You Tricked Me!
February 27, 2009
My first half-marathon is coming up in four weeks, and it’s the time in the training program when I have to be increasing the mileage on my long runs. A few weeks ago, I had some unexpected “help” to make this happen.
My wife has a very good friend, Lisabeth, who also competes in races and triathlons with us. They train together, each making sure the other is staying on track in preparing for their various events.
On this particular day, they were supposed to go running, but Lorie got stuck in the office, so I agreed to take her place and keep Lisabeth company. As we started the run, she asked me how long I was planning on running. “Four miles.” I answered.
She said, “Why don’t you make it five, so you can keep me company, since that’s what I have to do today.” Now, you have to understand that five miles is the maximum I had ever run; I had only done it three times in my life; and two of those times were over 20 years ago.
Still, it’s a long way from four miles to 13.1 (the distance of a half-marathon) so I agreed.
As we got near the end of the run, I checked my watch and noticed that my time was a bit slower than what I would have expected. I asked Lisabeth if she was sure about the distance being five miles. She said she may have been a bit wrong – and confessed that the route we were taking might be slightly longer than five miles. “And exactly how much longer?” I asked. “Well, it’s probably closer to six miles.”
As it turned out, she was right – it was exactly six miles. I wasn’t exactly overjoyed about this at the time, but when the initial shock (and lack of oxygen) wore off, I realized it was actually a good thing.
First, I had run my longest distance ever. Second, I had done it at my fastest per-minute pace ever. Third, I was ahead of my plan for increasing my distance in preparation for the race.
And fourth, this was exactly the kind of thing I did when I ran our martial arts school. I’d tell the class we were going to warm up with 100 pushups, straight through with no break. When we got to 50, I told them we were done.
“But didn’t you say we were doing 100?” one student would ask, while the rest of the class glared at him with that “are you out of your mind – why are you asking him that?!” look on their faces.
My answer was simple: if I said we were going to do 50, then they would start getting tired and fatigued at around 35. But because I set the goal at 100, by the time they got to 50, they were just getting a rhythm.
And while not exactly the same situation I had with my run, it all comes down to setting expectations, following through, and achieving more than you think you can. Oh, I gave Lisabeth a hard time for “tricking” me into running six miles – it wouldn’t be as much fun otherwise – but it did help my training.
What expectations do you set for yourself? Do you challenge yourself to push the limits? Do you have a way to measure your progress? All of this is absolutely necessary if you’re going to be a peak performer at whatever you try.
Four for the Price of One
February 27, 2009
Most people understand that technology, remote workforces, and quality outsourcing have significantly leveled the playing field and eliminated many of the “economies of scale” that used to be the exclusive domain of very large companies.
But despite this, it’s still tough being a small business these days. People can be reluctant to work with you because they secretly wonder if you’re going to be the next casualty to fall as a result of the recession, and they don’t want to be left hanging if anything happens to you.
Fortunately, there’s a way to make yourself appear to be much bigger than you are, like when cats puff up and arch their backs when they’re near a dog to look larger and more menacing.
We recently called the local company that does our annual termite inspection. It had four numbers listed on the receipt from the last time the company was out here – one for Raleigh, one for Durham, one for Chapel Hill, and one for Hillsboro – four cities in our general area.
What we discovered after talking with them was that the company didn’t really have individual offices in all four cities, but rather a single office with four different numbers, each with a local exchange that made it look like other phone numbers in that area.
There are many ways to do this, whether through your local phone company, or through Voice-Over IP services (VOIP) like Skype, and it’s actually a good strategy for two reasons:
- It makes you look like you’re a bigger company than you actually are, providing subtle reassurance to your customers.
- It implies that you have a local presence in each area so people think you’ll be closer to them in the event of an emergency.
Of course, it’s important to note that nowhere in its marketing did the company actually claim to have four offices or even imply that – it simply listed four different “local” phone numbers on its materials.
You always have to determine if your strategies and approaches meet the guidelines for “acceptable use”: try whatever you like, as long as it’s not illegal, immoral, or unethical. And, of course, you set the rules for the last two of these.
Remember, there’s a lot you can do to establish and maintain credibility with your customers and prospects, and in this economic climate, it’s more important now than ever.
Why Change is Difficult
February 26, 2009
Find out the two most important reasons why change is difficult.
All we hear about these days is change—managing change, driving change, initiating change. We put ourselves and our organizations under incredible amounts of stress in attempting to drive change from the top.
It may be helpful, however, to take a step back and look at two of the reasons why change is difficult: 1) people are familiar with the old ways and 2) people are comfortable with keeping them that way.
