The Ten Essentials (Part 2)

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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?

 

The Ten Essentials (Part 1)

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Scott BackpackFor the past two weeks, while you read about tightrope walkers Jean Francois Blondin and Karl Wallenda, I was backpacking around north central New Mexico with a bunch of Boy Scouts. We were at Philmont Scout Ranch, a high adventure base covering approximately 214 square miles of the Sangre de Cristo range of the Rocky Mountains. We didn’t cover the whole ranch; but we did hike almost 70 miles of the north section, including a grueling ascent of Baldy Mountain.

As part of preparations for our trek, and any outdoor adventure for that matter, we always make sure to carry the “Ten Essentials.” This list of survival items makes up the bare minimum recommended for anyone embarking on a trip into the wild. The list was first put together in the 1930’s by an outdoor recreation group called The Mountaineers. Despite advances in technology the original list has seen relatively few changes, although different groups tend to alter or add to the list to fit their specific needs.

Navigating the business world can be a lot like adventuring into the backcountry. After all, it is a jungle out there. But there are a few things you can arm yourself with in order to increase your odds of surviving – and even thriving – in the wilderness of business. So let’s walk through the Ten Essentials (The Boy Scout Version) and their working world counterparts – items I suggest you carry with you at all times. We’ll start with the first five today and finish up the list next week.

[table caption=”The Ten Essentials” width=”600″ colwidth=”150|225|225″ colalign=”left|left|left”]
,Backcountry Explanation,Business Version
1. Map & Compass,Used to determine one’s location and the best route to reach another location.,Clearly defined goals and a workable strategy to meet them.
2. Trail Food,Good for maintaining your energy.,A steady diet of education to help you stay on top of your game.
3. Water,The human body can only survive for a few days without water. Water filters or purifying tablets can be used to obtain potable water from virtually any source.,A regular stream of positive messages from those around you. Without it even the strongest wither and dry up.
4. Rain Gear,Being wet from rain may result in hypothermia – a potentially fatal condition.,Someone you can turn to who will protect you from the rainy days – ideally your immediate supervisor.
5. Extra Clothing,Multiple layers are superior to a single massive jacket. Layered clothing is adaptable to a wide range of temperatures.,A cross-functional team you can call upon as needed to help you successfully manage the various challenges you face.
[/table].

Doctor’s Orders

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Andrew ScrubsI recently read that 80% of U.S. adults do not meet federal recommendations for aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening exercise. In other words, they’re out of shape. Sadly, I’m one of them.

Now, before you get the wrong idea; I’m not a total couch potato. I spend a lot of time outdoors through my involvement with the Boy Scouts. In fact, my son Alex and I are about to leave town for a two week backpacking trip in the mountains of northern New Mexico. But unfortunately, I don’t get out as often as I’d like (or need) to. And the closest I get to regular aerobic exercise is watching “The Biggest Loser” with a bowl of ice cream in my lap.

I’m not happy with the way I look or feel – haven’t been in a long time. Just like most of the other people making up the 80% in the opening statistic, I know what to do. I’ve just lacked the motivation to do anything about it. Sometimes I ask myself “What will it take for me to change? Perhaps if a doctor were to deliver some bad news, it would inspire me to get serious.” Well last month I got my wish.

One minute, I was conducting a webinar. The next, I was doubled over in pain. It got worse and worse until I finally went to the local walk-in clinic. After a number of tests and a trip to the emergency room for a CT scan, I was diagnosed with kidney stones. I was treated with intravenous fluids and pain medication. If you know anything about kidney stones, you know they’re not life-threatening, but cause a great deal of pain. Furthermore, they can be symptomatic of larger health problems.

My doctor shared that I was at risk for additional kidney stones and suggested I make some changes in my diet and level of activity. Nothing he suggested was new to me. But thanks to the pain I’d just gone through, I committed myself to acting differently going forward. I’ve been drinking more water, watching what I eat and moving more – not rocket science; just simple actions I’ve known about all along.

