Hates Unifies

September 2016

As I write this month’s article, the world is in trouble.  But, as everyone has been writing, since James wrote the first book of the New Testament and Paul wrote to people in Corinth, Ephesus, and other places, the world has been in trouble.

At the moment the United States is about to select a new leader.  This is not a political commentary, but there is a huge amount of back and forth over the future leader of the free world.  At the moment, there is a huge amount of racial unrest.  Most recently, an NFL player (Colin Kaepernick) refuses to stand for the National Anthem, as a way of protesting what he deems are wrongdoings against African Americans and minorities in the United States.   The number of police shootings seems unprecedented, but I’m not quoting statistics here.  The point is, the world is in trouble.

So my question is, why does it seem that people have no problem joining together to hate together? As has been briefly pointed out, you can choose any single topic: race, gender, social position, ethnicity, and people will join you in hating. But it never seems to happen that people come together to love–unless it is in the name of Jesus.

When was the last time you heard of a group of _________ who intentionally went into the world to share good news with others?  Let’s put missionaries on hold for a minute.  When was the last time, or was there ever a time, when you heard about an ethnic group that purposely crossed ethnic lines for the sole purpose of sharing love and helping others?  When was the last time you saw a group of women intentionally approach a men’s group for the sole purpose of serving them, or in reverse, men serving women?

I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, but in every instance I know, it happens around churches and in the name of the Lord.  I have definitely seen men choose to serve at a women’s luncheon.  It’s delightful for everyone.  The women feel special and the men feel valued.  But, this is because they have the unifying force of Jesus.

Why does hate unify?  Are we all so insecure, afraid, emotionally stunted, immature . . .  that we cower together under ugly words of hatred?  Does it seem that some people are just really easily offended?

Speaking of the O word, I recall that as a Senior in College, a friend pointed out to me that I was easily offended.  Even worse, he wasn’t even a close friend – he was my beau’s roommate.  It stopped me cold.  Was it true?  Well, whether or not I was really offended, I was using the word often enough to give the impression that I was.  So I stopped to think about it.  Why was I offended?  Further, was I being too sensitive?

There are at least a thousand reasons to be offended in life.  Somebody cut in line . . . you didn’t get what you were promised . . . you feel deprived or overlooked.  All these, especially if they happen repeatedly, can make feel like someone is out to get you.  Then you can become sensitive and start looking for slights.  Then you can begin getting offended.  Then you can find others who feel the same way.

And there you are!  You have a group who can now choose to hate together.  The teacher wasn’t fair, so let’s all hate the new teacher. Something like that happened my freshman year of high school.  New English teacher – probably not especially good or bad, just new.  We decided we didn’t like him and it became a thing to make a fool of him.  At the end of the year he was dismissed.  How wrong of us, as bratty little 14 year olds, to make this man’s life hard.  It was pretty much for the entertainment of us trying to be cool.  So wrong.  Yet, dislike of this poor guy brought us together in unity.

As stated, it could be something as innocuous as insecurity.  When I’m uncomfortable, I look around for something to blame.  If others feel the same, maybe we can bond over our discomfort.  This happens in school when the two new kids come together against the existing class of the year before.  Nobody is out to be mean to the new students, but they are insecure in their situation, thus band together and cause havoc.  It happens.

Bias, dislike, even hatred, can be caused over anything or nothing.  Anything, such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, even weight, or nothing, such as perceived threats or insecurities.  The next question is, what will you do to change it?

First, try to discern what the challenge really is.  Is there really an issue or is someone looking for trouble or to make a stand?  If there is an issue, then by all means deal with it!  If the shortest people are really overlooked (humor intended), then rearrange the way people are selected.  Another true story:  As a Professor I required class participation.  We can discuss the pros and cons and whys and wherefores some other time.  On my way in to class one day, I passed one of my students who had not been active in class discussions.  This particular student was in a wheelchair due to MS.  Same rules applied.  What I hadn’t realized, as he explained to me on the walk, was that he was trying to raise his hand, but by the time he was able, someone else had already been called on and was answering.  So I changed my perspective.  I started to watch to see if he was trying to respond.  Sure enough, I saw his hand moving and would call on him.  The class was perfectly fine waiting for him to respond, and his participation points were no longer in jeopardy.

