Client Service Insights...(CSI/Season 2)

Real Marketing Genius

2009-07-19T22:32:00.006-04:00

Pardon the total self indulgence here, but I thought I'd share a few marketing spoofs that I hadn't heard in awhile. They make me laugh as much today as they did when I first listened to them several years ago. I thought it would be a fun way to start the week.

You'll be quite familiar with the campaign that these are based on, believe me. For agency people who've experienced these very scenarios, then have a good laugh, and if you've been the guilty client, then you should enjoy a laugh too.

Sound Familiar?

2009-07-16T10:21:00.004-04:00

In a recent post by Sherrilynne Starkie titled Quality PR on the Cheap, she offered this video from YouTube featuring conversations I found hauntingly familiar. How about you? Share your story!

Character, Values & Integrity

2009-07-12T09:19:00.006-04:00

I've spent a great deal of my career counseling clients in the area of crisis communication - both in the preparation phase and in the heat of dozens of crises themselves. While it's always interesting to look at the various to-do-lists which attempt to offer guidance for managing a crisis successfully, I've found that what separates the best from the worst in crisis responses comes down to character, values and integrity.

When I was a kid, I remember someone describing integrity as what you do when no one else is watching. For example, would you cheat at solitaire and tell others you'd won even though no one could ever prove you wrong? What I've learned is that integrity isn't about what you'd do when no one is watching, it's what you will do when everyone is watching - your employees, the news media, shareholders, etc.

In 1943, before Johnson & Johnson went public, Robert Wood Johnson authored the famous credo that serves to define J&J, not in terms of what they do, but who they are. More recently, Michael Dell spearheaded the drafting of a document titled The Soul of Dell, which sends a clear message that "how" Dell achieves success is just as important as realizing success itself.

If you really want to prepare for crisis, take a close look at the character, values and integrity of your organization and its leaders. While it may be politically more inviting to offer a checklist of "what to do if...?", resist the easy route and take a page from Jim Collins' book Good to Great - look at WHO before WHAT!

Human Nature And Trust

2009-07-02T07:49:00.009-04:00

In my last post, Basic Human Nature. Good or Bad?, I suggested that how we feel about this basic question can have enormous implications on our approach to client service and relationships in general.

In Edgar Schein's book Organizational Culture and Leadership, he describes values as "open to discussion", but core beliefs or "basic underlying assumptions" as non-negotiable. These are the assumptions we develop over time based on our experiences (ones we may not always espouse publicly), but they drive our behavior.

I encourage you to read the complete answers people have so generously contributed on LinkedIn. You'll find everything from, " My personal belief is that most people are basically bad" to "Basically human beings are GOOD." You'll also find the inbetween such as "Individual people, however, are neither good nor bad by nature, only by choice" or one of my favorites, "So if I had to choose a species I would choose being around dogs the truth is all in the tail wags!" Each makes their argument quite eloquently by the way.

So given our most basic assumptions about human nature, it leads us to the comment Ruth Seeley offered which reads in part, "The yin/yang symbol you've used to illustrate this post is very appropriate, I think. While I hate to take the simplistic 'dualism' approach, I have found that there are really only two approaches to trusting people: either you're a person who trusts everyone until they give you reason to do otherwise, or you're a person who trusts no one initially and makes everyone earn your trust."

In thinking about Ruth's response, I discovered these trust models by HR consultant Robert Fisher which speak to her point:

As Robert sees it, people fall into one of four categories:

Suspicious still. Don't ever trust anyone, even after they have done something nice.
Suspicious until. Don't trust anyone until they prove themself.
Trust until. Trust people until they screw up.
Trust still. Trust people even after they make mistakes, sometimes even when they hurt you.

These trust models emerge from basic underlying assumptions we hold about people and their nature. You should ask yourself where you fall in this model, and based on your beliefs, how it impacts your approach to client service both positively and negatively.

Just a little food for thought for the long weekend! Enjoy!

Basic Human Nature. Good or Bad?

2009-06-30T09:12:00.009-04:00

The other day I read an article in Harvard Business Review titled Leadership, Managing In A (Permanent) Crisis. When I reached the end, I thought, "here's yet another basic toolkit for leaders." The problem is great tools only work for those who can truly embrace their utility. Leadership is about who, not just what. A leader will never use tools effectively, for very long, or rely on them during a crisis if the tools don't fundamentally align with you they are.

So let's put it in the context of client service. When we talk of client service, we are referring to people serving people. This blog, or any other resource for that matter can offer all the ideas and tools you could ever need. In the end though, your fundamental beliefs about people and basic human nature will serve among the biggest influences on your behavior. It occurred to me that between CSI Season 1 and Season 2, I 've written about 500 blog posts related in some way to client service.

While I've consistently advocated adopting a client service mindset versus a more prescriptive approach, I've never once talked about the most basic question: How do you really feel about people in general? Are they basically good, or do you always have to watch your back? Or is it a simple case of yin and yang - "seemingly disjunct or opposing forces that are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, giving rise to each other in turn."

I'd like to explore this concept in my next few posts. In the meantime, I plan to post the question on LinkedIn, and I invite your feelings on the subject as well. Thanks!

