leadership

Lucky For Us

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Man silhouette2

Lucky For Us

I’ve only known him for about 10 years.

But I know today, a whole bunch of people are about to get lucky.

He’s worked on things he can’t talk about with his family that protect you, me and this country.  He’s worked on things we take for granted.  He was there at the beginning when we first started bouncing signals off satellites to tell us where the heck we are in the world.  Most of us can’t get to the next town today without frankly, him and the team back then.  He’s not stopping being smart.  More of us will get the chance to be a little bit smarter now.

He worked is butt off.  For his family I suspect mostly.  But for himself I think as well. There’s a cause that drives him or there’s a code, I’m not sure, but it doesn’t really matter – he needed to do.  There were too many hours on the job I heard, too many moves across the country for work but there really never was a choice for him.  Work is hard.  Work is rewarding.  Work provides. There’s no ‘feet up” for this man.   He’s not stopping working hard.  More of us will benefit from wherever he decides to work hard.   

I’ve heard the stories from my wife about how Dad and Mom would dress like a “king and queen” for the occasional Military Balls and how glorious that was.  Must have been a sight for those 5 young kids – as far as they knew they lived in a castle with Mom and Dad back then and sleeping all in the same bedroom was awesome.  He’s not stopping being a veteran or sacrificing.  More of us will get to see and emulate him.  

Selfless is a word that gets tossed around too much and smacks of hyperbole but I can’t help it here.  Life happens big and small and he’s just… there.  Most of us marvel at what he does after work and on weekends and think – could we ever, would we ever, is it possible for us to be so generous in time, support and advice for others?  It’s genuine.  If you let it slip you happen to be out of something it often magically appears that afternoon at your front door. When the bigger needs arise he’ll drive, fly or call you and listen.  And then without so much as a few words, he’ll just plain help. He’s not stopping being selfless.  More of us will feel that kind of generosity now.   

Like I said, I’ve known him for only about 10 years.  But I’m just one of 4 sons- in- law so what the hell do I know.   I’ve never lived in his home or worked with him every day but I’ve sat and talked and listened and watched.    He and his wife raised four girls (I got to marry one of them) and a son.  These lessons aren’t lost on the children, the grandchildren, the neighbors, his colleagues or the community.  None of that is stopping.  It’s not in him to stop.  More of us will get to learn now. 

**

As this post publishes today, no doubt Poppi is driving into the office for this, his very last day of work.  And when this day is over and he gets in his car and heads home on 495 perhaps a bit anxious or apprehensive, he needn’t worry.  Things won’t really change that much.  He’s not stopping being smart, working hard, sacrificing or being selfless.  Nope, not for a second.  Best I can tell, that’s who he is. 

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

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4 Minutes with Little Miss Dangling Arms

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4 Minutes With Little Miss Dangling Arms

I  am not one of those people.  I write about great service, not bad service.  If I write about bad service it’s usually about how we the consumers aren’t as saintly as we like to believe we are.

But then Monday happened.  4 minutes of shock and awe(ful)

It was so bad it was almost funny.  It was actually funny.  Like out of a movie funny.

I’m not sure of the lesson here today.  Maybe it’s to say that even in a highly competitive market with technology alternatives ( and really, isnt that true for all of us? ) that service like this still exists or maybe it’s just to prove the old adage that you will indeed tell 10 people ( or um..a bit more if you have blog :)) if really bad service happens to you.  Not sure, but here goes.

Monday 11:41 am.

I had to go to this unnamed place.  You’re familiar with it I suspect.  It is a place where you can get a package to someone who needs it.  And boy,  was that ever true.   My 16 year son who lives with his Mom during the week 80 miles away, left his Galaxy S4 Smartphone on my kitchen counter Sunday as we were leaving.  For my son ( and for many of his ilk), that’s like leaving your severed limb in the wood chipper and knowing that in mere hours, certain death will ensue.  

“Hi, I need to make sure I get this package to my son tomorrow, I’m not sure the best way to do it.”

