One evening Jaime and her son were watching the TV show, “Shark Tank”, when he asked what being a “shark” in business meant? Jaime’s quick response was that sometimes in business, people can be called “sharks” because they are aggressive, and scary. Her son’s eyes widened, and Jaime realized she didn’t want him to have this perception of business leaders. ...
It’s easy to think all customer service is bad since we tend to remember bad experiences and forget good ones. But, the secret to success in business is to stand out (Seth Godin). And there are lots of ways to stand out in customer service. Here are four: Set expectations early. Foster a culture of customer service by talking about ...
When you find yourself or a co-worker in a bad mood, remember the gospel of Christ is the ultimate solution. First, the Bible gives our bad mood perspective. Second, the Bible reminds us we have a God who loves us no matter what. Third, you cannot get over a bad mood without help, and that help is found in the ...
As long as work is to be done by people, there will be workplace conflicts. We can work to avoid conflicts, or we can embrace conflicts as they arise. Here are several ideas on managing conflicts. Conflicts will occur, be ready for them. Being part of a team does not eliminate conflicts. Establish lines of communication to deal with conflicts. ...
Years ago, I had an employee who had been very effective and engaged in her job. Then she became jealous of another employee. Her attitude changed, and the quality of her work declined dramatically. Although I addressed the underlying issues, it soon became evident that she was never going to reengage. We mutually agreed that she needed to leave. One ...
At eight years old my grandfather bought me an electric guitar and sent me to a music store for guitar lessons. My first guitar teacher was a man in his 80’s. Every time I missed a note my teacher whacked me on the forehead with his baton. I would leave humiliated and upset. His approach robbed me of the joy ...
When I was a child, encouragement and affirmation were qualities I rarely received nor witnessed. Therefore, it’s harder for me to offer those gifts to others. Fortunately, my wife, Kathy, is the best I’ve seen at encouraging and affirming others. Kathy will stop a stranger to give them a compliment. This often leads to Kathy sharing with them that “God ...
Google conducted “Project Oxygen,” a multiyear research initiative, to identify manager qualities that enhanced a given team’s success. According to the Harvard Business Review, Google discovered that drive and technical expertise were outflanked by some surprising character qualities. These qualities included: being even-keeled, making time for one-on-one meetings, working with a team in the trenches, and taking an interest in ...
Customer service complaints and issues are common in almost every business. Often, despite our willingness to help, those doing the complaining are unwilling to be part of the solution. It can be frustrating, regardless of how many solutions are presented, that the person on the other end of the line still seems combative or dismissive. Colossians 3:23 says. “Whatever you ...
One movie I’ve enjoyed watching multiple times is “Groundhog Day.” Phil Connors, played by Bill Murray, is a mean-spirited, egocentric, malcontented reporter who has been forced to cover the annual Groundhog Day ceremony in Pennsylvania. Caught in a time-loop, Connors relives Groundhog Day over and over again. At first, he exploits his knowledge of what will happen for personal gain. ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
