You want my opinion?
My view?
My wisdom?
My knowledge?
Fair enough but I know how precious it is to you.
Of course the reason you get so few replies is because it’s all about you.
It should be the other way around.
If you want some of my knowledge, vision and intelligence you need to change your survey.
Change it to benefit your customer – equally.
He knows he may just save your bacon.
That’s worth more than ‘Thank you’
You seek perfection.
You are in search of excellence.
You want to be more professional than him
You pursue high standards.
All that is fine but it will keep you in the race.
Races only have one winner the rest blend into the crowd.
Instead, pursue excellence
But, more importantly, pursue difference
That way you will stand out from the crowd
That way, you will win every race of 1.
There is a certain selfish satisfaction saying “I promise”
It can sound good, make you look good and raise morale.
It translates far more powerfully than “I promise”
It now reads “You can trust me”
It’s easy to do easy.
It’s easy to look good.
Great promises are never made.
They simply happen.
Think of the unsolicited thank you card or the flowers.
Think of the little gift that acknowledged your help.
Think of the phone call that expressed genuine concern.
Now think of all the times you heard “I promise”
But they didn’t really mean it.
Be careful how you, and your people, say “I promise”
You can deliver a great meeting.
You can be top of your knowledge tree.
You can write wonderful letters.
You can follow through wonderfully well.
You can even leave a branded reminder.
All of the above will mark you out as professional.
Few as excellent.
None as exceptional.
Exceptional people leave a footprint.
They make a difference.
They do all of the above and more.
Do you?
Ever heard someone say that?
What does it tell you?
Of course you do, fresh air alone won’t sustain you.
Business and ego make a deadly mix.
Ego and emotion are not sensible motivators.
In fact, they are a recipe for disaster.
Everything has a price – no! make that ‘a value’
If you don’t value what you do or who you are, don’t expect me to either.
You do need the money.
More importantly, you do need your reputation.
Reputations are built on honesty, humility and integrity.
Arrogance believes money matters.
(or doesn’t)
He said it is our company’s corporate responsibility and social conscience.
I thought he talked rubbish.
Why? Because a ‘company’ does not have a conscience, only people do.
If you are not sustainable or green friendly ‘the company’ is not to blame, the people are.
If you say “it’s the company policy” is that a cover for “my policy”.
Every time you blame the ‘procedure’, the ‘system’, the ‘policy’, you achieve one thing for the customer and one thing only.
You prove that you abdicate.
Worse still, you abdicate to no one.
I own the cake, the whole cake.
It’s mine, I bought it, I decide how much I want, how much I’ll eat.
The children have no say, I’m in control.
They love cake.
I have 2 choices.
I can give them all they need to satisfy their young sweet tooth.
Or, I can keep it all for myself because its mine.
What would you do?
Would you take a little and leave enough to feed your kids?
Would you takd a lot and leave little?
The correct answer (as the cake owner) is of course No.1
Remember, you were a kid once too.
(and you remember the nasty grownups when you grow up too)
I posted a question on our Linkedin members only group.
It was all to do with that big word – trust.
It ignited quite a debate.
As you know, ‘trust’ is used oh so easily.
Thomas, an online friend, wrote a ‘stop a train in its tracks’ one liner.
I love it.
It’s below.
All credits to Thomas, not Conor.
This is his line;
“As soon as someone says “Trust Me” I heavily question everything they now say.”
The new badge is loads of followers.
But what’s the point?
Do you connect to run up high numbers?
Do you have criteria?
Is it to say “I know so and so”?
Is it to spray your message anywhere, everywhere?
Is it to stand out from the crowd?
Is it (worse still) ego?
Link with people for a reason.
Have criteria, values and standards.
Avoid idiocy.
Add value.
Spread wisdom.
Above all else, don’t be afraid to say ‘No’.
When the pressure is on integrity gets tested.
The seas are full of Pirates and temptation is everywhere.
A business must be built on values, ethics and purpose.
Most of all, it must be in the best interests of your customer.
Inevitably, people will fail, buckle and corrupt.
Inevitably some will do the easy thing.
Inevitably they will fail.
The right thing is more often the difficult thing.
The difficult thing always rewards.
Next time you take the easy road ask yourself one long term question;
“Where will this lead?”
The answer will tell you lots (about your own business).
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