 “Where does it need to go?” she said.

 I gave her the town name. 

“Do you have the zip code?” she said.

“No, I’m sorry – I don’t remember it.”  I replied.

She stared at me.  Slight smile.  Arms relaxed by her side.  She stared at me some more. 

Awkward.  Really awkward I thought.  I concentrated and gave her a zip code that came to mind.  She typed it in.  “Nope,  that’s not it.” 

She stared at me.  Those arms dangling by her side.  Dangling by her side.

Finally I said “Do you want me to look it up?” I asked, as I reached for my IPhone.  I didn’t know what else to do.

She just smiled.

I googled it.  It took 2 sites and 5 clicks to finally get the zip code and I gave it to her.   And yes, as I googled it,  the shocking irony occurred to me.  I am standing in a place where the Zip Code must be King, where The Zip Code is probably an Ebook with a 5 part ethics pledge employees must swear to and where TV shows like 90210 run continuously in the break room.   And I can’t get a bloody zip code from anyone but me. 

And it wasn’t over. 

“Just fill the out the To and From addresses right here on this and it will be $16 dollars. ” she said.

“And when you are done with that,  Ann can help you.” she added. 

Ann?  Who’s Ann?  I thought.   I looked up from writing and then past Little Miss Dangling Arms and saw no one.

Before I could figure out who Ann was,  Ms. Arms slid forward a big plastic sign under my nose that said “Next Window Please”.

I looked left and saw who must have been Ann at that next window with 2 customers in her line. I returned my gaze to my now staff-less service desk and realized my 4 minute transaction would be much more than that as I was about to be getting back in line to Ann.

Heading back to my car after finally getting my son’s smartphone shipped off in an ice packed cooler, I realized the effort Little Miss Dangling Arms took to overtly not help me and make darn sure no one and nothing was getting in the way of her 11:45 am break.  Wow.

Now you know one of the all time lows in customer service.  Not sure how that helps but I think now I know why I wrote it –  I feel better having told um,  let’s call it 10 people. 

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

 

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Got Training Request? Do These 3 Things First

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Training

Got Training Request? Do These 3 Things First

You are a Learning Professional and your client comes to you to request some training for her team.

Hallelujah, it’s good to be wanted.  But don’t blow it OK?  Training these days is vital – leaders need it, employees demand it and customers are begging for it. 

Here’s a little help – do these things first.

  • Promise Nothing:   Listen instead.  Ask a lot of questions.  Then say, “OK – let me give this a little thought ( or set up a little more time with you to  learn more) and I’ll get be able to figure out what I (we) can do.” An instant “Yes, sure I can do that”( or “no, I can’t”) gets you nothing but a snapshot of you not giving much thought or care to your craft or profession.  Training is complex ( and ever more so today), treat the request and the requestor preciously – for they are.  When you walk away to think,  (however briefly) about the request you show respect for the effort. 
  • Make Sure It Drives Revenue First.  Revenue is good.  Revenue is sexy.  There’s the old adage that says ” Take care of top line revenue and the rest will take of itself”.  A training request that drives revenue is awesome.  Help your requester and your company see it that way.  There’s nothing wrong with training that drives cost efficiencies or productivity improvements except that those terms are just not as fun to toss around the classroom or the boardroom.  Those efforts drive operating income and influence overall revenue and profit performance -so either way revenue is your lead story.  The “Training Drives Revenue” mantra is key for you and the business.  It influences all to create and deliver training with that in mind as well as coach and measure the impact of that investment.   Training to “teach people to use salesforce.com” is boring ( for the business, for you and for them!).  Training to “improve revenue with salesforce.com” is much better.  My Training team has a belief and mantra you can steal shamelessly:  We are ” A Sales Channel That Happens to Do Training.”  We say it because we believe Training should always drive revenue.  And,  it does. 
  •  Proclaim “One and Done is One and Dumb!” 8 times out of 10,  solely relying on “Event Training” is a waste of time.  Get a request, design and develop the content and deliver in a 2 hour classroom training for example, and then you and the Training department disappear.  That rarely works.  Ensure that in the earliest conversations with the person requesting training ( I’d suggest the very first conversation) include that the most effective training often has “beyond event” attributes.  These could range from an advance training for coaches, to on demand learning module sent to learners after the event training to reinforce the learning, to weekly role plays, engagements in social media, video creation or any other way to continuously educate over a period of time. Training needs to stick.  Effective Training likely needs support before and after any “event’ for it to work well.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

