A few months ago I had not been feeling well for a few days. My wife suggested that we go to an urgent care center so I could get checked out. When we arrived I was very impressed with the appearance of the clinic. It was clean, uncluttered and modern looking.
I was impressed with the staff as well. To a person, their appearance was very professional. Everyone introduced themselves and explained their role. When the nurse practitioner came in, she appeared to genuinely care about me and my condition.
When I explained to her how I had been feeling, she ordered a chest x-ray. She was puzzled by the results and suggested that I go to the emergency room. She gave me a copy of the x-ray on CD, wished me well, and sent me on my way.
When I arrived at the hospital emergency room I was checked in by a receptionist who couldn't seem to care less about my condition. A few minutes later I was called in to see the triage nurse. She asked me questions in such an impersonal way, I felt like a car getting an oil change. "Mileage?" "Make and model?"
I was then taken to a room within the emergency department. The room was small, cluttered and had old, hand-taped signs all over the walls. After a while, the doctor came in. She was very disheveled and abrupt. After a few initial questions, she asked to see the CD with the x-ray results.
Once she took a look, she quickly concluded that I had pneumonia. She prescribed medication and I was on my way. The medication was very effective and I was feeling well within 48 hours.
I frequently refer to the concepts of warmth and strength. By warmth, I mean good relational skills. Projecting a warm, welcoming and caring demeanor. By strength, I mean competency and expertise.
In my experience above, the urgent care center projected warmth but, in this particular instance, lacked in strength (competency.) The emergency department was just the opposite, the staff lacked warmth but displayed strength (expertise.)
Although the concept of warmth and strength applies to organizations, it can apply to individuals as well. I am convinced that if you project both warmth and strength, you will absolutely stand out in the marketplace.
Never stop improving your job skills. Keep learning. Stay up to date in your field. Be sure you are extremely competent.
But the same holds true for your relational skills. Constantly seek to improve and hone your relational skills. They are just as important in the marketplace as competency.
Warmth and strength. Tough and tender. Courageous and considerate.
That is total performance. That is the winning combination.
Make Each Day a Masterpiece
"Make each day a masterpiece."
- John Wooden
We all want to live a rewarding, enjoyable, and meaningful life. This happens a day at a time. A good day means balancing structure with flexibility.
Having a list of 20 things to do and keeping your head down all day to make sure everything gets checked off leaves no room for life to happen in the 'white spaces'.
Simply going with the flow with no game plan will likely lead to busywork, distractions and drifting all day. Flying by the seat of your pants is not a recipe for success.
Here are 4 simple ways to make each day a masterpiece.
1. Plan Your Day
Planning your day helps you live with intention and purpose. Be clear about what you want to achieve. I recommend that you decide on three priority items that you want to accomplish for the day. You can plan for more but focus on the big 3. (You can get my Win the Day Action Plan template here.)
2. Start Strong and End Well
The two most important parts of an airplane ride are the take-off and landing. In the same way, you want your day to have good 'bookends'.
Henry Ward Beecher said, "the first hour is the rudder of the day." In other words, how you start your day sets the direction for the next 18 hours. Give yourself some time for solitude first thing in the morning. Read something uplifting. Think through the day ahead and about bringing your best self to every situation.
And don't end the day with a whimper. Listen to instrumental music as you fall asleep or express gratefulness for the gift of rest. Reflect back on the day: what went well, what didn't, and how you can make tomorrow even better.
3. Slow Down
Most of us are constantly thinking of 'the next thing'. Be in the moment. Do one thing at a time. Devote your full energy to what you are currently doing. If you are going for an outside walk to get your daily steps in, enjoy the scenery. If you are writing a report, do it well. If you are stuck in a traffic jam, rather than letting your frustration mount, enjoy some music or engage your mind in a helpful podcast. (I personally recommend The Accelerating Excellence Podcast!)
4. Make Quick Corrections
If you find yourself surfing Facebook too long or having some junk food that you regret eating, get back on track quickly. Don't abandon your game plan, simply make adjustments. If your emotions got the best of you and you said something you shouldn't have, promptly apologize. We all make mistakes. Look through the windshield, not the rearview mirror.
Life is about success, not perfection.
"A successful life does not result from chance, nor is it determined by fate or good fortune, but rather through a succession of successful days."
- Ari Kiev
I will be speaking at the New England College Human Resource Management Conference on Thursday, August 9th on the topic The Exceptional Workplace: 5 Practical Ways to Build a Culture of Collaboration, Retention and Results.
I would love to see you there. Find out the details here.
