Create a Positive, Upbeat, "Can-Do" Workforce and Dazzle the
Customer with Your Caring!
Given the choice of dealing with a positive, upbeat employee
with a "can-do" attitude or dealing with a disgruntled,
distracted, uninterested one, which would you choose? No
contest. Customers always want the best experience possible;
they want it to be easy and pleasant to do business with your
company. Enter the real challenge of "Relationship Management,"
the relationships. Until all of our business is done
electronically, and much of it might be, managers, in addition
to making sure the work gets done, still need to be concerned
with the performance of the most important link in the customer
connection - people.
Whether answering the phone, fixing equipment, selling a product
or reconciling an unpaid invoice, the quality of the interaction
between one human being and another is what will be judged by
the customer to determine how much you care about them and their
business. If the state of your relationship skills does not
equal or exceed your sales and marketing skills, your "lifetime"
relationship is in danger.
As a manager you should know that survey after survey reports
that people prefer to do business with a positive, upbeat
person. As a customer, you instinctively know that people want
to do business with people who enjoy what they are doing, are
having a good time doing it and genuinely care about being able
to help you solve your problem, or achieve your goals. So, here
are some tips on creating a more positive, up-beat, can-do work
force.
1. Remember, the best teacher is a good example. First examine
your own behavior. Are you walking the positive talk or are you
mumbling beneath you breath, "3 more days 'til Friday." Take
great care to listen to your own language. Do you frame things
in the positive, or do you often start your sentences with "No."
Do you say "Yes, but.." a lot, negating the first half of your
sentence with your last? If so, purchase a copy of "Learned
Optimism" by Martin Seligman for your corporate library and
inhale it. Then pass it on. Optimistic people adapt easier to
change, are more creative, have more fun and are healthier then
pessimistic ones. They live longer too. Think about it, looking
for innovation? Think optimism, that's one way to get there.
2. Learn (and teach) the power of positive self-talk. Often our
internal chatter is negative. Reprogram your own chatter and
then listen carefully for signs of it in others. When you hear
someone saying, "Boy am I stupid," gently coach them away from
that attitude by replying with "Don't be so hard on yourself,
you're not stupid. You may have made a bad decision, we all do,
from time to time, let's talk about that, what you've learned,
and how to avoid it in the future." Our bodies respond to our
self-talk, if we tell ourselves we are disorganized, we behave
just that way. Tell yourself, with conviction, you are an
organized person, and the behavior will begin to change. Our
brain responds literally, like our computers. Learn to replace
negative programming with positive.
3. Ban Whining. One whiner in the group can bring everyone down.
A whiner is like an infection - it spreads. Put one strong
whiner in a room and they can turn it into a pity party. Stop it
at the source. Learn to spot them during the interview process.
Don't hire them in the first place, unless you are prepared to
keep vigilance over their behavior and attempt to change it.
Good luck. Whiners love whining. Put a "No whining" sign on your
door.
4. Teach people the art of "win/win." In our competitive society
we have a win/lose mentality. This may be a good strategy to
fill a sports stadium, not a good way to run a company. Help
people to understand that thinking "Win/Win" opens up the
possibility for new solutions. Remember, in the 21st century,
it's innovation and creativity that will give us the edge,
innovation comes from open minds and "possibility thinking."
5. Dump the drama. Melodrama. It sells tabloids, and gets people
to watch "Hard Copy" on TV, but it's something you don't need in
your company. It saps valuable creative energy. If you've been
using "Crisis Management" as your modus operandi, get out of the
office, read a few good books, (like Steven Covey's), benchmark
with "new thinkers", and learn a new style. Crisis management is
passe, wasteful and destructive.
6. Learn, teach and reward "Time-out" stress management
techniques. A recent poll says that 90% of all Americans live in
a state of chronic stress. YIKES!!!! No wonder customers get
treated so poorly. Make sure people understand the role they
play in controlling their own stress. We don't have control over
circumstances; we do have control of how we perceive them. Take
a deep breath, count to ten, walk away (physically or mentally)
when you have to and call a "Time-out." Short circuit stress on
the way in. Learn good stress management skills and teach them.
Reinforce them. "Bob, I noticed how well you reacted with that
angry customer yesterday, I was glad to see you take a deep
breath and not react defensively - good job - you saved a
valuable customer, and your own health as well. I'm proud to
have you on the team."
7. Encourage people to live in the "now." Dwell on the past only
long enough to figure out what you want to learn from it, and
then move on. Stop talking about "the good old days." What is
important is what is going on right now. Give your fullest
attention to exactly what you are doing now. Do it well, do it
right and enjoy it. Customers can always tell if you are giving
them your undivided attention, and they really appreciate it.
8. Start a list called "The 10 Best Things about Working Here."
Let people add to it and watch it grow. It's fun, positive and a
great way to focus people on what's right with your business.
After the list is finished start one called "Ten More.."
Remember you get more of what you focus on.
9. Get psyched! Recognize that almost 80% of what the average
person takes in is negative. You've got a job to do. Create a
positive sanctuary in your workplace. Develop a corporate
library that includes all kinds of motivational literature,
audio and videotapes. Play audiotapes and videotapes in
lunchrooms, keep inspirational books around, start discussion
groups. Create positive energy, people inside and outside the
company will feel it and want to come back for more.
10. Don't worry, be happy. Playing upbeat music helps lift your
spirits. Challenge the staff to develop the "Happiest" of happy
music tapes, a collection of tunes that will keep people smiling
and whistling while they work. (They make great coming to and
going home from tapes too.)
11. Smile. When you activate the smiling muscles in your face,
you activate the "happy" brain chemicals that help you feel
good. You can't be depressed when you are smiling, and smiles
are contagious. So, smile.
As a manager, it's your responsibility to help to create an
experience for your customer that has the word "value" all over
it. Customers respond better to a company that provides them
with a quality product at a fair price served up by positive,
upbeat, can-do people. Aw come on, who wants to do business with
a grump?