Can't Ghostwrite A Blog? Why Not?!

2009-06-26T12:51:00.006-04:00

I received an e-mail morning from Ragan Communications regarding a Blogging Desktop Learning Series. The title of the first tutorial is: "You can't ghostwrite a blog—and other rules for launching a senior executive blog that employees will read AND respect." As much as I love the work Ragan Communications does, I'm afraid that unless the content of tutorial #1 offers some leeway on its "can't" ghostwrite a blog stand, then I'll tell you what I told them:

Regarding your description of tutorial #1, I completely disagree. As a CEO, you can have your blog ghostwritten, as long as you're upfront about it. There's nothing wrong with a CEO stating that (s)he is being assisted in the writing of the blog in an effort to engage with company stakeholders on a consistent basis - that the content reflects the CEO's position and that (s)he reads all comments and responds personally as time allows. It's not only acceptable, but even more transparent than the typical CEO speech. When was the last time you heard a CEO give a speech and preface the remarks with, "I didn't write this!" Teaching communicators that there's a no ghostwriters rule for blogs would be a disservice.

Granted, I'd prefer that the CEO, or other senior leaders in the organization, author their blogs personally, but what's so wrong with a ghostwriter as long as there's full disclosure? Thoughts?

Winning New Clients In A Down Market

2009-06-24T09:09:00.008-04:00

About three months ago, I had a lengthy phone call with a friend of mine who'd been charged with growing the client roster for a struggling PR agency. The firm is not located in the city where it wants to expand the client base; the agency offers no unique skill set or industry expertise (at least one it's willing to stand behind), and had no particular plan for how to help anyone. It's an agency that wants fees (fairly steep ones I might add) upfront in an effort to ensure its own survival. I remember listening to this, offering some suggestions (which I was quickly told the agency president would never consider), and wishing him good luck.

Yesterday, I got a call saying that he hadn't picked up one new client. Surprise, surprise. In fairness, my friend agreed with me upfront and knew he was fighting a losing battle if the agency wasn't willing to face up to the realities of the marketplace. Despite the lack of new business success, the agency is still not willing to change its approach, and it's likely my friend is done fighting with the agency leadership.

Well, just because my friend's agency is intractable doesn't mean I shouldn't share some perfectly plausible strategies for others during these difficult times. None of this is necessarily new (or rocket science for the matter) but have a look and introduce your own thoughts as well.

Approach prospects in a vertical industry segment with which you've had proven success. Study your prospect's business and offer some specific ideas for helping them achieve their near-term goals.
Approach prospects with a very specific communication expertise that you believe differentiates you in the marketplace among other competitors and has demonstrated tangible business benefits for other clients. It not only offers the prospect a reason to hire you, but should optimize your chances for earning trust and providing other services down the road.
Approach prospects with a short-term plan, not a longer term engagement. Be willing to help them with the situation at hand. If you're successful, you'll earn the longer term gig.
Approach prospects with ideas, not qualifications. The only thing that will truly differentiate you from the thousands of competitors who do exactly what you do (either just as well or possibly better) will be your thinking against a prospect's specific needs. Look at the client service excellence quote at the top of this blog. You don't have to be superhuman or even better than your competitors, you just have to be willing to do what others could be doing, but just aren't.
Borrow a page from David Maister, Marshall Goldsmith and the other uber-consultants out there who actually stand behind their work. Present your ideas, set near-term goals, and tell the client that you don't expect them to pay you upfront in the hope that your approach is successful. Explain that they'll only have to pay for your time if the goals are achieved, or as David Maister structures it, "pay me what you think I'm worth." If you really believe you can help the prospect, then have the courage to stand by your work.

I look forward to your comments on these five points and to receiving other ideas you may have on the topic!

What's Your Mindset?

2009-06-20T08:28:00.009-04:00

It's an extremely important question because your mindset serves as the foundation from where you operate. It's your guide for how you view the world. It helps you shape your priorities and values, and it drives your actions both personally and professionally.

In a video I posted recently from Toni Louw, Toni explains that as a presentation trainer, he doesn't teach voice modulation, gesturing, making eye contact, etc. Why? Because if you're communicating, you'll do those things naturally. Once presenters care more about their audiences than themselves and truly want to share through communication, they become better communicators. Toni teaches mindset, not bullet points because bullet points are just illustrations of what you should do, mindset is an expression who you should become.

Among the most popular blogs posts are those that offer 10 ways to do this, or five ways to accomplish that. While the tips are often helpful, it's the mindset driving these recommendations that is more important. If the mindset is not evident, challenge the author to offer it.

Most recently, I wrote a post titled, Want To Be A Better PR Professional?, and I offered five recommendations for how to better serve your clients. The five points are admittedly incomplete (as is the case with most such lists), but I hope the core principle is clear. If you want the client to see your value, then be passionate about being valuable. Once you do that, you'll naturally seek ways to do so.

I received some great feedback on this post, not only in the comments, but through e-mail, Twitter, etc. While I took a swipe at APR accreditation, the larger point was to get people thinking about their clients rather than themselves. And they did. I received some wonderful additions to the list such as the importance of listening, the critical role of creativity, and the value of understanding communication disciplines other than PR.

