term, "long talkers." These people take forever to get to the point. Their information is good but I just have a hard time consuming it.

We all bring certain expectations and baggage to conversations and sometimes they interfere with the communications process. The added stress and confusion doesn't serve anyone. So for the next week, try an experiment. Identify the person who you tend to tune out and when you talk to them, give them 100% of your attention. Block all distractions, other than ones that would endanger you (like a warning about a fire or a runaway bus). Pay attention as if you're flying the space shuttle and ground control is giving you critical reentry data.

I think you'll find that by doing this you may eliminate some of your communication problems. Sometimes it's about showing the other person that you're interested in what they have to say. Simply putting them at easy may make them stop their annoying behavior, like taking too long to get to the point. It's a gift of respect that produces positive enforcement.

Why I Miss Film Photography

I love digital photography. It's great being able to immediately review your photos and it's very cool how you can edit them with a computer. I also like how I can take hundreds of pictures on a trip and not have to worry about buying another roll of film. But I've noticed that there are two byproducts of using film that I can't experience through digital photography (and I'm not referring to any issues of film vs. digital quality).

The Film Canisters: These plastic cases had so many uses after you'd used your roll of film. These ranged from organizing lose objects like screws to holding liquids like salad dressing in a lunch you'd take to work. Yes, I know that it's a good thing for the environment that we're not producing so many of these plastic containers. But their uses were only limited by your imagination.

The Last Shots: Imagine that you've taken your trip and you have a couple of remaining shots left on your roll of film. You could process the film without using them but often I'd try to think of some creative ways to use those final shots. As a result I have a very random collection of photos which cover such things as the view outside an in flight airplane, wacky shots of my family or my house, and action shots of my Star Wars action figures. Now with digital photography, there really isn't a, "last shot," that you need to use up. I miss that chance to think creatively.

It's not unusual to have a new process that is easier and better than the old one. But think if there is some byproduct of the old process that people might miss and see if there's a way to duplicate it with the new one.

Do You Believe Your Limiting Beliefs?

Recently I came across a plot synopsis for the next (yes, next) Rambo movie. Apparently the Sylvester Stallone character will battle some kind of monster in this installment.

I've never seen a Rambo movie but I am aware of them. Upon seeing news of the upcoming film, I found myself saying, "But that's not Rambo. He doesn't fight monsters. He battle terrorists, communists, and other bad guys."

Then I realized that my thought process might be a bit limiting. After all, Rambo is a totally fictional creation. The idea of such a super-soldier is not based in reality so why should it matter who he's up against. If it were George Washington fighting aliens, instead of the British, then I might have a problem (Actually, call my agent...). But when it comes to Rambo, it's all make believe.

Every day we walk around with a set of beliefs that may be based on the strangest things. Beliefs can be good things as they can help protect us from certain unpleasant situations: Like believing it might not be a good idea to walk around by yourself late at night in a dangerous part of town. But they can also put a box around you that limits your experiences. As a professional speaker, I often meet people who continue to follow a routine because they believe it's the right thing, even if they are unhappy with the results they're experiencing.

Take a moment to consider some of your beliefs and decide whether they might need some exploring. If anything, you might receive affirmation that what you think is correct. But you might also open your mind to new possibilities.

The Smell of Desperation

During the past few days, I've received a few phone messages from the guy who was my mortgage broker when I bought my home more than four years ago. As you might guess, we haven't stayed in touch but now he seems very concerned about my well being.

In fact he'd like to see me rework my mortgage. This from the guy who looked at me like I was from Mars a few years ago when I told him that I didn't want an adjustable rate mortgage because there was a good chance that the economy was going to tank in the future. Turns out my judgment was right and his was wrong. Based on his expertise, I doubt he'd be the agent I'd like to talk to about reworking my deal.

But the dude also undermined himself in something he said: "Give me a call from now until midnight and after 10 a.m. tomorrow." That tells me that either he's so desperate for business that he's putting the rest of his life on hold or that he's working 14 hour days. Neither scenario gives me confidence in him.

There's a good chance that he may help some people who are unable to pay their mortgages. Of course the problem might be with the deals he worked on a few years ago. Nevertheless, by making himself so available, at a time when I haven't identified his services as as need, his sales pitch smells of desperation.

What could he have done? If the housing market had stayed strong, I might have been looking to move. Had he kept in touch with me, through something as simple as a holiday card, he would have stayed top of mind. Perhaps he could have shared examples, in a blog or a newsletter, of how he helped other people with their mortgages. By sharing his expertise, I might have come to the conclusion that his services could help me.

Right now I'd feel more confident trusting a circus clown with my money. At least then, I'd know going in that the smile I'm seeing may not be real.

A Healthy Opportunity...

I've followed bits and pieces of the health care debate and am at a loss as to whether a one size fits all solution can be found. The purpose of this post isn't to discuss the opposing views. There are many more qualified than I who can do that.

I have found it interesting that a key aspect has mostly been left out of the discussion. That's the idea that people worry less about the coverage and more about improving their own health.

We know that our country has become progressively fatter and more out of shape. An alarming number of children are suffering from diabetes. We celebrate our nation's finest athletes and consume large amounts of junk food while watching them. And for many, the closest they come to a sport is membership in a "fantasy" league.

Are we looking to health care as a safety net for our self-induced health problems? I would like to see our leaders focus on creating a national goal for improved health. Big things can come from a vision or a crisis. In the 1960s, we had a goal of going to the moon and made it happen. After 9/11, a wave of patriotism united Americans in a way that had not been seen in decades. Perhaps we can fly a flag of health in the coming days.

Maybe we should not just look to politicians for this kind of change. An avalanche starts with the movement of just a few pebbles. As individuals we should not underestimate our power to affect change. By making a healthier choice today, we could change our world tomorrow.

Do You Ignore the Obvious?