Sometimes we have to receive some bad news before we make even the most simple changes. Operational tweaks, management priorities, even basic acts of customer service – they’re all easy to ignore, overlook or put off. But in the face of negative feedback, the basics take on a renewed sense of importance.

Earlier this year, I helped an organization develop a set of Customer Experience Standards. The standards outline basic expectations regarding how customers and coworkers are to be treated. Nothing included is revolutionary. In fact, most of the document is common sense – many employees even complained about the simplistic nature of the contents. As a result, some chose to ignore them or assumed they were covered.

About a month ago, they introduced a customer feedback survey and the results began pouring in. As you can imagine, some of the feedback was negative. Time will tell if the pain of negative feedback is enough to finally motivate them to action.

How do you react to bad news?

The Sacrifice of Service

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american-flag-1Like many businesses across the United States, we are closed today in observance of Memorial Day. This holiday serves to commemorate the men and women who died while serving in our nation’s armed forces. However you utilize this time off, please take a moment to pay your respects to those Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Serving has always been about sacrifice. Whether its serving your country, your customers, or your employees; real service is more than just a job. Sure, you may be paid to work in a service occupation. You may serve out of obligation. You may even be forced to serve against your will (my kids would nod their heads vigorously at this point); but that’s not what service is about.

The word “servise” first entered the English language in the early 1100’s it referred to a public celebration of worship or an act of homage to God or a guest. So service is something we extend to someone else in order to honor them. As service providers, we should place the one being served in a position above our own. We’re supposed to serve from the heart.

Somewhere along the way, our culture began to view serving as an obligation rather than a choice. We’ve replaced the idea of service with the concept of servitude. Is it any wonder that good service is hard to find?

What if we made a conscious decision to return to the true meaning of service? What if each and every one of us reading this decided to approach service as an act of homage and celebration vs. a job? What kind of impact would that have on our business? What kind of impact would that have on us?

The men and women we honor today gave their all in pursuit of service. Should you and I really be expected to give anything less? Let’s agree to honor them by honoring each other. Happy Memorial Day.

The Rewards of Service

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2014 Autism WalkA couple of weeks ago, the Burkhart Center for Autism Education & Research held their annual Walk for Autism Awareness. This fantastic event draws people from all over Texas to celebrate the lives of those who are touched by Autism. I was there with Boy Scout Troop 157. Since 2010, we have supported this event by providing the muscle needed to set up, operate and take down a variety of areas. What began as one scout’s Eagle project has turned into an annual opportunity to serve.

Every year, I am surprised by the number of scouts and scout leaders who show up to help. After all, this isn’t an easy job. The Walk starts at 2 pm and ends at 4:00, but we start setting up at 10:00. We usually break the day into shifts, allowing the guys to choose when they want to serve. Typically though, almost everyone shows up at the beginning and stays until the end, giving up their Sunday of rest in exchange for manual labor and sunburn. And they’re happy to do it.

But why?

It seems there are a number of benefits to serving others. For instance, a great deal of research over the past 20 years reveals significant health benefits associated with serving. Studies show people who serve live longer, recover faster from chronic or serious illnesses, report fewer instances of depression, handle stress better and demonstrate stronger resistance to disease. Serving others keeps you healthy.

But I think it goes even deeper than that. Serving others addresses a deep need we all have to fulfill a higher sense of purpose. Humans are inherently selfish. But there’s a void that can only be filled when we shift from selfishness to selflessness. We need to give of ourselves to be fully satisfied with ourselves. Serving is good for the soul.

So whether you’re serving your community, your customer, or your coworker – keep in mind that you get what you give.

Winning Against the Odds

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battle-of-pueblaThey were outmanned and outgunned, but the Mexican troops made up for the lack of numbers and firepower with grit and determination. An expensive civil war had left Mexico in debt to Britain, Spain and France. But shortly after the war ended, Mexico was forced to suspend repayments in order to rebuild their infrastructure. This didn’t make their benefactors happy and now the French were coming to either collect or take over.

