Trusting with Abandon

You can't tell people that you trust them and then not act out the part. That breaks the trust. Trust takes forever to earn and a heartbeat to lose. You have to just let go with someone when you give them your trust. All in. You have to let them walk down the dark path on their own to discover the thorns, the roses, and everything else that goes along with the journey. It is their journey at this point not yours. You have your own paths to traverse. To truly trust someone is to let them go and meet them at the other side.

So many people say that trust is one of the most important qualities when evaluating a boss, a relationship, a friendship. But ask yourself how willing you are to hand over the keys, disengage and deal with the results from their decisions? What does it buy you to trust? Think about how much more you can focus on the things that you own to drive results and accomplish your goals without having to focus on something that you have "trusted" another person to do.

Trust is contagious. If you trust them entirely and let them drive, they will trust you. And you will create an amazingly effective partnership. You will find yourself seeking out these types of people and surrounding yourself with them at work and in your personal life.

Think there's some merit in what I'm saying? Trust me...

The Cat And The Rock

It's quiet. I'm sitting outside on my porch and there is a new type of silence tonight. It's not a perfectly calm type of silence but more of an uneasy one though I wish it weren't so. Either way I'm glad to have it. And a night where it's just cool enough to feel the weather and know you exist.

My mind is wandering aimlessly with thoughts of what news I will hear...no news is not necessarily good news, but it's the state I'm in right now. Waiting and thinking. Feeling obligated to solve world hunger? Not quite but the temptation feels a bit like that. I feel that often. Too often really. When i sit still I feel like I'm letting myself down but when i get up to move that I deserve a break. Crazy, right? Wow, my blog has become a diary tonight. Maybe I should stick to writing more about work? Nah, too predictable.

And that's not me. Especially not tonight. I was called out here tonight. Fine, don't believe me. But I was sitting inside near the porch door and I distinctly saw a shadow move past and heard footsteps outside. I thought it must have been a cat. I looked outside cautiously and there was nothing there. But the footsteps called me. So i came out, unafraid and investigated. No cat. No one sneaking around except this night. And a gas lamp. And this nice cool breeze that keeps me here. So I sat down. Ever feel the night draw you in? Not my first time.

I suppose I should say something profound now that I'm sitting out here writing away with no cat. Here goes: you know how you can only fold a paper so many times? Then you hit a limit. Try it. Fold it in half, then in half again. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. I dare you. Then you hit a wall and you have this tiny mass of folded paper, like a rock. Why do people do that to themselves? Try not to be that rock of paper.

Enjoy this night...

Customer dis-Service

Customer service. Amazing to me how hard it seems for companies to grasp how critical this is. It is the single biggest reason we come back to a store, a website or buy a product or service. It's also the single biggest reason we leave. Our loyalty is tied directly to the hip to exceptional focus on customer and the service we get. We don't want automated call center systems with robotic voices designed to save them money. We don't want to wait in a queue for what seems like an eternity to get them to fix something they screwed up. We don't want excuses about how it's a system problem or that they can't fix it without transferring us to another person or department.

Cheaper prices don't make up for lackluster service. We look at competitors with cheaper prices, but we leave because of the lack of customer service and support. The top loyalty or membership companies retain and grow their customer base by putting them first. Build systems and processes to make life easier for members, not for the bottom line via cost cutting.

"I'm so sorry sir to have made this difficult for you. I sincerely apologize. We are so priveliged to have your business and want to do everything we can to maintain the highest level of support and confidence in us. I will go ahead and take care of this right away (no questions asked).". When's the last time you felt that reassured that they had your back? Vs. struggling like hell to talk to a real person and then feeling like you are repeating yourself to try to get them to even understand the problem that they created in the first place? And confidence that they will resolve it quickly? That it won't happen again? I've talked to so many agents, clerks or salesman that come across like they really just don't care. How does that work? I'm the customer!

It shocks me that companies don't understand this and invest in this. They seem to spend more time and money after the fact trying to lure customers back with calls, emails and direct mail campaigns promising new deals, better offers and more value - but the same crappy service that drove you away stains every message, every campaign.

It's been so painful to find a company with a real "customer-first" approach that when I do, I'm that much more loyal. I'm attracted to these companies, and when I find them, I'm even willing to pay more to stick around. And I do stick around, for years - maybe my lifetime. I don't think I'm alone on this. Just funny how few companies are paying attention...

The Greatest Skill

Thought for the day: adaptability might be one's most effective skill in the workplace. Think about how often you are asked to wear a different hat at work, play a different role and be successful. The more you are surrounded with these type of people, the more you collectively get done.

I've learned that this is something that can be evaluated in a very binary manner, black or white - either you have this ability or you don't. And if you don't, you will likely never get it. If you do, you're the type of person that can learn a new skill, be it a new role at work such as business analysis or project management. Or trade skills like carpentry, tiling a floor, plumbing. Recreational skills like basketball, golf, or billiards. What's crazier is that most of the people I know that have this skill not only can learn new things quickly and effectively, they tend to have the ability to master them as well. Which is scary if you are someone without this skill in a specific role, watching someone else learn your trade in no time and quickly outperform you.

These are the types of people that any organization should work tirelessly to find. These are the people you'd want day 1 if you started your own business venture. These are the people you'd want if trapped on a desert island. These are the people I have found a way to surround myself with and I don't take this for granted in the least.