It looks like the Dallas Cowboys have a beautiful, state of the art football stadium. No expense appears to have been spared, especially with a massive video monitor that stretches across the field. Now even if you're in the cheap seats, you'll have a great view of the game action.

But there appears to be a problem with the setup. During a preseason game, a punter saw his kick hit the video monitor. That's not supposed to happen in a football game. As I understand, the wind can impact a punt but a physical object over the field of play isn't supposed to impede the kick's path.

The NFL is trying to figure out what to do with this situation. The Cowboys point out that they followed NFL guidelines when hanging the video screen and have no plans to raise it higher. It will be interesting to see how this is sorted out. I'm sure the NFL doesn't want to embarrass the Cowboys and the team's fans, especially after building a stadium that cost more than a billion dollars.

Perhaps the answer will come from everyday life. Our society has a long history of ignoring problems instead of addressing them. Sometimes, it's about minor stuff, like telling an obviously fat person that they've just got big bones. Ignoring a speed limit sign and getting into a fatal crash is a more serious situation. In these scenarios, it's good to keep in mind who or what is being served by your action or inaction and whether that adds to the greater good.

And mistakes can happen even though no one party may be at fault. While neither the Cowboys nor the NFL may be a guilty party, it will be up to one of them to decide what to do if punts are repeatedly bouncing off the stadium video monitor.

In the end, it's all a matter of perception. My suggestion to the Cowboys: Turn off the video during punts. After a few weeks, people will so out of practice at looking at live action, with just their eyes and not video, they'll forget to watch.

The Hot & Cold Truth

I live in South Florida where right now it is very hot and humid. This gives me a front row seat for an interesting aspect of human behavior. It's the fact that so many of us are rarely satisfied with the temperature.

Here, people go from inside a home chilled by air conditioning and get into a hot car. With A/C, the car is cooled quickly. Then they arrive at work, a place where many people feel cold.

So the first thing they do is grab a cup of hot coffee. For some, this causes them to warm up too much so they turn down the A/C. Then you have those who feel cold but drink iced coffee. They are the ones who have a trusted sweater on their chair which they can wear should they need some extra warmth. It's interesting that some people in Florida are often the most bundled up when they are inside.

In offices, you will often witness epic battles between those who feel hot and cold. They share a belief that proper temperature control is like a Constitutional right. Their biggest problem is over adjusting the thermostat. The overly hot or cold change things in increments of 5+ degrees, which tends to result in immediate protests from the other camp.

Consequently, the thermostat is locked and only one person has control over it. That person soon becomes the most loved or hated person in the building.

After work, a group may go to celebrate at a bar. There, some who are bundled up because it feels frigid inside will enjoy a cold beer and some hot wings.

A few words about interviews...

As part of my nonprofit work, I'm involved with the production of a campaign video. For me this was a bit of a flashback to my TV news days as we shot 10 separate interviews in a day. All were with clients and volunteers with with a social servcie agency. Most had never been on TV before.

As a group and individuals I was very proud of their ability to share their very personal stories. The interviews ranged from two Holocaust Survivors to a mentor and his 10 year old friend. Throughout the day I was reminded of some good tips for conducting interviews:

Ask open ended questions. You don't want to ask anything that just produces a, "yes or no," answer.

Keep your questions simple and to the point. When most people have an answer in mind, they're ready to say it. Don't keep rambling on with a longwinded question if you can tell that your subject is ready to talk.

Focus on your subject as if he or she is the most important person in the world. Unless the room is on fire, you really want to give them your full attention. Think about how rare that is in our multi-tasking world.

Always ask, "Is there anything you'd like to add?" at the end of the session. Sometimes people have a really powerful soundbite in them but they don't share it unless you ask for it. So give them a chance to share.

Keep things conversational. A good interview is a conversation and not an inquisition. Have some good questions in mind but let the discussion flow naturally.

Good for the Environment... Bad for My Hand

I recently heard a talk about reducing the amount of waste that goes into the local landfill. It was good to hear that more and more items (like all kinds of cardboard) can be recycled. At the same time, in my area at least, products with aluminium foil can't be reused as is the case for styrofoam. It can be a challenge to remember it all.

Perhaps as a way to encourage us all to remember and embrace the rules, everyone in the room received a special pen. A pen made out of recycled materials. The shaft is made of cardboard, the top and bottom seem to be recycled plastic, and clip appears to be made out of the same kind of wood you see on a tongue depressor.

It appears to be an impressive feat of engineering and I was quick to grab one. But my enthusiasm faded when I tried to write with the pen. It might be the most uncomfortable pen I've ever used. The weight distribution of seems off and the tongue depressor cuts into my skin. What appeared to be a smart bit of marketing, is painful to use.

Some may want me to relax and not be so critical of a giveaway. But I feel that if you're going to make something out of recycled materials to promote your cause, it need to be functional. Simply engineering a piece of junk does not achieve this.

Perhaps the only good thing about the pen is that it would never be stolen from my desk.

Do You Like Soap In Your Coffee?

Have you ever wondered why we like certain things but not others? And sometimes the reason makes little sense.

Recently I was in an office where I was offered some coffee. I was shown the coffee pot and was told to mix in my desired level of sweetener and creamer. I had to pause when I reached for the creamer. It was the artificial kind. I’m not a coffee snob so I had no problem using the cheap stuff.

But what freaked me out was the container. The creamer was in a gel concentrated form. It was in a jug with a plastic spout that you’d have to push down on to make it come out. Basically it’s the same setup that’s used to deliver liquid soap or hand lotion. And something about that just seemed weird.

I couldn't get over this delivery system. It seemed like how you'd feel if you opened an egg carton and saw hamburgers. It just wasn't right.

In my mind I know that this packaging is probably more environmentally sound. But deep down, I can't shake the feeling that creamer is either a liquid or a powder. I drank the coffee with the creamer and it tasted fine. Still I felt something was wrong with the drink. I doubt I would have felt that way if someone else had prepared the coffee for me and I'd never seen the gel.