By understanding mindset, you will naturally build on specific recommendations in a manner that will help you improve - not just in the moment - but for the long haul.

Links for 2009-06-17 [del.icio.us]

2009-06-18T00:00:00-07:00

Want To Be A Better PR Professional?

Want To Be A Better PR Professional?

2009-06-17T11:33:00.009-04:00

Then spend your time focusing on subjects other than PR.

I've been reading quite a bit lately about people preparing for their APR exam, as if that's going to magically transform them to become better PR professionals. Newsflash: It won't. It's the equivalent of Scarecrow receiving his diploma at the end of the Wizard of Oz. (Scarecrow's transformation had nothing to do with the piece of paper.)

That said, while I don't dismiss APR preparation as being a valuable professional development tool, the credential is meaningless. We've all met great APRs and incompetent ones. We've also worked with professionals without the initials who are brilliant at their craft. Great PR professionals, with APR training or not, are those who view their profession as larger than themselves. They are educated well beyond the limits of public relations.

As much as most PR pros don't want to admit this, PR in and of itself, is not complicated. I could teach the fundamentals of PR to anyone in a day. Knowing what to do is the easy part. Knowing what to do depending on your client, industry, and audiences is where the rubber meets the road. It's what separates the PR greats from the wannabees. So before you embark on APR preparation, or if you're already an APR, here's a few thoughts for you if you want to be excellent at your profession and offer real value to your clients in good times and in bad:

Take time to truly understand your client's values and priorities. If you don't really crawl inside where your clients are coming from, then you'll never be able to help them connect with their audiences. Moreover, you'll be useless during a crisis. The great responses to crises have not been situational in nature. Great responses to crises come from core values - from who they (your clients) are, not simply how they contrive a response in the moment. Unlock this key, and you'll have a better relationship with your client and be a far more effective advocate on their behalf.
Become an expert in your client's business beyond the topline. Those who are not experts in their clients' business typically resort to measuring PR on PR terms, not on business terms. This is the fundamental reason PR pros cry about being underappreciated. If you want a seat at the table; if you want to be respected as a business person, then take time to understand your client's business. Your client's trade pubs should be your Bibles. This will not only help you connect the dots regarding the value you bring, but also open up a new world of PR opportunities for you to explore.
Be fanatical about staying attuned to your audiences' hot buttons. Consider tracking polls in political campaigns. Public opinion can shift like the wind. Client centric messaging that doesn't connect with the changing attitudes of customers, shareholders, employees, civic leaders, etc. can cause much more harm than good. Become THE authority about your client's target audiences.
Become an expert in the legal matters that pertain to your client. How many of you have been in the room when an attorney takes command of the conversation because (s)he understands the relevant legal issues of the day. If you want to take the attitude that you're not an attorney, then you'll have to live with being run over in front of the CEO. Don't allow it. Understand the law. You don't have to go to law school to acquire this valuable knowledge.
Take time to study the fundamental challenges of leadership. I don't believe you can offer real counsel to leaders without understanding the fundamentals of leadership. I'd recommend reading The Leadership Challenge by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner to get you started.

For the PR profession to be regarded as truly valuable in the marketplace, we need to focus on adding value, not initials. During tough times, clients have to believe that they're better off with us by their sides than on the sidelines. To do so will require knowing much more than what APR can teach you.

Sam Arthur, The Perfect Character

2009-06-15T01:15:00.001-04:00

Who is Sam Arthur you ask? He's my favorite character from Robert H. Thompson's book, The Offsite - A Leadership Challenge Fable. I'd like to tell you about Sam, but my leadership challenge is to do so without giving away too much about the book or revealing what we discover about Sam as the story progresses. Suffice it to say that Sam is the gardener, or as he would call himself, "the groundskeeper" at Tucson, Arizona's La Mariposa Resort & Spa - the location of the offsite meeting which brings together hi-powered teams from two competing pharmaceutical companies.

So of all the colorful players featured in the book, why do I like the gardener? Consider for a moment that the author could have given Sam any job at the hotel - manager, bellman, concierge, etc. Sam's the gardener because Thompson offers us a perfect metaphor for leadership. Sam sees to it that the soil is healthy. He makes sure the plants get enough water and sun, and that their environment is free from weeds and pests. The plants are given everything they need to succeed on their own. Sam knows that if he creates the right conditions for growth, his gardens will flourish. One would hardly imagine Sam yelling at the flowers to grow faster or fuller. While that kind of behavior is clearly not Sam's nature, he also understands that it doesn't work. Sam's approach to nurturing his garden is the same approach great leaders use to build and grow successful enterprises.

(Don't get too caught up in being compared to a plant. If most CEOs treated their employees as well as Sam tends to his garden, you shouldn't mind at all.)

But Sam is not simply defined by his job or the associated leadership metaphor. Sam teaches us about jumping to conclusions about the people we meet in all walks of life each and every day. He reminds us of the importance of having real passion for whatever we do because, more than pay, the joy we bring to others should serve as the true reward for our life's work. Sam also redefines the meaning of the word "perfect." Interestingly enough, it's not about perfection at all.

