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.

Are You Hearing & Solving Problems?

Imagine you have a business that's hard to find. Your staff doesn't give directions over the phone and you don't list directions on your website. And you know that online services like Mapquest send people to the wrong location. When a customer complains about not being able to find the business, staff offers no solution other than to tell them that they shouldn't trust Mapquest.

This is a classic example of a business being defined by a weakness. So often complaints like, "I can't find you," are dismissed without any effort being made to find a solution. The status quo will result in upset customers arriving at your doorstep after being lost. And simply acknowledging the customer's pain isn't enough.

Instead, you need to listen to the complaint and take action, especially if you hear the same complaint multiple times. In my scenario, the business could put a map and detailed directions on its website in advertisements, have staff give directions over the phone (even if the customer doesn't ask for them), and list the information on the back of its business cards.

Or maybe the business shouldn't change anything. Unhappy customers are sure to come back...

Do Not Mummify Yourself

You may remember a few months ago, I wrote about a funny sign I saw in the bathroom at a Disney Theme park. Now one of my friends has tipped me off to another unusual sign in the men's changing room at a gym (Ladies, I'm sure there are many fascinating signs to be found in your respective areas... feel free to forward them to me.).

The sign read: Due to the shortage of paper towels, patrons are asked not to use paper towels to dry off after a shower. You have been warned. Violators will be expelled from the gym.

As someone who's run a business, I can understand the frustration at seeing paper products disappear quickly. And yes, little costs can add up. But in the big picture, what does this sign say about the business? To me it reeks of poor management. If I was a customer there, I'd have an expectation of paper towels. I want them there when I need them. I don't want to be involved in the process of stocking or conserving them. That's the owner's responsibility.

To be more proactive, I would buy some towels and put up a sign that says: Forget your towel? Buy one at the front desk. In this instance you've provided a solution to a potential problem.

If there's a specific violator who walks through the gym wrapped like a mummy with paper towels then you have to decide whether you should tolerate the behavior or kick them out of the gym. But don't bore your other customers with the problem. An effective manager takes care of small problems and doesn't share them with the customer base. Save public pronouncements for the really big stuff.