This was a huge lesson in communication for me.  First, I believe the student could have approached me to say there was a problem in that I wasn’t calling on him.  I could also have been more aware.  Simple communication solved the situation.

How often do you think that communication could solve other problems?  If we truly communicating, ignoring the race, gender, etc., could some of the hatred be depleted? If we saw others as real people, and not as ethnicities or religious zealots, would some of the dislike and distrust melt away?

The sad truth is, hate unifies.  The good truth is, it can be overcome.  Be aware of why there is dislike or offense.  Communicate person to person, not stereotype to stereotype.  Give people a break.  Even if someone says something that is offensive (we all have, in both directions, said the wrong thing and heard the wrong thing. Sometimes we say the right thing but it is heard the wrong way.), choose to not be offended.  Choose to listen and communicate.  Choose to love, like the Lord loves.

Even on the cross, rather than condemning the two who were crucified with Him, Jesus chose to forgive and welcomed the one into heaven that very day (Luke 23:43).  Hate may unify, but love overcomes hate every time.

 

 

 

Every Employee is a Sales Rep

August 30, 2016

Anybody who speaks to clients needs to be trained and treated as a Sales Rep.  I have seen so many clients walk away from a phone call, determined to never do business with a company after a very short conversation with a receptionist or whomever answered the phone.  That’s not good.

I can’t even begin to imagine how many clients were never brought in because they spoke with someone, maybe at their childrens’ events or a business meeting, because the person they met didn’t even consider selling the company.

I have a history of being treated as a sales rep, from when I was 12.  I came home from school and announced that our neighbor was moving.  My mother, a real estate agent, asked me who listed their house.  I didn’t know.  I was 12!  My mother made it clear that it was my job to help her in her career by recommending her when I learned someone was moving.  In fact, our neighbor didn’t move so there was no listing for my mom to get in that case.

Ten years later, I called an Insurance Agency I walked past daily on my way home from work.  I took the number from their window and called.  I spoke with a receptionist and was told I would have to call back later.  I told the girl she had cost her boss a client, and she honestly did not care.  We obviously didn’t have the same mother.

Which story is more common?  Probably the second.  Receptionists, engineers, accountants, and more employees do not consider themselves Sales Reps.  There are Sales Reps who are hired and paid to sell products and services, so it’s not in other job descriptions.

I believe being a Sales Rep should be included in every employee’s job description.  Last (I know), it’s for the best of the company.  When the company stays financially healthy, jobs are safe.  Next, you could find great talent among your employees that had been untapped.  First, it’s in the employee’s best interest.  The obvious reason is that the company will do well and will continue to have a job.  In addition, every company should implement some basic measures to include every employee in the Sales pool.

First, business cards.  Whether the employee is the receptionist, administrative assistant, design, engineer, attorney, architect, or a zoologist, the company should purchase business cards for them and encourage them to be used in social as well as professional situations.  It will make the employee feel like part of the team.  What you choose to put on the cards is entirely up to you.  You can put more than one thing.  For instance, the card could read, Botanist and Team Player.  That Team Player line could get some attention, and it would offer up the opportunity for the employee to say that in their wonderful company, everybody is given an opportunity to introduce new clients to see if there’s a possibility for a working relationship.  Be creative.

Second, training.  Every employee should have a good idea of what the company does, who the target market is, who the competition is, and the key players in the company.  The employees won’t actually be making the sales calls, just introducing new clients and passing them along to the appropriate people.

Remuneration should be verbal, physical, and financial.  When an employee introduces a new client, they should immediately be thanked and congratulated publicly.  This should result in the person feeling good and appreciated, thus wanting to do more of the same; and it should encourage others in the company to do the same.  Humans are a competitive race.  The physical remuneration should be in the form of a nice working environment.  Give everybody their own work space with freedom to make it their own, allowing space for awards, even handmade company awards.  Financial incentives can be held until a client is actually a paying customer, but giving a residual, bonus, or perk such as half a day off or extended lunch hours should be given, to show the company’s appreciation.

Extremely important is training.  We can’t expect everyone to understand the Sales Process, and bringing in a Trainer or Motivational Speaker, or paying for Seminars and classes at a local school should be available to everyone in the company.

