Great Answer! Can you relate?
In an interview with Inc Magazine, Zappos’ CEO Tony Hsieh was asked what the least glamorous thing he does is. His answer was “Going Through Airport Security” – Isn’t that the truth!
Even More Impressive
I wrote a few days ago about how impressed I was by the service I received at Cole Haan. It just got even better. My shoes arrived within 2 business days and there was a handwritten note “Thanks for your purchase…I know you’ll love them” Shinning example of going the extra mile…it’s so easy to set yourself apart from the rest. Never underestimate the power of a personal note to extend a service experience and create Raving Fans!
-Ginny Hegarty
Coaching Strategies = Business Success
Ben Rosen, Ph.D and Brad Kirkman, Ph.D conducted 15 one-on-one interviews with U.S. coaches of men’s and women’s sports teams, then surveyed 1,987 coaches of team sports. They found 5 recurring themes to building winning teams that are able to overcome unexpected obstacles:
1. Recruit resilient players*
2. Build a team culture
3. Focus on individual and team accountability
4. Develop coping skills
5. Manage the external environment
*Once again, success begins with the “right” team members. How are you recruiting resilient players? The Drake assessment is a critical success tool to identify strong prospects and develop current team members. Contact me for additional information on the Drake Assessment. 610-873-8404
-Ginny Hegarty
Rare These Days, But Easy To Spot
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
“I just fired the best employee I ever had”
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.
In Memoriam
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?