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Category: Customer service
First two steps to building team trust
Strong leaders are good at building trust. To put it another way, “A leader is someone we want to follow”. That is easy to say, but how do we build that trust? Let’s think of the people in our lives we look up to. It is almost a sure bet that these people take the time to show a genuine interest in others. They are also excellent listeners. If we want to strengthen our trust with others and be better listeners, we can start by observing people who have developed this ability well.
Last week I was in the therapy pool at the health club. As I was doing my exercises, I heard a woman talk with great excitement about her past and future travels. As she was talking, an elderly woman entered the pool. The newcomer was quite old – my guest is she was nearly 100. She graciously engaged in conversation with the woman talking about her travels. The elderly woman had a wonderful smile that radiated her interest in listening to the “traveler”. She smiled, nodded, affirmed, and ask questions to learn and understand more. From her questions it was clear she had also done extensive travelling in her many years, yet in the 15 minutes of conversation with the traveler, the traveler never once asked the elderly woman anything about her experiences. If she had, she likely could have uncovered a wealth of valuable information that could help her plan her future travels. It was a one-sided conversation. The traveler showed no interest in the elderly lady. It was a missed opportunity.
If we want to be a strong leader, we need to make sure we show genuine interest in others. Get the other person to talk about their favorite suspect…themselves! (When was the last time you received a compliment for being a good listener?)
Use the power of the written word
It was in the early 1990’s, and I was reading an article about James Michener, the most popular historic fiction writer of that time. The article showed a picture of Mr. Michener seated at his desk in front of an ancient Underwood typewriter doing his work. Word processors were widely available by that time, and most of his books were over a 1000 pages. In spite of that, he chose to use his old manual typewriter to write. Hmmm…
A few months later I stopped by a typewriter repair shop to pick up a couple new ribbons. As I was making the purchase, I asked the store owner why James Michener used a manual typewriter. His answer came quick and was very simple. “Feeling”. Novelists like to put a lot of feeling into their writing, and working on a word processor can blunt that effort. This answer intrigued me, and heightened my respect for the power of the written word.
So what does the “power of the pen” mean to us? One benefit is stronger business relationships, which means we improve our ability to create and keep customers. For 20 years I was a leadership training facilitator. I would often write a note on a 3×5 card in the spur of the moment to class members. It was quite common that years later I would encounter an alum from my class who carried one of those 3×5 cards I had written to them.
The Declaration of Independence shows us that when you put a pen to a blank sheet of paper, great things can occur. Go ahead. Try it. Go to a quiet place, put on your “thinking cap”, grab a pen and sheet of paper, and let your mind flow. It could be an idea or simple note of encouragement or appreciation. Make a bigger impact!
The most important part of a vision
We’ve heard the expression, “I’m living a dream”. Having an exciting vision and making it happen can keep our spirit alive. One characteristic I have always found in a great vision: The fulfillment of a great vision leaves the world a better place.
In 1949 (the year I was born), Gerry Lerner invented “Mr. Potato Head”. Before you could play with Mr. Potato head, you needed to buy a real potato. It was a popular toy, and the kids liked it. Parents didn’t like it as much. You see, playing with real potatoes is a mess!
In 1964, someone came up with the idea of making the torso of Mr. Potato Head out of plastic instead of a real potato. Hygiene and child safety were key issues. The change to plastic was a success, and sales increased dramatically.
Fast forward to two weeks ago. My wife and I were playing with our grandchildren (ages 1-5). The activity was each person designing their own Mr. Potato Head. The kids imagination went wild. We role played. We laughed. It was silly fun and we were so connected with the little ones. Playing with Mr. Potato Head is our favorite activity with the grandchildren. 77 years ago Gerry Lerner had a vision. 62 years ago someone improved on his vision. Today, Mr. Potato Head lives on, and without a mess to clean up!
Whatever your vision or purpose, think in terms of what you will leave behind. Knowing and believing in our legacy can give us more energy, enthusiasm, and desire to stick with it. We can live with a daily sense of purpose and make a difference!
“Clean” your way to success
As a child growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, my favorite place for fun was Riverview Amusement Park at Belmont and Western in Chicago. The great genie welcomed you into the fun castle and the roller coaster (The “Fireball”) was the ultimate adventure. We kids loved going. The only problem was we only went to Riverview twice in the three years we lived in Chicago. After the second time, Mom refused to go back. When asked why, she replied, “Because it is filthy”. As kids, we were able to look past the filth and find the fun. Adults weren’t so gracious, and the park was torn down in 1967 after 63 years of operation. By that time, Disney and Six Flags Park had taken over. It was a new era and the word “clean” was a big deal. The parks were absolutely immaculate. Even though the majority of Americans smoked cigarettes, you wouldn’t find a cigarette butt on the ground. To this day, families enjoy these parks, and the cleanliness leaves each guest with a good feeling.
Think about the psychology of the word “clean”. If you stay at a dirty hotel, you won’t be back. If you ride in a dirty limo, you probably will find another service. If you need to place your parents in a nursing home, you first look for cleanliness. We can think about any service or product we buy, and we will remember how clean and organized the store or office was.
“Clean” is also a source of energy. If you grab your coffee in the morning and walk into a cluttered office, that affects your mental energy. If you walk into an immaculate office with your most important task setting cleanly on your desk, you are off to the races! Just think about how our state of mind and profitability can be helped by applying the word “clean”
Clean your way to success!
Use emailing and texting wisely
Growing up, I remember my father’s toolbox. My favorite tool was the vice grip. It was a powerful tool that could get off any nut or bolt no matter how beat up or rusted it was. Although the vice grip was my favorite, I learned to be careful how I used it. It would usually damage whatever I was trying to get off. If I wanted to re-use the nut or bolt, I would use a gentler tool like a box wrench.
Today we have many communication tools we did not have in my youth. Texts and emails are the most common advancements that come to mind. Like any tools, we need to use the “right tool for the right job”. If not, we can do damage. Here is an example:
Several weeks ago, one of my coaching clients received an email that was not of a friendly tone. It also contained judgment and insults. My client (Pam), emailed her back in response. Very quickly, she received a response email that was even more acerbic. At this point, Pam stopped, went down the hallway, and talked with the other person one-on-one. With a good conversation, they came to common ground.
In my working with teams, I find that texting and sending emails can be a good idea or a bad one. Electronic communication tends to work well when the message is transactional. You can confirm schedules, send attachments or even give a few instant “Pats on the back”. On the other hand, if you receive a nasty email, I recommend you respond with “Jane…let’s talk”. Doing so can help keep small conflicts small.