The Problem with "No Problem"
As we were out to dinner several nights ago, we had an outstanding waitress. She was friendly, knowledgeable and responsive.
There was only one problem, her response to almost everything was “no problem.”
- When we asked if we could have lemon with our water, she said “no problem.”
- When she brought out our dinner and we thanked her, she said “no problem.”
- When she handed us our check and I thanked her for the good service, she said “no problem.”
Here are 3 reasons why saying “no problem” in a customer service interaction is less than ideal.
1. Both words, no and problem, are negative. It conveys to the customer ‘you are not bothering me too much.’
2. The phrase ‘no problem’ is too common and mediocre. In the customer service arena, your goal is to delight the customer. ‘No problem’ doesn't convey that message.
3. There are much better phrases to use in the same situation.
Let’s take a look:
- “Could I have lemon with my water?” “Of course.”
- As the server brings the meal to our table and we say, ‘thank you.” “You are very welcome. Enjoy!’
- As I thank the server for the good service. “It was my pleasure.”
Substituting the phrase ‘no problem’ with a few, better alternatives is one of the simplest, easiest and most powerful ways to elevate the customer service experience.
You can easily apply this on a personal or organizational level.
I'm hoping you don't have a problem with that.
The Power of Words: 3 Ways to Build Others Up
Words are powerful. They can be a force for bad or a force for good. Words can tear down or build up. We see the damage that words do every day in the political arena, from both sides of the aisle. The world is full of downers, naysayers and mean-spirited criticizers.
Set yourself apart from all that nonsense. Resolve to use your words as a force for good in the lives of those you interact with every day. Decide that you are going to be a person who builds others up.
“Great people are those who can make other people feel,
they too, can become great.”
– Mark Twain
Here are 3 simple, but powerful, ways you can build others up.
APPRECIATION
Appreciation is simply expressing gratitude to someone. Decide to be the kind of person who consistently expresses gratitude – to your spouse, your kids, your parents, your friends, even your restaurant server.
If you are a leader, in order to be effective, you must be good at expressing appreciation. With the economy being so strong, companies are desperately fighting to retain employees. One of the simplest and most effective ways to get employees to stay is to let them know how much you appreciate them.
Keep in mind there is a difference between felt gratitude and expressed gratitude. We are often grateful to others but fail to express it. Unexpressed gratitude is interpreted by the other as ingratitude.
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it
is like wrapping a gift and never giving it.”
-William Ward
Are you good at expressing gratitude? When was the last time you told someone how much you appreciated them? Have you written a thank you note to someone lately?
AFFIRMATION
Affirmation is simply telling someone what they are good at. We are all born on the wrong side of our eyeballs, so we don’t often see what we are naturally good at. Help others see the areas of giftedness.
Affirmation looks like this:
- You have a natural way of inspiring others.
- You are a great communicator. You have a way of organizing and simplifying ideas so they are easy to understand.
- Your attention to detail is exceptional.
- Your creativity and eye for design is outstanding. You are really gifted at that.
Whether a parent, teacher, or leader, one of the most important things you can do is help others see their how God has uniquely gifted them.
Many years ago, I had a boss who saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. She put me in a position to play to my strengths and it literally changed my life. I went from having a J.O.B. to having a vocation.
When was the last time you revealed to someone their strengths? When have you said “wow, you are really gifted in that area.”?
ENCOURAGEMENT
While appreciation and affirmation focus on the past, encouragement focuses on the future. Appreciation and affirmation say, “you did it” while encouragement says, “you can do it!”
The word encouragement literally means ‘to give courage.’
Most people have goals and dreams but are also entangled with self-doubt. A lot of people think they are out of their league when they are not. Give people the gift of confidence. Help others believe in themselves. The truth is very few of us live even close to our potential. When you encourage someone, you help them move closer to their potential.
I am not suggesting you become an insincere back-slapper. I am encouraging you to decide each morning that you will look for opportunities that day to use three powerful, positive weapons: appreciation, affirmation and encouragement.
Building another up takes so little time and effort on our part and could be literally life changing to the other person. Decide now to be a person who speaks life into others.
It’s ironic, but this is how life works, as you build others up – your own life becomes more meaningful and rewarding.
Let’s call that a win-win.
The Power of First Impressions
"You never get a second chance to make a great first impression."
- Will Rogers
Two days ago, for insurance reasons, I went to a new dentist office. I had a 9:30 a.m. appointment but was told to arrive 15 minutes early to fill out a medical history. I arrived early and filled out the paperwork. Then I began to wait. There was one other person in the waiting room and he was called back around 9:30.Now I was the only one in the waiting room. I waited 15 more minutes and hadn't heard a word from the people sitting behind the desk 15 feet away from me. I set my watch alarm for 10 a.m. and decided that if I didn't hear from anyone by then, I would leave.
