It is so easy to get distracted by the things done by other people. It is less easy, but more fruitful, to keep your eye on what is in front of you. Keep your own goals in mind, remembering that you are in charge of plenty without trying to control the things that others do.
Irregardless of what the press, your neighbor, a friend, a vendor or a blog happy peer says or does it is up to you to decide your course of action. See the routes that others have taken and view them from afar. They can only affect you so far as you let them. It is not up to them to dictate your business or life nor will they if you don't let them.
Every new twist and turn is just a new opportunity for us to grow. Take stock of what your goals are and focus purely on those goals. Let all the ruckus and nonsense that happens around you fall by the way side and push forward.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Being Gracious While Being Lit on Fire.
...You've left for the day. Your studio is in the hands of your trusty minions. They run things best they can, with the tools you have given them. Somewhere in that mix a customer has gotten lost in the shuffle. They are mistreated, unhappy and disappointed with their experience... It's the next day; your ear is full of a voice that is both angry and dejected.
The first objective is to keep this customer. Yes, they just ripped you and your studio to pieces, twice. Yes, they seem completely unreasonable and strictly speaking not someone you want to invite to tea. Keep listening, actively. Don't hear what they say but how they say it. Try to define their position by being compassionate to their plight. Truth is that if they are telling YOU a story they have already told other people this same story, possibly with embellishments. You are your own PR person. Stop this story from going to the press before it's too late.
Treat them with total regard and empathy. Fix what YOU have done. Your employees are extensions of you. If they messed up, you messed up. This is why it is so hard to hear the things customers complain about. It is a direct reflection on you. Keeping this customer happy will be difficult and more expensive than you want it to be. It will also be worthwhile. At the very least you will stop that story from making the front page. At the most, they will tell everyone how gracious you were about accepting responsibility for the miscue and fixing it to their expectations.
The first objective is to keep this customer. Yes, they just ripped you and your studio to pieces, twice. Yes, they seem completely unreasonable and strictly speaking not someone you want to invite to tea. Keep listening, actively. Don't hear what they say but how they say it. Try to define their position by being compassionate to their plight. Truth is that if they are telling YOU a story they have already told other people this same story, possibly with embellishments. You are your own PR person. Stop this story from going to the press before it's too late.
Treat them with total regard and empathy. Fix what YOU have done. Your employees are extensions of you. If they messed up, you messed up. This is why it is so hard to hear the things customers complain about. It is a direct reflection on you. Keeping this customer happy will be difficult and more expensive than you want it to be. It will also be worthwhile. At the very least you will stop that story from making the front page. At the most, they will tell everyone how gracious you were about accepting responsibility for the miscue and fixing it to their expectations.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Teach 'em to fish.
The old cliché goes give a man a fish you feed him for a day but teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime. Well, something to that effect. The point being that a person taught a skill will far better serve themselves. This holds true for your customers, as well as, your employees.
Our prospective customers often wander in knowing little to nothing about what we do or how we do it. Once they have decided to become our customers we have an opportunity to keep them for a lifetime. The trick to that loyalty is to teach them how to be our customer. Teach them that it is our job to work and they are here to enjoy. Teach them that we are here for them; they are not here for us. Teach them technique for free. Teach them they are important and special. Teach them that you appreciate them. Teach them these things and they will be loyal to you.
Our prospective employees often wander in knowing little to nothing about what we do or how we do it. (Sound familiar?) Once we have decided that they will become our employees we have an obligation to teach them. Teach them that being nice is better than being right. Teach them that hard work pays dividends. Teach them that we are here for them AND they are here for us. Teach them they are important and special. Teach them that you appreciate them. Teach them these things and they will be loyal to you.
You see, our employees and our customers are very much one and the same. We could not exist without either of them. Teach them an understanding of your philosophy and "culture". They will thrive, as will you.
Our prospective customers often wander in knowing little to nothing about what we do or how we do it. Once they have decided to become our customers we have an opportunity to keep them for a lifetime. The trick to that loyalty is to teach them how to be our customer. Teach them that it is our job to work and they are here to enjoy. Teach them that we are here for them; they are not here for us. Teach them technique for free. Teach them they are important and special. Teach them that you appreciate them. Teach them these things and they will be loyal to you.
Our prospective employees often wander in knowing little to nothing about what we do or how we do it. (Sound familiar?) Once we have decided that they will become our employees we have an obligation to teach them. Teach them that being nice is better than being right. Teach them that hard work pays dividends. Teach them that we are here for them AND they are here for us. Teach them they are important and special. Teach them that you appreciate them. Teach them these things and they will be loyal to you.
You see, our employees and our customers are very much one and the same. We could not exist without either of them. Teach them an understanding of your philosophy and "culture". They will thrive, as will you.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
On Being Kelp.
The ocean is a moving body. Flowing to and fro, pushing all in its way. Kelp lives within that body, swaying to and fro, going with the flow.
Kelp is wise.
We all deal with the ebbs and flows of daily life. Sometimes tragic and horrifying, sometimes ridiculous and strange. The actions aren't as important as your reactions. You have the opportunity to choose your response to every situation. Try being kelp, flexible but strong. Let life be the ocean, live within it, move with it and let it feed you with everything you need.
It's not easy. There are times that you have to hold on with all your might. Lest you be washed upon the shore. Mostly, though, the seas will be calm and nourishing. Flowing slowly around you and just nudging you in the right directions.
Kelp is wise.
We all deal with the ebbs and flows of daily life. Sometimes tragic and horrifying, sometimes ridiculous and strange. The actions aren't as important as your reactions. You have the opportunity to choose your response to every situation. Try being kelp, flexible but strong. Let life be the ocean, live within it, move with it and let it feed you with everything you need.
It's not easy. There are times that you have to hold on with all your might. Lest you be washed upon the shore. Mostly, though, the seas will be calm and nourishing. Flowing slowly around you and just nudging you in the right directions.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Small Achievements=Big Success
Recently my wife ran her first marathon. Not an easy feat by any stretch. In my mind it takes a certain kind of crazy to venture out onto the streets, in the darkness of predawn, with the intention of running for the next 3-5 hours. That being said it also takes courage. This larger success is backed by smaller successes. Running in a 5k here and a 10k there. Not to mention early morning runs with friends or alone when she can coax our three year old into the jogging stroller.
All of our larger successes have ground work and are supported by the smaller, sometimes less noticeable, achievements. Even just reorganizing a drawer or cleaning a window can be building blocks for achieving larger tasks. Not because you don't know how to do these things. Not even because you want to but, because giving yourself the pride of accomplishment helps you gain the confidence to tackle the bigger tasks that may seem more daunting.
Do this if your business is underachieving or an employee with potential seems to be doing a lackluster job. Give that employee a job you know they can finish in a small amount of time and successfully. It will give them confidence knowing you believe in them and knowing they did a good job. Play that tune for your business too. Buy new brushes, reorganize your shelves, make a display that rocks. All of these are little successes but have the big goal in mind.
All of our larger successes have ground work and are supported by the smaller, sometimes less noticeable, achievements. Even just reorganizing a drawer or cleaning a window can be building blocks for achieving larger tasks. Not because you don't know how to do these things. Not even because you want to but, because giving yourself the pride of accomplishment helps you gain the confidence to tackle the bigger tasks that may seem more daunting.
Do this if your business is underachieving or an employee with potential seems to be doing a lackluster job. Give that employee a job you know they can finish in a small amount of time and successfully. It will give them confidence knowing you believe in them and knowing they did a good job. Play that tune for your business too. Buy new brushes, reorganize your shelves, make a display that rocks. All of these are little successes but have the big goal in mind.
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