Have you ever met someone that you feel like you have known forever? Instant connection. Instant biology, I mean chemistry. You immediately see who they are. You spend the rest of your lives together. Special connection.
Perhaps you re-connected with someone you have known forever and they helped to provide strength, wisdom, and guidance about your life ahead. You shared things, maybe things you have never shared, and the lens you view the world has forever changed. Life's gifts become more. Priorities change. Loving connection.
Maybe you have had a feeling of being someplace before, even though you have never stepped foot in those surroundings prior. A connection to a place that almost brings you to your knees and tears to your eyes. You feel at home, at peace. Spiritual connection.
There are millions of ways to connect with people, places, or things. Perhaps we take those connections for granted until they are taken away. Nothing replaces these connections, we just learn how to connect more. Think about your connections, how can you strengthen your existing and perhaps build new.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Underdog
Not sure it is always fun to be the underdog.
The underdog gets forgotten once they lose. If they win they get called lucky. Statements like “I knew it” or “I told you so” come out in losses. Words like “surprised” and “unbelievable” get used to describe a victory. It’s a tough gig to be the underdog, not easy and certainly the more difficult path.
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) wasn’t supposed to make it very far in this year’s NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament. The Rams received a #11 seed and thought by many as not even deserving of an invitation to the tournament. The prize VCU got for getting into the tournament… one of the four “play-in games” to see how good they were. Not only did they win, they won big! They have continued to win big the past two weeks. Five straight victories and each game they have been the underdog.
VCU plays for the opportunity to go to the Championship on Saturday. HUGE!
See we forget the little guy. We play down to a perceived lesser opponent. We assume the favorite wins. We make decisions based on results, not effort. We make judgments on someone’s talent, not their heart. We pick TEAM’s based on history or legacy not how they show up or practice. We replace luck with skill. No thanks.
It’s about time we reconsider our thinking.
Fortunately for us, VCU reminded us of what is possible. Imagine what underdogs exist in your brackets. Who is the underdog in your tournament? What are the possibilities from your underdogs? What Cinderella will show up big for you next?
Think about what is possible for your organization, amongst your clients, or within your TEAM, there may be an underdog lurking.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Customer Appreciation
Your customers deserve to be appreciated. How do you make sure they are?
No matter the loyal ones, the new ones, the quiet ones, the loud ones or the ones somewhere in the middle, everyone deserves appreciation. The quality of appreciation will result in the quality of partnership. All too often I see transactions occur, no relationship. Or a business is advanced but no follow up. Or a lengthy customer is taken for granted and leaves to a competitor.
Think about the impact you have with the customers you interact with daily. Think about what is possible with those relationships. The least you can do is appreciate them.
Here's a couple of ideas...
It's the simple things that count. What if you created a post card with their favorite place, person, team, or quote on it and sent it as a thank you note. Share with them how much it meant to do business with them.
Add some tech. Follow this new business on Twitter (better yet get them started on Twitter and show them the impact this can have on their business), comment on their website or blog. Create your own video message to send them about any additional ideas you may come up with to help their business. Or highlight their business in your next write up, in your blog, or on your website.
Check in when they least expect. Send them a note after you read an article about their industry, forward a book you thought they may like, or deliver a coffee card from a new place close to their office. Keep it about them, their family, or their business & industry.
Millions of other possibilities. Anxious to hear yours. What ways do you show your appreciation for your customers today? How do you follow up with them? Where else can you show your appreciation for your customers?
No matter the loyal ones, the new ones, the quiet ones, the loud ones or the ones somewhere in the middle, everyone deserves appreciation. The quality of appreciation will result in the quality of partnership. All too often I see transactions occur, no relationship. Or a business is advanced but no follow up. Or a lengthy customer is taken for granted and leaves to a competitor.
Think about the impact you have with the customers you interact with daily. Think about what is possible with those relationships. The least you can do is appreciate them.
Here's a couple of ideas...
It's the simple things that count. What if you created a post card with their favorite place, person, team, or quote on it and sent it as a thank you note. Share with them how much it meant to do business with them.
Add some tech. Follow this new business on Twitter (better yet get them started on Twitter and show them the impact this can have on their business), comment on their website or blog. Create your own video message to send them about any additional ideas you may come up with to help their business. Or highlight their business in your next write up, in your blog, or on your website.