After suffering heavy casualties, the Mexican Commander General, Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin, withdrew his army to Puebla. The small town was still heavily fortified, having survived the civil war, and Zaragoza’s troops immediately began additional preparations, digging trenches to connect the two hill-top forts sitting just north. When the French force of 8,000 infantry and cavalry arrived on the fifth of May, 1862, they assumed their victory would be swift. The inferior Mexican garrison of only 4,000 men now had no way to retreat.

 But when a show of arms failed to intimidate the Mexican troops, the French attacked. They foolishly expended most of their ammunition in an initial, ill-timed advance and quickly ran out. They were surprised by the strong showing put forth by the Mexican army, who spilled out of the forts and fought hand-to-hand on the hillside between them. After three infantry advances the French retreated, having lost more than five times as many men as their underestimated foes. Today, El Dia de la Batalia de Puebla (The Day of the Battle of Puebla) is known simply as Cinco de Mayo, and serves as a reminder of the power of determination and teamwork against overwhelming odds.

Sometimes it’s easy to lose hope when faced with a foe who seems to have everything working in their favor. The competition can seem too organized, prepared and well-funded. But history is full of stories illustrating the power of the underdog. Those who most desire to win the day often find that their own creativity and ability to pull together are all they need.

Who’s your biggest competition?

What advantages do they have over you?

How can your team overcome the competition despite their apparent advantage?

Not a Customer? No Service For You!

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imageThe term “customer experience” entered the business vocabulary a few years ago, replacing “customer service” as the standard by which service is measured. “Customer experience” refers to the sum of a person’s interactions involving a particular organization. Every exposure to an organization – every transaction, every phone call, every mail piece, even the stories told by a friend – has an impact on the customer experience.

But what about the non-customer experience? Have you ever stopped to think about what non-customers think about you? A lot of us carefully craft the image we want prospects to see. We spend tons of money working to craft an image for the prospective customers we’ve targeted, hoping to influence their buying decision. But sometimes, it’s the little things that make the biggest impact.

Last night, my training partner and I went out to dinner after finishing up a coaching workshop. We’re in Dallas and located an Outback Steakhouse fairly close to our hotel. The parking lot was pretty full, so Eddie parked the rental car in the lot next door. The business, Espresso RMI, was closed; lights out and lot empty. A sticker in the door indicated they closed at five o’clock each day. It was around seven when we arrived, so any employees and customers were long gone.

We enjoyed a nice dinner at Outback and watched some of the NIT first round games on TV. Exiting the restaurant, we walked toward the lot where we’d parked only to find our car had been towed. Upon closer inspection, we found a sign notifying potential visitors that non-patrons were not allowed to park in the Espresso RMI lot. The sign had obviously been run over and was bent close to the ground, very hard to see in the dark by a couple of guys from out of town looking for dinner. Towing, the sign indicated, was enforced 24/7 – even though the business closed at 5:00.

We called for a taxi and made our way to the tow yard to reclaim the car. The experience cost us $27 for the cab ride and another $164 to get the car back.

I’d never heard of Espresso RMI before. I’m sure the stance they’ve taken on parking in their lot stems from a desire to provide the best possible service to their customers. However, I’m not a customer. I’ve never used one of their products or known someone who has. I didn’t even interact with one of their employees last night. But my non-customer experience with them is a negative one. As a result, I’m unlikely to ever do business with them. furthermore, I’ll be sharing this story with my clients for years to come, influencing their perception of the company as well.

For years, I’ve advised clients to look at their organization through the eyes of the customer. Going forward, I’ll also address the eyes of the non-customer. What they see and experience is just as important.

A Rare Southwest Service Failure

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imageWhen my Southwest flight out of Lubbock was canceled this afternoon, I was disappointed, but not surprised. A late winter storm had dropped a few inches of snow and ice over the south plains, causing school cancelations and numerous delays. The entire airport was shut down yesterday along with the stretch of interstate between Lubbock and Amarillo. So it made sense that crews were still battling the after-effects today.

