Unintended conquences

I keep receiving e-mails that close with the following statement at the bottom, please consider the environment before printing this e-mail or some variation thereof. They often have a nice silhouette of a single evergreen tree standing like a sentential over a rushing river, in a bold, hunter green hue. Nice reminder to be environmentally conscious, but I do not need to consider whether I should or should not print something. If we all stop printing out articles or e-mails, that could affect paper companies and more importantly, people who work for them? What would recyclers do? How many loggers would lose their jobs because demand dropped? What about the trucker and the sawmill workers? If those jobs dwindle, what happens to the towns these folks live in? The stores, the restaurants, the schools might close and local governments that depend on these workers tax revenue would dry up.

Simple, harmless ideas that we all see as helping, really do the exact opposite.
Another example is when someone dies, often there is a request by the family that reads, “in lieu of flowers”, send your donations to this organization or that. While good intentioned, in lieu of hurts the florist that will not get to help the bereaved family in their grief by creating a beautiful tribute to the deceased? The florist supplier will not get an order and the grower will not have his crop harvested because someone suggested, in lieu of?

In May of 2003 country singer June Carter Cash, the wife of country legend Johnny Cash, died. Her obituary read, “In lieu of donations, please send flowers”. How refreshing. How bold. I have been to funerals where there were no flowers. The service was stark, cold and uncharacteristic of the person lying in the box. Flowers help celebrate a person’s existence. Flowers remind the survivors of the temporary nature of our lives. Flowers add color, aroma and warmth to a sad life cycle event. Flowers also bring solace and comfort to those who remember the departed.

Therefore, I will embrace Ms. Cash’s idea and ask when I die, send me flowers. Lot’s of them. Heck, send them to me now, while I am vertical. Moreover, please do not remind me to consider the environment. It will be fine without my consideration. My new, personal e-mail closing states;

please help capitalism thrive. print this email.

Toastmaster Youth Leadership Program – a star of an opportunity

16 mm film was originally an amateur movie format. A moving picture is created by taking a series of still images and advancing them frame by frame at a consistent rate of speed to create the illusion of movement. Our eyes assist by creating a “persistence of vision” to help this optical trick work.

16 hours is the amount of time we have to work with a group of amateur speakers and help them develop their ability to express themselves in a learning opportunity known as the Youth Leadership Program. This eight week Toastmaster program is no illusion, yet like a film it is a process. The program has a mission to help young people communicate effectively using a tried and true Toastmasters structure.

As in the 16mm film, the Youth Leadership Program is built frame by frame on a series of sessions that introduce various skills to the fifteen young people from ages eight to fourteen that are participating in the program. Brad Beck, ACS, ALB, Karen Dittman, CC and Sandie Sorrells are the directors behind this program being presented in the Town of Erie, Colorado for the first time. “I was looking for a project to complete my Advanced Communicator Gold requirements,” says Brad Beck, “when fellow Toastmaster Tom Hobbs suggested I conduct a Youth Leadership Program. Tom visited our club, the Erie Expressors and made a pitch to our members. Tom promised to provided the materials if we promised to conduct the program.” When vision meets action, something is going to happen. It did. “Karen and Sandie agreed to co-coordinate the program with me and we started planning it as soon as Tom delivered the materials,” said Beck.

Over coffee and croissants at the Smiling Moose in Erie, we planned our production. The materials we received gave us guidance on how to conduct the program with a Coordinators Guide and a Participants Handbook. The skills taught and practiced in these manuals include learning about chairmanship, evaluation, organizing a speech, listening, gestures, vocal variety, impromptu and prepared speech presentation. (For Toastmasters this should sound familiar). “We wanted to punch things up a notch,” said Beck, “so we created a power point program for each two hour session to enhance the program and keep the participants attention. About every fifth slide we have a funny or silly picture which keeps the kids engaged and makes them anticipate the material.”

The three split the responsibilities. Karen recruited home schooled children in our community and secured a location for us to conduct the program. Sandie volunteered to be the snack master keeping drinks and goodies for our participants to stay energized. And, Brad posted flyers at the local community center, library and submitted press releases in the local newspaper. They all take turns presenting the material.