Let’s look at the first case: familiarity with the status quo. As I describe a situation, think back over the last year, the last month, or possibly even the last week and see if something similar has happened to you.
You’re heading home from work. Your spouse calls to remind you to pick up a movie on the way home. You get into the car and the next thing you know, you’re pulling into the driveway. You have absolutely no recollection of how many stop signs you ran or how many stray cats you hit, but somehow you arrive home just in time to be scolded because you forgot to pick up the movie!
Just as you and your car are intimately familiar with the route from work to home, the people in your organization are familiar with the current processes and the current methods for accomplishing their work. Any attempt at change must take this into consideration and make the transition as easy and as sensible as possible.
Now let’s look at the second case: people are comfortable with the status quo. Try this example. Fold your arms across your chest. No, really—stop reading for a minute and actually cross your arms. Great! Now unfold them and cross them with the opposite hand on top. Some of you may have difficulty actually doing this. How does it feel? Strange? Unusual? Uncomfortable?
Remember, in this situation we’re not talking about changing the complex behaviors and processes of an organization. Yet, notice how awkward it feels to simply fold your arms in a direction different than what you’re used to. And as soon as possible you’ll have them back in the position that feels most comfortable.
When attempting to initiate change in your organization, it is important to consider the process you’ll take when implementing the change. In addition, to really enhance your chances for success, you must also address the personal side of change. Recognize that organizations are collections of individuals, and individuals are generally reluctant to change unless there is a strong compelling reason to do so.
Make sure that your change initiative has a clear objective and communicate it to your people in a way that makes the benefits clear. Change is much easier when you have a group of allies supporting the effort rather than a group of adversaries fighting to maintain the status quo.
Doing Something Nice: Memory Skills for 6th Graders
February 24, 2009
A nice gesture to a group of sixth graders helps them improve their test scores and provides some unexpected rewards.
Sometimes we do nice things out of a sense of compassion or obligation. But doing something nice often brings unexpected rewards.
As a part of our program, “Getting to the Heart of Customer Satisfaction™”, I often include a module on memory techniques. The participants in this program learn skills on how to retain new information and how to remember names and faces.
My 11-year-old son was having a tough time learning the names of all the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses for an upcoming social studies test. I decided to teach him how to use the memory skills to learn this information.
The test was difficult, but with only 20 minutes of studying, he scored a 97 when the average grade for the class was around 70. When his teacher found out how he was able to remember the names so well, she invited me into the school to teach the entire sixth grade section.
The classes were fun. The students used the memory skills to study for a major test on rocks. Everyone learned skills that would help them score higher on this test and that would benefit them throughout their education. I left the school that morning feeling like I had made a valuable contribution.
Three days later, my son brought home a huge thank you card from the students. Each person had written a bookmark-sized note telling me how they were using the skills.
“I really learned a lot—this will cut my study time in half!” said one note. “This was what I needed to organize the way I study!” said another. “I got a good grade on my science test!” said a third.
As excited as I felt when I left the school, it was nothing like the feeling I had as I read these thank you notes from 100 students. Why not see if you can find the time to do something nice for someone today. It will certainly make a difference in their life—and in yours too.
The Wine Contrarian
February 19, 2009
Serendipity is fun. Within about an hour of finishing my article in the last issue of this newsletter, where I talked about the importance of being “contrarian” in your thinking, I found an interesting e-mail in my own inbox. This one was the weekly e-mail newsletter I got from a wine shop we like called Chapel Hill Wine Company, and its owner, Todd Wielar.
I enjoy his newsletter because he provides good updates on different wines; but more importantly, because he write in an irreverent, almost tongue-in-cheek style. Bottom line: I enjoy reading his e-mails each week. (Something to consider in your own communications!)
So here’s an excerpt from the message I was talking about:
Deals: Kind of goes hand in hand with value, I guess. But I will be focusing more than ever on finding really good deals. Which means buying big. Not exactly what my accountant would suggest right now, but if I want to get the best deals, then I need to commit. So commit I will. I’m only hoping you all are along for the ride!
And these are real deals, mind you. Feel free to price shop. I know I won’t nail it 100% of the time. There is always some joker who will price their three bottles of wine x a buck cheaper after reading my e-mail. But day in and day out, I think you’ll find our prices will stand up next to anyone’s. Of course, I can just tell you I will “price match” any competitor’s advertised price, but that misses the point, doesn’t it? You’ve got other things to do than run around comparing prices. I’m hoping my six plus years of delivering the goods will reassure you that you can save your time and just buy from us!