I wonder what other hang ups we may have where we feel strongly about something, even though it's not that big of a deal.

What Are Your Customer's Needs?

The other day I was in the new terminal at the Raleigh-Durham airport in North Carolina. It's a pleasant place to fly out of (Are you listening Atlanta?) and I noticed something very different from most other airports I've visited. I didn't see people sitting on the floor or long cords being strung across the room like a tripwire.

I'm talking about a byproduct of people using laptops in airports. Usually while waiting for a flight, people will try to get some work done on their computer as well as charge it as well as other devices. The problem has been that the plugs have been located in inconvenient places. So in order to reach them, the user has to sit on the floor. Not only is this uncomfortable but it also can dirty your clothing.

At RDU, some of the seating takes away that challenge. Under the chairs you'll find a place where you can plug in your device. There are also ports for USB cables. Now you don't have to be uncomfortable while waiting for your flight.

This may not seem like a big deal but for frequent travelers it's a change that could make life a lot easier. The increasing portability of electronic devices has not been acknowledged by many airports. Too often customer service seems to be nothing more than acknowledging a problem. I was glad to see an airport that thought about its customer's needs and then provided a solution to their problem.

The Price of Free

Back in my TV news days, I would sometimes enjoy a hair and makeup allowance from the TV station. Usually this would be a reimbursement of my expenses.

But at one station, the only way on-air staff could get their hair done for free was to go to a stylist who happened to be a friend of the General Manager. Many of my female colleagues didn't take up this offer because the stylist styled hair in a way that was about ten years out of date.

But my hair is pretty flexible, there's not much to mess up, and I hate to pass up a free offer. So I decided to make an appointment. When I arrived, I was promptly led into her garage which featured a big barber's chair in the middle of the room. When I sat down into the chair, I noticed that the stylist seemed a bit confused. I asked if everything was alright.

She looked at me and said, "I can't find my glasses anywhere and I can't see a thing without them. Oh well, let's cut your hair."

It was at this moment that I realized that sometimes free stuff comes a price. It turns out that the haircut wasn't a disaster but I've had better ones. The good news is that my hair grows quickly.

But out of the experience I realized that sometimes when you buy something, you're not just buying the product but the peace of mind that comes from experience and expertise. Today I still love a good discount or free stuff but sometimes I can't afford the emotional price that can come from it.

The Gas Can Mystery... Jumping To Conclusions

Today I saw a truck pulling a trailer make a left turn. The trailer was filled with all sorts of gas powered landscaping tools. It’s a familiar sight in South Florida but then something unexpected happened. As the trailer was turning, a large can of gasoline fell off the truck and landed in the intersection. I’m guessing that it hadn’t been tied down properly.

The truck continued to drive down the road, the driver unaware of what just happened. There was no way to signal him.

Now I can only guess what happened next. The landscaping crew will likely arrive at their destination and discover they have either no gas or not enough. This will likely lead them to some conclusions:

The gas tank was stolen.
The tank was filled but left at the gas station.
The tank fell out of the truck.

If it was me, I’d probably think the first two were the most obvious choices and the last was unlikely because it’s seems hard to imagine. I might act act on the first two theories and blame someone or myself for something that didn’t happen.

Every day in the workplace we come to a lot of conclusions even though they may be based on a small amount of data. Those decisions can be colored by our attitudes and experiences. But sometimes, the unlikely is the actual occurance.

The Flashing Light of Something New

Years ago, my mother and I went on a reconnaissance mission. We were in a department store to look at a new invention called a video cassette recorder. The idea of a VCR and its ability to let you watch and record programs on your schedule was quite revolutionary.

It was easy to become overwhelmed by the many features on these new machines. Even things like whether to have a corded or cordless remote control were major considerations.

At the time, we weren't there to buy but rather to learn more about the product. It's interesting that one of our biggest conclusions was about the LED clock on the machine. In the store, it was constantly blinking, "12:00." Today we know electronics with a clock blink before they are programmed with the correct time.

But we didn't know that in the 1980's. And upon leaving the store we both agreed that it would be best if we didn't buy a VCR with a clock that flashed, 12:00, constantly. I laugh thinking about, how of all the features, that was the one we were focused on.

Whenever you try something new, it comes with a series of expectations and conclusions. Don't be surprised if some of them turn out to wrong or easily fixed with the press of a button.

McDonalds Sips Into Success...

Recently, I opened a magazine and noticed a four page glossy advertisement from McDonalds. The interesting thing about the ad is that it had nothing to do with hamburgers, Big Macs, or fries. Instead the spread promoted the fast food chain's new speciality coffees.

In a lot of ways, it makes sense for McDonalds to aggressively pursue the coffee market. Some may want a cappuccino that falls below Starbuck's price point. McDonalds are also located all over the place (I've been told that if you're looking for a good location for a business, see where McDonalds is as that spot has been heavily researched.) so access is not a problem. And, the company already had a lot of fans of its traditional coffee (Except those who claimed in lawsuits that they were burned by the hot liquid but that's another story).

This will likely be a good example of a company extending its brand into new areas. As thing stand, I'm doubtful that it can generate much more revenue through just hamburger sales. So a company looks to see what other services it can deliver.

McDonalds has long tried to expand its product line and sometimes it hasn't worked out so well. Remember McPizza and the McDLT?

Widening a brand can be a risky proposition as is mentioned in the book, Brand Failures: The Truth about the 100 Biggest Branding Mistakes of All Time. To find out more about the book, click here. I found it to be an enjoyable read. It's easy to see, in hindsight, how many bad product decisions were made. Of course the need for more market share has long seduced executives into going too far away from what they do well.