Check in when they least expect. Send them a note after you read an article about their industry, forward a book you thought they may like, or deliver a coffee card from a new place close to their office. Keep it about them, their family, or their business & industry.
Millions of other possibilities. Anxious to hear yours. What ways do you show your appreciation for your customers today? How do you follow up with them? Where else can you show your appreciation for your customers?
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Caring Is Underrated
Caring is so so underrated. Not enough people understand the impact caring has on who they are. Caring is the greatest human strategy on the planet! Caring is the greatest business/networking/sales/communication/marketing strategy on the planet. There is no flaw in caring too much, only not enough.
Caring is in our DNA, its something you are born with for sure, better yet its something you constantly develop over time. Sure we all have circumstance that gives us a baseline of caring, but how we further develop it is up to us. Your level of care is right there for the taking. We don't get lucky and have more care than others. We are not genetically more prone to care more than the person next to us. We don't win the lottery of caring. Caring is a choice. Caring is learned. Caring matters.
Caring is not saying that you do. Caring is not talking about it when everyone is watching. Caring isn't when times are good. Caring is not short term motivator. Caring isn't doing what you have to do. Caring is not standard. Caring isn't convenient. Caring is not telling people. Caring isn't showing up randomly. Caring is more.
Caring is when your Orthodontist shows up on a Saturday to put your braces on because she knows what a crazy schedule you have during the week. (Mine did this past Saturday and inspired this post! Thank you Dr. DeLeon!) Caring is telling everyone I know about my experience with Dr. DeLeon and posting amazing comments about her online. Caring is when your boss sends you an anniversary card thanking you for another awesome year of work. Caring is calling the customers that came in your stores the day prior and asking how we could serve them better. Caring is sending a congratulatory note to a recently promoted business leader in your community, somebody you don't even know. Caring is following the recent business account you just closed on Twitter. Caring is sending a thank you card to the husband/wife/partner/child/parent of your employee because you know how hard they work and how much time they dedicate to their job. Caring is learning a new language because it would better serve the community you work in. Caring is getting your server's name at a restaurant, remembering it and using it your entire stay. Caring is speaking up for what's right even when it's not the popular thing to do. Caring is asking how people are, about their family, or life outside, nothing else. Caring is asking for advice, counsel, or feedback. Caring is commenting on someones blog or website. Caring is responding to those comments regardless if they are good or bad. Caring is admitting that you made mistakes. Caring is hosting lunch with a group of peers so you can learn how to be better at what you do. Caring is reading a book as a TEAM and discussing how it relates to your business. Caring is spending an entire day with someone in another department to learn what they do and why they do it. Caring is enrolling in leadership classes unprovoked. Caring is calling somebody you admire and telling them so.Caring is launching a website called YouCare.com and posting videos, blogs, tweets, or Facebook comments that showcase what it means to care. Caring is teaching others to care, opening your very own University of Care. Caring is a million things more.
Trust me, caring is underrated. Everyone is so focused on where are we to this number or how many of that we made or we need more of this. It's all about the what, the now, the present. Caring is about why or how those numbers are or are not met.Caring is about reviewing history and looking to the future. Caring makes all the difference. You cant fake it, you cant buy it, you can only earn it. Caring is influenced by people, places, and things around you. Your level of care is directly proportionate to your level of personal accountability. The more you care, the more accountable you are, to yourself and others. The more accountable you are the greater your impact. Like I said, the greatest, most underrated human strategy ever!
How do you care?
Caring is in our DNA, its something you are born with for sure, better yet its something you constantly develop over time. Sure we all have circumstance that gives us a baseline of caring, but how we further develop it is up to us. Your level of care is right there for the taking. We don't get lucky and have more care than others. We are not genetically more prone to care more than the person next to us. We don't win the lottery of caring. Caring is a choice. Caring is learned. Caring matters.
Caring is not saying that you do. Caring is not talking about it when everyone is watching. Caring isn't when times are good. Caring is not short term motivator. Caring isn't doing what you have to do. Caring is not standard. Caring isn't convenient. Caring is not telling people. Caring isn't showing up randomly. Caring is more.
