Mastering the Simplicity of Perspective
It was far from my finest moment. Rather, my behavior from that Sunday in question better resembled the coyote falling into a never-ending chasm, ultimately crashing next to a hastily constructed and freshly painted wooden sign that read “Welcome to Rock Bottom.” While memories from that singular moment continue to define a since unparalleled level … Continue reading Remembering What Matters Most
Let the record show that we have cheered for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a professional American football team, since our arrival in Florida more than two decades ago. So, to say I was as shocked and amazed as anyone when the team signed superstar Quarterback Tom Brady last year would be an understatement of epic … Continue reading Gratitude Separates Good Leaders From Great
Coulda, woulda, and shoulda. Three words formed from the informal shortening of could have, would have, and should have, that dismiss the regret or worry about a previous experience. Appropriate since using them during service recovery will likely mean your customer is history. Less grammar lesson and more transformative mindset, the presence of these modal … Continue reading Three Words Considered Toxic To Your Service Recovery Model
A personal triumph is how I summarized my performance as I drove along open fields of wildflowers across the Michigan expanse. There was an incredible sense of fulfillment following the session that day, having overcome anxious beginnings from a few months prior to master delivery of intensely strategic, technical content. Confidence in my ability to … Continue reading How 3 Phases Chronicle A Journey Through Change
“Swéete April Showers, Doo spring Maie flowers” This instructional prose, captured within poet Thomas Tusser’s Five Hundred Good Points of Husbandry, has seen its share of changes over time. More commonly known in the limerick form ‘April showers bring May flowers’, the sentiment offered 16th century farmers practical insight into the natural benefit of change: … Continue reading 4 Lessons In Change From Aprils Past
Mere utterance of the following five words, whether whispered or shouted, can force even the most compassionate person into a state of wonder and confusion: What's in it for me? How someone could be so self-centered as to imagine the world actually revolves around them? Amazing. Viewed from a simplified perspective, we recognize the … Continue reading A Relevant Question: What’s In It For Me?
Forgive my rather obvious play on words. Blame it on a moment of introspection. Being the son of a career Marine, I spent my formative years in the company of my Dad’s peers, some of whom bore an outward resemblance to Jack Nicholson's character from the film "A Few Good Men". Most of the group … Continue reading “You Can’t Handle the Moment of Truth” (aka Do You Work Here?)
“Tall Tim, my team has no energy, no life." "No one’s smiling. There’s no sense of urgency. I mean, people who were willing to do something extra now just stay in their circle. Even worse, our Customer Scores are way down. What happened? " "We need a Team Building activity or some sort of Bootcamp. … Continue reading Service Secret #11: Viva la Vital Behaviors
Have you ever hosted a party in your home? Or are you one of the millions that would rather not risk the indelible damage to your self-esteem, living in constant fear of ego shattering rejection, the words “and nobody came” echoing through your subconscious for all eternity? If you count yourself part of the second … Continue reading Service Secret #6: Nothin’ But A House Party
Imagine the lifestyle of history’s Great Philosophers . . . Spending the day on the mountain top with a group of your peers . . . breathing in the fresh air, dressed in super comfortable clothing . . . sharing wisdom and insight related to aspects of human behavior and society. Oh, what life would … Continue reading Second Nature Mentality