Our participants are halfway through the program and they have learned to overcome their nervousness when speaking before an audience. Other skills practiced are organization, presentation, sharing ideas in a logical and convincing way, listening carefully to others, offering advice with evaluations, participating in and leading group discussions. With four meetings completed we have witnessed an increase in the participants self confidence as they learn and have fun.

“I am fortunate to have the assistance of some dedicated individuals from our club,” says Beck. “Karen and Sandie enthusiastically accepted the challenge of bringing this program to life and making it a success.”

Like a film there is a lot of pre-production time spent prior to conducting each session, enhancing the materials. The end product however is well worth it. “If we can help these young people become tomorrow’s leaders by giving them the tools they can use to become better citizens and confident communicators we have spent our time well,” says Beck. Word has already spread around town about the program and we have a list started for another eight week session which we hope to do sometime in the spring. 16 hours is not a lot of time to invest in your community to create your own program. Our suggestion like the directors call is, “Action”

Greeting internal and external customers

The sign read, “Welcome Brad Beck from Design Master.” WOW! What a way to be greeted. I was visiting a good customer in New Jersey and as I walked in their front door, that message was there to greet me. My name was prominent above the customer’s colorful logo. Did I feel special? You bet. I was smiling from ear to ear and truly felt like an honored guest in someone’s home. I was put as ease and knew this call would be great. This customer understood that when someone sees or hears their name, it’s makes them feel good and sets a positive mood for discussion.

In the beginning of the spring here in Colorado I did something similar at our office. I purchased a large potted geranium plant and placed it by the back door entrance. This is typically where most of our team members enter our office. I wanted each person to feel good about coming to work so I added a short sign that reads, “Through this door walks the BEST!”, and put our company logo on it. This colorful red flowering plant and that little sign greets our folk’s everyday. Hopefully it puts a smile on their face and reinforces how important they are to the success of our business.

What could you do to welcome your internal and external customers? Is there a special sign or posting you could make, to greet your customers? Little touches like these show someone cares and makes a world of difference in how one feels when we walk into a business. What are you doing to make folks feel welcomed?

The will to survive. Do you have it?

After one of the most expensive search and rescues in Grand Canyon history, John was found alive. John Fountain is a survivor. I mean this figuratively. At 18 years old, John and some high school friends set off for a hiking trip into the Grand Canyon. It was to be their last adventure of the summer before entering college. All seemed to go well for the first few hours on their descent to Horseshoe Mesa. The canyon was deceivingly beautiful. The vistas were surreal and so was the 100 plus degree temperature. After a day of hiking, the friends became dehydrated and then sick. John knew he had to do something for his friends. He needed to hike back up the canyon and go for help. Together they found a big rock to provide shade from the heat and then John left his friends with his gear, save some water and a few essentials.

John headed back up the canyon but soon found himself going the wrong way. After hiking back up a steep escarpment, he became lost and the climbing heat soon attacked John like his friends. He felt himself getting ill. He made his way back to where his companions were the next day but they were gone. They were feeling better after some rest and went to find water. John set off to find his friends. Somehow missing each other in their quest, they remained separated and did not connect. By this time there was evidence that John had come back to the place where he left his friends. His backpack was open and items removed and used. Thinking John had come back and then hiked out once again his buddies left to emerge from the canyon, only to discover that John was nowhere in sight. John’s car was still where he had left it. They knew John was down in the canyon, lost. They went for help.

Search and rescue crews fanned out into the canyon to search for John. Day after day they could not find him. John was sleeping during the hot days and traveling in the evening. The brilliant moon shining its beams of light showing him the way. John wandered the many canyons and gullies. With no food, John found whatever he could to eat. Frogs somehow kept him nourished. John found water where water was not supposed to be. Spending his 19th birthday alone, John sang Happy Birthday to himself over and over again to keep awake and alert through his ordeal through the cooler canyon evenings.

After six days John was presumed dead. Yet, he was very much alive. Some thirty miles from where he started, John spotted a lone hiker on a ridge above him. It happened to be a British man, Richard Hignett walking alone along a trail. John followed the man and finally tackled him to get his attention. When John told the man who he was, he was astonished. In no shape to go up, they went down the well-traveled trail to Phantom Ranch where they called for help. John was rescued.