The Question of Time

Sometimes I'm asked about how I find the time to get everything done in my life. I do enjoy being busy and can juggle full time work with part time projects. I'm not sure if there's a secret to getting the most out of your time but I recently described it to a group in these terms:

Let's say you enjoy TV programs like American Idol. You like watching people chase their dreams, which can be fun. But are you more interested in watching someone else achieve their dreams, than in chasing your own? Maybe that answer help you prioritize your time.

I've found that the best time management practices often include a repurposing of "down time." In no way am I saying that you should stop enjoying TV and other sources of entertainment. But are you committing so much time to those programs that you're cheating yourself out of achieving your hopes and dreams?

It can be easy to fall into patterns where you pursue the comfortable and familiar and put off your goals until you, "get around to them."

To gauge an activity, ask these questions: Does it enrich me? Does it make me think? How will achieving my goal make me feel? Would it feel better than what I'm doing now?

The Unspoken Truth About a Cool Word

Mokita (pronounced moe-KEE-tah) is an interesting word from New Guinea. It refers to a truth that everyone knows but nobody speaks of, especially in social situations.

The concept of unspoken truths is well known but we don't have a word like, mokita, in English. But perhaps we can take some inspiration from the word, especially when it comes to our shortcomings.

Whether it's a weight gain or a nasty habit like smoking, it's often not seen as being polite to criticize someone for this kind of problem. But it still exists and for some, the fact that you never hear about it, makes it not appear to be a problem. This isn't always a good consequence of polite society. So every once in a while, it might be a good idea to pay attention to the things you're not being told but may have a hunch, could be true.

Maybe it would be good to have an annual, Truth Day, where all shortcomings would be openly discussed. Of course on that day, I'll likely call in sick.

Missed Opportunity?

I receive an electronic newsletter from Disney World. I usually take a quick peak at it and then delete it. Today, I paid special attention to it. Like many, I've followed the news of the recent monorail crash at Disney World. For the latest on the investigation click here.

I was surprised that today's e-newsletter made no mention of the accident. Instead, adding President Obama to the Hall of Presidents was the main story. While I don't think an organization should flaunt its bad news, I think the usually PR savvy Disney missed an opportunity to discuss the accident, let us know what's being done so it doesn't happen again, and remind us that they have a very good safety record. After all, I'm a subscriber to their newsletter. I'm a friend and I want to know what's happening.

Too often organizations shy away from bad news and hope the problem goes away. An excellent example of doing it the right way happened years ago in the way Johnson and Johnson handled the poisoning of its Tylenol pain medication. While it was scary for consumers to think that a trusted brand might contain cyanide, J&J addressed those concerns by removing every box of Tylenol from the shelves, told people that their safety was the number one concern, and redesigned the product and its packaging so that similar tampering could not happen again.

With proper planning, a bad situation can be handled in a manner that can actually make your organization look better to the public.

The Taboo Topics...

Have you ever been told to avoid talking about politics or religion with people? While I understand the idea behind these instructions, politics and religion are actually topics where you could have some pretty good conversations. So is the problem the topics or that fact that a lot of us aren't very good at talking?

Somewhere along the line, we may have lost the concept behind an open minded discussion. Instead, a conversation is more like a battle where your goal is to verbally smash your opponent into submission. Whatever happened to the idea of having a discussion where you may ultimately, agree to disagree?

Exposure to new ideas can be a very healthy thing. Remember at one point in time, it was thought that Earth was flat and was the center of the universe. I find it interesting at a time when the world is more connected than ever, some are more isolated from the ideas that come from it.

Why I Tune Out the Radio

It's rare that I ever drive in silence but I find that less and less am I listening to the radio. Instead, I'm tuned in to my iPod or books on CD. Besides having more control over what I listen to, I've found the choice also keeps away from some of radio's big problems:

Too many commercials. I'm not just talking about the commercial breaks but the commercials that are inserted into the programing and segments. It's not just, "This segment is brought to you by Subway," but instead, "This hot topic is brought to you by Subway where every day you can eat fresh...." To paraphrase a famous quote about hockey: I turned on some commercials and heard a little radio. Or sometimes, stations will say, "We'll get to the news in one minute," and that minute is filled with commercials. I guess the idea is that a minute is amount of time that people will wait for something.

Too much repetition. One station in my area replays its morning drive program during the evening rush hour. Some will also replay the program in a "best of the week" version on the weekends. Sure it may save the station money but with so much repetition, is management giving people an excuse not to listen if they've heard it before.

Nothing new: The morning zoo format has been around for a while. In many cases, every station starts to sound a bit like another. You have your pranks/stunts, celebrity gossip news, and discussion about the differences between men and women. There's very little spontaneity or originality. Any type of community news or involvement is usually relegated to Sunday morning at 5 a.m.


With the economic slowdown, I don't see things getting much better for radio. In a way, I feel as if I've lost a longtime travel companion in my car. A long time ago, I spun records (yes, those things) at a college radio station. But like a disc being played too fast, radio just seems out of tune.

Do You Hate Work Email?

Imagine that you're away from your desk at work for a while. You come back and immediately refresh your email. And you watch message after message populate your screen. Suddenly your stress level goes up.

So what's the problem with email? Would we be better off without it? Perhaps but it is a valuable tool and it's not going away anytime soon. Fire is also a tool but you wouldn't give it to someone if they didn't understand how to use it. That's the problem with a lot of organizations: They assume that people know how to effectively communicate through email. With that in mind, here are some suggestions for improving your messages:

Don't Over Write: Have you ever found yourself having to read a message over and over? I'm guessing it's because it wasn't clear. Put anyone in front of a keyboard and a simple request can become paragraphs. If you have to use email, keep your message simple and to the point. Confusion doesn't help your business.

No Tone: In email, it's not easy to tell the tone of a message. Imagine if your boss wrote, "Get it done." Is that an demand, a joke, or something in between? You can't tell and again, you have to spend time trying to figure out the meaning. Some like to put important things in bold or italics, but again, you're relying on people to understand your intention.