I quickly rebooked for the only remaining flight out, the last one of the day. The biggest impact was to my priority boarding status. I usually purchase a “Business Select” ticket on Southwest in order to take advantage of the early seating. Being among the first to board allows me to locate an aisle seat toward the front of the plane, so I can stretch my long legs and get off quickly in order to make a connecting flight. Having to rebook for a later flight meant these tickets were no longer available. I was left with boarding passes in the “B” group – not terrible, but not ideal, and certainly not what I’d paid for.

The first leg into Dallas was uneventful, I even managed to nab an aisle seat on the coveted exit row. But it was the lead up to the next leg where Southwest let me down. A few minutes before boarding, the gate attendant announced that boarding group upgrades were available for a slight fee. I approached the counter, hopeful that my purchase of a higher-priced fare on an earlier flight would warrant an easy upgrade. But after consulting the computer for a few minutes, I was informed that because I was in the middle of a two-legged trip, “the system” would not allow them to print a revised boarding pass. The otherwise helpful employee was prevented from providing a satisfying service experience by the limitations of her company’s technology.

Frustrated, I waited for my turn to board with the “B” group. But the boarding pass I handed over was thrust back in front of me. “Your printer must be messed up. It can’t read this boarding pass. You’ll have to go see them at the counter.” I stared at this gentleman in disbelief as he looked past me to the next traveler. No second attempt to scan the document. No manual entry on the keyboard. Dispite the fact that my first boarding pass had scanned successfully in Lubbock, this issue was now my problem. So I trudged back over to the counter losing my place in line and any hope of a decent seat.

A customer’s perception of an organization is a mash-up of every experience, good and bad, that they’ve ever had with them. Any given negative interaction isn’t likely to make or break the relationship between company and customer, but they add up. And certain ones have a longer shelf-life and, therefore, more weight in the customer’s mind.

Service failures happen all the time. But in my book, the worst ones are those where, as a customer, I feel like I’ve done everything in my power to help the company provide me with an excellent experience. Failures of this type don’t just feel like poor service, they feel like injustice. And it’s hard to get over the feeling you’ve been done wrong.

So here are some tips to avoid creating feelings of injustice due to a service failure.

– Don’t allow policy or technology to keep well-intentioned employees from assisting customers. Despite anything written in a manual or programmed into the computer, my gate attendant should have been able to make a phone call and get assistance in oredr to provide me with a boarding pass equivalent to the one I paid for.

– Make sure employees understand that customers aren’t at fault – even if they are. My printer isn’t “messed up.” Another boarding pass I printed at the same time scanned flawlessly in Lubbock. But even had the problem been caused by my equipment, having it announced in front of other passengers does nothing to enhance the experience.

– Acknowledge the customer’s frustration. Even after explaining and pleading my case, the only thing I received was a weak “sorry.” How about a few drink coupons or extra rewards points for my trouble? In cases where you can’t rectify the issue, at least show the customer you care by doing something to try and make amends. As things stand, I don’t even know if I’ll get refunded the difference in ticket price. It’s on my shoulders to track that down as well.

Southwest typically does a great job, and they’re still my first choice (albeit often my only choice) when I fly. They have numerous awards to illustrate their dedication to customer service. But today’s experience showed me that even the best trip up sometimes. I’ll try to remain mindful of this when evaluating the service efforts of my own organization.

I Want My USB!

