Where are you going? And how are you getting there?

A dear colleague and friend recently underwent many challenges and changes at her workplace. Sound familiar to anyone? My friend is a living, breathing, walking talking example of positive attitude; last week she made the comment that she was grateful for the opportunity to experience these life lesson. Who thinks like that?! I love my friend's perspective and I believe more of us should think like her!



To put things in a nut shell, life should really be about the journey and not the final destination.



Most people go about their day moving from one hour to the next with the simple goal of making it to the end of the day or the end of the week. These are the same people who move through their entire lifetime just waiting for the next mile stone; once I graduate from college, as soon as I get my 'real' job, after I am married, when the kids are raised; when I am retired. People get so focused on where they are trying to go in life, they seldom stop to enjoy the path that is taking them there.



My grandparents are a great example of a couple who never paid any mind the journey and have now arrived at their destination having never really enjoyed the trip. And for that matter, they really aren't even able to enjoy the destination!



My grandparents were hard working people who did well for themselves, they raised 2 successful sons who in turn raised a total of 8 successful children. Despite living through the great depression and various other difficult times, my grandparents managed to save a sizable nest egg for their retirement.



I believe their philosophy was to live like no one else so that you can live like no one else. While I think this is a pretty good philosophy, and worthy of consideration my grandparents may have gone a little over board with it. Here is what I mean.

• They never wasted anything-If it could be reused it was reused. If it could be saved for later, it was saved for later. If someone else could wear it, they wore it. They had to save for retirement.

• They never bought new-My grandfather was very handy and could fix just about anything. Before they would spend money on something it would be fixed, repaired, patched, welded, sewn, you name it. They had to save for retirement.

• Spend when only necessary-Eating meals out was a rarity. Grandpap would grow a garden, grandma would can the vegetables. Vacations were almost unheard of, they never went anywhere. They had to save for retirement.

So here they are, almost at their final destination, living with very poor health in a nursing home full of strangers. You see, I don't ever really recall seeing my grandparents smile, laugh and actually enjoy themselves. It was always about taking care of things so they would be okay for retirement. Then when retirement came, they had to be careful so that they would be okay during retirement. And when their health began to fail it was always about being careful so they would be okay if they had to go to a home. There was never any joy, happiness or excitement, they were just so focused on the destination they totally missed the scenery along the way.

So how are you living your life? Where is your life heading? And are you stopping along the way to acknowledge even the smallest gifts that are sometimes disguised as disappointment, challenge or difficulty?

Look positively at all the experiences in life, regardless of how bad the experience may be.You will never look back and regret what you missed! As a matter of fact, by acknowledging the bad and training yourself to find the silver lining in all situations you will be happier, healthier and better balanced.

When was the last time you laughed at a really tough situation because if you hadn't laughed you would have cried? Crying, complaining, criticizing and condemning helps absolutely nothing because after all the belly aching is done, the situation is still the same.

Do you know where you are heading and are you happy with how you are getting there? If you could change one thing about your journey what would it be? Post your comment today.

Leadership in a world that doesn't want to follow!

Over the last few months, I have talked with more and more managers and executives who have commented on the decline in productivity around their workplaces. What is so amazing to me is that some of these managers are clueless as to the reasons why. These managers are both shocked and frustrated over the fact that their employees just won't/don't perform.



What is it that causes employees to tune out, disengage the mind and simply go through the daily motions contributing only the minimal effort required? There are a number of factors that play a role in the degree to which employees are willing to give 100% of themselves, 100% of the time.

• Tough economic times creates stress and worry. Most people have a difficult time controlling stress and ultimately it affects every area of their life. I am told that employees who are left behind after massive layoffs are so concerned about the security of their job they literally fuss and fret over it so much that they are productive for only 1 to 2 hours during an 8 hour shift.
• Lack of alignment to the company vision. Employee must clearly see the direction the organization is heading. When the employee understand how their individual contribution is an important piece in how the company will achieve it's vision they are more willing to give a good effort each day. So when management gives direction there is least resistance from the employee because the employee can see how it helps reach the vision.
• Lack of a personal vision. Companies who don't help employee create a personal vision and development plan for achieving their vision will struggle with employee engagement. 70% of the emerging workforce wants to for an employer who expects employees to pursue on-going training or educational experiences on their own. And 96% of the emerging workforce feel the employee should see career development opportunities on their own and not rely on the company to tell them what they should do. Essentially the employee says "If you are not going to help me advance in my career, I am not happy." Which means they will disengage, become less productive and eventually leave.
• Disconnection between the employee and his/her manager. Gallup reports the number one factor that impacts an employee's level of engagement is the employee/manager relationship. When the manager builds strong relationships with his/her team members it communicates a sense of trust, respect, importance and appreciation to the employee. Out of the top 8 employee retention issues, the manager/employee relationship ranked #2 in order of importance by the employee.

So what is one to do? Companies who truly want to maximize the output they get from their employees can do some very low cost things that will make huge impacts that will ultimately trickle down to the bottom line.