Where might your employees find potential clients?  One, on the phone – every incoming phone call at work is a potential client.  At church, social events, their kids’ schools and activities.  Ten people can meet far more people than you alone.  Use the opportunity they provide.  This is why you need them on your side!  They can bring in clients.

The point is to make every employee of part of your team.  Wouldn’t you rather have your employees work with you than for you?  A good businessman sees the difference immediately.  You can foster a good relationship with your employees by knowing and using their names, asking them about their families, being concerned if they have a serious problem that could affect their career (I’m talking a child with a serious illness, not a child’s dentist appointment).

Owners, CEOs, Presidents, Managers, and Supervisors have huge influence over the success of their companies.  Success is out there for everyone. Get your people on your team, and make everyone a Sales Rep for the success of everyone.

Lindy Earl is a Business Consultant, Speaker, Trainer, and Author as well as a Christian Speaker.  Lindy runs Realm, a 501(c)3 that helps families who do not accept government assistance.  Working from Atlanta, GA, she is available as a Business and Church consultant.  Contact Lindy today to learn how to be more successful immediately.

It’s Not Enough to Listen

August 23, 2016

I attended a seminar recently, which is a unique thing for me to do.  As a Speaker and Trainer, I don’t often attend seminars except from the front of the room.  But it happened so I decided to embrace the time.

At one of the workshops we were split into small groups.  Not my style but okay.  The small groups were then asked what we enjoy doing.  Even though the question was individual, we were supposed to create a list for the group.  This is one of the reasons I don’t participate in seminars like this.  I find when you try so hard to get the feeling of an overall group, you end up losing individual responses, and vice versa.

But in the spirit of the exercise, we answered: Some said dancing.  Others said crafts.  I said learning.  When I answered, the response of our 30-year-old leader was, “Oh. Old school.”

Now, how would you feel if you answered a question honestly to receive that kind of response?  Then, she didn’t include the answer. When asked for our list, my answer was omitted.  How would you feel about being ignored?

My point here is, it’s not enough to listen (per the title).  First, your response is hugely important, and don’t discount non-verbal responses.  If you ask a question then argue with or negate the response, or squinch your eyes and stick out your tongue (yes, I have seen this done!), there is a problem.  Not just a challenge, but a problem.  These responses are creating trouble.  How the troubles are handled – possibly ignored, possibly creating a blow-up, possibly causing murmurs and conversations after the fact – depend on the group, the maturity of people, and a myriad of factors.

Second, it’s not enough to listen, you need to ACT.  Yes, all caps, as though I’m yelling.  Take Action!  Move.  Do something.  Standing still is the beginning of stagnation.  I’m not saying run wild, and yes, you should have a plan, but hearing somebody say something, and not responding, is not useful.  Be useful!  Respond verbally, even it’s with a word like, “acknowledged” or “heard” (my 21-year old’s current response).  Then, decide how to proceed.  If the best option is to do nothing, and it sometimes is, that’s okay!  But you still need to communicate your decision to do nothing.  So even when doing nothing, communication is needed. Otherwise people may believe you’ve forgotten or ignored them.  Not good.

Listening is good.  Hearing is better.  Taking action to affirm the speaker and move forward is better yet.

 

Lindy is a Speaker, Consultant, and Business Author, currently living in Atlanta, GA, and available to answer your questions anywhere in the world.  She is The Business Coach to companies with 50 – 100 employees, Entrepreneurs, and Start-ups.  Focusing on Communication, Leadership, and Corporate Culture, you will be more successful with Lindy as your in-house Consultant.

The Importance of Professionalism

August 16, 2016

Professionalism is a word that may have gone by the wayside, but according to requests I receive, many people want to bring it back.  When I share this information, I have wonderful, encouraging feedback.

Why is professionalism important?  It does provide more confidence, you come across as more polished, and you’re seen as more intelligent and capable.  Finally, you’re more likely to be promoted and/or given raises when you’re seen as more professional.

So, how do we portray our professionalism?  First, attitude.  You are there to work.  You are paid to work.  You are not there to chat, eat, or surf the internet.  Go in with the attitude that you are grateful to have a job, and keep your attitude good.  Be professional at all times.  Attitude = action = altitude; said another way, Outlook = outcome.