So many good points in these two paragraphs, I don’t even know where to start. Let’s review them one at a time.
- Act Like a Contrarian – As we said in the last newsletter, sometimes it’s better to “zig” when everyone else is “zagging.” To get good deals for his customers, Todd is buying selected wines in big lots, despite what the lagging economy would suggest. You should consider taking a similar approach in your marketing, advertising, and purchasing strategies as your own economics permit.
- Sell on Value, Not on Price – It’s an important distinction, because even though his two stores will usually have the low price on a particular bottle of wine, this is more of a nice bonusthan it is the foundation of his Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Competing on low price alone is a dangerous game to play, and leaves you vulnerable to the “some joker” Todd references in his e-mail.
- Explain the Value in Terms the Customer Can Appreciate – But don’t most people want the best price? Well, yes, but at what cost? Todd presents a compelling case for just coming into his store: six years experience “delivering the goods” and a reliably low price – if not the lowest price – that will save you from wasting time and effort to save a measly buck or two.
My only regret in this whole situation is that his two stores in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough are 40 and 50 minutes respectively from my house. Otherwise, the great selection, value prices, and special tasting events – combined with Todd’s humorous writing style – would make this my primary local wine shop.
Can you create as strong a USP and personality for your own business? Send in your example to newsletter@qualitytalk.com, and maybe I’ll drink a toast to you in a future issue!
Team Scrabble
February 19, 2009
With all the talk about working in teams, a quick examination of most compensation and recognition systems reveals that it is still individual effort—not teamwork—that gets recognized and rewarded.
With a slight adjustment in attitude, teams could turn this around.
A few months ago, I wrote an article about a former colleague who adapted his company’s traditional review process to focus on team versus individual results. I received several interesting replies to this. The most interesting of these was not related to work, but was centered around a family situation at home.
This person wrote about how his family spent time together playing different types of board games. Of course, most board games are designed to be competitive—with one person winning and the others fighting for second, third, or fourth place.
The game of Scrabble is no exception. This family, however, added an interesting twist to the scoring: instead of each person trying to maximize his or her individual score, the goal was to place the letters on the board in such a way that the family—working as a team—would get the highest possible total score.
What a great way to learn about the value of teamwork—while having fun!
Instead of trying to accomplish everything on your own, try to find opportunities in your organization to leverage the capabilities of your team. In most cases, you’ll accomplish more—and do it more effectively—working in teams than you will working individually.
Saying “Thank You!”
February 17, 2009
Sometimes we get so busy we forget to thank the people who work with us. A few weeks ago I received a very powerful “thank you” for something I hadn’t even done yet.
Those of you who have been receiving the newsletter for a while will remember that my son and I were planning to ride in the MS-150 in September. This was a 150-mile bicycle ride to raise funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
My son had raised over $300 from our neighbors, family, and friends, and from his friends and teachers at school. The day before the ride I received a call that got me really excited about the ride.
The call was from a woman named Kathy Smith. She explained that she had Multiple Sclerosis and that she was calling to personally thank my son and me for taking the time to ride. She said that too often the participants in the ride don’t get to see the impact their efforts have on the lives of people living with MS.
Money raised in the previous year’s ride, she explained, helped fund education and support programs that had helped her personally to understand and deal with her disease. She thanked us sincerely once again.
So whenever we got tired during the ride, we reminded ourselves of Kathy’s call and of the reason we were riding in the first place. Compared to what she was going through, our fatigue was nothing to complain about. We refocused and kept on going.
How many times do we take for granted the things that people do for us—whether at work or in our personal lives? Take time this week to identify one person whose efforts have helped you develop personally or professionally and send them a note or give them a call. I can tell you from personal experience that they will really appreciate the gesture.
A Tale of Two Bagels
February 12, 2009
Your attitude in dealing with customers can make a huge difference in your business. An inappropriate level of customer service will cause you to lose business.
There are two national bagel store chains near my house, almost exactly the same distance away. They offer the same basic varieties, the same types of cream cheese, and the same extra items. But that’s where the similarities end.
At one store, the people working behind the counter seem as if they could care less about working there. When my turn comes to approach the counter, I’m greeted with a less-then-enthusiastic “Next.” They rarely smile; they never recognize customers who shop there regularly; and throughout the whole experience, they act as if they’re doing you a favor by serving you.
When I leave the store, I usually feel disappointed by the whole experience—even if the bagels were great! Interestingly enough, this attitude is not limited to this one location. I have been in several other stores in this franchise, and they all exhibit the same lackluster approach to service.
