Who Ya Gonna Call?

Posted on by Scott

Trailer AxlesRemember the movie “Ghostbusters?” What about the theme song, written by Ray Parker, Jr.? Well believe it or not, the movie is 30 years old – I’ve had the song stuck in my head for a few days thanks to an unfortunate accident.

I was towing a smoker to a group camp out. Approximately 15 minutes from my destination, I glanced in my rear-view mirror and saw black smoke pouring from the back of the trailer. It seems one of the axles had cracked, causing the tire to cant inward and rub against the inner fender well. The smoking was the result of the tire melting from the friction.

I quickly pulled over and, after letting the wheel cool down, jacked up the rear of the trailer to get a better look at the axle. However, as soon as the weight shifted, the axle snapped in two. I guess I was lucky. Had the axle broken at 70 miles per hour, my weekend could have taken a particularly nasty turn.

But there I was, stranded on the side of the road. The trailer was too heavy to pull on only one axle and, try as I might, I couldn’t bind the broken one to the frame well enough to keep the tires straight so I could limp into town. I sat inside the truck to cool off and think. This problem was bigger than I could solve on my own. So I asked myself “Who ya gonna call?”

A lot of our customers ask themselves the same question. Every day, people in our communities find themselves in a variety of situations with no easy way out. They need a friend. They need an advocate. They need an expert (or at least another brain to help them determine the next course of action). In short, they need someone who will answer when they call. That’s where you come in.

You know, it’s easy to become jaded about the work you do day-in and day-out. It’s easy to get cynical and bored and apathetic. After all, answering the same old questions and dealing with the same old issues becomes a chore after a while. So it’s no wonder we grow weary of the daily grind. It’s no wonder we sigh and roll our eyes when yet another customer calls with the same question we’ve answered 100 times already today. That’s what happens when the job becomes routine.

But it’s not routine to the customer.

The same situation that’s a no-brainer to you is a gut-wrenching crisis for your customer. The decision that needs to be made is an easy one for you, but it’s monumental for them. And even though you’ve answered the same question 100 times today, it’s the first time your customer has had to ask. In order to provide the best possible service to your customer, you have to take off your shoes and put on theirs. Because its only after you understand what your customer is feeling that you can truly begin to serve them.

I got lucky. The first friend I called immediately dropped what he was doing and came to help. And he didn’t show up alone. Three other guys came with him. Each one of them knows what it’s like to be stranded, praying someone will come and help you out of the jamb. Together we were able to develop a plan to fix the smoker and salvage the weekend. The next time I’m in trouble on the road, I know who I’m going to call.

What about your customer? Who are they going to call when the next crisis hits?

What’s Wrong with Your Face?

Posted on by Scott

Cyclists 1895Writing about the Tour de France last week got me thinking about the history of the bicycle. Here are a few of the facts I found interesting:

* Bicycles were introduced in Europe during the 19th century.

* The modern bicycle design evolved from that of the dandy-horse.

* The first pedaled bicycle was developed in 1839 by Kirkpatrick MacMillan, a Scottish blacksmith. He is also associated with the first recorded bicycle-related traffic offense.

* The most popular model of bicycle in the world (and the most popular vehicle of any kind) is the Chinese Flying Pigeon.

* There are more than twice as many bicycles in the world as there are automobiles.

But by far the most interesting thing I uncovered was a mysterious bicycle-related illness known as “bicycle face.”

It seems that bicycle-riding enjoyed a huge surge during the late 1800’s, around the time chain-driven models were introduced. And as bicycling became more popular, it drew its share of detractors as well. Some didn’t like the congestion on the streets. Some didn’t like the impact bicycling had on fashion (women began to shun long dresses for clothing that allowed greater freedom of movement). Some bemoaned the lost art of one-on-one communication allowed by walking or taking the carriage to your destination. Thanks to a growing number of bicyclists who would opt for a Sunday morning ride over attending church, some even argued that cycling led to spiritual damnation.

Soon doctors were writing to medical journals describing the impact of cycling on one’s physical health. In addition to appendicitis, dysentery, and infertility; excessive riding, they argued, could lead to “bicycle face.” This disease was caused by the constant need to focus on balancing yourself on the bicycle while also scanning your surroundings to avoid collision with something or someone else. The anxiety produced by this level of concentration would lead to bulging eyes, flushed skin, and tense jaws. If not corrected in time, they warned, the effects of bicycle face would become permanent.

Over one hundred years later we can laugh about this obviously fictitious disease. But take a look around. How many people do you know who walk around every day with “bicycle face?”

Employees today are stressed. They’re stressed about the demands on their job. They’re stressed about the future of the company. They’re stressed about the future of the industry. They’re stressed about the next customer interaction. They’re stressed about meeting your expectations. And they’re stressed about balancing all of this with all of the other stuff that stresses them out at home. According to the American Psychological Association, the number one stressor for people 18-33 is work. And twenty percent of this group has been diagnosed with clinical depression. Now before you go thinking “Wow. I’m glad that doesn’t happen here. My employees aren’t stressed,” think again. They are.

It’s up to us as managers to address this problem. It’s up to us to address the issues causing stress amongst our employees. As work-related stress goes up, job satisfaction and productivity obviously go down. In addition, all that stress gets transferred to your customers, leaving a negative impression and impacting future business. Nobody wants to conduct business with a company full of stressed out, anxiety-ridden employees. The only ones who can make an immediate, positive impact on the organization are the leaders – and you are part of that group.

So come on fellow leaders, let’s fix this. Let’s talk to our employees and find out what’s causing all this stress. Then let’s do something about it.