John’s complete story was finally told after 25 plus years to an audience of industry peers. John held back the emotional scars that made this journey come rushing back to him in crystal clarity as he spoke to this industry conference on survival in tough times. This story gave me pause to reflect on how John’s incredible story of survival is a parable for those of us in business today. Preparing for a journey will only help you on your trek. It does not guarantee success. The choices one makes have consequences. Choose the course you take wisely. Pursue your path. Keep going in the face of adversity. Roadblocks like steep escarpments or dangerous cliffs may make you change course. Adapt to the environment you are in. Use what you have at hand to get you through. Be creative in your approach to any situation. Participate in pensive moments and reflect on yourself, your goals, and your situation. Perpetually move forward. John’s journey is our journey. We all enter a wilderness at times. The best emerge from the abyss, stronger and better prepared for the next adventure.

How do you differentiate yourself?

My friend Sharon McGukin is a professional florist, teacher and now author. I recently had the privilege of working with Sharon again at a “Christmas in July Design Show” put on by one of my wholesale distributors in Phoenix, Arizona. The wholesalers merchandising and wares were all beautifully displayed. The staff was friendly and well informed about their products and gave great customer service. It was a real treat to be working here to promote my products for them. It was well over 100 degrees outside yet Sharon, being the consummate professional never let this bother her. She went right to work on designing arrangements for the many vignettes she would create for the audience the next evening.

It’s hard enough to work in a desert environment and think about Christmas. Yet, Sharon created the illusion of the holiday season with her many dozen arrangements. Sharon not only shared her design ability, she illuminated the audience with inspiration and her marketing ideas, sales tips and business philosophy for over two hours.

After the program was completed Sharon greeted guest at a table set up with her new book entitled, “Flowers of the Heart, a bride’s guide to choosing flowers for her wedding.” It is a beautifully written and photographed volume that can be used by both florist and brides. The book illustrates the important element flowers bring to this special day in people’s lives.

Customers came up to Sharon to purchase her book. She warmly greeted them and did something that I had never experienced before at a book signing. Sharon not only inscribed each book with a personalized message, she would caringly slip the book into a perfectly fitted velum bag and then, tied a quality pink satin ribbon into a bow. Embossed on the ribbon in silver ink was the title of the book, “Flowers of the Heart” in the same style script as the book cover. Then with a smile Sharon handed each person their book and thanked them for their purchase.

Wow!!! This was most likely the best example of customer service I have ever seen in some time. Sharon could have just signed the book and handed it to the purchaser. However, she wanted to make the purchase of her book special. She wanted to differentiate herself from other authors. Sharon created a special bond between herself and the purchaser of her book similar to the bond shared between a bride and groom. The purchaser not only received a book they received an experience and a gift. This example made me wonder what ways each of us could do the same to make the experience of buying our wares or services different from our competitors?

To purchase Sharon’s book e-mail her at info@sharonmcgukin.com or follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sharonmcgukin

My whole life has been a series of "Awe's and "Um's"

Now in a speaking sense, Toastmasters are constantly working to eliminate the unnecessary jargon that is used as filler. The “Ah’s” and “Um’s” are pseudo words used as crutches that speakers work hard to eliminate from their vocabulary. They are often used inadvertently to hold a thought or give more time when asked a question. In Toastmasters we are painfully aware of these annoying words and they are repeated back to a speaker during an evaluation by the Ah Counter at the end of a meeting. Members work diligently to use a pregnant pause rather than a filler word.

The “Awes” and “Um’s” I am referring to are those special moments in life. The events I can look back on or forward to, with reverence of that time. My marriage to my wife Kathy in San Francisco under the dome of the city hall building, the enchanting birth of my daughter Melissa, and those break-through moments when time feels as if it has stopped and everything is in slow motion. Whether it is learning something new and fantastic, viewing the majestic snow-covered peaks of the Rocky Mountains, or staring out at the vast Pacific Ocean between gently-swaying palm trees at sunset. I have had many transient instances when I am “living in the moment.”

