Monday, June 30, 2014
Coaching Tip #1036 "Give"
As you venture out into this day, go forth with an abundant mindset and give from the wealth that is you and your life. You may not be able to change the world with one action, but you can certainly have a positive impact in the lives of others, as well as, your own. In the moment you give from that true and best place within yourself a gift is also bestowed upon you in the form of joy. Reach out and touch someones life with your gifts today.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Business Times Column #79
Do Personal Issues Hurt Your Customer Service?
Article date: Jun 24 2014
Marcus Straub
When any company representative transfers his or her personal issues onto a customer, it creates dissatisfaction and doubt in the heart and mind of this customer. For any business owner who desires to be successful, this is the exact opposite customer service experience you want your clientele to have while engaging your business.
Have you ever had the unsavory experience of being treated poorly during the course of a business transaction through no fault of your own? Did you receive the value you were looking for? Did the experience interrupt the pleasant flow of your day? How did it make you feel? Were you inclined to never do business with that person or company again and tell others about your negative experience?
There’s a tremendous amount of crossover between the personal and professional lives of people. Frequently, a great deal of time and energy is spent on the job rehashing, both mentally and verbally, the unresolved and troubling personal challenges team members face. More often than you might realize, this situation leads to a negative business environment, reduced productivity, unfavorable interactions with customers and lost revenue. What business can afford to lose customers and revenue to behaviors that have no place at a topnotch company?
Awareness of this issue is vitally important. Whether it’s the owner, manager or any other team member, people have a tendency to become wrapped up in their personal issues — issues that have nothing to do with fellow team members and customers. When this happens, they become self-consumed and blind to the reality of doing business, which has everything to do with taking care of others. Whenever personal baggage is brought into the business environment and acted upon, customer interactions are never good. No one wins.
The secret in creating a win-win situation here is the ability to shift gears. The issues people carry with them are the result of things that happened in the past, while each new customer service experience is a present moment reality. It’s imperative that ALL team members be coached on developing skills that allow them to shift out of “what was then” to effectively deal with “what is now.” That way, customers receive quality service without the negativity associated with previous and unrelated events that have nothing to do with them.
Rather than spend your day consumed by what happened outside of work, choose to use your time at your place of business as a much-needed break from what’s bothering you. Given the limitations to effectively address your situation while on the clock, choose to bring your best to work and deal with personal matters during lunch or at the end of the day.
Being self-aware and able to consciously direct one’s self in the most constructive manner possible during each individual customer interaction is a learned skill. When team members are taught to be present, not take things personally, remain composed, care deeply and treat others as they would want to be treated, their ability to provide exceptional customer service increases exponentially. This enhanced business model sets the stage for the growth and prosperity you want as a business owner
.
Investing in high-quality, ongoing customer service training will position your entire team to be its best in meeting, and even exceeding, the wants and needs of your very important customers. Just as there’s a great deal of coaching and training that goes into becoming a topnotch athlete, the same is true for becoming a topnotch team and company.
When team members become aware of their mindset, behaviors and the outcomes they create and understand how to do things differently to produce better results, customer service rapidly improves. As the service your customers receive rises to new levels in quality, greater customer satisfaction, increased referrals, improved business results and higher revenues follow.
Just one negative customer interaction at the hands of a team member bringing his or her personal issues to bear has a ripple effect that likely could cost you more than you’re willing to lose. Choosing to invest in your team’s development — in their ability to provide an exceptional customer service experience on a consistent basis —produces a win-win situation for everyone involved in the success of the business.
Related Articles:
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Coaching Tip #1035 "Balance"
In
life, balance is not a fixed point, but rather, a range between two extremes at
opposite ends of the spectrum. Life is ever-changing. Unforeseen variables come
out of seemingly nowhere and the best laid plans always need adjusting along
the way. When you consider the concept of balance, try to see it not as a fixed
point that you must find and hold to, but as a range in which you can move and
adjust to the changing circumstances in life. A flexible mind leads to balance
in life.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Coaching Tip #1034 "H.O.P.E."
"Help
other people excel. The world, personally and professionally, is
enhanced when you help those around you excel in the areas of their
choosing. In the process, you will learn about yourself and others,
build relationships, strengthen your overall knowledge base, grow your
self-worth and self-confidence and make a difference. Add your bit of
HOPE to the world each day."
Monday, June 16, 2014
Coaching Tip #1033 "Re-Mind Yourself"
With
life's hectic pace - businesses to run, jobs to do, kids to raise, parents to
care for and every other challenge that life contains - it can be easy to get
distracted, become overwhelmed or forgetful and take the ones you love for
granted. In this state, happy memories fade, great moments shared lose
definition and the magnetic pull of your love weakens. This is never the best
choice, all be it most often an unconscious one, in relationships that contain
the joy and happiness you desire and need. Revisit the past with those you love
through letters written (or in today's world emails), cards and photos. Re-Mind
yourself of how very much they mean to you. Feel the love and connection you
share and have nurtured to this point, and commit to reengage the person,
relationship and connection that you have lost sight of in your busyness.