People Feel They Have to Respond: Ever see a simple request from the boss go out to staff and ever staff member feels they need to reply. Those replies are sent to everyone so everyone has to stop what they're doing to read it. Do you want your team spending their valuable time doing this?

Was That Important? How many times do you have to repeat something that you emailed a few days ago? There's just something about seeing a message on a screen that makes it hard for people to remember. Plus we get so many emails nowadays that it's easy to lose one in your inbox or you forget to get back to it later.

Let Go of the Mouse: Use email only for general things that you want people to know about, as if it was. an electronic bulletin board. This could include an announcement of quarterly earnings, the score from last night's softball game, and employee promotions. For action items, like a new dress code, sales strategy, or news of a visit from the corporate office, resort to good old-fashioned person-to-person verbal communication. This can be done at a staff meeting or having the information communicated down by supervisors. If you must, then you can send out an email that outlines the action item. You may think this will take a lot of time but in the end you'll save time by eliminating misunderstandings.

Can Ten Be Better Than Five?

The Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences has announced that next year's Oscars will feature 10 nominated films for Best Picture. For more than 60 years, five movies have battled it out for the top honor. For more on the announcement, follow this link.

In some ways the move makes sense as it could give a foreign or animated film a chance to compete for the honor. In the past, many of those have been squeezed out of contention. The change also gives studios more films they can promote as being nominated for the top prize.

I think the downside could be how the extra nominees could affect the running time of the awards show. There are always complaints about the long show (no such thing as a fast musical number or tributes to the recently deceased) and every year it seems the Academy tries to do something new to shorten it. I can't imagine how introducing ten films could take less time than five. I'm sure the company that employees people to sit in the seats of those who are going to the bathroom are thrilled with the announcement.

Perhaps the challenge of a longer show could be solved by limiting Oscar winners to Twitter length acceptance speeches. Of course then the walk to the podium would likely be shorter than the actual speech!

The announcement may also fast track the production of my long discussed Mafia vs. Aliens motion picture.

Police Action

I recently had to have my fingerprints taken by law enforcement as part of a background check. I was told of several area police stations where I could have this done. I went to one that's close to where I live. It's in a small community.

When I arrived I was told that the department could normally take my prints but could not do it this week due to remodeling in the area where procedure happens. For a moment I was tempted to ask what would happen this week if a suspected criminal was brought in? I imagine he or she might receive some immediate service.

I was also tempted to enquire if there was some minor infraction I could commit so I could receive some red carpet treatment and have the prints taken right away. But since the purpose of the fingerprinting is to show that I don't have a criminal record, I decided it would be easier to go to another police department rather than start life of crime.

The situation got me to thinking about how often we give the best service to our worst customers. While they may not have broken any laws, it can be easy to spend the most time with the people who complain the most or the loudest. This should be a concern if it takes away from serving your good customers (or law abiding citizens). In the case of law enforcement, it's probably a good thing for them to be focused on, "the bad guys." But for your business that kind of service could be a crime against profitability.

Let's Talk About Public Speaking...

I'm often asked for tips about public speaking. Obviously it's always good to practice your speech as much as possible so you're really comfortable with your topic. But sometimes we become so focused on the material that we forget to address our mindset.

Think about it: Isn't it easier to do anything when you're feeling good and positive? And something you dread doing seems to last forever.

What I see happen is a well prepared person (in terms of material) has a really tough time presenting because he or she is in a very negative state of mind. Before long our flight or fight response goes off and we react to an audience the same way our ancestors would to a charging bear.

Fortunately, it's unlikely you'll ever give a speech to a room full of bears. But you may still have an intense physical and mental reaction to your presentation.

So why not create a pre-speaking routine that puts you in a good frame of mind. Actors do it, as do athletes. To give you some help with this process, I've created this short presentation:

(If you can't see the presentation, go to: http://bcn.brainshark.com/title.aspx?pid=505012062 )

Most of all a pre-speech routine can give you a sense of control over a potentially challenging situation.

Cronkite Visit Remembered

I've heard the reports of Walter Cronkite's fading health and that took me on a trip down memory lane. As a senior in college I had a chance to meet him, when he visited one of my broadcasting classes (note the groovy shirt I'm wearing in the photo). At Arizona State University, the Journalism School is named after Cronkite. Every year, he would make an annual visit to the school and interact with students.

The first thing I noticed was that he wasn't as tall as I imagined. I'd put him at about 5'9". It's funny how you tend to think that people who are on TV are taller than they are. He also had very rosy cheeks. Cronkite was a great storyteller and entertained us with lots of tales from his journalism career. I'm sure he had told these stories many times but the material seemed fresh, a skill I strive for as a professional speaker.

When asked about the state of journalism (in the early 1990s), he seemed very impressed by the technological advances that made it possible to have worldwide coverage. He didn't say anything negative about CBS News although years later he wrote how he was upset that he wasn't used more as a senior correspondent. But on that day, there was no bashing of CBS or the competition.

As a viewer, I have some memories of him anchoring the news, although I was pretty young. I can appreciate the contributions he made to our knowledge of our world at a time when information was much harder to come by. His was a comforting presence in a changing world.

This Food Stinks...

Do you find yourself doing the same things every day, even though you may be experiencing diminished returns? In this clip from my presentation, "Stop Crying In Your Cubicle," I talk about this common problem that many face at home and work. The clip is audio taken from the talk. The hand drawn animation slides are all my own (Pixar can sleep soundly at night).



(If you can't see the video, go to: http://tinyurl.com/ksktsd )

My title, "Stop Crying In Your Cubicle," comes from a recent survey that found that roughly 1 our of 4 workers are so stressed out at work, that they routinely cry on the job. There's a better way....

The Stuff We Like...