Another way professionalism is clearly indicated is through our language.  This, in fact, takes on a multitude of meanings.  First and foremost, language means no naughty words.  Of course, people already know this, but it doesn’t mean they follow it. But some words that may be acceptable in a peer group are really not acceptable in the professional world, such as c, r, a, p and s, u, c, k, s.  There are better words to be used.

That leads to the next point within language, vocabulary.  While a comment such as, “I had a great weekend,” gets the point across, the sentence, “I had an adventurous weekend,” is more likely to develop into an interesting conversation.  Expand your lexicon.  Try new adjectives.  Improve your syntax.

This leads to the point of language.  Overuse of terms such as “you know”, and dotting your conversation with ums and ers does not single you out as an exemplary communicator.  Learn to stop adding prepositions to the end of your sentences, such as, “Where is the party?” NOT “Where is the party at?”   The second is simply incorrect, although commonly heard.  You sound more intelligent using proper grammar.  Winston Churchill’s famous quote says it best:  “Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put.”

The last tip to share regarding language is the use of people’s names.  The most beautiful sound in the world is the sound of your own name—when it is accurately pronounced.  Use people’s names often while conversing, but be sure you heard it correctly so you don’t call Joan Jo, or mispronounce it, calling Leatha Lisa—true challenges.  Also, don’t add or subtract from a name.  If a gent introduces himself as Michael, don’t call him Mike.  And if Robert James Montgomery introduces himself with both names, don’t truncate it to Robert, thinking you’re doing him a favor by not calling him Bob.  Use names, pronounce them correctly, and spell them correctly when writing.  Decide now to keep your standards high.

Your appearance reflects mightily on who you are, and how people respond to you.  Beyond the obvious of dressing appropriately—dressy in a formal situation and casual when the situation calls for it, there are some other basic rules.  Ensure clothes fit, are pressed, and are clean.  I used to be shocked when I found people rumpled and inappropriately attired in the business world.  Now, whenever I share basic rules of business dress, I am approached after the seminar by people who need to share that they’ve interviewed people who have broken one or all of the rules, thus were denied employment, before the interview even began.

The same rules, appropriate and clean, are true for hair and accessories.

Posture.  Posture?  Yes!  Your posture is a loud non-verbal communication device.  Stand tall, no matter what your height.  Slumping, slouching, and leaning portray an I-don’t-care attitude, which is not professional.  Your mama was right, posture matters.

Basic rules for clothes, for both men and women, follow:  Regarding collars, t-shirts are for the beach.  You are representing your company as well as yourself, so dress the part.  Even a sports shirt is acceptable in some circumstances, but a button up shirt is better.  Dresses for women must be acceptable length and tightness and accessories are often a good idea.  Closed toed shoes, never flip flips, are better for men and women.

For both men and women, you need to own at least one suit and you’re much better off buying one good suit versus two cheap suits.  You can’t afford to buy cheap.  They fall apart, they look bad, and you’re not taken seriously.  Here again, quality shows.  The nice thing is that suits can look different by changing the shirt and accessories, ties for men, scarves and jewelry for women.

In a slight aside, this is the time to consider colors – learn what color looks good on you and use the knowledge.  Some colors just aren’t as good in the office.  Navy and grey are always safe.

For women, you need to consider your make up – the best dressed, most professional woman in the office can look like a clown without good make up.  Less is more!  And, it saves time and money.

Cologne and haircuts are something for both men and women to consider.  If you’re giving colleagues and clients headaches with the aroma you bring into a room, you need to use less.  As for haircuts, a professional haircut sets you apart in a positive way.  One name, Donald Trump.  Enough said.

Another aspect of professionalism is administrative details.  You can’t say this doesn’t affect you, because paperwork is part of every job.  First, you need to read your own contracts, reports, etc.  Know them, be able to edit them, and be able to explain the information.

Second, keep up with paperwork daily.  Whether it’s an expense report, emails, or reports, and whether the communication is up, down, or out of the office, stay on top of it.  You don’t want to find a report you failed to process weeks after the fact.