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Stand Up! (or Fight)

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Stand Up! (or Fight)

Years ago I nearly got into it with a colleague.   I was never a big one for fights but this one was close. 

I was paired up with a guy from my company we’ll call “Steve”.  We were at a Home Show and in our cool and very expensive company booth.  And we were selling.  And selling.  That’s how we made the business hum.  That’s also how I put food on the table.

“Steve” somehow corralled a tall chair and decided to sit down in the booth.  

Heresy.   Really it was.  Any sales pro worth his salt knows it’s a sin to sit in a trade show booth.  At least that is what I was taught. Call me old school but it’s a bad message to send all the customers and prospects walking through the show – that you’re lazy and maybe your company is too.  Your job is to be engaged in booth visitors, be passionate and proud of your product or service.  Sitting on your butt behind desk does none of that. 

 We got into it.  I kind of freaked out.  It didn’t come to blows and he eventually put the chair back where he got it.   I did make sure we never worked another shift together again anywhere.

Fast forward 18 years or so to last week.

I was walking through the mall with my wife.  It was packed.  Kiosks lining the center of the mall.  

I walked past 7 of them in a row.  Every single one was staffed by an oblivious, lazy, selfish and disturbingly care free employee sitting in a chair with face buried in their smart phones; most with ear buds in as well.  That’s the impression they gave.  And these folks in the Kiosks were no teens either. 

Not one was buried in their company email.  Every one as I circled was buried in Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram or some other time suck away from driving revenue out of their booths.   

If that was my Kiosk that I paid for on this Saturday in a packed mall and you worked for me and behaved like that –I’d fire you on the spot. 

Chairs are for the customers who might need a seat when you are explaining your product or they are filling out an application.  Chairs are for customers who need to break to rest their legs and their wallets as they consider investing in your service or product and putting money into your checking account to pay the rent.  Smart phones are for your pocket or your purse or to take a payment or read an email from your boss or to look up product specs. 

I’m not preaching trade show booths and Kiosks in mall owners or employees need to be carnival barkers and invade the paths of a passerby and scream “come on in and take a look!”  I’m saying what we know is true; stand up.  Smile.  Be engaged in those who show interest. Be engaged and proud of what you represent in public. 

Being engaged is attractive.   And that’s true in any setting.  At a trade show, in a retail store, in the field, on a phone, even in a meeting.

Sitting down and being physically selfish and mentally selfish by immersing in your time waster smart phones at work has the opposite effect on people who look at you.  “If you don’t care about your product and your company, why should I?”

 

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

 

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Seniors On Combines?

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I volunteered at the senior center last night for a bit.  I noticed there’s an old piece of farm equipment in the field behind the building.  Made me think about an experience regarding seniors some time ago.

A few years back I had a trainer in NJ who’d been in my organization for less than a year.  I finally had a chance to ask her about her background when I got down there to visit.    She shared she was from the south (Arkansas) and before she got into training she used to do photography.  She would travel all around the south taking pictures of seniors she said.   She’d pull them right off the combines, haul em’ into barns and take their pictures. She even added she brought clean clothes to dress them in sometimes.   I thought to myself…. why would anyone pull old people off dangerous farm equipment and dress them up to get their pictures?  I asked her nervously..  ” Did you put them all in a book or something?”  she said “Yes for sure they all went in the book that was the point”.