Advertisers know there are certain behaviors or beliefs that are universal. If you can tap into them, you can gain a customer's loyalty because you seem to be speaking directly to their needs. With that in mind, for fun, here are some universal truths that I've come up with:

People are much more likely to tell you that they're tired than well rested.

Everyone seems to want someone else's hair. We never seem to like our own.

After standing in a line, people feel the need to move away quickly.

Anyone who is paying with a check at a register, won't start to write it until the last possible moment.

If you're late, it's for a reason. If someone else is late, they're wasting your time.

Color plays a big role in a supermarket. Generally speaking, healthy products are green, pizza boxes are red, and potato chip bags are yellow. Would it feel weird to buy that stuff if the colors were switched?

I'm sure I've left out a bunch of other behaviors but my goal here is to get you to think about some of the norms you follow that are targeted by advertisers. Feel free to send me any other observations that come to mind.

Shaded Advice

Sometimes it's great to get unsolicited feedback and/or criticism. An outside pair of eyes can be very helpful in assessing your strengths and weaknesses, especially when it comes to customer service. But problems can arise when advice is accepted from a source that isn't very good. Let me illustrate this point with a true story:

Jack is the house manager at a theater. Much of his time is spent dealing with customers who are never shy about sharing their opinions. One day at intermission, an obviously upset woman approached him.

"The theater is too dark," she declared with venom. "I can't see anything. I know you like these artsy performances but you're putting on a show in the dark."

Jack looked at the woman and paused before saying, "Ma'am, do you know that you're wearing sunglasses."

The woman stared at Jack for a moment and then turned and walked away without a word.

It's easy to give advice and feedback. That doesn't mean that you should accept it from all sources. It's too easy to let bad advice impact you negatively.

Don’t Treat Your Customers Like Gym Members

Imagine that you go to look at a gym. You’re taken around by staff, shown all of the great features, and are made to feel special. They you sign up and before long you notice that something has changed in the relationship. You’re surprised to realize that once you sign on the dotted line, the gym doesn’t care about you.

While this isn’t true for all fitness facilities, most are based on a business model that’s all about getting new customers. They want to sign you up, get any initiation fee, and take your dues every month. The gym would love it if you stopped coming but kept paying your membership.

You’re never asked for your opinion or suggestions for the facility. As a loyal customer, you never receive any special treatment. Management doesn’t care if equipment gets worn down or the locker rooms aren’t as clean as they used to be. They’re happy to take your money every month and they’re betting that you won’t leave. Why do you stay? Because getting out of your contract is a complicated process, you still want to make good on your fitness commitment, and there’s no other gyms nearby.

That is until a new gym opens in town. Then you start to see a mass exodus to the new place. Suddenly you may see the old gym get a bit of a facelift with things like balloons. New membership offers will be promoted as a way to pull in more more members. But as a current member, you’re not getting anything new or better out of the situation. So why should you stay?

A lot of businesses treat their customers like gym members. Don’t forget the people who helped make your business what it is and instead only focus on getting new customers. People will stay loyal to a place that they feel cares about them. But if you take them for granted, they’ll run to the next new thing in town.

When was the last time you reached out to a longtime customer and told them that they are appreciated? Do you ever go to them for advice or guidance? Do you communicate with them about exciting products and services that are coming in the future or is your only contact with them, a monthly bill?

In this economy, relationships matter more than ever. If you treat your customers like a dumbbell, then don’t be surprised if they drop you.

Change At Hand...

A lot of people talk about making positive changes in their personal or professional lives but things never get beyond the, "wishing," stage. In some cases the problem is that you've become too comfortable with the status quo. Perhaps your "change muscles" have gotten a bit flabby.

In this case it's good to try to stretch your ability to change in a small way before you take on a big challenge. This could be as simple as getting out of bed on the opposite side (provided it doesn't disrupt anyone who might be sleeping next to you), taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or going to bed 15 minutes earlier (do you know anyone who says they aren't tired). The goal is to introduce a new behavior and stick with it for a month. Many studies have found that it takes 30 days for something to be become a habit.

For me, a small change came courtesy of a pinched nerve in my right arm. This was one of those nagging injuries that takes a long time to heal. It was very painful for me to use my right hand for things like using a computer mouse. Since I have to use a computer a lot, I was miserable.

Then one day I realized something very important: I have two hands. Why not use my left hand to control the mouse. Sounds easy but it's a challenge when you're right handed. Even though I positioned the mouse near my left hand, at first I would reach across my body with my right hand to use it. While it took some getting used to, over time, my brain made the adjustment. Today my nerves are fully healed and I can use a mouse easily with both hands but mainly use my left one.

By successfully making a small change in my life, I feel more prepared for changes in the workplace or at home. Let's face it, workplace stress is usually tied to some kind of unexpected change. Sure, there will still be moments when you fear the unknown but you'll have the confidence in your ability to try and succeed at new things.

The Best Advice You Forgot....

At some point, asking for advice has become seen as a sign of weakness. How many times have we needed directions, instructions on a process, or physical assistance but have stayed silent?

The funny thing is that unless you're asking for money, most people will usually give you assistance without a second thought. For a funny story about the consequences of not asking for help, while driving, take a look at this video clip.


(If you can't see the clip, click here: )

This was a fun example of improper communication and I still laugh, thinking about how that turn signal received so little use. I mean, it must still be, "factory fresh."

Not also asking people for help also denies them the chance to play the role of a hero. Everyone likes to be the hero every once in a while as it's cool to know that our skills and expertise are in demand.

At a time when workplace stress is growing, are you asking for help when you need it? In other words, are you refusing to address a problem? Is that a smart decision in this economy?

10 Days Until the End of TV?

Remember back in February when the big switch to a digital TV signal was delayed? At the time we were told that the nation was not prepared for the switch. The potential crisis was painted with broad strokes. Beyond being unable to watch Desperate Housewives, countless household would be unable to receive emergency bulletins (that is of course if you forget the invention of the radio).

