Oh it seems to me, that sorry seems to be the hardest word. — Elton John From popes to politicians, powerful executives to professional athletes…the news abounds with opportunities for us to ponder: What makes an apology effective — and what does not? “When we reflect back on just how many mistakes we’ve made, and …
The Happiness Advantage
What if you could improve your productivity by 30% without sacrificing happiness? We’ve been told that if you have a good work ethic and work really hard, you can be successful and then you will be happy. New discoveries in psychology say this formula is backwards. If you reverse the order of the formula, you …
Hot Stove Rule and Employee Discipline
“NO…NO…HOT!” I said, as my toddler reached for the stove. “HOT!” Fair and effective employee discipline has the same characteristics as a “Red Hot Stove:” forewarning, immediate, consistent and impartial. According to leadership expert Douglas McGregor, all four should be applied to employee discipline. Forewarning: The closer you get to the red coils, the hotter …
Complaints are GIFTS!
When someone gives you a beautifully wrapped package, you say “thank you.” Likewise, thank customers who complain; their complaint is truly a “gift.” What gift has the complaining customer given you? It’s easier to see complaints as gifts by considering what could have happened: • The customer doesn’t complain but takes their business to your …
Listening with Heart
We hear with our ears. We listen with our hearts. In Chinese, four characters create the active verb “to listen,” ears, eyes, undivided attention, and heart. If one essential element is missing—you aren’t really listening. Some people are hard of hearing. Hearing involves perceiving physical vibration of sound waves on an eardrum. Hearing happens unconsciously,