Contrast this with the behavior I see at the other bagel store. The owners are enthusiastic, almost gregarious. One of them is always in the store greeting customers, chatting with them on line, and generally treating them like old friends. They call their regulars by name and frequently remember what people have ordered in the past.
When I leave this store, I usually feel up-beat and energetic. And with the two stores approximately the same distance from my home, which one do you think gets my business? In fact, I’d probably travel further or go a bit out of my way to get this kind of service.
Interestingly enough, when I mention this to the managers of both shops, I get two decidedly different responses. From the first shop, the response is, “Well, you can fill out a comment card and send it to the district office.” From the second shop the response is, “Thanks! We really like our work and our customers, so it’s easy for us to be enthusiastic!”
With the business environment intensifying in almost every area today, it’s essential to develop and maintain any edge you can over your competition. The way in which you treat your customers—and the way in which they perceive your company—will have a dramatic impact on your long-term viability as an organization.
Cutting Back…or Charging Forward?
February 12, 2009
Business is slow; revenues are down; and people are panicking. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Consider this excerpt from an article I just saw in our local paper:
A Raleigh advertising agency, founded nearly 25 years ago, has filed for bankruptcy protection and on Friday laid off 15 employees. As the recession worsens, they have seen a “significant reduction in our clients’ marketing budgets for 2009,” said their CEO. Clients also are putting off longer-term projects. “There was not enough to keep us afloat,” he said.
Why is the advertising agency filing Chapter 11? Why are their clients’ budgets being slashed? Why are they putting off longer-term projects? The answer is simple: fear.
You see, when the economy starts looking grim, businesses respond with the first knee-jerk reaction that comes to mind: cutting expenses. I used to see this all the time in my previous corporate life. Times are good? Hire like crazy and train everyone. Revenues slowing? Immediate hiring, training, and spending freezes across the board – without considering any strategic spending that might actually help bring the company through the difficult patch.
This same thing is happening in businesses today: “Recession! Arrghhhh! Run for the hills!!! Cut spending! Lay off everyone! Stop advertising!” This is both wrong and dangerous for three reasons:
- It’s pure reaction without any thought. When a crisis hits, it’s always best to think through different scenarios and, more importantly, to consider counterintuitive, outside-the-box options before taking the path everyone else is following.
- It puts you in a “scarcity mentality” where all you think about is avoiding more losses instead of focusing on creating more revenue. It’s the same thing that happens when professional sports teams start playing to “protect the lead” – they almost always squander the very lead they’re trying to protect by focusing on “avoiding loss” instead of “achieving victory.”
- It overlooks the HUGE opportunity that exists in marketing today: less competition for attention. Think about it – if everyone else is cutting back on marketing and advertising expenses, then there are fewer letters and post cards being sent, fewer ads being run, and fewer web sites being updated and managed correctly. All of which spells opportunity for the few brave souls willing to step up and strategically move into this vacuum.
Are you going to follow the pack or blaze your own trail? Target specific market segments; develop irresistible offers; measure response and effectiveness, and you can not only survive, but actually thrive – even in this economy.
I Hate This Thing!
February 12, 2009
We’re training at a new facility these days, the Rex Wellness Center. It forms the perfect “third point” on our triangle: our house, our office, and now our health club are all within three minutes of each other. Makes for very efficient planning of a day.
Of course, since the facility just opened about three weeks ago, everything is new – kind of like the fitness equivalent of that “new-car smell.” And, in particular, it’s nice to have new bikes for the indoor cycling (“spinning”) classes. The best part about these bikes is that they all have a cycle-computer display on them, showing RPMs, Calories Burned, Time on Bike, and, if you have a chest strap, Heart Rate.
Having this information at your fingertips – particularly RPMs and heart rate is almost as essential for a good workout as indicators of air speed, altitude, and direction are for a pilot. They let you know how your body is responding; they give you measurable, trackable feedback, and they push you to work harder when you’re slacking off.
And if there was any doubt about whether this held true for anyone else but me, this concern was put to rest when I heard a loud voice from across the room shout, to no one in particular, “I hate this thing!” When we all looked up to see what the outburst was all about, it was a woman – another triathlete – pointing down at the display, obviously “upset” that it was compelling her to work harder than she would have otherwise.
In the same way, you have to develop the metrics, processes, and discipline to monitor the performance of your key business processes. Do you know the return on investment for every ad you run? Can you measure the efficiency of your staff? Can you accurately estimate the amount of time it will take to complete a project?
These are all essential components to running a successful business. Anything else, and you’re just spinning your wheels.