These are the times I am aware and fully participating in life. I breathe it in deeply and hold on to it as long as I can. These are times when I experience being alive. Often in our day to day existence we just go along in our routines. What if we were to start each day and actively “Think” about having an “Awe” or “Um” moment during the day? Wouldn’t you anticipate going to work or school looking for or making happen the “Awe” for the day, or the pause when you said, “Um” and appreciate the place or situation you are in.

When I am home and working at my office in Boulder I will often take time to walk the block to a city park where the cool, snow melted water of Boulder Creek runs year-round. The park tables are often empty and the swift running water is calming. I enjoy my lunch and relax for a short while. This bit of “Awe” allows me to recharge my batteries and tackle the often thorny issues that arise during the day. A mini vacation that allows me to pause time and clear my head. “Um”

I am always looking to create a daily moment or allow it to happen and be aware of it at the time. I constantly working and planning to create exciting, new and refreshing moments of “Awe”. In business the mind is the most powerful sales tool a person has. One of the best ways I know to be successful in both business and in life is to look and create the “Awe’s” and “Um’s”. As a Toastmaster I work to eliminate the unnecessary fillers in my speech. In life, I look add more “Awe’s” and “Um’s”.

Presentations and PowerPoint

At an industry convention I recently attended I witnessed first hand how relying solely on PowerPoint can kill a presentation. The presenter was well versed on his topic. The pre-meeting promotion I read interested me. Here is where it went down hill fast. The presenter used the exact same wording in his PowerPoint as his handouts. This bored the audience to tears. The subject of the presentation was focused around an industry study with statistical material. People in the back of the room started to leave after the first few minutes. Eyes glazed over with that after lunch bloating that sets in. I felt bad for this industry expert who had the knowledge to share yet did not use the presentation or the technology to engage the audience with the passion I knew he had for the subject. I sat in the first row so I was stuck. Therefore, I used the opportunity to write notes to myself and ask how could the presenter have made this a more enjoyable experience for the audience? How could the PowerPoint technology be used to help not hurt the presentation?

First of all I would have created a structure in the PowerPoint and had some style to the presentation. One technique is to use the “Tell ‘Em” method of presenting. This begins with “Tell the audience what you are going to talk about, then Tell the audience, backing each point with facts, figures and information. Then, Tell the audience what you told them.” This would have set the stage. The presenter just jumped into the material. Images would have given a frame of reference to the audience since most folks think visually these days.

The presenter peppered stories from his experience with his own company throughout the presentation to back up the industry data. This was good, yet he could have made the stories more powerful with appropriate images that reinforced each point he was trying to make. The presenter also appeared to be anchored at the podium. To add interest the speaker could have walked around the room to connect with his audience. A remote clicker could have kept him mobile and not stuck advancing the slides. Moving around during the presentation could have kept the audience involved and awake.

Another issue was that the presenter spoke in a monotone manner throughout the entire talk. Using some vocal variety with the speech with some well place gestures would have added interest and given the listeners an opportunity to engage with the presenter. Sound bites or sound effects could have been added humor or helped make his points more vivid.

Bottom line; Technology is great, yet an interesting person with interesting information does not make for an interesting PowerPoint presentation.

Yes! We have it in that color.

A customer asked me recently if I had some way to promote my products in his store. Being in the hardgoods side of my business we do not do a lot of point of sales materials, I asked what are you looking for? The customer paused and then said, “I know you have literature and do lots of advertising in trade publications. But, I’m looking for something that my people can wear to be a reminder that we sell your product.” I sell spray color in a aerosol can.

This customer has lots of walk in traffic and is located in a terminal market with many other businesses. The customer went on to say, “so often we get people looking for a container or a prop and we don’t have it in the color they are looking for and I am constantly training my staff to get the sell no matter what. If I can help them see that we have what they need and all they have to do it spray it with your colors everyone is happy. I sell what I have in stock and the customer gets the look they need.”

This customer’s employees all were a smock to protect their clothes and have a uniformed look allowing their customers to tell that they work at the store. “Why don’t you create a button that all my folks can wear on their smocks. It could say something like, Yes we have it in that color.”