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imageI visited three airports today. I always bring my iPhone cable, but today I managed to forget the wall plug. I was sure I’d need to recharge my phone at least once during the day, but since I wasn’t staying overnight and airports all have those USB outlets now, I didn’t worry. The plug section really wasn’t needed, right? Wrong! I must have tried at least ten different USB outlets at each stop only to find that none of them worked. Most of them seemed to be loose, while others had either been purposefully gutted or vandalized. Only a handful even appeared to be in working order. I received the expected amount of resistance when inserting the jack, but no charge was forthcoming. Those were the most frustrating ones of all. Everything else about my traveling experience was great. The flights were on time, the employees I encountered were courteous and helpful, and the airports were clean. Working or not, USB ports have nothing to do with getting me to my destination on time. And its not like I paid money to use them – they’re provided as an ancillary service, an extra, an unadvertised perk. So why am I so aggravated? Because I expected them to work. Past experience had led me to understand that these extras were available to me at any time. It never occurred to me that they might not work. By willingly providing for an unspoken need, and placing them so prominently, airports created an expectation in my mind. And once that expectation was formed, it became an entitlement. Just as I expect to be offered pretzels on the flight, I now expect to find an operable charging port for my phone. Small gratuities, offered consistently, breed expectations. Unmet expectations breed dissatisfaction. I wondered if anyone at the airport ever checks the charging ports to see if they’re working. Then I thought about the perks I’ve been offering to my customers. How many of them have become expectations? Are there small things that I take for granted that have become big things in the minds of my customers? I once worked with a lady who changed banks because hers stopped giving out free popcorn on Fridays. Could I potentially lose a customer because of something unrelated to my core business? Absolutely. What about you? What little niceties does your business provide? What would happen if you suddenly stopped providing them? I’m not suggesting that you shy away from the little extras that set you apart from the competition. I’m simply suggesting that you be mindful of the expectations you set. Pay attention to the small things lest they become big problems.

Who’s Driving the Taxi?

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imageI just got back from Houston. I spent all day yesterday in meetings, moving from group to group and topic to topic. But the business I conducted wasn’t the most interesting part of my trip. What I can’t stop thinking about is my taxi driver.

Normally when I travel for business, I’ll reserve a rental car. I like being in control of my time and will often have a free evening to explore or shop. Having a car allows me to decide on a whim where I want to go. Picking up and dropping off at the airport makes it easy.

But for this trip, I was given a last-minute invitation to fly in on a private plane. I cancelled the front end of my flight and the rental car. We landed at a small airstrip without any rental options. Another passenger gave me a ride to my hotel where the desk clerk helped me secure a taxi for the next morning.

Bright and early yesterday morning, the familiar yellow vehicle pulled up at the front entrance and out jumped Eugenio.

Now, you’ve probably heard the stories – some true, most not so much – of the taxi drivers who go super-overboard. They have a blanket in the back seat if you get cold. They have a thermos of hot coffee and a cooler filled with soft drinks. Thy offer you the morning paper and an assortment of magazines. They give over control of the car’s audio so that you can tune in to the music you like the most. They go above and beyond to provide you with the most incredible cab ride you’ll ever experience. And of course, they work off of reservations. You’re lucky they had a cancellation or you’d never have even known they existed.

Eugenio is not one of those drivers. Don’t get me wrong, the ride was just fine. He was friendly without being overbearing. And after verifying my destination, he did ask if the music he was playing was ok. But no mind-blowing, over the top gestures of customer service were forth coming. He waited patiently while I answered some emails on my phone before engaging me in conversation and quickly delivered me to my first meeting.

As I signed the credit card slip, he asked if I needed a ride after the meeting. I had already arranged to ride with others who were heading the same direction as I was, and I told him so. I did, however, need a ride to the airport this morning. Handing me his business card (Take a look at it. For obvious reasons, I’ll keep it forever), he agreed to meet me at 6:45 in front of the hotel. Sure enough, he pulled up this morning about ten minutes earlier than necessary, and I got to the airport in plenty of time.

Eugenio didn’t try to reinvent the taxi business. He didn’t seek to overwhelm me with a series of WOW moments. He simply provided the service I was looking for, secured additional business and then made sure I knew how to contact him in the future. Anything beyond that would have been unnecessary and, in my opinion, awkward.

My point is this: To be seen above the crowd, you don’t have to be a giant. You just have to stand a little taller. So many businesses try to revolutionize their industry in an attempt to out-shine the competition and then fail to live up to their own hype. It’s like the football team that pulls out the secret play – that may or may not work – when simple execution of the basics would win the game. In a world where so many organizations fail at the simplest of tasks – arriving on time, delivering the correct order, providing correct information – those who repeatedly perform in a manner that’s unremarkable will win the day. Don’t worry about offering me a drink. Just get me where I need to go on time and I’ll ride with you every time.