Here are some ideas that will help you keep your employees tuned in and more productive:

1) Walk the talk- Be enthusiastic and fully engaged with your job and your employees. Learn what motivates them, what they want to achieve and why this is important to them.

2) Earn trust, respect and credibility – Fulfill promises, keep confidences and commitments, and act consistently, fairly and rationally. Be authentic and approachable.

3) Play to strengths– Match the right person to the right job. By learning your employees’ strengths and work styles, you can make the best use of their individual and unique talents and skills.

4) Instill a purpose - Instill sense of purpose in your employees. Involve them in projects as fully as possible by communicating the big picture goal. Everyone needs to know that his or her efforts make a difference.

5) Be clear - Set clear and realistic expectations and define expected outcomes. Maintain open lines of communication and “check in” with employees on a regular basis.

6) Listen - Learn to listen empathically, with your eyes, ears and heart. Listen without judgment and listen to understand and connect with your employees. Many times employees just need to vent frustrations without expecting action to be taken. Once they have expressed themselves they feel better and the manager is perceived as interested thus building trust.

Have you found any techniques that work particularly well for you? If so, please share them with the rest of us.

If you would like to learn more about how to develop the skills necessary to fully engage employees check out our Tools of Engagement http://www.pittsburgh.dalecarnegie.com/corporate_solutions.jsp

What Ever Happened to Customers First!?!

I am a person who has very few pet peeves, for the most part I can deal with and get along with just about anybody. I don't easily get frustrated by people who chronically complain about life or have a tendency at every possible opportunity to criticize others. For the most part, I can easily let all that just roll on by. I don't even mind spending time with the doom and gloomer who is always looking at life as though the world is going to come to an end at any moment. I get a certain amount of joy from helping them see things through a more optimistic set of eyes.

There is one thing however, that just drives me right out of my mind. It makes me so crazy, I just want reach across the counter and shake the person by their shoulders! To me, it is completely unacceptable for employees to talk or act in a manner that makes the customer feel unimportant!

Almost everywhere you go, companies tout their exceptional customer service and take pride in the fact that they have earned prestigious rankings for customer satisfaction when in reality satisfaction is merely mediocrity. When a customer walks away satisfied it simply means they received the minimum acceptable standard in either products or services. Companies who are truly customer centric aim to exceed the customer expectation. Customer centric businesses will be sure to go above and beyond for each and every customer not just once, but consistently. Every customer/employee interaction is predictable and the end result is always the same, a happy customer who feels like they are valued and important.

Take for instance this past holiday shopping season, I had 3 vastly different experiences with 3 different business. From these 3 different experiences, there is much for us to learn!

Experience One: It was 3 days before Christmas and I needed to pick up a photo order so that I could finish putting together my last and final gift for a family member. It was about 8:50 in the morning when I went to the photo lab at our local grocery store to pick up the pictures. As I approached the lab, the lights were dark however there was a woman behind the counter getting ready to open up. I barely made it to the counter when the woman stopped me dead in my tracks; with a sour tone she said, "I'm closed! I open at 9 o'clock."

Immediately I became indignant. I thought to myself "You must be kidding me! Why is this woman angry with me for wanting her to do her job? Did I cross some sort of line here or what?"
So I replied to the woman, "So what? You're going to make me stand here and watch you for 10 minutes?" (pause) No answer from the woman. "Seriously, you are going to make me come back in 10 minutes?" I said.

Here is how she responded, "Well, my computer is not up yet and the cash register isn't ready and I have to do this and that, blah blah blah..." I stopped her and said, "I placed my order on line, it's only 2 photos for $0.36, I can leave you exact change. I wish I had time to come back but I don't, I really need to have them right now."

The long and the short of it all is that she did finally help me and I got my pictures. In the end she wished me a Merry Christmas in the most genuine way, she just couldn't have been any sweeter.

The moral here is that the woman behind the counter should have started off in a friendly way. Had she taken just a second to find out what I needed before she punched me between the eyes with the words "I'm closed!" she would have realized she could indeed help me thus avoiding the turbulent start to our interaction. In the end, all the customer really wants is to know that someone cares about their needs and is willing to do whatever they can to help.

Experience Two: It was around 1 pm the Saturday before Christmas and I was out running errands. Since I missed lunch I decided to grab a sandwich on the go. I went to the drive through of a very popular chain restaurant for an Italian Sub. I placed my order, pulled up to the window, handed the girl my money and this is when the fun began. Much to my shock and amazement, the girl at the window took my money, closed the window, turned her back to me and never once turned back around or interacted with me for the next 9 minutes!

We all know how a drive through works right, when you give your money to the girl at the window she returns with your change and your order within a few minutes. This day, the restaurant was exceptionally busy. I accept that when a restaurant is busy things will take a little longer, this is not the point. The point here is that for 9 minutes, the customer was left waiting and wondering what was going on and had only the back of an employee to communicate to.

The moral here is don't leave the customer hanging. Common courtesy dictates that when there is a delay in service, you kindly let the person know the status and how much longer things will take. If there is a genuine interest in the customer, there would have been an apology for the delay and action would have been taken to do what could be done to speed things along. The girl at the window only showed me her back and never made an attempt to speed things along or communicate with me as to how much long it would be.