Now we're fast approaching June 10, the new day for the signal switch. Is America more prepared for the change? I have no idea. Apparently more people have received coupons that help pay for the cost of a digital signal converter. But apparently digital TV signals don't travel as far as analog ones. So some may be surprised when their reception isn't as clear in a few weeks. Either way, I have a feeling that our nation will weather the coming storm.

The change, like many, is a matter of perception. Some will see the change as a sign of the end of the world. Others may treat it as a message that they should cut back on their television viewership. But it is a change that we can't avoid and in most of these cases, it's not worth worrying about it too much. Something tells me we'll all be fine.

Anticipation & Airplanes

Imagine that you're in an airport. You've just given your boarding pass to the gate agent and you enter the jetway. I've noticed that everyone then does the same thing: They walk really quickly to the airplane.

But a few feet later they find themselves stopped, standing in a line to get into the plane. They're slowed by the narrow aisle and people putting stuff in the overhead area.

No matter where I've been I've noticed the same thing. People stand in one line and then rush to stand in another. The only difference is that you usually can't see the second line after you've just passed through the first one. Perhaps, there's something about human nature that makes us react this way.

What's the downside? People don't like standing in line so they start to get a bit grumpy and complain a lot. If you have customers who need to spend time in multiple lines, make sure they're aware of the waiting process before they get started. People seem to deal better with waiting when they feel like they have some understanding or control over the process.

Uh-Oh Survey

A new study from employment consulting company, Right Management, has found that 31 per cent of employees are not able to adapt to changes at work. The polled senior human resource professionals say this lowers job effectiveness, engagement, and productivity. Companies find themselves with higher absenteeism rates, more turnover, and falling customers loyalty. Results were as follows:
 
31 per cent - No, employee engagement and productivity is a major risk
43 per cent - Somewhat, our workforce gets the job done, but morale suffers
26 per cent - Yes, our workforce is very agile and responds to new challenges
 
In this economy, workers are constantly challenged to do more with less. That's a change that's not going away anytime soon. But often employers neglect to explain the reason for the change and how it fits into the big picture. This communication is key to keeping a workforce focused on the goals of the organization. The unknown becomes a lot less frightening when it's understood.

 

A Lesson from the Laundromat

For many years, my life revolved around the weekly collection of quarters. The change was needed to feed laundry machines. Most of the time, a laundry room was just a few steps from my home. But at one stop, I had to wait a few weeks before a washing machine was installed in my unit. That sent me to a nearby laundromat.

The place was what you would expect. It was managed by an old guy who was always sitting in a well worn chair. Although I never saw him move from his seat, he must have been the one who updated the marker board which held the laundry tip of the day.

I'd always took a look at the tip while waiting for my clothes to dry. It's always good to learn from an expert. But after a few weeks, I made an important discovery: No matter what the laundry problem was, the solution always was, "Make a paste with Tide and water. Rub it into your clothes." If you'd seen the tip once, you'd gotten everything you ever would from it.

Some people may be experts in their field but that may not mean that their advice is worth much to you. True expertise makes you think differently about a problem and consider new solutions.

Buttons and Zippers

When it comes to communication, most people fall into two groups: buttons and zippers. Both of them do the same thing but accomplish it in a very different way. The problem is that buttons and zippers each think that their way of fastening (or communicating) is best. After all, you rarely see buttons and zippers in the same area on the same piece of clothing.

Buttons have a very close communication style. They like to talk directly to people.

Zippers believe that communication works best when it's at a distance. They love to send emails rather than talk in person.

Buttons like to talk a lot. If they have a thought, they're going to verbalize it.

Zippers tend to be more internal. They only speak after they've given their words careful consideration.

Buttons write long emails. They want to make sure all the facts are out on the table.

Zippers feel that emails should be direct and to the point. They feel information is on a need to know basis.

These are just some of the differences between buttons and zippers. The problem is that often one group doesn't know that the other exists. For example, a button is surprised when a zipper doesn't act like a button. This causes the two groups to frequently come in conflict with one another.

So are you a button or a zipper?

Flying Through the Air With the Door Open

At one TV station where I worked, I occasionally was able to report from the news helicopter. It was pretty cool having a chance to see an area from a bird's eye view. This was years before budget cuts hit the news business and the helicopter was seen as a way to make viewers fall in love with our station and literally drop their remotes. There was just one problem: I'm afraid of heights. Or more specifically, I'm afraid of falling to my death.

Over time I learned to get more comfortable in the air. I thought as my assignments as free helicopter rides where I had to do a little bit of reporting. After all, people pay big bucks to go up in the air. But one day my courage was put to the test and I learned a valuable lesson.

Helicopters vibrate a lot while flying and sometimes that does some strange things. Like vibrate open the door that I'm sitting next to, while we are in flight. Suddenly, despite the fact that I'm wearing a seatbelt, I no longer feel like I'm inside a protective cocoon. In my mind, I'm inches from falling to my death. The pilot noticed the open door and calmly told me to reach out and close it, like I would in a car... on the ground. So I'm trying to reach the door with as little movement as possible and am failing miserably.

Luckily, the news photographer, who was sitting behind me, had a bit more courage. He easily reached out and pulled the door shut. My nightmare was over.

Here's the point: We all have strengths and weaknesses. It's very likely that someone else can help us with our imperfections. The trick is to swallow your pride and not be afraid to ask for help.

"Quitting Is Not An Option"

I often talk to audiences about having the courage to make changes in your life. Perhaps one of the best examples of that philosophy passed away last week. You may have heard reports of Wayman Tisdale's death after a battle with cancer. Tisdale, who was in his mid 40s, was known to many as a basketball player, a musician, and an inspiration to those who are fighting cancer.