Pick up a copy of The Offsite. Find out how Sam uses the word perfect and discover your own favorite character. There are some great ones, but to me, Sam is...well...perfect.

Client Service And Being Human

2009-06-11T00:20:00.001-04:00

I read two terrific posts recently. One from Chris Brogan titled, How USAir Turned My Grumpy Mood Around, and the other from David Mullen which leads with the lines, You Made A Mistake. Is This How You React? I was struck by their similar theme: The importance of just being human. Simple right?

Simple maybe. Common, not really. The reason is a bit ironic if you think about it. We try to preserve an image of perfection in a world where everyone knows we're not perfect. It may sound silly, but it happens every day. People who fear what they regard as public humiliation or legal liability eschew the practice of admitting error. (The "apologizing is a sign of weakness" crowd.) They fear bad press and adverse jury verdicts. But neither the general public nor members of a jury will typically punish people/companies for being human. They punish them for being just the opposite.

Consider this simple exercise I often conduct during crisis communication workshops. I ask the group to give me list of the attributes that separate their very best friend in the world from all other friends and acquaintances. They typically respond with thoughts such as trustworthy, there when I need them, good listener, etc. I've never had anyone say that "perfection" should be included on the list. There are two pieces of good news here. First, people don't expect perfection even from their best friends (so they certainly don't expect it from others). They understand we all make mistakes. Second, if you want to know what people do expect from you, just look at the list offered by the group.

The fact is, relationships aren't weakened by adversity, they're strengthened by it - as long as we step up in a manner that reflects the best in our human nature. Chris Brogan likes USAirways more than he did last week, and David Mullen has gone up a notch in the eyes of his client. How about that?!

Focus On The Customer

2009-06-10T00:20:00.004-04:00

As a follow-up to my post about How The Mighty Fall by Jim Collins, I thought I'd share a more personal story. How many of you remember a discount retailer called Bradlees? Operating stores from Maine to Virginia, Bradlees was the "Target of the northeast" in its day. With attractive stores and a solid reputation for its apparel, Bradlees leadership was convinced it had a winning formula.

In the mid 1980's, I worked in the public affairs department for The Stop & Shop Companies (Bradlees parent company at the time). Among other things, I was charged with helping the operating companies with store openings and new market entries, and writing all the speeches for the corporate CEO and the various company presidents. Interestingly enough, there was probably no one else at corporate who spent more time in stores talking to customers and front-line employees, while at the same time thinking and writing about the business on a macro scale. It's an experience that forever shaped how I approach my work. But I digress...back to the story.

I spent a great deal of time with Bradlees' senior leadership team, especially its president. As I remember it, Bradlees financial performance, regardless of how impressive, was always being compared to Wal-Mart and it really steamed the Bradlees leadership team. Gross margins was an especially sore subject, as Wall Street analysts kept asking why Bradlees couldn't achieve Wal-Mart's impressive results. The dilemma of course is how does one achieve Wal-Mart like margins when operating stores with expensive real estate and higher labor costs?

Tired of the monthly badgering about its margins, Bradlees leaders believed the quickest way to improve margins was to raise prices. And that's exactly what they did. The problem was, the customers responded by flocking to competitors Caldor, Zayre, and Ames. And for all intents and purposes, thousands of Bradlees customers simply left and never came back.

While Bradlees hung on for a number of years, it never fully recovered from the wound, going bankrupt in 2000 and closing all of its stores the following year. (Ironically, when Wal-Mart eventually opened stores in this part of the country it took over many of Bradlees former locations).

The poisonous combination of arrogance and lack of customer focus sent the company into a death spiral. Imagine going out of business because you tried to compete with another retailer that didn't have a store within 500-1000 miles of you? Hard to imagine, but that's what happened.

The next time you think about taking your focus off your customers, even for a second, remember Bradlees.

Collins And Client Service

2009-06-08T10:20:00.008-04:00

Let me start by saying I'm a big fan of Jim Collins. Built to Last and Good to Great are both terrific books. We use Good to Great for our graduate students in the capstone module of Seton Hall University's MASCL program.

I will have to say though that Collins' latest book, How The Mighty Fall is a smaller book in more ways than one. It comes off as a hastily written defense of his first two works. You need only to flip to page four before reading a highlighted page titled: Why The Fall Of Previously Great Companies Does Not Negate Prior Research. As a result, the 123 pages of primary text falls well short of his first two books, but to be fair, he had a pretty tough act to follow.

Anyone who understands the fundamental principles of Built to Last realizes that while an enterprise may be built to last, it's not guaranteed to last. If you've read Good to Great, most readers get the concept that moving from good to great doesn't ensure eternal greatness. Despite the fate of Fannie Mae, Circuit City, et. al., the fundamental principles of Collins' first two books are rock solid.

But dismissing this new book as simply an act of Collins just playing defense would be unwise. Based on his research, both new and old, he offers "five step-wise stages of decline." Understanding these stages, particularly in today's business climate may come in handy. That said, I believe layered in those stages appears to be a lack of disciplined focus on the customer and on "having the right people on the bus." It seems to me that once a company shifts from these priorities to others, even slightly, it can spark its demise.