10 a.m. came and no one said a word to me.
Not "We will be with you in a few minutes."
Not "We really apologize for the delay."I went to the front desk and respectfully told them that I was canceling my appointment and why.
It could have been a great dentistry practice. My experience could have been the exception rather than the rule. It didn't matter to me. This was my singular experience.
This is the power of first impressions.
First impressions are like wet cement. You only have a small window of opportunity to make an impression. Once that impression is made, it is difficult to change.
In addition, research indicates that we make an unconscious judgment about a person when we first meet them within the first 7 seconds.
Here are 3 simple ways that you can make a great first impression. (I feel like I am giving you a blinding flash of the obvious, but these behaviors are not necessarily practiced.)
1. Be cheerful and welcoming. Smile. Act like you are happy to meet the person.
“I look for someone who produces a positive emotional effect
the minute they walk in the room.”
-Ken Blanchard,
CEO, The Ken Blanchard CompaniesWhen I teach customer service for physician practices, I encourage front office staff to give new patients a special greeting like:
"Welcome to our practice." and/or
"We are happy to have you as a patient."Those few words make a big difference.
2. Be others-oriented. Spend less time trying to make an impression and more time being impressed by others. Take an interest in the other person. Ask them about themselves.
Here is a simple life principle: we like people who like us.
3. Maintain a neat, clean appearance.
Whether we like it or not, people do judge a book by its cover.
Realtors talk about the importance of 'curb appeal.' If the house doesn't look presentable from the outside, buyers usually don't want to take a look inside.
I recently heard a young entrepreneur speak. He said when he calls on customers, even CEOs, he wears a baseball cap, backwards. He explained that he has to be himself and that's his style. That's very naive.
Dressing inappropriately or neglecting your appearance suggests that you are socially unaware or careless.
Psychologists say that first impressions have a 'primacy effect.' In other words, first impressions are more impactful and longer lasting than subsequent impressions.
Have you given thought to the first impression you make?
Those who win in the marketplace understand the unique power of first impressions.
“The first impression will either open the door or close it.
It’s that important.”
- Betsy Johnson
I'm excited to share that we have added a new section to the Accelerating Excellence Website, the Resource Gallery.
Here you can access my podcasts, ebooks, whitepapers and templates in your pursuit of personal and professional excellence. We will regularly update this section with more resources to help you succeed.
The Comparison Trap: 3 Ways to Overcome It
A few years ago, I attended a conference in Orlando. Because I am an early riser and like to work out in the morning, I found myself alone in the hotel fitness center at 5:30 a.m. I immediately began to mentally congratulate myself on how disciplined I was compared to all the lazy sleepyheads still in their rooms.
About 10 minutes later, someone about 20 years younger than me got on a treadmill. It didn’t take long before he was running about 3 times as fast as me. I immediately began to think about how out of shape and slow I was.
This is the comparison trap. When we constantly measure ourselves against others, we fluctuate back and forth from having a superiority complex to having an inferiority complex. Neither are healthy.
Unfortunately, comparing ourselves to others is the default human condition. But with mental training, we can re-wire our brains to combat this tendency.
Here are 3 dangers in comparing ourselves to others, along with a corresponding remedy.
DANGER #1: WE BECOME UNGRATEFUL BECAUSE WE TEND TO LOOK AT THOSE WHO HAVE IT BETTER.
My natural tendency is to envy those who have a nicer car, less fat and more hair. This takes away from all the blessings I do have.
REMEDY #1: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
If you are reading this, you likely have more material blessings than 98% of the rest of the world. Quit comparing yourself to the other 2%.
Start each morning thanking God for all that you do have: food, clothing, shelter, health, family, friends, a job, etc. As your head hits the pillow, practice gratefulness again.
“The reason we struggle with insecurity is because
we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.”
- Andy Stanley
DANGER #2: IT CREATES SCARCITY THINKING
When we compare ourselves to others, we don’t want the best for others. We think that, somehow, someone else’s success hinders our own success.
REMEDY #2: ADOPT ABUNDANCE THINKING
Understand that there is more than enough good to go around for everyone. The other person can thrive and prosper – and you can too!
DANGER #3: WE FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN'T CONTROL
There will always be others who have it better or are better in some areas. Therefore, comparing our self to others is futile and discouraging. This thinking creates wasted energy and fosters discontent.