Revisiting the meaningful and happy moments in your life with those dearest to
you reinvigorates the connection and love and opens the door to an even better
relationship with them going forward.
Business Times Column #78
Build and Develop Your Team with Assessments
Article date: Jun 11 2014
Marcus Straub
One of the biggest challenges you face in creating a company that stands head and shoulders above the rest is a lack of credible, unbiased information. It’s what you don’t know that really limits your potential. When considering the future growth of your business, having accurate, clear and powerful information that positions you to build and develop the best team possible is key to your success.
Want to increase the productivity of your team? Would discovering specific areas of staff training and development that would deliver the greatest return on your investment appeal to you? Ever wished you had access to clear-cut information that would allow you to place your team members in positions where they’ll be the most effective and happy?
Assessments that measure behavior, not personality, are the best choice. In particular, the DISC family of assessments are the top of the line in accuracy, comprehensiveness and usefulness when it comes to accomplishing great developmental feats with your personnel.
The most comprehensive assessment available is the TTI TriMetrix HD Coaching Report. This particular assessment provides powerful information on the behaviors of team members, what motivates them, their business acumen and top 25 competencies.
Behaviors: With the behavioral results from a TriMetrix HD assessment, individuals learn to understand, appreciate and adapt their behavioral style for effective communication. Based on the DISC theory, behavior is measured in four dimensions — dominance, influence, steadiness and compliance — that are translated into a hierarchy of 12 behavioral traits scored on a 10-point scale. The results enhance the hiring and staff development processes by revealing how an individual will perform. Furthermore, behavioral coaching empowers individuals to take action toward future professional growth.
Motivators: Motivators are the drivers of our behavior, what motivates our actions. Motivators are measured in six distinct areas: theoretical, utilitarian, aesthetic, social, individualistic and traditional. With the knowledge of motivators, you can position and encourage team members in ways that satisfy their inner drive right from the start. The results benefit both hiring and coaching initiatives by revealing why an individual acts the way they do — what motivates their behavior.
Business Acumen Indicator: The TriMetrix HD Talent assessment is unique in its ability to assess how astutely a person analyzes and interprets their experiences. Acumen, or keenness and depth of perception or discernment, is directly related to performance. The stronger the acumen, the more aware people are of their reality in both their external and internal worlds and the better they are at responding effectively. This report offers insight into the thought processes that affect performance and reveals what individuals can do, describing their potential for superior performance. The TriMetrix HD can also bring to light potential they possess that might not have yet been used on the job.
Competencies/Attributes: The TriMetrix HD Report describes an individual’s strengths in 25 research-based capacities, or personal skills, that directly relate to the business environment. Through the assessment of an individual’s personal skills, this quantitative measurement tool analyzes each capacity on three levels: mastery, some mastery and no mastery. The top skills outlined in the report highlight individuals’ well-developed capabilities and reveal the areas where they’re most effective. When used as a benchmarking tool, this component helps ensure the inherent skills of each individual match the personal skills required by the job.
As you can see, these assessments provide business owners with high-quality, unbiased information that’s critical in hiring, placing and developing team members successfully. The TriMetrix HD Coaching Report provides a level of understanding and clarity that you, and your team, can’t get anywhere else. When combined with professional training, this powerful information creates greater buy-in, enhances communication and teamwork and increases productivity and talent retention.
The positive impact on business performance is exceptional. The companies I work with have never experienced anything less than amazing results after having gone through the assessment and overview process in addition to my accompanying coaching and training programs that position individuals for success.
If you’re going to hire effectively, understand where gaps in ability exist, train with the greatest impact, get the highest return on your trainings and retain top talent, then assessments are essential to your success.
Related Articles:
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Coaching Tip #1032 "Unwinding"
Life moves at a high rate of speed as the hours, days, months and years seem to fly bye. There's always a great deal on the plate, in fact, the to-do list never seems to have nothing on it. Unforeseen variables come to bear on our lives daily - You never know with certainty what lies just ahead and there's always something new to understand, learn and deal with. With all of this, it is easy to unconsciously become stressed out and wound up. You are the only one who can slow yourself down enough in the midst of all that's going on to reduce the pressure, catch your breath and regain your strength through higher awareness. Throughout your day, pay attention to yourself more than you usually do. As you notice the stress, tension and pressure building up within, stop yourself then and there and use whatever healthy skills you have acquired through life to to slow down, catch your breath and unwind.
Monday, June 2, 2014
Coaching Tip #1031 "Breathe"
Have you ever noticed that as tension and stress mount your breathing becomes more shallow, your breaths are of shorter duration and that you have the tendency to hold your breath? Paying attention to your breathing during challenging times can alert you to your stress level. Once aware, you can relax, calm down and take control of your reactions by taking control of your breathing. Simply, stop what you are doing, sit back in a chair, rest your hands in your lap or on the arm rest, close your eyes and take a deep breath. Hold it at the top for a couple of seconds and slowly release that breath, emptying your lungs completely and holding for a count of two before breathing in slowly and deeply once again. Repeat several times to calm your mind, body and emotions as you notice stress taking over
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