Consider this, I've asked several people to name one company for me, that was truly focused on the customer, in need of bailout money right now. You know how many names I have on the list? Zero.

In my next post, I'm going to share a story of a retailer (for whom I worked many years ago) whose road to failure began by paying too much attention to a competitor that wasn't even in its operating area, while paying too little attention to its own customers. It's a lesson I'll never forget.

How The Mighty Fall offers us a framework about decline. If you're like me, you believe there's more to be learned from our failures than our successes. For that reason, I recommend you read it. Just realize of course that following the principles in this book are no more a guarantee for survival than Collins' previous works could guarantee long-term greatness. Collins provides the framework and principles, the ultimate results are up to you.

My Shameless Link/Subscription Drive

2009-06-03T16:37:00.001-04:00

As I've ventured back more actively into the blogging fold, I thought it would be a good time to ask you this: If you enjoy the content here at Client Service Insights...(CSI Season 2) then I ask you to consider one or all of the following:

Post a link to CSI Season 2 on your blog
Subscribe to my RSS Feed
Follow me on Twitter
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Recommend CSI Season 2 to your friends!

I will gladly return the favor! (You may be in my blogroll already.) If the content on this blog is not your cup of tea, no worries. Feel free to stop by anytime. (You never know, you might find something that floats your boat.) Also, if there are topics or issues you'd like us all to talk about, then please let me know.

A blog is only as strong as the participants who spark its lively conversation, so by all means add your comments to posts that most interest you. I look forward to your joining and driving that conversation in the months ahead. For those of you who have already posted a link on your blog to CSI Season 2 thank you and spread the word!

Here's a representative list of those who have contributed to our conversation here at CSI Season 2 or on other social media platforms. My many thanks!

Todd Andrlik, Gavin Heaton, Gerry Riskin, Darryl Ohrt, Drew McClellan, Kami Huyse, Michelle Golden, Tom Kane, Becky Carroll, Angela Seits, Kristen Victory, Will Lukang, Karen Miller Russell, Doug Simon, Chris Abraham, Martin Lynch, Little D, Alpha Mom, Dara Jester, Leanne Heller, Jonathan Yarmis, Ampatzis Panagiotis, Danny Brown, Joseph Wilburn, John Koetsier, Jyotsana Saha, Ruth Seeley, Mark Harai, Jason Whitmen, Edward Boches, Eric Montague, Michael Bourne, Larry Bodine, Tom Kane, More Partner Income, Rjon Robins, Patrick Baird, Jenny Love, Robert Thompson, Kevin O'Keefe, Jim Calloway, Jack Kempers, Dr. Alan Freitag, Shel Israel, Staci Stringer, Eric Eggertson, Marc Rapp, Liza Jones, Dan Hull, Maria Palma, Patti Dragland, Amanda Chapel, Ruth Hickok, Marla Federman, Kate Robins, SCartierLiebel, Howard Steiger, Matt Kucharski, Ben Waugh, Rich Sandford, Dr. Kent M. Keith, Shel Holtz, Katie Paine, David Alston, David Maister, Laurie Wilhelm, Rodger Johnson, Geoff Livingston, David Mullen, Chris Brogan, Jose Teixiera, Jeff Davis, Scott Baradell, Sherrilynne Starkie, Lara Kretler, Lynn Crymble, Susan Iskiwitch, Angie Chaplin, Walter Stevenson, Sharon Bond, Joyce Lofstrom, Heather Yaxley, Tyler Hurst, Kristen Smith, Terry Morawski, Phil Gomes, Richard Rinyai, Robert French, Josh Morgan, Barbara B. Nixon, Todd Defren, Paul Ritchie, Timothy Parcell, Boyd Neil, Claire Celsi, Laurent Pfertzel, Debbie Weil, Catharine Montgomery, Rodger Johnson, Jason Keeling, Michael Kolowich, Patrick J. Lamb, Brian Keith, Kelli Matthews, Shannon Paul and Ed Lee.

If you're so inclined, you're welcome to Twit this!

*The RSS graphic posted above comes from Creative Nerds. Visit their page, and you'll find about 1,500 additional RSS related icons. Very cool!

Client Service And The Offsite (Part 2)

2009-06-01T19:39:00.003-04:00

The more I think about (Part 1) of my review of The Offsite, the more I realize that while I covered one of the major threads found in the book, there are certainly many, many more.

For today, I want to share my favorite story as told by the fictional, but admirable CEO Gordon Murphy in the chapter titled: Embrace the Struggle.

