3 Business Questions To Ask Right Now

It's summer and for most businesses, it's a little slow - except for companies like road construction, golf courses, air conditioner repair and sales. You get the idea. If your workplace is a little less hectic at this time of the year, why not start some conversations to generate some new ideas and give your organization an honest rating of how you are doing?

Here three questions every organization should be asking itself. All of your people should be involved in the conversations - they are part of the problem and solution:

1. Are we serving our customers the very best that we can or are we taking the "easy" way (identify what the easy way is)?
2. Are we talking to each other enough and creating that Culture of teamwork (identify what you should be talking to each other about)?
3. Are we actively finding the very best talent to join us or being lazy and just accepting those who apply (are you getting the best or the leftovers - this should identify where you stand in your industry)?

The difference between mediocrity and greatness is in the answers to those three questions. Why not start some of the conversations today.

The State of Meetings Post-Recession

I spend two to three hours a day in research. Including weekends, that's about twenty hours a week just keeping up with blogs and articles on what's happening in the marketplace. I read, then read some more and then I open a book to read some more. But I suppose it's what you expect anyone to do whose knowledge you pay for. For anyone who is going to bring a message that makes your organization different in some way, you expect that person to speak from either a depth of experience or a depth of knowledge - preferably both. But given the choice, knowledge is the most important - especially current knowledge. That's why I read and research.

So a question on a speaking industry bulletin board saddened me recently. The questioner asked who he could turn to to promote a man who has a mild form of cerebral palsy and whose wife has a rare form of joint disease because he believed it would make a great story for people to hear. I don't get how that story would help businesses hire better people. I don't see how that story helps organizations adapt to a changing workplace and marketplace, how it helps them make more sales, how it helps them manage better or how it builds a strong workplace culture. It doesn't smack of building better relationships with customers, providing better management in turbulent times or talent management that is transitioning the generations.

It is, however, a nice story for Chicken Soup For The Soul - a story of getting back up after being knocked down. But isn't that the point of being knocked down: to get back up? That's what you're supposed to do. And that story should take about 15 minutes to tell - the equivalent of a chapter. It would be a good inspirational YouTube video. It is not a presentation to build a conference around. Conferences are not a forum for victims of hardship to tell their story.

Then there are the former sports celebrities (heavy on the "former"), of which only a handful have been able to transition from sports to the platform to bring something to the table that every former sports celebrity hasn't said before. Former sports celebrities who take to the platform successfully, and have staying power, are the ones who continue to learn and research for their audiences. They are the ones who have transitioned their "education" into real takeaways that today's organizations can learn from. Why would you pay thousands of dollars for a message of the glory days of yesteryear when you can see it all on YouTube for nothing?

Then there are the television personalities, news anchors and reporters who read from a teleprompter for a living (OK, maybe it's not as easy as it looks). Yet, by the very fact that they are on TV makes them an expert in what exactly? Interviewing tips to make politicians squirm? Making that perfect "concerned-face" on cue? Sure their faces are recognizable, but ask yourself, how will your organization be different, make that better, by their message?

That should be the criteria before you part with thousands of dollars in appearance fees and travel dollars. A reporter who did a tour in a war zone is not the person I want to hear from necessarily. I want to hear from the person, the soldier, who stood in front of the reporter and kept his ass out of danger. That would be a great story to hear - but probably not one that would make your organization any different. I'll watch it on YouTube too.

Hollywood celebrities, musicians and actors are great at what they do - entertain. But entertainment is not really the point of a conference or corporate meeting is it? No, learning, networking and a collective sharing of ideas is the reason you're at the meeting. So when I hear meeting planners say that they need a marquee celebrity to get people to attend their event, that's when I know that even the attendees don't place a lot of value in the meeting or they would already be registered. If you need a big name then you've got other problems.

Hmmm, perhaps that's how we got into this mess in the first place - by hiring people who had not much to add to the conversation that was supposed to be taking place. But we were entertained.

"Nobody walked out" has become the gauge of a successful session. People walk out when they feel they are wasting their time. Today, people stay in the room and can still walk out by trashing the session on the back-channel on Twitter. People stay in the room when they are engaged or, unfortunately, when they are too afraid that they will hurt someone's feelings by walking out. And you may never find out which of the two is the reason they stayed until you read their Twitter posts.