For more on this man's journey, watch this video:

(If you can't see the embedded clip, follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ4DaBVn4Uk)

This is a great reminder that our lives frequently include various acts, both good and bad. The challenge is, through it all, to stay true to yourself, have a hunger for trying new things, and enjoy the ride, no matter where it may take you.

Over Engineered & Under Thought

Recently I looked at my remote control instead of my TV. I noticed how some buttons are well worn from repeated use. But on one of the top rows, I noticed a rather new looking button. It features the symbol of an asterisk. I then found the instruction manual where I tried to find out the button's function. I was surprised to read: "This button is not available."

Evidently the creators of the device decided to place a nonfunctioning button prominently on the keypad. That's a bit weird as there is an expectation that a button must do something.

In other areas of life we see similar things. Ever been told about a daily special at a restaurant, order it, and then be told there's no more available. Perhaps you've bought a ticket for a movie but when you get in the theater, the only seats available are in the front row. Or you've gone to a 24 hour pharmacy at 2 a.m. only to find that the convenience is outweighed by the fact that the place is massively understaffed.

It's good to deliver a product or service that creates anticipation. But it's equally important to make sure the expectation of quality is met.

Changing a Habit

My home has a fence around it and in order to get in, you have to do through a gate. Over time, that had become progressively more challenging as the wood door seemed to have warped. In order to open the gate, I'd have to do an acrobatic move with both of my hands to simultaneously pull the door up and over the the left.

This created problems when you'd have your hands full of groceries or you wanted to race in during a rainstorm.

Eventually, I decided to address the problem so I put on my handyman hat. Ten minutes later, I had moved the latch down about half an inch and the door now opens perfectly.

The funny thing is that it took me a while to remember that I didn't need to open the door the old way anymore. This is classic example of becoming numb to a problem and conditioning yourself to accept a less than desirable situation. I've heard that it takes about 30 days to form a new habit. That's about the amount of time it took for me to remember how to normally open the gate.

There Are No Secrets, Only Links...

Has it happened to you yet? You're going about your day when someone makes a remark that surprises you:

"Did you enjoy your trip to Disney with the your grandkids?"

You're not sure how they can know this about you. You hadn't mentioned your trip to them and yet they seem to know all sorts of details about it. Were they spying on you? No. Instead, someone has learned about you through online resources. Nowadays, privacy isn't what it used to be.

It can be as simple as posting a picture on Facebook. Someone in your network makes a comment about it and then the picture is visible to everyone in their network. Before long, your family vacation is known to a whole bunch of people!

The world has changed. Anything about you could be shared online. Is this a bad thing? I think it's mixed bag. Using services like, LinkedIn, a college graduate could network his or her way to a new job. But if that student has pictures on the web of doing a keg stand at a party, then that job offer might disappear.

Think about the image you want to project in cyberspace. Perhaps on this Mother's Day, the best rule to keep in mind is whether you'd be embarrassed to have your mother see any of your online adventures. If so, you may want to be less public in your online life.

You Know You're Good When...

Imagine being so good at so one thing that it's nearly impossible to duplicate. That's what the creators of the movie, "The Blues Brothers," discovered while working with Aretha Franklin and James Brown.

Both artists have singing roles in the 1980 comedy, which also could be described as musical. From the special features on the film's DVD, I learned that both Franklin and Brown had a very tough time lip synching their songs. This is critical while making a movie as the singing is typcially recorded separately in a studio and later matched up with the pictures on screen. The editor can then choose from multiple angles while keeping the singing consistent.

But Franklin and Brown were anything but. Apparently, neither was very good at lip synching because they never sing the same song the same way twice. Think about that. Every time they sing, they add something to their music depending on their mood, the crowd, or the moment. It's second nature to them and neither could change the way they perform.

So the producers had to do some creative editing with Franklin's song so that her lips matched up her voice. By the time he shot James Brown's song, the director decided to record the live singing and then match up everything else. It was an unconventional choice but one that ultimately worked.

So many of us follow the same routine that requires us to repeat tasks over and over again. Perhaps we should take some inspiration from the Queen and Ambassador of Soul to treat every time we do it as if it was the first time.

Are You the Exception or the Rule?

I recently read an article about study that stated that 94% of the respondents say they've worked with "toxic people." This designation covered all sorts of bad workplace behaviors from laziness to anger. Normally I'd provide a link to the study but to get that info, you have to buy a book by the authors of the study. No thanks.

Nevertheless, the study got me to thinking about how we perceive others and ourselves. If almost all of the people surveyed complain about toxic people, there's a good chance that some of those people (doing the complaining) are themselves, toxic. Very often there's a disconnect between stated behavior and actual behavior.

For instance, it's easy to speak out against speeding. You wouldn't want someone driving recklessly near your family. But if you're running late for an event, it's easy to find yourself driving well over the limit. And most smokers don't think of themselves as litterers but when it comes time to get rid of their butt, a lot of them end up on the ground and not in an ashtray.

Perhaps the next time you condemn a behavior in others, it's important to consider if it's something you practice. A society of professional complainers will contribute little to the world, other than noise.

Social Media & Nonprofits Survey

A new survey finds that more and more nonprofits are embracing social media, although many admit they need help. The research comes from the just released Nonprofit Social Network survey, which can be downloaded here. Close to 1,000 nonprofits of different sizes, budgets, and missions were polled (from 2/20/09 - 4/15/09) about their use of online social networking tools.

Facebook is the most popular tool, with about 75% usage. Next came YouTube and Twitter.

80% of the organizations have a staff member spend a quarter of their time on social media work.
40% have allocated funds for the effort.
55% plan to increase social media staffing.

Another trend shows that nonprofit leaders want to make their time spent on social media more productive. But 44% say they are being held back by a lack of expertise. As a result, 27% say getting additional training would make better achieve their goals.
To immediately improve your social media skills, take advantage of the learning tools on my Resources page at Social Media Nonprofits.