"One day when I was just a kid, I found a cocoon dangling from a small tree limb. I was going to cut it down and put it in a jar so I could watch it hatch, but then I decided to go back and check on it every day instead. I did this for a few days and nothing happened. But one day, I noticed a small hole at the top of the cocoon and I was so excited because I could see the future butterfly wiggling around a bit inside. I tried to be patient to wait for the bug to emerge on its own, but curiosity got the better of me and I thought I would help him get out, so I used my pocketknife to cut a bigger hole. It seemed to be working because the butterfly moved around even more. So I got excited and cut the cocoon all the way open. I couldn't wait to see him spread his wings and fly. But then the saddest thing happened. The butterfly flopped out of the cocoon onto the dirt below, and as it struggled to open its wings, it just gave up and died. Do you know why?...It turns out that the struggle to emerge from the cocoon is actually part of the growth process for butterflies...If they don't push against the boundaries of their casing, their wings don't develop the strength they need to fly."

The message is crystal clear. (And no, it's not "never give a young boy a pocketknife!") It's of course a powerful metaphor for our own struggles and just one of several wonderful stories shared in this book.

Read the book and discover your own favorite story and favorite character. You've read my choice for story, and my favorite character is Sam. You'll learn that of all the jobs he could have had at the hotel, it's no accident that he's the gardener.

Client Service And The Offsite (Part 1)

2009-05-30T10:15:00.014-04:00

One can hardly engage in a meaningful conversation about client service without taking a hard look at topics like leadership, listening, relationships, and trust. Angie Chaplin was kind enough to send me a copy of Robert H. Thompson's book, The Offsite, A Leadership Challenge Fable. I'm proud to call Angie a colleague, as she and I serve as members of the Instructional Team for Seton Hall University's MASCL program. Angie is also a certified facilitator for Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner's time honored Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership, first introduced in The Leadership Challenge 25 years ago (now in its fourth edition).

Thompson's fictional account of an offsite meeting uses Kouzes & Posner's five practices as its foundation. The book not only offers a terrific illustration of the five practices, but also reminds us of the importance of finding greater meaning in our lives both personally and professionally. It makes me think of the story of the two stonecutters who were asked the question: "What are you doing?" The first answered, "I'm cutting stone." The second stonecutter replied, "I'm building a great cathedral."

Thompson offers us Gordon MacKenzie's line from the book, Orbiting the Giant Hairball, "You have a masterpiece inside of you and if you go to your grave without painting your masterpiece, it will not get painted. No one else can paint it...only you."

So it may be fair to ask yourself, "Am I working on that masterpiece or not?"

Clients and customers can always tell the difference between people who are painting their masterpiece and who regard the significance of their work as greater than the task at hand, and those who are just doing what they've resigned themselves to do. They can smell it a mile away.

I encourage you to read Thompson's book. Take a few hours to enjoy the fruits of an offsite meeting in the comfort of your own home. (When was the last time you got to do that?) And reflect on how you can take the lessons from the book and implement them in your own life.

You'll most certainly identify with the characters who participate in this offsite meeting. I'm sure you've met many of them. In (Part 2) of my look at The Offsite, I'll recount one of the many profound stories Thompson's characters share with us.

Inspiration

2009-05-28T12:29:00.008-04:00

When people typically talk about being inspired, it's often in the context of a powerful vision and about the rewards of reaching a lofty goal. Well, along the journey, singularly looking forward and pursuing the goal, regardless of how appealing, is not always going to be enough to get you there. Sometimes you have to look behind you for inspiration. Let me share a story with you.

Several years ago, my two teenage daughters asked me about climbing a peak in Crested Butte, Colorado. My wife and I took them to Mt. Baldy. We left the house by 6:00 am to begin what would be about a three hour climb. (The reason for the early departure is about adhering to a rule of thumb that you want to be off the mountain by noon in the event of a summer afternoon thunderstorm. The last place you want to be during such a weather event is on a big rock!)

As we began the climb, the girls were very enthusiastic. After about an hour, I started hearing comments like, "the view looks pretty good from here" and "should we be concerned about those clouds coming in?" You could see the exhaustion on their faces. I suggested, let's give it another 20 minutes and see how you feel. (In fairness, the climb was not easy by any means). Twenty minutes later, the summit looked no closer and the climb was getting even tougher.

I thought I was fighting a losing battle in terms of leading them to the top. Then I had an idea; I asked them to take note of where they are and climb for 20 more minutes. They reluctantly agreed. After the 20 minutes, the summit didn't look any more attainable, but when I asked them to find the spot we just came from, they were astonished at their progress. It sparked a sudden surge in their march to the summit. We never heard another complaint.

When we all reached the top of the 12,000+ ft. peak, there was a collective euphoria. The lessons are several fold:

The importance of trust. I may have had an advantage being their father and all, but in the end, they had to trust that the goal was attainable and that the rewards were worth the effort.
It helped that my wife and I were with them every step of the way.
They learned that looking back can be as important as looking ahead.
Since that day, they understand that fighting through adversity can reap amazing rewards.
Finally, they learned firsthand that there's nothing quite like the view from the summit.

Overall, a very good day! Next time you become discouraged during your personal/professional journey, look behind you for inspiration!

Patience And The Untold Story

2009-05-27T09:46:00.007-04:00

There's been a great deal written lately about the power of storytelling. Most of it in terms of how great stories can help us connect with our audiences or more clearly illustrate our point. But I believe we should be mindful of the stories we may never be told as well.