Giving people something to think about, to work with, to make their respective organizations better is never a waste of time, money or effort. And for those who want to come to the meeting only to rub shoulders with a once-famous sports star, news anchor or celebrity, well, they probably don't have much to add to the conversation anyway. Maybe it's better that they stay home.
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Kevin Burns - Excellence Attitude/Culture Strategist
Speaking Web Site http://www.kevburns.com

Creator of Filter-Free Fridays™
Creator of the 90-Day System To A Greatness Culture™

Coming Soon Kevin's 8th Book - "Your Attitude Sucks - Finding Your Excellence In A Wasteland of Mediocrity

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Talent Without Skill Is Nothing

I'm not comfortable with attending the social events at conferences because: 1) I am at work when I am at a conference, and 2) I'm really not very good at small talk.

As bad as I may be at small talk, my next door neighbor is, hmmm, let's say he's "inept" at making even the slightest conversation. I have no idea what he does for a living because, well, because communication seems almost painful for him and we've never gotten that far in a conversation. (Yes, I know that's small talk. I told you I wasn't very good at it.)

I hope he's not in customer service or sales. My line of work would probably make him catatonic.

Which brings me to this question: are you skilled in all of the areas you need to be for your work? I have heard far too many people say that they have the gift of the gab and that's why they're in sales. The gift of the gab isn't enough - unless you only want to be a mediocre salesperson. No, being "skilled in the sale" is where I would put my money.

Each person has a natural talent for something. But raw talent alone will only ever allow you to achieve mediocrity. Talent alone is seductive - thinking you don't have to work hard because you have talent. It's why too many with real talent only ever achieve mediocrity. But it is putting skill on top of that talent that drives you right into greatness. That means that even if you have talent, you still need to build skill.

Let me explain. Tiger has talent. Ovechkin has talent. Kobe has talent. So what? Without practice, they'd all be just average players.

You may have talent for whatever it is you do. But if you aren't honing your skill everyday, you're wasting your talent. You're as ordinary as every other mediocre "player" like you.

The quote goes: There's no difference between the man who can't read and the one who won't read. In the same way, talent without skill is lazy - a one-way street to the vast wasteland of mediocrity.

Be better than that. Stop being ordinary. Find your greatness.
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Attitude w/ ATTITUDE by Kevin Burns - Corporate Attitude/Culture Strategist

Creator of the 90-Day Strategy to Greatness Culture


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What If You Don't Speak The Language?

The summer of 2005, I spent 5 weeks in small-town, rural Quebec in a French immersion course learning the language. With my high-school French as a base and a lifetime around my French-speaking relatives, I built my vocabulary quickly. Then there was Jean-Louis, whose house I shared. We would converse each night for at least an hour. In week one, I understood maybe 5% of what he was saying. At the end of week five, I was conversing with 95% accuracy.

But I will never forget that first week where 95% of conversation was over my head.

Starbucks is another place where newbies get all nervous at the counter because they don't speak the language. A "venti, skinny, double-shot, extra-hot, no foam, no whip, caramel macchiato" runs fear through the veins of newbies not wanting to be embarrassed when they order a "medium coffee."

P'shaw. There's no such thing as medium because a tall is a small, a grande means large but is the medium size and a venti is Italian for "twenty" and refers to the 20-ounce sized cup - a large. Then there's the coffee. C'est confusant.

How about sending a courier package? Do you speak "courier?" Did you know that "height X width X depth" divided by 194 will give you the dimensional weight - the billable weight of your package - not the actual weight? And that the formula for calculating brokerage, duty and taxes varies but not based on weight or contents?

Are you speaking your language or the language of the people you serve? Take the time to educate clients in how your industry works. Speak plain language. (IT guys are famous for not getting that one.)

Build your relationships based on clear communication and trust, then you can build on that to bring people up to speed. Organizations and people of greatness make it easy for customers to follow them and they don't embarrass their potential customers or make them afraid to do business with them by using jargon.

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Attitude w/ ATTITUDE by Kevin Burns - Corporate Attitude/Culture Strategist

Creator of the 90-Day Strategy to Greatness Culture


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Memo From The Customer

I think I missed a memo recently. I must have. The memo I missed apparently stated that if you are a cashier, a salesperson or even a “sandwich artist,” feel free to have conversations with your co-workers, your friends and other complete strangers while “serving” your current customer.

