April 14, 2010 Nobody’s Fault But Mine How are you as an apologizer? Does it stick in your craw? Make you annoyed because you felt justified in whatever action you took? Or do you apologize too easily? Want to keep the peace and just say you’re sorry to get it over with? Well, neither situation is ideal. In order for an apology to be meaningful, it must be, by definition, “full of meaning.” You must mean what you say, and how you say it. Interestingly, apologies can have very little to do with “fault.” In fact, “fault” is a concept that always seems rather unpleasant. In my…
March 17, 2010 Hey Norm! OK, I’m dating myself here (someone has to!), but who remembers the 1980’s and 90’s TV show Cheers? Norm was a regular patron of a Boston bar, and everyone knew his name. The owner/workers of the bar would all proclaim loudly, “Norm!” when he walked through the door every day, as if he were an unexpected long-lost best friend rather than a boozy regular who sits at the same barstool day in and day out. Now, all of us in retail or customer service should pay attention to making our clients and prospects feel welcome and valued. Having records of…
March 2, 2010 Are You a Bad Apple or a Happy Honey? You’ve heard the old saw, one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel? Well, it’s true. Have you experienced how one negative person can sour an entire roomful of otherwise happy people? DON’T BE THAT GUY! Don’t be the one complaining about your job. Or the weather. Or your in-laws. Or the traffic. Maybe you are not the biggest optimist in the world, maybe you are more of a realist? If so, then you should avoid bad apples at all costs! Don’t you feel happier and better when you associate with cheerful, optimistic people? Doesn’t being with someone who is…