Experience Three: It was just before Thanksgiving and my computer was having software issues which rendered my ipod useless. I took my computer to the Apple Store at the local mall. After I explained my problem, the initial response I got was that they could only do work on Mac Computers and they wouldn't be able to do anything with my PC. Needless to say I was disappointed until I met Nikoli, he was a gem! Seeing that I was quite helpless and desperate, he took my laptop and began running diagnostics to determine the problem. Next he repaired the problem which was no easy fix. All in all Nikoli spent more than an hour helping me correct the problems on my PC, which were not "supported" by Mac.

Nikoli scored high marks with me. Why? Simply because he had the skill and ability to see things from my point of view, he was sympathetic to my situation and genuinely wanted to help me with my problems. Of course when I left the Apple Store, the experience was so positive, I swore on my life that when it was time to get a new computer the next one would be a Mac!

The moral of this lesson is that we catch more flies with honey than we do with vinegar. Going the extra mile for the customer, turns the customer into a champion for our company. It's the champion who drives new customers to the store because of the glowing review they share with others. If we want to increase our business, we should increase the level of service we provide to our customers.

So what have I learned about superior customer service versus only mediocre customer service? Here it is in a nut shell:

No mater what our business, product or service, there are 4 Attitudes that must be present in order to provide World Class Customer Service, they are:

1. Genuine Interest, focusing only on the customer and forgetting about all the other things you were doing before the customer came to you. Asking Questions.


2. Helpfulness, knowing that your job is to give aid and assistance to the customer, even if it means doing the extraordinary to make them happy.


3. Respect, treating the customer as though the customer themselves signs your paycheck.


4. Understanding, having the ability to listen deeply to the customer, uncovering the customer need, seeing things from the customer's point of view and then responding appropriately.

If any one of these 4 attitudes are missing from the customer/employee interaction more than likely it will be a mediocre experience at best and quite possibly a bad or negative experience that will cause a customer to write blogs, bad mouth you to friends and colleagues, boycott the store, or shop elsewhere.

Is World Class Customer service something that is important to you and your business? If so, click here to learn more about how you can provide World Class Customer Service to your customers.

When was the last time your received World Class Customer Service? I am all about promoting success, so if you have a great story to tell about a compnay who really "Wowed!" you with service, please share!

How all This Got Started

It was Saturday, December 13, 2008 when I was flying back from the Dale Carnegie International Convention in Vancouver, BC. I was seated next to a delightful young man who immediately began practicing Mr. Carnegie’s principles. He started off in a friendly way and introduced himself to me with a firm handshake. I quickly learned that Michael was on his way home to Pittsburgh from Seattle, WA where he was job hunting. His vision is to move to the Seattle area, work in the field of marketing while developing plans to eventually own and operate his own business. Wow, was I impressed! At only 22 years old, this young man has aspirations and goals that some 40 year olds I work with don’t even have!

Being one who takes every opportunity to learn something new, I was curious about what was important to him when it came to selecting a future employer. Michael was so comfortable with himself and his ability to connect with others, I was ready to put him to work for Dale Carnegie in Pittsburgh!

We talked further about his Job search and what specifically Gen Y’ers want from their employers. Here is what Michael told me he wants to know:

What is your development plan for me?
How will you execute this development?
What are the next steps in my career path with the organization?
How long will it take for me to get there?
Besides my defined position in the company, what other ways will I be allowed to contribute to the organization?

Based on the seminars I have attended, discussions with my colleagues and and the work I have done with clients, Michael’s requirements are very much the norm in today’s emerging workforce.
Next, I began to inquire of my Gen Y seat mate why I would want to start a blog. It only took but a few minutes for me to realize I was talking to someone who knew his stuff. Michael iterated reason after reason as to why I need to blog and of course convinced me this was a good idea that would only help me expand the depth and breadth of my Internet presence. At this point, I am still thinking Michael should join us in Carnegie, but I digress.

So, here I am. What lessons have I learned from this experience? Well for one, we should all be as ambitious as my friend Michael…I am looking forward to the day I can say “I knew him when…” After spending 5 days with the global leaders from Dale Carnegie and Associates, I was inspired by those who earned sales awards for their production. Now, after meeting Michael I am encouraged that I too can succeed as my colleagues have!

Another lesson I learned is that technology was passing me by; I decided right then I would not be left behind! When it comes to technology I know just enough to be dangerous. Yes, I have a Linked In account yet I don’t use it as a marketing tool. Today, I have resolved my new years resolution; I will make the most of my Linked In network to make more business connections.

And finally, the last lesson I learned was Generation Y is nothing to be afraid of. For the longest time I believe I was not able to “relate” to them. Heck, I am 40 years old, what would I talk to a 22 year old about?! Michael and I shared out tastes in music by trading ipods set to our “favorite” song. His music was not weird, or strange or way too “out there” for me. It was quite interesting. I have concluded that Generation Y is as smart, aggressive and talented as the rest of the world and they bring a lot to the table!

My advice; get to know a member of generation Y, you too will learn what you don’t already know!