I almost asked if she had her photography book nearby but was a little unnerved so I nodded my head and changed the subject.  She was a great trainer from what everyone said but I admit I was a little worried after that about what she would do if she had older folks in her class. 

About a 6 months later I remembered her story and told my wife with all the disgust and concern I could muster reflecting on the way she treated the elderly.  My wife listened, pause and said “You are a moron, she was taking pictures of High School Seniors for their Senior Pictures!  And she had to haul em’ off the combine I bet because that’s what kids do in the South after school.”

Oh.  I felt silly.  ( still do actually).

But the point is ( other than to make you laugh to start your day perhaps – I sure did thinking about it again) is that for at least 6 months of my life – because I misheard or misunderstood something,  I thought this woman trainer was something maybe akin to the Buffalo Bill character in Silence of the Lambs.  For 6 months (and maybe for the rest of my life unless I’m careful)  – it made me think oddly about photographers – especially if they are from the south.  It made me think and worry about the elderly on farms and how vulnerable they are. 

Misunderstandings are usually small.  Sometimes they are big.  And sometimes they are way bigger than the one in which my poor trainer who forever when I see her,  I’ll think of her dragging old people through corn stalks and pig troughs to snap their photo like some Life Magazine photog.

But misunderstandings can also be powerfully damaging as you can tell.  It seems to me we need to watch using the phrase “It was just a misunderstanding”  — that “just” has got to go.   Take it from me, dig a little deeper.  If you are honest and in places you don’t talk about at parties- there are those things you learn in a meeting, or in book, or in a deep conversation with a loved one that blow your mind.  You realize you misunderstood.  You misunderstood for maybe months or even years.  You realize you misunderstood something that might be a lot less funny than me and my trainer in New Jersey.

I’m heading back to the senior center Sunday to help out a bit more; it’s a luncheon.  Heard they’ll be taking pictures for the paper.  Here’s to hoping that machine in the field doesn’t start up.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

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Trust Your Wince-tincts

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Trust Your Wince-tincts

We Wince.  And wincing is a big deal. 

Think about the Wince: our eyes squint up, we squeeze our shoulders together and we wish just for that moment,  that we weren’t there to see or hear whatever it is that is making us wince.

Wincing is not good.  Not good at all.  But it can help you figure out stuff for the better. 

Sometimes bad acting will make you wince (Hugh Grant comes to mind).  Some movies are 2 hours of a Wince fest (I’m still scarred by that kid movie Chicken Run a decade ago).  Nick Jonas as Marius in Les Miserable 25th anniversary show is probably this century’s greatest wince to date.  But many times you wince in the marketplace or at work.   That’s something we can fix. 

In the marketplace you often sense in advance the wince is coming like when the store clerk says to the customer in front of you “ Do you have a rewards card?” then you wince and immediately drop your eyes to the ground.  Why? Because you know what’s coming – the horrible cross sell -“Would you like to sign up for one..?”  And the wincing isn’t over because its your turn now –you’re about to get the same WinceDom from the clerk.  Ugh.

I wince when the waiter gets too familiar too soon and leans down and just about cuddles up next to me to share the day’s specials (just as he was trained to do I am sure).   I Wince at the airport when I hear the gate agent say “And now we welcome our Delta Super Flyers, Northwest Perks Puppies, Frequent Flyer Super Dupers and Platinum Star Cadets” or whatever it is they say.    It’s so rote and boring and there are just so many titles that it is meaningless and downright embarrassing.   I also wince when I hear at the end of a phone call;   “Have we met all of your needs and are you satisfied with your experience with me today?”   This is a Wince slap no matter how I feel.  Ugh.  What do you think I’m gonna do if I’m not happy?  Pick a fight?  Just tell me “Thank you for your business” and let me go.

I’ve come to think that Wince is a very good word and tell for uncomfortable sales and service.   It’s a great descriptor and is great for identifying those moments that need real help and that need to be fixed because wincing is very truthful.  You have a hard time faking or making up a wince on the fly – It’s just the way it is.    Those moments you wince in any experience are called Wince Points.