The idea was simple and the buttons were produced. An inexpensive way to help a customer get our message out and provide them with a tool that can help sell more product. Often time just letting a customer think out loud gives you an opportunity to be a hero and give them what they want. Listen and you shall hear.

Business is GREAT!!!

The idea of attraction says if you hang around successful people you have the opportunity to be successful. If you hang around smart people you have the opportunity to be smart. I believe in this idea and choose to be happy, strive for success and work at being smarter every day. Depending on how you view the preverbal glass, half full or half empty is what your customers pick up on. I choose to say business is great. Is it? You make the call.

Some businesses are booming. Guns sales are up. Adult Beverage Sales are up. Retailers like Dollar Stores and Wal-Mart are up. With every boom and bust cycle there are winners and losers, (as long as government allows the free market to work). The question I ask myself is how can my products and services be apart of the market even when the economy is down? What do I need to do to make sure my well has water in it even in a drought? Planning for these times surely helps. Being lean and efficient is a necessity. I would say that the biggest opportunity a person has is to work on is themselves. Be happy. Be positive. Be someone others wish to be around. Yea, so the news says things “suck.” Choose not to participate in the muck.

The motivational speaker, Charlie “Tremendous” Jones would say “You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read.” You have to get out in the market place and meet people. Join your local Chamber of Commerce and network. Join a non-profit and give your time to a worthy cause. Become a member of an Optimist Club, Lions, Rotary or any other service organization. In time you will get known and in front of people. Give all you can of your time and energy. Volunteer for activities and be known as a happy, positive person that can get things done.

Read anything and everything you can on biographies of successful people, business, history, wealth management, psychology, political science, sports and personal development. Be interesting and knowledgeable about many topics. Listen to books on tape to and from work. Give yourself 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at the end of the day to read and enhance your thinking. Go to lectures and attend seminars that are informative and challenging.

Business is great and only getting better everyday with a positive attitude, an investment in your future and by reading more and meeting someone new every day.

"We're too busy sir!"

We were all set up for a recent trade show in Dallas. The booth looked great. We had our new product all ready to roll out. Run through the check list one more time before the show opened. Price list - check. Literature - check. Give aways – Give aways. Oh we no we forgot the giveaways. What to do? I know. I’ll go over to the world famous coffee house with the green mermaid as it’s logo and buy some gift cards to hand out to good customers as our way of saying thanks for visiting our booth.

There is a short line and I wait a few minutes for my turn. As I move forward the line grows by a few people. It’s my turn to order. “One cup of coffee, black and twenty $10.00 gift cards please.” I am sorry sir we are too busy to do gift cards now. There is a line behind you. "Yes, I know there is a line behind me, however I want to spend $200.00 on gift cards and there are 10 people behind me that want to spend $4.00 dollars each on coffee. That’s $40.00 bucks. I need $200.00 in gift cards now.” I am sorry sir you will have to come back.” I can’t believe what I am hearing. I repeat, "I need $200.00 in gift cards now, please." Wait a moment sir. The cashier yells in a foreign language to someone in the back. A voice booms out, “Tell him we are too busy and he will have to come back.”

"You have got to be kidding. The economy is supposedly bad I want to spend $200 now and you are turning me down because the people behind me will have to wait?" What has happened to service in America? What has happened to common sense? What would you have done?

I tell you what I did. I took my business to the juice vendor down the hall. He was happy to take my money. I had several people behind me even when I asked for his gift cards. The problem for the world famous coffee house with the green mermaid as its logo is that I told everyone who came into my booth about my experience on how not to treat customers. I am telling you as you read this page. The world famous coffee house with the green mermaid had recently made a big deal about closing down for a day to retrain their staff about coffee and customer service. At least that’s what the PR department stated.

How can a local independent compete against a big corporate giant like the world famous coffee house with the green mermaid as its logo? Simple. Give the customer what they want, when they want it. Be pleasant. Be likable. And most of all, train your staff to be ready for extra business even when they are busy. Find a way to take care of good customers. Moral. Stop picking up dimes when you can pick you dollars. I now drink coffee from the golden arches and I save $2.50 a cup.