The "Pucker Factor"

We all go through good times and bad times.  As service providers, it is easy to give good service when things are going well - plenty of time, plenty of resources, low stress.  Easy.

However, what about when things get busy?  Crunch time?  When the pressure hits?  When "the pucker factor" goes up? 

Here's a tip practiced by world-class success stories: Prepare in advance.  Communicate about the ways you can make your customers feel welcome and special when things are easier.  Invest the time and effort during the good times on exploring how to exceed expectations when conditions are at their worst.

When your customers will need you the most.

And you'll have the least resources (time, energy, etc.) to serve them.

Yes, it's difficult to sacrifice your precious down time.  It requires discipline and extra effort.  Discussing the tough moments in your operation isn't enjoyable.  It can sometimes even be painful.  But talking about it in the midst of the hectic times never results in effective and efficient solutions.  No one "gets the chance" to fix the problems during those times when all you can do is survive.  Even though you can predict the naturally-occurring heavy demands on your organization, how much time do you take to thoroughly prepare for that dynamic - like a lunchtime rush that hits every day at the same time?

Thriving requires strategic discipline.  It demands commitment and foresight.  You have to earn it.  Being the different and better choice takes setting aside the opportunity now to resolve the anticipated challenges that will arise in your future.

Well, at least that's what the most consistently successful world-class organizations do.

Think about it.  But more importantly, do something about it...today!

Fire Your Way To Success

One of the key responsibilities of a leader is to orchestrate your team to perform at their optimal level.  In the daily changing dynamics of the numerous individual personalities, every team member experiences hills and valleys.  At some point, however, you may find an employee consistently falling short of their responsibilities.  When this happens, you are obligated to make some important decisions - and actions.

The cost of doing nothing is far too high (to your operation and to your customer experience), so what is the best way to deal with this?  Obviously, not hiring a wrong-fit employee is the best tactic, but if an employee chooses the wrong behaviors, the process world-class companies follow is this:

• Step 1: Ask if the standard for the expected behavior was understood. If not, inform the employee and fire them up for implementation. If they knew they were expected to perform the behavior, then...

• Step 2: Ask if they are able to perform the behavior. If not, train them and fire them up for best results. If they are able to perform the behavior, then...

• Step 3: Ask then if there is anything preventing them from performing as requested. If so, then work to remove the obstacle - if appropriate and fire them up to achieve their best potential. If there isn't anything preventing them from performing, then...

• They can perform, they just don't want to. If this is the case, they are lazy and/or defiant. Either way, the next step is to FIRE THEM.  (Yes, at Disney I would fire "deserving" cast members, although we termed it "encouraging them to find their happiness elsewhere" - which made me laugh and gag...all at the same time!)

The critical thing to realize is that THEY have made the choice, not you. You are simply responding to their choice by implementing the natural consequences.

Think about it.  But more importantly, do something about it...today!

Most Important Service Traits?

Recently, I was asked by a client if I've seen any trend of "must have" traits for hiring employees to give superior service that transcends industries/international cultures.  After working with dozens of best-in-class service organizations in 49 countries around the world, I believe I've identified the most important - all of which are non-negotiable in order to achieve an extraordinary service experience:

1. Awareness of others.  Until someone has the ability to get beyond their own self-absorbed interests, they will never be able to effective engage customers - or their team.  Being able to truly understand another's perspective is mandatory to be successful in any service-related position - especially if you hope to exceed those expectations.  The field of Emotional Intelligence is founded on the awareness of & ability to connect with others.
2. Consideration of others.  More than simply being aware of them, being considerate also involves caring about the well-being of others and desiring to help them in whatever way matters most to them.  Compassion, kindness, and valuing others are what set the stage for this trait.
3. Bias for action.  Internal thoughts merely create academic concepts or theoretical strategy.  Unless there are behaviors that implement the service ideas, there will be no tangible results.  Legitimate service requires interaction...with ACTION being the key part of that word.

Coincidentally, they are also the key traits for leadership excellence, in my opinion, since great leaders - and their organizations - succeed by serving their "internal customers" (employees).

I've often shared with my teams at Disney and the FAA that the simplest guidance I could think of for great service was "Be aware & care" - the intent being to be aware of yourself, those around you, your environment, etc. and then care enough to take action and do something about improving the experience.   

So, whether you are considering hiring a new employee or promoting someone into a leadership position, ask yourself how they rate regarding these critical traits - or you (and your customers/business results) will suffer the natural consequences...which will likely be painful for your people, your organization, and you.

Think about it.  But more importantly, do something about it...today!

The Cost Of The Wrong Employee

Too many times, I hear managers complain about how it is "impossible" to "get rid" of an employee that is not producing.  The truth is, ANYthing is possible - with sufficient motivation.  If the CEO said "Fire him today or you will be fired", there's little doubt about who would be walking out the door.

That said, a significant problem is that most managers don't consider the true cost of keeping the wrong employee. 

Internal costs:  Team finds it more difficult to complete tasks.  Internal strife lowers morale.  Other employees stop trying to achieve higher standards because there is no consequence (proven by your willingness to allow the "bad apple" to get away with the poor behaviors).  Attitudes/behaviors are "dumbed down" to lowest level you accept.  More mistakes.  Slower work due to lost efficiencies.  Higher costs to do business must be either absorbed into budget (less profit or less invested in internal benefits) or passed on to customers (less value for their investment).