REMEDY #3: PURSUE PERSONAL EXCELLENCE
Focus on being your best. Direct your energy on making full use of the gifts God gave you. Maximize your abilities.
“I decided to resign myself
from the position of general manager of the universe.”
– Jeffrey Gitomer
Comparing yourself to others creates envy, diffuses your energy, and limits your potential. Focusing on being all you can be, brings inner peace and fulfillment. Quit looking around you, look within you, and look up with gratitude.
I'm excited to share that we have added a new section to the Accelerating Excellence Website, the Resource Gallery.
Here you can access my podcasts, ebooks, whitepapers and templates in your pursuit of personal and professional excellence. We will regularly update this section with more resources to help you succeed.
I'm excited to share that we have added a new section to the Accelerating Excellence Website, the Resource Gallery.
Here you can access my podcasts, ebooks, whitepapers and templates in your pursuit of personal and professional excellence. We will regularly update this section with more resources to help you succeed.
The Game of Life is Won Behind the Scenes
"The glory and glamour come after the grunt work."
- Jeffrey FoxMy wife recently won ribbons for a quilt she made. It looked beautiful as it was displayed at the Quilt Show. What people didn’t see was her working alone in her sewing room hour upon hour doing tedious and detailed work.
Any time you see the work of a great musician, author, or athlete - know that you are seeing the tip of the iceberg. What happens below the surface (or behind the scenes) is what really determines greatness.
When I visited the Country Music Hall of Fame, I saw the original lyrics of some of the greatest songs of all time. They were hand written on a plain sheet of paper and the writing looked like chicken scratch.
Stephen King, in his book On Writing, speaks at length of the laborious process of writing a crummy first draft then editing it over and over.
John Wooden's UCLA basketball team won 10 NCAA championships in 12 years. They conditioned themselves so well in practice, that late in games when the opposing team was tired, they ran the opposition off the floor.
"When you work hard in silence, success will make the noise."
Talent is important, but not nearly as important as discipline and persistence.
In what area of life do you want to be great? How will you get there?
• Not by dawdling.
• Not by dabbling.
• Not by being distracted by trivia.
Do you want to be in great shape? It will take consistent, disciplined action over an extended period of time. Do you want to deliver a great presentation? It will take a lot of thought, preparation and practice.
Success and excellence come from training and discipline more often than talent or a lightning bolt of creativity. If you learn to be disciplined, you don’t have to wait around for motivation – just get to work.
Learn to give your best behind the scenes and you will be rewarded publicly.
"Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration."
- Thomas Edison
Play Offense: 4 Ways to Move from Surviving to Thriving
"The best way to predict the future is to create it."
– Peter Drucker
Many people live their lives hoping to ‘get by.’ They hope it will be a good year financially. They hope they don’t get laid off. They hope their kids turn out all right. They hope they don’t mess up in a job interview.
One of the best things you can do is to decide to live on offense. Living on offense means you make things happen. You are not going to sit back and hope for the best. You are going to move some things. You are taking the steering wheel of your life.
The #1 habit of Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is ‘Be Proactive.' That's the proper placement. Everything starts from there.
Here are four ways you can move from living on defense to living on offense.
Practice Positive Discontent
We should be grateful for all the good things in life, to count our blessings. Gratitude is a very healthy emotion. But there is no reason why we can’t be thankful for all that we have, while we pursue improving our lot in life. While gratitude is healthy, complacency is not. When you become complacent, you coast. And the only direction you can coast is downhill.
Pursue Excellence
Excellence is a lot more fun than mediocrity. Aim high. Don’t think about getting by, think about nailing it! When I have a big speaking engagement, my thought pattern is not “I hope I don’t screw up.” I am a person of faith, so I recite a phrase by the Apostle Paul, “God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.” We need to do more talking to ourselves and less listening to our self-doubting voices. You can’t thrive tentatively.
"The story of the human race is the story
of people selling themselves short."
– Abraham Maslow
View Life as an Adventure
Try new things. Explore. If you happen to be somewhere you don’t necessarily want to be, (the opera, an infection control meeting, etc.) become curious. Instead of wishing you were somewhere else, decide to be in the moment and learn something new. If your plans don’t go as planned, be flexible. Adjust. If you make a mistake, learn from it and do it better next time.
Make the Best of Any Situation
Despite being proactive, much of what happens to us is still out of our control. We need to decide to make the best of any situation. When adversity strikes, make the best of it. When change is required, make the best of it.