Third, know at least the basics of how your company wants you to write.  Does the company culture require short, low level language, grammatically correct, useful information, that’s extremely thorough, or a more casual stream of consciousness writing that more resembles expository writing?  Basic reports would include the following:

Professionalism isn’t always the exact same for everyone.  At some company’s, casual Friday’s occur daily, while at other companies there’s no such thing.  But basic points of professionalism include attitude, language, appearance, and administrative details.

Lindy is a Speaker, Consultant, and Business Author, currently living in Atlanta, GA, and available to answer your questions anywhere in the world.  She is The Business Coach to companies with 50 – 100 employees, Entrepreneurs, and Start-ups.  Focusing on Communication, Leadership, and Corporate Culture, you can be more successful with Lindy as your in-house Consultant.

Providing Excellent Customer Service

August 9, 2016

Who has an example of when they received bad service?  Who has an example of when they’ve given bad service?

Bad customer service is responsible for thousands of dollars of lost revenue.  And, it is well remembered.  Even when people no longer the details, they remember that they don’t like a specific company.  It is therefore paramount that you make a decision up front that you will always offer excellent customer service.

One of the challenges of bad customer service has the same challenge as defining porn—you don’t know how to define it, but you know it when you see it (with thanks to Judge Stone).

For instance, a focus group was held within Walmart, where they queried what constituted a clean store.  The answer was: clean bathrooms, organized shelves, and clean floors, all answers received within a few minutes by three different customers. Wow!  No general agreement on what is clean, but we know it when it’s not clean, according to our own preferences.  So now Walmart has three distinct challenges to face daily.  No wonder it’s hard to provide good customer service if we all define it by our own experiences and preferences.

A safe approach might be to consider, how do you want to be treated?  You can have a set of rules, so you have a specific list when training new reps.  You’ll also have a list to refer to when reprimanding a rep; and you’ll have something to show disgruntled clients.

A large portion of customer service is communication.  Often, people have no idea that they’ve failed to communicate until both have gone their separate ways and an issue arises.  General rules for communication:  Think before you speak; you have two ears and one mouth for a reason.

Along with this, really listen to your clients.  Sometimes they just need to vent.  Your willingness to listen to them may be enough to not only appease them, but make them a loyal customer.

Further, act.  It’s a lovely thought to consider sending a thank you note for a referral, but it’s not worth the paper it’s written on until you do it.  So don’t walk away, thinking you should do something, actually take action to improve customer service immediately.

We know what good customer service is because we know what bad customer service is.  To truly offer good customer service it takes an investment.  Think ahead about the message you want to send to your customers – that they are important to you; that they are appreciated; that they are a vital part of your business.  Tell them and show them.  Train ALL your employees in Customer Service.  Invest in your team.  Have a plan, as part of your SOP, of how to treat all customers and how to handle any issues.  Make yourself available to listen to clients, and to respond to needs and wants.  You don’t want to just provide customer service, you want to provide Excellent Customer Service.

 Lindy is a Speaker, Consultant, and Business Author, currently living in Atlanta, GA, and available to answer your questions anywhere in the world. Focusing on Communication, Leadership, and Corporate Culture, you can make your company more successful with Lindy as your In-House Coach.

Combating Rudeness

August 2, 2016

I’m sure you remember you mama saying to you, when you were but a wee child, “Don’t be rude.”  The challenge was, you didn’t understand the word, but you knew you had somehow failed.  The first question, therefore, in dealing with rudeness, is to understand what rudeness is.  Rudeness is putting yourself first to the point of disregarding other peoples’ feelings.

There are some examples of rudeness that we’ve seen and can relate to on a regular basis:

• pushing to the front of a line
• not returning phone calls
• calling too frequently – pestering
• interruptions
• inappropriate comments/jokes/teasing
• poor table manners
• chewing gum loudly
• too much eye contact—don’t stare; it makes others uncomfortable
• chronic tardiness
• distracting odors (smoke, onions, cologne)
• talking down to others – condescension
• discussing things not known to everyone present

Please note that some of the points above have to do with repeat behavior.  In our world, it’s often forgivable to be late, especially in an area where traffic is a consistent challenge, or bad weather is responsible.  I do believe these situations should be considered and extra time should be taken, but if it only happens occasionally, we can understand and forgive the offense.  It is the repeated behavior, often with an insincere apology or none at all, that constitutes rudeness.