After all, who wants to work all day next to Mr. Bicycle Face?

What it Takes to Win

Posted on by Scott

Tour de FranceHenri had a problem.

Sales of L’Auto, his daily newspaper devoted to sports, were slow. He’d started the paper in 1900 to compete with France’s largest sports paper, Le Vélo. But after almost three years, circulation hovered around 25,000, far lowered than desired. Henri wanted to not only compete with his rival, but dominate them. So he called an emergency meeting of the paper’s staff. They needed an idea – something big that would cement their legacy as the country’s premier sports authority.

The answer, suggested by a young writer focused on rugby and cycling, was a race. The paper would sponsor a six day, multi-stage bicycle race around France; creating an event grander than anything seen before. The proposal was quickly adopted. As plans for the race progressed, it grew to 19 days. Six just wasn’t enough to attract the kind of attention L’Auto needed. Unfortunately though, this put the race at out of the reach of many would-be participants. By the time it started on July 1, 1903, there were less than 100 registered racers.

However, while the field of competitors was small, the race attracted hoards of avid cycling fans. L’Auto’s circulation immediately jumped to over 65,000. The race became an annual event and circulation continued to grow. By 1923 over 500,000 copies were being sold each day. As luck would have it, the paper was eventually shut down in 1946, having been associated with Nazi influences during the Second World War.

But the race continued.

Today, the Tour de France consists of 21 day-long segments covering approximately 2,200 miles over 23 days. It is generally considered the most prestigious multi-stage bicycle race despite the grueling schedule (there are only two scheduled rest days). While the route changes each year, participants are guaranteed to encounter steep uphill climbs, unpredictable weather and a variety of road hazards. Every day, veterans and rookies compete to be the first overcome the physical demands of the race and don the yellow jersey (a nod to the yellow paper L’Auto was printed on).

Winning the Tour de France is complicated. It’s more like a game of chess than a race. In addition to physical performance and high tech gear, it involves strategy, teamwork and a great deal of patience. There are times when you give it your all and times when you sit back and let others lead. It involves sacrifice for the sake of the team and a steady stream of communication between teammates and even other riders.

In many ways, winning the Tour de France is like winning in business. There are periods of preparation and planning followed by periods of intense activity. There are times when the best strategy is to lay low and times when those who want to win leave everything they have on the road in pursuit of the goal.

Winning is hard. It isn’t for the weak of mind or spirit. It isn’t for those who take the easy way out. Winning is for those who are willing to sacrifice in order to stand on the podium. That’s why so few ever do.

What does it take to win your particular race?

 

The Ten Essentials (Part 2)

Posted on by Scott

BootsLast week I introduced the idea of “Ten Essentials” for surviving the business world, a modification of the Ten Essentials list used by the Boy Scouts of America and other outdoor adventure groups. As a quick review, the first five items on the list are:

1. Clearly defined goals and a strategy to meet them.
2. Regular education to help you stay sharp.
3. Positive influences.
4. A supportive supervisor.
5. An effective support team.

This week, we conclude the list. Here are items six through ten.

[table caption=”The Ten Essentials” width=”600″ colwidth=”150|225|225″ colalign=”left|left|left”]
,Backcountry Explanation,Business Version
6. Knife/Multi-tool,Useful for tasks as large as building an emergency shelter or as small as repairing a damaged backpack.,Job aids and worksheets – resources that help make the important jobs easier.
7. Sun Protection,Includes items such and sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat. Used to prevent sunburn and possibly heat exhaustion.,A healthy dose of determination to keep you going when the heat is on.
8. First Aid Kit,A basic first aid kit can help prevent small injuries from becoming large problems and buy time when more advanced treatment is not readily available.,A bag of resources(people and/or procedures) you can call upon to help fix a damaged project or broken customer relationship.
9. Flashlight,Important for finding one’s way at night.,Core values to help you find your way when the decision isn’t easy or the way forward isn’t clear.
10. Fire Starter,Used to light fires for heat or cooking and for signaling purposes.,Something (or someone)to provide a motivational spark when you need it.
[/table].

Many who review the Ten Essentials list quickly conclude it’s incomplete. “What about shelter?” they ask. “Why isn’t a cell phone on the list, or at least a knowledgeable companion?” When reviewing my list of the Ten Essentials for business, you could ascertain that it’s incomplete as well. Training isn’t listed; nor is a valuable product or advanced technological resources.

Keep in mind that neither list is intended to be comprehensive. The Ten Essentials list is meant to serve as a starting point. Using these items, and nothing else, you can survive in the wilderness for a time (ideally until you are rescued or able to navigate back to civilization). The business essentials list is similarly just a starting point. Many working men and women survive each day by relying on the meager resources I’ve laid out.

Sadly, many people today see survival as the end goal. But who wants to simply survive? Survival isn’t fun. It’s hard work, requiring a constant expenditure of energy just to exist. It involves avoiding risk and adventure in favor of (hopefully) protecting what you already have. Survival is a defensive, paranoid way of thinking.

I don’t want to survive. I want to thrive. I want to grow and expand. I want to create an environment that’s comfortable and attractive. I want to build a set of circumstances where the odds are stacked in my favor, not against me. “Thrival,” not survival, is my goal.

But in order to move from survival to thrival, you have to equip yourself with more than the bare minimum. You can’t be satisfied with “good enough” or avoid taking risks. You have to adopt a growth mindset and set your eyes on a better future state. In the world of survival, the Ten Essentials list is all you need. In the world of thrival, it’s just the beginning.

Which world do you want to live in?