Wince Points are no fun.   We should make them go away. 

What about you? What are the Wince Points for you?   When you listen to your colleagues over the wall or listen to client interactions remotely, or along side a sales rep in the field; what makes you wince? 

I wince with my eyes squeezed shut when I hear stuff like “I’m calling just to check in…” or “We have 1/2 off anything new if want something”.  I wince when I see vendor slides that begin with their credentials and not what they’ve learned about me first.  I wince when I see 10 bullets on a WebEx, hear a dog barking in the background in a virtual meeting, see an unchanged automated invitation to me to connect on Linked in, read emails with suggested times to meet but no indication of time zone and I wince when someone tells me to consider then earth when deciding whether to print this document just to name a few more.

Wince Points are everywhere.

Focus on the winces.  And trust your “Wince-tincts”. They are truthful and honest moments.   Make a plan, create a process, get a training or get some coaching to help get rid of the winces.

If it makes you wince, there is something wrong with that moment. Don’t fight it, just go and fix it.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

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1 Minute Helpful Videos Anyone?

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I’m experimenting with a new media but with the same goal of giving you something to help.   I’m a little addicted to it I admit this week while traveling.   So two for you today.

3 Powerful Words and How to Avoid Sales Pain in the Shower.  How can you resist?  

If they help you grow your business even a little bit, that would be (as we say where I’m from), wicked awesome!  Have a great day!

 

 

 

 

 

 Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

 

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-10 Under Par!

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-10 Under Par!

I took great joy in beating the two 16 year olds Saturday.  Crushed their souls I did. 

But I took greater joy in beating up the golf course.  10 under par was my score – that had to be some kind of record! 

At least for me it was.  I am framing that pictured scorecard and it is going right downstairs in the Man Room on the wall where it belongs. 

10 under!  Some team of golf course architects sat in some design laboratory in Florida years ago when they designed this course figuring out that the hole called “Cliffhanger” was a par 3 and that so was “High Anxiety” and so was that monster hole “Bear Cave”.   Heck, the Masters has names for their golf holes like “Magnolia” and “Golden Bell” and that is one tough course.

But these golf course gurus did not expect my 5 holes in one Saturday (including 4 in a row!) and nor did my son and his friend. “Go build your fragile self esteem and confidence somewhere else” I said, (like I literally did say that).  I was on fire!

I knew my concentration and skill were better than the two teenagers and that I would win, but the best part was I was way better than the “standard” of good golf – by shooting a 34 on a par 44 mini-golf course.  Expert mini golfer in the house!  I’m a darn near pro!  I will always have good feelings about Max’s Mini Golf. 

Now when you think about it, par 44 is probably a bit liberal assessment of the course difficulty.   And probably on purpose by said architects in my vision.  But it made my day. Quenched my competitive spirit it did.   It really did.  Silly I know.  But not really.   There’s something about it that’s good.   And smart.

I wonder if that “better than standard” thing has some value in the workplace and in business. – Actually, I know it does:

  • It’s the crux of the silver, gold and platinum airline classes as well as the credit cards.  Everyone knows “most people” aren’t or don’t perform at these levels so already that kind of “achievement” and expertise ( think all the “professional traveler” commercials you see of late)  taps into the emotional competitive attachment of individuals and to that of the company. 
  • Gamification is  huge in the world of learning today.  In some businesses you log into “game portals” – play games (and learn), earn points, badges and medals advancing through levels and certifications of expertise.  You know all the way along how you compare to “standards” and your peers ( where you rank) in oodles of categories.  On purpose.
  • Pizza joints love the “Beat the Pizza-mageddon” where in the space of an hour two people must eat a pizza the size of a man-hole cover and win prizes and publicity in the local paper.  “Nobody’s done it yet” the sign says.  That’ll drive more than just 2 adults to dare- they’ll bring all their friends too and order up! Bring your competitive spirit and your emotional attachment to the joint like, forever.

