by Ginny | Jul 11, 2010 | General
I’ll bet we’ve all had the experience of having a customer service representative ask “May I assist you with anything?” and I’d venture a guess that most of us respond “No, thank you, I’m just looking.” So, one more time… how does a company set itself apart from the rest and truly engage customers? … by engaging it’s own employees! Cole Haan is my newest shinning example of a company providing exceptional service.
My fellow consultants and speakers will understand my quest for a comfortable pair of shoes that will take me through a full day on my feet followed by a run through airports. I visited a local Cole Haan store this past weekend and after the usual exchange, the sales rep went on to share with me that she personally tries on every pair of shoes that come into the store so she can offer her personal recommendations to shoppers. This woman was amazing. She guided me to a seriously comfortable pair of shoes, and when they didn’t have the color/size I wanted, she had them shipped to my home at no additional cost. Biggest Take Away: It was so obvious that she REALLY enjoyed helping me. Genuine Enthusiasm is an unbeatable competitive advantage. -Ginny Hegarty
by Ginny | Jun 30, 2010 | General
You can’t avoid the 24/7 news coverage of the fallout from General McChrystal’s Rolling Stone interview in which he questions the administration’s strategies and decisions. One interesting debate is whether the General’s obvious skill and talent will buffer him from serious consequences. Is anyone too good to lose? Too big to fail?
While your practice doesn’t command the public stage of this situation, your leadership may very well be publicly challenged by a valued team-member. It’s sad when a doctor tells me “I just fired the best employee I ever had.” These debacles can most often be avoided. The best way to develop your talent and avoid insubordination in my experience is to be crystal clear in defining your practice values and culture, proving a roadmap for the team. Create opportunities for open conversation, brainstorming and productive debate. Give your team a voice and reap the rewards of their knowledge, experience and perspective.
by Ginny | Jun 7, 2010 | General
Coach John Wooden, a man I admire in both leadership and in life passed away on Friday. I wanted to share one of my favorite pearls of knowledge from him that appears in his 1997 book Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court.
Do you know the names Neville Saner, Bill Sweek or Gary Franklin? I didn’t think so, but Wooden believes that they were as much an integral part of his championship UCLA teams as household names like Bill Walton, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Gail Goodrich. Coach Wooden tells us that everyone in a team from the lowest of secretaries to the starting point guard have a role to play, and if they don’t fulfill that role, the team can never reach its full potential.
Coach says that all the members of a team have to be made to feel that their role is an important one, which it most certainly is, and that they deserve to be valued and appreciated for their integral contribution to the team. He notes that the stars will get their recognition from other sources and can be thanked personally, but it is the proverbial little guy that you should focus on recognizing publicly. Case in point, in the press conference following the ’69 NCAA Championship game, Coach mentioned Gary Franklin’s key rebound before Kareem’s 37 points.
How have you made all the members of your team feel appreciated lately?
by Ginny | May 7, 2010 | General
We’ve always been told, “plan for the future”, but there’s a mantra that I like even better, “there’s no time like the present”. This idea is reinforced in this month’s issue of T&D, in an article by Warren Wilhelm of the Global Consulting Alliance.
Wilhelm notes that by focusing on the challenges and opportunities that your practice has today you can be both more competitive and more resilient in robust and tough times. Working on the present will provide you with instant feedback on your decisions, rather than simply relying on projections or waiting for the unknown to occur. He is quick to note that learning for the future cannot be left behind, as it surely important to look ahead and be prepared for what may come, but he argues that one cannot be prepared for the future without being aware of the present.
Wilhelm goes on to extol the virtue of team based learning, saying that teams often do a far better job generating ideas than one person working on his or her own. Biggest take away: Focus internally, focus on the opportunities, focus on what you can control.
by Ginny | Apr 13, 2010 | General
HBR this month reports that studies show a tailored approach to engaging employees will improve all-around results. “Engaged employees perform better, are more loyal, take less sick time, are less likely to quit, and enjoy better health and personal well-being.” Certainly a worthy goal for all team members, and a way to support high-performers.
Gallop Organization study reported in HBR that companies with engaged customers produced a 23% increase in revenue. How do you get engaged customers?….. Only with engaged employees! What are you doing to engage your team? To develop people skills? To build resiliency? An investment in team development will bring significant ROI improving your dental practice and your life. Contact us at 610-873-8404 to discuss our Turning Talent Into Business Performance Workshops.