I've found myself looking at people through a different lens lately. For every person I see, I try to imagine for a moment what brought them to live where they do. How they chose their job or whether their job chose them. I think about the influences in their lives (the stories) that have shaped how they view the world. I realize I know nothing about who they are.

Compound that with not knowing what may have happened in their lives on a particular day - events that may cause them to be either jovial, indifferent, or angry at the world. And in fairness, those people do not understand what's happening in our worlds either. These powerful, untold stories impact our interactions with everyone we meet, each and every day.

What does any of this have to do with client service? Well, a great deal actually. If by realizing the power of the untold story, we can show a bit more patience with one another, then we'll be the richer for it. Before reacting impatiently ourselves or responding negatively to what you interpret to be a terse remark, take a moment to consider what you may not understand.

The Chinese word for patience is phonetically pronounced as ren. It's expressed with a combination of two characters: the blade of the knife and the heart, symbolizing how difficult it can be to demonstrate true patience. "Patience is the strength of the mind and heart." Imagine a world where everyone was just a bit more patient. Consider how this may be relevant to your life and share your story with us.

Focus On Commmunicating

2009-05-23T10:47:00.007-04:00

Last week, Edward Boches wrote a great post about a speech he attended in Boston given by Colin Powell. Boches offered six observations about the way Powell engaged with the audience that are worth thinking about. But after reading his post, it reminded me of a video clip from presentation training expert Toni Louw. Toni reminds us that being attentive to various communication practices is helpful, but once someone focuses on truly communicating, then effective use of these practices often comes naturally. Listen to what Toni has to say about communicating and how some people are taught to picture their audience. Let us know what you think.

Communication Planning And Bridging The Gap

2009-05-21T09:02:00.005-04:00

Over 20 years ago, a senior exec from BBDO introduced me to the concept of developing a strategic considerations and conclusions section as a way to flag key points in a situation analysis and identify insights that will set the stage for the recommendations/action items when presenting a communication plan. It's one of the most valuable lessons I've ever received.

Most strategic communication plans (written or spoken) do a poor job of creating real relevance between SWOT, cultural analysis, trends, competitive reviews, etc. and the action plan itself - often leaving the audience unclear about why the recommendations presented serve as the best course of action.

As you present your recommendations, you should be looking at faces that are saying "of course" as opposed to "where did that come from?" You should not leave your audience wondering why they had to endure 30-60 minutes of upfront data and pre-ramble if there's nothing in the plan that clearly demonstrates its relevance.

This exercise not only helps create a stronger link between the set up and the plan itself, but also challenges us as strategic communication planners to uncover insights that will impact our recommendations, both in terms of tools and messaging.

Give it a try. Bridge the gap.

The Apple Of My Eye

2009-05-19T06:33:00.008-04:00

On Sunday morning, as I started to check messages on my iPhone, I couldn't get anything to come up on the display. I quickly realized that no matter what I did, there was nothing that was going to fix my white screen with the disturbing lines running through it. The great thing about the iPhone is that I can use it for everything, but when it malfunctions, it quickly becomes the worst thing. While the white screen may have worked as an adequate flashlight, it clearly needed a repair.

Since I was traveling, and there wasn't an Apple Store within 100 miles of my location, I visited a local AT&T store. It was a waste of time - not entirely their fault mind you, but a waste of a trip nonetheless. After calling Apple Technical Support, I learned that my iPhone was still under warranty and that since I didn't have an Apple store nearby, I could mail them the phone and receive a new one. Seemed like a reasonable solution, but since I was going to be on the road awhile and moving from place to place, there was no reliable mailing address for me. It would not be the quick fix I needed.

Without any form of mobile communication, I had no choice but to fill-up the tank and drive to the "nearby" Apple Store 123 miles away. As Sunday drives go, not too bad really. When I arrived at the Apple store just in time for my 3:00 p.m. Genius Bar appointment, I was greeted with a smile by an Apple employee standing at the front door.

It reminded me of visiting a bicycle shop or ski store. These independently run specialty stores are usually staffed by people who LOVE what they do. They understand their sport and the equipment like the back of their hands and always make you feel at home whether you're an expert or a novice. They have a palpable enthusiasm for their job, and it's always a great customer experience.

The Apple store in Des Moines, Iowa was no different. Everyone was terrific, from the greeter at the door to "Luke" the Apple Genius, who repaired the display on my iPhone in all of about 6 minutes. Best of all, when he handed me the phone, I felt like he was even happier than I was. He got real joy out of my satisfaction that the phone had been fixed so quickly.

The people at Apple, both on the phone and in the store, don't want me as a customer, they want me to be their client. They're about building the relationship versus facilitating the simple transaction. The iPhone may have malfunctioned, but the people behind the product could not have performed more brilliantly.

The simple reminders for me are: 1) if you handle adverse situations well, you strengthen relationships; and 2) we should all approach our jobs with the energy and enthusiasm of the Apple employee or specialty store worker.

Quick note: Luke's T-Shirt sported another reminder, "Not all superheroes wear capes."

Modeling The Way For Client Service

2009-05-17T09:03:00.008-04:00

Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner identify five principles of leadership in their book, The Leadership Challenge. The first is to "model the way" or as we also say "lead by example."