So, what should be considered when dealing with rudeness in the business world?

1. Is it chronic?
2. Do you need the contact?
3. What’s the other person’s position?
4. Was it avoidable?

If this is an ongoing challenge, to the point of chronic, you can plan it into your schedule, and simply arrive later than the agreed time.  This might work, especially if you need the other person.  But if you don’t need the contact (#2 above), you might consider eliminating the meetings.  This is, of course, more difficult if your business contact is also a family member or friend.  Please consider this before you choose to cut them out of business transactions.

Not that this is right, but the fact is, if the other person has a higher position, they are somehow allowed a bit of rudeness.  The boss can interrupt the underling, possibly because they are trying to steer the conversation in a way the employee may not realize.  And it’s not that they are allowed poor table manners, but we’re more willing to tolerate them if the other person has the authority to fire us, or keep us from a promotion, or keep us from getting an order or job.

And it is reasonable to allow for situations that are unavoidable.  That leads to good communication.  If someone were to contact you ahead of time, even 10 minutes, to explain there’s an accident so they’ll be late, it’s much easier for us to accept their tardiness.  Even after the fact, if someone were to stand us up one day, and then contact us the next with the explanation that they were at the hospital, it’s much easier for us to be understanding.  If, however, no apology or communication is forthcoming, then recognize what you need to do to avoid being treated rudely in the future.

And what should we do when people are rude to us?

Here are some options:  First, you may choose to smile and ignore the behavior.  You’re showing you can be flexible and understanding.

You may opt to speak to the person gently, privately, and without judging.  In fact, you may be doing them a favor, because they may be losing clients or friends without realizing the challenge is within their control.

You have the option to shut up and suffer in silence.  In my experience, this is a short term solution unless you have an incredibly large amount of patience.  Sadly, I’ve seen this tried repeatedly, and when it ends, it tends to end badly.

My favorite is to remove yourself from the other person’s presence when possible, realizing that some people are not healthy for you.  In the business world this can often be accomplished with little fuss, as you simply replace the person, and what they do, with a new colleague who can offer the same services without the rudeness.

Scrutinize yourself

Before we leave this topic, we might want to check our own manners in regard to rudeness.  For instance, check your table manners.  You may want to ask others to be painfully honest with you.  Just because you never learned how to set the table doesn’t mean there isn’t a correct way.  I can’t imagine you’ll lose a colleague or a client over where the fork is on the table, but it does show your knowledge and refinement.

Two, put yourself in others shoes and ask how you would feel in any situation.  If you’re late, imagine how the other person feels sitting at a table alone in a restaurant—I hate that feeling!  You don’t know if the other person is late or you’re being stood up.  Or how you would feel if you left a message that is never returned—how can you make your plans?

Third, really make an effort to improve your communication.  Don’t leave any nebulous messages out there about when and where to meet.  Be so specific that there’s no question that both parties understand where and when to go.   If you do have a challenge, offer an explanation if it doesn’t reveal any private information.  This isn’t always necessary, but it is nice.

Next, review your calendar before making dates.  This should remove any chance of double bookings.  Take into consideration time of day and potential traffic challenges before scheduling back to back appointments.

Finally, keep good records.  This really can help with anything that could be construed as rudeness.  Keep a file on name, company, job title, job promotions, family members (really!), and any news in their life.  A short review will make you seem brilliant and caring, and there are people in this world who are offended and choose to call you rude if you don’t remember their name.  In addition, note when you spoke and generally what you discussed, so you’re prepared for future meetings.

Being rude happens to all of us in both directions.  Others are rude to us, and we all have the ability to be rude to others.  Sometimes it’s due to tiredness, frustration, bad news, or completely innocent.  You need to decide if and how much rudeness you can tolerate from others, and what you’ll do when it goes beyond your limits.  And you need to decide and learn now how to never be rude to others, intentionally or not.

Lindy is a Speaker, Consultant, and Business Author, currently living in Atlanta, GA, and available to answer your questions anywhere in the world.  She is The Business Coach to companies with 50 – 100 employees, Entrepreneurs, and Start ups.  Focusing on Communication, Leadership, and Corporate Culture, you can be more successful with Lindy as your Coach.