So fun is good.  Winning is good.  Earning stuff is good.  But having the chance to walk around town as the perceived professional mini golfer, the professional traveler, or even the pro eater is well, good for business too. 

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

 

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Punctuation Free (For a Reason)

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Punctuation Free ( For a Reason)

When you look closely, there is no comma, slash, semi-colon, parenthesis or period between the title words “Sales Representative.”  And that’s on purpose.   You have to do both at the same time. 

You have to sell but you have to represent the company simultaneously.  It’s not one or the other.  You can’t sell for selling sake and set unreal expectations or pound out fishy phone calls or phishy emails because then you are not “representing” the company well.   Conversely, you can’t be all Kumbaya and go harvesting customers with super friendly experiences and never broach filling the unmet needs of the customer. 

There is no comma, slash, semi-colon, parenthesis or period between the title “Service Representative” either.

You have to give great service but you have to represent the company simultaneously time.  It’s not one or the other.  If you don’t take ownership (“I don’t know why they did that in shipping..”) or apologize for real (“sorry that happened to you…what’s your account number?” ) you are leaving an awful impression as a Rep of the company.   Conversely, your reliance on policy or procedure or terms and conditions do little to evoke the “service” part of a service call. 

There is also no comma, slash, semi-colon, parenthesis or period between the titles of “Sales Manager” or  “Service Manager” so you best know sales and service at an expert level and likewise need to know how to expertly support your people at the same time. 

Punctuation between words has its place – a means often to stop, pause, reposition and separate.  But if it ain’t there it ain’t there – that means when the words go together; they belong together. 

 

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

 

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7 Things Your Prospect Won’t Tell You

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7 Things Your Prospect Won’t Tell You

 

Whether I, your prized business prospect, is calling you or picking up your phone call, there are things I just won’t tell you.  

 

1) I used to be in sales too.   You’d be surprised how many of us decision makers started out, or are still in, sales.   And I can still smell a trial close, a rotating yes and min/max close from 50 feet away.  Don’t use tricky closes on me.

2) Don’t make me feel stupid even for a second.  I know my world very well – not your world and if you make me feel like I’m an idiot presuming I know or like your acronyms, buzzwords and fast talking pitches- I’m gone;  I’ll just go to your competitors website and read and email- – that way no one has to talk to me.

3) Tell me what everyone else is doing.  I hate to admit this sometimes even to myself but I do want to know what my competitors or even my industry is doing lately and haven’t had any time to dig in.  But I’m not about to go ask you — yet I wouldn’t mind hearing it if you wanted to just shout it out.   Am I missing out on something or some trend?

4) I know more way more about you than you think.   I’ve been to your website; I’ve Googled your reviews.  Heck I’ve Googled you and saw you on LinkedIn and Twitter (or didn’t- and what does that mean?)    I may have seen a few opinions about your company on Twitter already. So don’t waste my time with the basics about yourself – I got it.  I called you because I want something more than the internet can give me. 

5) I don’t expect much from you.   I just never know if you really work for this company I am calling or am getting called from.  Are you a contractor, an outsourced support, brand new employee, who knows?  I don’t have high hopes but if you can assure me quickly you know what the heck you are doing then maybe I’ll listen.

6) I’d rather do nothing.  Seriously, I hate change.  I wish everything I do today would just work better.  Change is costly, risky, takes forever it seems and I am busy enough already.  I won’t tell you that of course.  I’d rather just flat our say no or compare you to someone else or put you off but honestly; doing what I do today is just easier.   If you can’t make me do something “different” and get me to get off the dime and essentially hate what I am doing today- then don’t bother. 

7) You’re 7th on the list.  I respect you dear supplier but my family, my boss, my colleagues, my customers, my pastor and my pets all come before you my trusted partner.  Nothing personal- you can be very valuable to me but everyone else here is getting something for Christmas next year just so’s ya know.

 

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

 

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