In a recent BusinessWeek piece titled: CEOs Who Use Twitter, the writers note that in August of 2008 they reported 18 CEOs using Twitter. Less than a year later, they're featuring 50 CEOs who are tweeting to their personal and professional delight. The trend is worthy of discussion for a number of reasons.

First, it speaks to a CEO willing to explore new ways to communicate with stakeholders. You set an example by showing your people that you're a curious person rather than a fundamentalist as defined by Seth Godin. To paraphrase, a fundamentalist considers whether a fact is acceptable to their faith before they explore it. A curious person explores first and then considers whether or not they want to accept the ramifications. Great CEOs challenge their people to be curious.

Second, CEOs who are exploring Twitter's possibilities send a powerful message to customers and other stakeholders alike that they want to engage directly with their audiences. In today's world there are two kinds of companies - the ones that want to promote a dialogue with their clients/customers in an effort to build true relationships, and the ones simply trying to drive transactions. I choose to do business with companies who exemplify the former.

Finally, in the communication business, clients want to believe you understand all the communication tools available to them. For my money, social media can't be taught, it has to be learned. Agency CEOs who aren't participating and leading their own people in this arena will never be able to provide competent counsel to yours.

Achieving an all new level of client service excellence will mean the difference between thriving and surviving in the coming months and years. We'd be wise to pay attention to these CEOs as they model the way.

Client Service And Team ClustrMaps

2009-05-11T10:29:00.004-04:00

This is what my ClustrMaps map looked like last week. Below (down the right side), you'll see a map with noticeably fewer dots. It's all part of ClustrMaps' archive program designed to prevent one's map from looking like one massive red blob.

I received an e-mail from the ClustrMaps team prior to my map being refreshed, thanking me for being a loyal user, explaining their process, and reassuring me that I'll always have access to my archived map.

A few months after I restarted my blog, I added ClustrMaps because it not only promotes the reach of a specific blog, but also serves to remind us all of how easy it is to create and share content with colleagues around the world. Today, we take it for granted. We shouldn't, and I think the visual depiction from ClustrMaps offers us a small reminder not to do so.

While I've always loved the service, I was really impressed by the company's communication with its clients. Team ClustrMaps illustrated its priorities through a straightforward, proactive, and personalized communication. Nicely done!

Client Service: Mud Season Style

2009-05-07T11:34:00.006-04:00

For retailers on Elk Avenue in Crested Butte, Colorado, it's bad enough that the economy is negatively impacting sales, but during mud season there are virtually no tourists and many locals leave town. These retailers are both hearty and ingenious. They prove that you don't have to look to global corporations for lessons on creatively reducing operating expenses while simultaneously improving upon a reputation for client service excellence.

One retailer, Cottonwood Tees, is among several on Elk Avenue who are closed for the "off-season," but who post a sign like this on the door:

"We're currently closed for the off-season and will reopen (at a date specific). In the meantime, if you have a T-Shirt Emergency, please call me anytime, and we'll open the store for you."

I asked the owner of Cottonwood Tees about this approach. She stated that (like many retailers in town) she lives just a few blocks from the store. Opening the store on an as needed basis not only helps reduce operating costs, but when you open the store as a special favor to the customer, you win positive word-of-mouth and a customer for life.

As you think about cutting costs (regardless of your business), take a page from the retailers in Crested Butte. They send the message loud and clear that we may not be here at the moment, but make no mistake, we'll come when you need us.

Those are the kind of people we like to do business with, and they're the kind of businesses that will still be standing when the economy turns around.

Mud Season

2009-05-04T09:34:00.008-04:00

I went for a morning run yesterday, and as a distraction from my labored breathing, took note of my surroundings with a different perspective. We're all familiar with the symbolic significance of the seasons in literature. We understand Winter to mean death and Spring to signify renewal. Here in the mountains, we have a short season that falls between Winter and Spring - Mud Season.

It's a fitting metaphor for what we experience in life because none of us moves seamlessly from Winter to Spring. We enter our personal mud seasons where all that was once so beautiful appears ugly for a time. It's during these brief periods that we reflect, rejuvenate and forge ahead. We do so with the confidence that Spring is just around the corner.

I hold great hope that the coming months mark a time of renewal for our global economy and the many people who have lost their jobs. It's time to reflect, take stock of our lives personally and professionally, and forge ahead. Spring is coming!

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2008-11-21T00:00:00-08:00

Do you have a story to share, positive or negative, about a time at work where you were faced with speaking truth to power?

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2008-07-29T00:00:00-07:00

The New Economics of Service

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2008-07-26T00:00:00-07:00

Facebook Connects Your Brand Across the Social Web

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2008-07-14T00:00:00-07:00

Client Service And Conversation

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2008-06-26T00:00:00-07:00

Wordle - June

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2008-06-04T00:00:00-07:00

Great Scott? Hardly.
The President and the Press Secretary should serve the true client here - the American people. You know, the people who pay the taxes, elect our leaders, and send their sons and daughters to war. Yes, those people.
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