When exactly did the person with the money (the customer) become the least important part of a front-line worker’s day? Recently, it seems that almost every store I have gone into has someone at the front counter who needs to have a conversation with someone else (not work-related) that is more important than accepting my money. How can everything in a cashier’s day be more important than my willingness to exchange goods and services for money? Did I miss that memo?

In response, here is my memo.

Memo to: The front-line staff of all organizations
From: The Customer
Re: Performance review

It has come to my attention that you have been ignoring me lately. Although nothing has been said directly to me, your performance in the role of customer service has become suspect. I wish to address that here.

Your willingness to make eye-contact with me and to acknowledge that I have chosen to part with my hard-earned money has made me feel as though you really don’t care that I am in your establishment willing to purchase something. I am simply asking that, for the few minutes I am in your business, that you keep your conversations focused on what I would like and, most of all, be thankful for my willingness to frequent your work place. I feel compelled to address this issue as I have noticed it lacking of late.

I am becoming incredibly frustrated at being ignored while I am in the midst of purchasing something. I (the customer) am the revenue source for your business. I (the customer) am the guy who keeps the lights on in your business and gives you the revenue stream to pay for silly little expenses like … oh I don’t know … staff!! I (the customer), in this so-called economic downturn, am the difference between your business going down and your business thriving. Unless there is a fire, ask yourself, is there really something more important that you feel you must handle before you handle my transaction?

Do you really need to create conversations with others about how tired you are, how long the day has been or how many minutes are left before you can head to the bar to hang out with your friends? If I were your boss would you ignore me as I stood in front of you so that you could carry on meaningless conversations with friends or co-workers? Well, how about you think of me as your boss – simply in the fact that I pay you indirectly.

ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT: The secret to customer service is to simply be present in my dealing with you. I don’t want to feel like I’m imposing on you when I buy something from you. I want to hear “Thank you.” I want you to mean it when you say it. You can tell me to “have a nice day” or not – that’s really not important to me. A simple “thank you” is all I require.

For this performance review, I need you to improve in only two areas: 1) your attitude of gratitude when I choose to part with my money in your business, and 2) your focus and attention on me for the few moments I stand in front of you.

Failure to comply with these performance issues will cause me to fire you as a company I do business with. You have been warned.

Hope I Didn't Complain Too Much

I spent a little time with Bill recently. He’s in his eighties now and lives alone. He spends most of his days in front of the TV as he needs a walker to get around. He has a boarder who lives downstairs and she is supposed to fix his meals and keep him company in exchange for a substantial reduction on her rent. Meals are mostly frozen prepared dinners from the grocery store. She never spends more than five minutes at a time with Bill and he complains about it. And I understand that. For a man in his eighties, he’s being taken advantage of.

Our conversation lasted about an hour. We covered a lot of things including some regrets he has in his life, his loneliness, his estranged family and his quality of life. There’s no one to talk to. His meals come out of a microwave. He can’t drive anymore. He’s bound to his house. It’s kind of tough to be upbeat about life when those are the results you have near the end of it.

As I was walking down the front walk after our visit, he simply yelled out, “Hope I didn’t complain too much.”

ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT: Perhaps Bill’s last words to me that day should be the last words you leave people with. Instead of saying, “goodbye” or “so long” perhaps you should close with, “hope I didn’t complain too much.”

What different conversations you’d end up having with others if you knew you were going to end the conversation with, “hope I didn’t complain too much.”

In fact, I think ending a conversation with “hope I didn’t complain too much” would actually cement the conversation you had with someone else. Both of the talk partners would be forced to reflect on the conversation to see if one or the other did complain too much.

But it will never fly. People just don’t want to be accountable for their conversations. People just want to complain. They want to whine and moan about how tough their lives are and use it as an excuse for not doing better. They don’t want to get out of their ruts and routines and enjoy something better. They don’t want to improve their circumstances or their lives because, well, it’s hard work and they already work hard enough. No. You’ll never hear those words at the end of a conversation because no one really would mean it.

So I guess life will just go on the same way, getting the same results and complaining about the same things. It’s easier to be lazy and complain than it is to fix a sorry life. So feel free to make your choice. It probably won’t be any different anyway.

Hope I didn’t complain too much.