External costs:  Customer experience suffers.  They visit/buy less.  They tell others about lukewarm or disappointing experience.  Brand/reputation suffers.  Others won't do business with you.  Sales decrease.

Then, senior executives WILL get upset at bottom line results and look for the root cause - and what (or who) allowed it to continue.

If you don't hold them accountable (YOUR responsibility), then there are costs...for which YOU will be held accountable.

Think about it.  But more importantly, do something about it...today!

Are You Driving Change?

We all know that change is a constant, but get (appropriately) skeptical when people drone on about how "Change is good".  Why are people resistant to change?  Because some change is NOT good.  People become supportive only when we believe the change will be beneficial.

So what do world-class leaders do to optimize the process of change?

Here's an apt analogy a former Disney colleague of mine shared:

If you were riding in a car someone else was driving with the intent of going to a specific location, and they started driving along an unfamiliar route, what would you do?

1. Confirm the destination and make sure that you both intend to arrive at the same place.  If not, then you must determine whether or not you want to go to this new location.  If the final destination is the same, then you might...
2. Ask if the current route is better than the route you are used to.  If it is better, then support the new route (change) and learn something helpful.  If it isn't better, then you would suggest your more effective route (solution) to get to your mutual goal.  If you have nothing better to offer, then you would just let them drive and support the unfamiliar approach.
3. If you don't want the driver's destination or route, you can either disembark or take over control of driving the car.

Ultimately, the choice is yours.  Actively support the process or actively make it better, but get involved one way or the other (being passive is simply abdicating any responsibility).  It does not help to sit in the passenger seat and complain about the route or destination.  You don't improve the outcome - and you actually make the process worse.  The best option is to determine whether or not the "new way" is better or not, influence the driver if your way is legitimately better, or do the driving yourself.

Have you determined your destination?  Are you doing whatever it takes to appropriately influence your situation?  Or are you letting someone else do the "driving" and "taking you on a ride" you don't want to be on?  Are you willing to take the bold action of taking over or disembarking?

Think about it.  But more importantly, do something about it...today!

May Your New Year Be Revolting

Instead of making this new year a continuation of your same old typical routine (make lame resolutions, trudge along and settle), why not try something a little different...and possibly better?

Make it revolting.

Yes, that sounds strange.  But think of it this way:

Life changes.  Your lifestyle choices should change along with your continuously refining priorities and preferences.  You are not the same person you were 10 years ago - or even last year.  Why continue with the same (tired) approach to planning/living out your life? 

Instead, try taking a stand and revolting against anything that is holding you back from achieving your true potential!  Get righteously indignant!!  Be bold!!

Try something (ANYthing!) you've never tried.  This year, refuse to go through the motions of the usual New Year's Resolutions - and commit to a New Year's REVOLUTION!

Let go of the fear of failure and leap into something with a beginner's learning attitude.  (When was the last time you actually learned something NEW?)  Let go of being the poised, mature adult and experiment in a brand new arena.  Pick something you've always wanted to try, but "haven't gotten around to".  In fact, PLAN/TAKE ACTION on exploring things you haven't even considered.  You may discover a talent or interest you never knew - because you never experimented with that topic/hobby/pastime before.

Think of what amazing experiences are out there just waiting for you to take action!  The world is BURSTING with possibilities!  The Internet alone allows you access to limitless options.  Imagine what you can achieve!

But it all begins with YOU.  Are you willing to start a revolution this year?  You may find your efforts become the catalyst for that breakthrough you've been hungering for all these years.

Think about it.  But more importantly, do something about it...today!

Finding and Aligning To Your Purpose

I often get asked what the most important thing I've learned from spending 3 decades at Disney and other Fortune 500 companies.  Here is my answer - and a practical tool you can use toward the end:

Many thoughtlessly say that "Less is more".  This is not true.  More is more.  But that isn't the point.  Because "more" is not always better.  Better is better.  Period.

So, how do you make your life better?  By NOT wasting time on things that don't add value to you.  You've been settling for FAR too long - and with the new year approaching, this is a good time to prepare for your long-overdue breakthrough!

So, where do you begin?  How do you identify what "better" is for your life?

The complication is that Life gets full of distractions when we aren't crystal clear on our purpose and we end up saying "yes" to things that eat up our time and don't fully serve who we really are.

The proven solution is to get more focused on what you (a unique person with a unique purpose) should uniquely be doing to realize the unique reasons you are alive.  The challenge with this (and the reason more people aren't successfully living the life of their dreams) is that it requires the combination of THREE things:

• What are you good at (your "natural" talents)?
• What do you love (your passions that make you happy to lose track of time)?
• What does the world need (and values enough to pay for)?

Take some time to clearly identify these three things.  Discuss with people that know you well and want you to be healthy, happy, and successful. When you can identify where these three areas overlap and take action to focus most/all your time there, I promise, you will see everything in your life get much better.  

Finally, when do you begin?  "Now" is almost ALWAYS the best time to start your breakthrough chapter.

Think about it.  But more importantly, do something about it...today!