This also goes for positive situations. Years ago I was asked at the last minute to attend a conference in Chicago. The person making the travel arrangements told me, “Don’t tell anyone, but the hotel was completely booked except for the Presidential Suite.” When I arrived at the room, I couldn’t believe how big and luxurious it was. My initial thought was, “I don’t feel comfortable here. I am so out of my element.” Then I decided that I will likely never have this opportunity again, so I took it all in and acted like an important person for 3 days.
Some people think the goal of life is to arrive safely at death. Life is meant to be lived large and to the fullest. Not irresponsibly, but positively and joyfully.
Average to excellent. Surviving to thriving. Defense to offense.
Make your move.
The One Powerful Secret to Goal Setting
When the why is powerful enough, you can figure out the how.
Most of us have heard all the rules about goal setting. Goals must be specific. Goals must be measurable. Goals must have a deadline. These guidelines are useful.
But I have found the most powerful practice in goal setting is writing down the ‘why’ behind the goal. This element is strangely missing in most of the literature around goal setting.
We, as humans, are purpose-driven beings. We are engineered and function best when we are on mission. But the fuel behind effective goal setting is understanding, first and foremost, the why you want to achieve a certain goal. Let me give you some examples.
Right now I am working on three goals. I will share them with you, along with the ‘why’ behind them.
Goal #1:
Write a book on Employee Engagement and finish it by August 31st.
Why?
- My content gets distributed to a wider audience.
- My content lives beyond me.
- I gain greater credibility in my field.
- It leads to more and better opportunities.
- It helps crystallize my thinking on the subject.
Goal #2:
Lose 20 pounds by May 31st.
(I started on January 1st. I’m halfway there but slightly behind schedule.)
Why?
- Health - help prevent diabetes, have more energy, live a long and vibrant life for my family’s sake and, hopefully, enjoy grandkids in the future.
- Increase self-confidence - increased self-discipline leads to increased self-confidence. (Internal Reasons)
- Look better. Clothes fit better. Increased credibility in my field. (External Reasons)
Goal #3:
Learn to play piano
Why?
- It will be a healthy, emotionally replenishing hobby.
- It will tap into my creative side.
- It will challenge me intellectually.
- It is a hobby I can continue throughout the rest of my life.
I have done a lot of goal setting in my life. But only recently did I discover the importance of being clear on the why. The 'why' is the fuel that powers the how.
I have created a simple Goal Worksheet that includes three sections,
- The Goal
- Why? Reasons for the goal
- How? Actions to take to achieve the goal
It’s a simple, but powerful tool that can help you in your journey to live life with intention, purpose and power.
What's your why?
Download it here.
Living on Purpose: 5 Powerful Reasons to Set Goals
“The world makes way for a person who knows where they are going.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Nobody ever wanders into greatness. Successful people live with intention and purpose. They decide what is important and go after it. They are proactive.
Setting and moving toward a goal works in harmony with how we are built as humans. We are innately purpose-driven beings.
The first step to living on purpose is setting goals.
Here are 5 reasons you should set goals:
1. Goals Give Clarity.
It’s been said if you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time. When you set a clear goal, it is like putting a destination in your GPS. You decide exactly what your destination is. When you take the wrong road while using your GPS, it will steer you back in the right direction. Goals also let you know when you get off course so you can get back on track.
2. Goals Give Focus.
Light diffused is not very powerful, but light focused becomes a laser that can cut through steel. There is power in concentration. Being single-minded helps you accomplish things faster and with higher quality.
3. Goals Give Motivation.
Goals create a structural tension in the mind. Once you set a goal, your mind wants to close the gap from where you are to where you want to be. Right now I have a specific weight goal. I may not always make the right choice regarding exercise or eating, but that goal is always ‘top of mind’ and tempers my behavior.
4. Goals Give Feedback.
If your goal is specific, as it should be, it will give you feedback on your progress. If you have a goal to exercise 4 times a week and you are actually working out 2 times a week, that is pretty clear feedback. You know exactly where you stand in regard to your goal.
5. Goals Give Fulfillment.
We function best and are happiest when we are moving toward a goal. There is nothing more rewarding than deciding what is important in life and then using our time, talent and energy in pursuit of what’s important.
Research indicates that only 8% of people have clear goals and only 3% have them written down. Be the exception.
"Nothing can add more power to your life than concentrating all your energies on a limited set of targets." - Nido Qubein
I have created a very simple goal worksheet. It has three elements:
- What? A place to write the goal.
- Why? A place to list the reasons why you desire to achieve the goal.
- How? Action steps to take in order to achieve your goal.
Download it for free here.