Caring is when your Orthodontist shows up on a Saturday to put your braces on because she knows what a crazy schedule you have during the week. (Mine did this past Saturday and inspired this post! Thank you Dr. DeLeon!) Caring is telling everyone I know about my experience with Dr. DeLeon and posting amazing comments about her online. Caring is when your boss sends you an anniversary card thanking you for another awesome year of work. Caring is calling the customers that came in your stores the day prior and asking how we could serve them better. Caring is sending a congratulatory note to a recently promoted business leader in your community, somebody you don't even know. Caring is following the recent business account you just closed on Twitter. Caring is sending a thank you card to the husband/wife/partner/child/parent of your employee because you know how hard they work and how much time they dedicate to their job. Caring is learning a new language because it would better serve the community you work in. Caring is getting your server's name at a restaurant, remembering it and using it your entire stay. Caring is speaking up for what's right even when it's not the popular thing to do. Caring is asking how people are, about their family, or life outside, nothing else. Caring is asking for advice, counsel, or feedback. Caring is commenting on someones blog or website. Caring is responding to those comments regardless if they are good or bad. Caring is admitting that you made mistakes. Caring is hosting lunch with a group of peers so you can learn how to be better at what you do. Caring is reading a book as a TEAM and discussing how it relates to your business. Caring is spending an entire day with someone in another department to learn what they do and why they do it. Caring is enrolling in leadership classes unprovoked. Caring is calling somebody you admire and telling them so.Caring is launching a website called YouCare.com and posting videos, blogs, tweets, or Facebook comments that showcase what it means to care. Caring is teaching others to care, opening your very own University of Care. Caring is a million things more.
Trust me, caring is underrated. Everyone is so focused on where are we to this number or how many of that we made or we need more of this. It's all about the what, the now, the present. Caring is about why or how those numbers are or are not met.Caring is about reviewing history and looking to the future. Caring makes all the difference. You cant fake it, you cant buy it, you can only earn it. Caring is influenced by people, places, and things around you. Your level of care is directly proportionate to your level of personal accountability. The more you care, the more accountable you are, to yourself and others. The more accountable you are the greater your impact. Like I said, the greatest, most underrated human strategy ever!
How do you care?
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Worth The Call
Earlier this week I was reminded (yet again!) of the power a conversation has. When two people share a topic, each listening to and engaging with the others' words its a beautiful thing. Two parties asking questions and throwing out "what if" scenarios; building, advancing thoughts, and creating ideas. Solid! Our topics weren't revolutionary, nor were our solutions extraordinary, but a foundation was laid for what's next. It was that the conversation took place and advanced a partnership. The conversation leveraged strengths, tapped into creativity and emotion that created a series of discussions. Torches were lit, minds were ignited, ideas streamed; ultimately a momentum of success followed.
Oh yeah... these conversations started with a phone call. The partnership, the advancement, and the creation all came sight unseen. Worth the call?
Better yet, why wouldn't I make the call? Why wouldn't I make 20 (my goal each day) of these calls a day? The crazy thing is, all too often we pass up the opportunity to make the call.We have the time but we fill it with something else that selfishly ignites our mind, not others. We (You!) have an obligation to others to make the call. It's your parents, your kids, your peers, your Leaders, your boss, etc. We drive from destination to destination, what happens in between? We have breaks in-between meetings, or classes, or customers, what do we fill them with? We send emails instead of talk, we send texts instead of having a conversation, trust me its worth the call. Perhaps we don't know what to say. Perhaps we don't trust that on the other side of that conversation is success next. Perhaps we have to go out on an limb, engage, or be vulnerable. Perhaps, just perhaps, you can create, ignite, involve, engage, advance, or have success next. Trust me, it's worth the call.
What are you waiting for?
Oh yeah... these conversations started with a phone call. The partnership, the advancement, and the creation all came sight unseen. Worth the call?
Better yet, why wouldn't I make the call? Why wouldn't I make 20 (my goal each day) of these calls a day? The crazy thing is, all too often we pass up the opportunity to make the call.We have the time but we fill it with something else that selfishly ignites our mind, not others. We (You!) have an obligation to others to make the call. It's your parents, your kids, your peers, your Leaders, your boss, etc. We drive from destination to destination, what happens in between? We have breaks in-between meetings, or classes, or customers, what do we fill them with? We send emails instead of talk, we send texts instead of having a conversation, trust me its worth the call. Perhaps we don't know what to say. Perhaps we don't trust that on the other side of that conversation is success next. Perhaps we have to go out on an limb, engage, or be vulnerable. Perhaps, just perhaps, you can create, ignite, involve, engage, advance, or have success next. Trust me, it's worth the call.
What are you waiting for?
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