The Right Way Works! - jeff korhan

Teamwork - Play Well with Others!

Today I was reading about business school rankings in the Wall Street Journal.  I'm especially tuned in to this topic because my daughter Alison will be a freshman in college next year -- and her intent is to study - that's right -  business.  I think that was what Tom Cruise said in the film Risky Business, didn't he?  Anyway, we are considering most of the top Midwestern business schools such as those at Indiana University, Michigan, and Illinois, among others.  Having grown up in Columbus, Ohio, I'm pleased to see Ohio State moving up in the business school rankings.  Hey, I'm always going to root for the Buckeye football teams, so it's nice to know they are a winner on and off the field!

Back to that article.  It notes that the top ranked MBA program this year is Dartmouth.  It seems Michigan was No. 1 last year, but now they've taken a plunge to No. 7 - just as their football program recently plunged in the rankings by opening with two losses!  O.K., take it easy - please understand you have to be from Columbus or Ann Arbor to appreciate that it is acceptable to bash the other side in the Ohio State - Michigan rivalry.  It's all just in good (competitive) fun.  So how did Dartmouth's Tuck school achieve the top ranking?  Here's the quote:  "Tuck students live and breathe teamwork."  ..interesting.  Why did some schools drop in the rankings.  Predominantly because the students had an attitude - whether it was one of overconfidence, "what's in it for me," or to be more direct - pompousness!  Ouch!  These don't sound like team players to me.

As a small business owner who doesn't have a say in such matters, I'm pleased to hear the corporate recruiters honestly speaking their minds.  This is such a great segue to Ken Blanchard's comments in my previous post (paraphrasing) -- "that you just don't let people into your company that don't share your values."  I would hope Ken would agree that teamwork - while not necessarily a value - is one of the table stakes in operating a successful business, regardless of whether it's a corporation that can afford to hire these top MBA's - or just a noble venture like my own.  Once again, it looks like we just have to remember the basics.  Teamwork - or as they taught most of us when we were very young - "play well with others!" 

Values - Start Here and The Rest is Easy

Yesterday I had the pleasure of playing golf with Ken Blanchard and several members of his team from The Ken Blanchard Companies right here in Naperville at The White Eagle Golf Club.  In addition to being a great storyteller and an all-around good guy, Ken is also a darn good golfer.  He certainly humbled some of us youngsters!  I don't believe I've seen many players hit the ball straight down the middle - time after time - with such apparent ease.  I guess that's just his style; because he engages with people in the same way.

After dinner, Ken shared some thoughts on leadership, business, and relationships.  Here's the one comment that struck a chord with me -  "Why would you want to let someone in your company that doesn't share your value system?"  I shared this with a couple folks from my staff at Treemendous® today, as we've been enjoying some recent successes and obviously are being prudent in assessing the nature of that success.  How did we get here.  I really believe it is because we are learning more about each other and discovering we share similar values, which enables us to spend more time focusing on the technical stuff that needs to get done to take care of our customers and make a profit.

What's interesting is what works is not new - just good common sense principles that we sometimes forget in our search for business growth.   It's funny that just about a year after grad school when I joined the workforce there was new "must read" on the market called The One Minute Manager.  It's 25 years later and the principles still apply.  In a time when we seem to be moving to a higher level to find the secrets of life and business, we have to remind ourselves that the values that sustain us are the starting point - and presumably end point - in all of our endeavors. 

Customer Service - It's the Heart of Your Business

After speaking this past weekend at the Summer Symposium of The Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), I've been contemplating the fact that great customer service is nothing more than consistently performing  to the expectations of your clients.  Too often we stop doing what works to try the latest idea.  Companies need new ideas to grow, but not at the expense of what helped them develop their unique position in their marketplace.  As simple as it may seem, one of the greatest challenges in business is to perform consistently - every day - without exception.  It's a nice goal to consider.  Maybe this goal with a backup plan or two could enable you to transform your industry -- ? 

Leaders from green industry companies across the U.S. shared some of their secrets during our 90 minutes together - my favorite?  -- "its the little things that make a big difference."  There is no magic bullet.  A complimentary rose bush is remembered for as long as it continues to flourish - its fragrance and color reminding the client of a favorable experience.  Too often we try to be bigger and better, when all we need to be is different.  In our society of constant change, different is a little extra at the right time - combined with consistent service - friendly, cheerful, caring, appreciative....you name the descriptor, because it only matters to you and your customer.  Only you know why your customers favor you over your competitors.  Maybe they just like you better - and there is nothing at all difficult about being likable if you truly love your work and the people you serve.  I doubt customer service is secondary to you, or you wouldn't have read through this far.  No, I suspect customer service is the heart of your business. Its that one thing that means something to you and your customer - that thing that connects you and your customer in a way that changes both of you -- forever.  Great customer service is the right way to do business - which is why it works!

Blindfolded Cliff Diver Service - It Hurts!

I've heard it said that great customer service is sometimes invisible - you don't even notice it.  While this is occasionally true, it's not always the case.  For example, why do you go to your favorite restaurant?  It's probably because you like it.  Duh?  Well, why do you like it so well?  You know what to expect. 

Now, what happens when you go to a restaurant for the first time - maybe one where you have heard good reports from friends.  You have expectations, but they may not be clear.  So, what happens first?  The waiter or waitress approaches and there is a conversation?  But is it a meaningful one?   It's up to you as the customer to let those serving you know what you want.  Conversely, it's up to you as the service professional to clearly determine what the success criteria are.   If you are serving your customers and just guessing about their needs, then you deserve those issues that inevitably arise.

Serving your customers is a challenge predominantly because you are not clear about how to please them.  Let's face it, some customers play a game where they want you to figure it out - offering only fragments of information and then complaining when they don't get what they want.  In my business I've always found it's best to keep asking until you are perfectly clear.  Here's my simple formula -- 1. Ask what your customer wants from you in a way that has them imagine the perfect project, the perfect transaction - IN THE FUTURE.  Then, all you have to do is deliver that future.  Yes, you have to get them to say it.  Of course, this can be difficult because some folks really don't know what they want.  What can you do?  2. Keep asking!  3. If that doesn't work, give your professional opinion.  Whether they like it or not, it moves them one step closer to defining what they want so you can serve it up.   Would you dive off a cliff not knowing what's on the other side?  I thought so.  So stop practicing 'blindfolded cliff diver customer service.'  You know it's gonna hurt!

Can't Get No Balance at Work? - Measure It!

I was recently asked to write an article on work-life balance for Snow Business Magazine.  If you have any knowledge of the snow business, you know this is an unpredictable, high-intensity business.  It's a business where the best laid plans - well, they get buried under the relentless, ferocity of the next storm.  Yet, it is a highly profitable business if you can manage to keep your head, whether the storm is 'perfect' - or as Bob Dylan once said - 'outrageous!'

The snow business tends to attract those individuals who thrive on the adrenaline rush of doing battle with mother nature.  In some ways, it's like climbing a mountain.  If you are daring  - there just ain't no mountain high enough to keep you from your mission -- until you hit the wall from fatigue.  This fatigue reminds you that you are not in control of many things - your work, your free time, the needs of your family, and so much more.

How do you find balance between your work and personal life in any business?  The first step is knowing who you are and being sure you are doing what you love.  I'm reminded of The Rolling Stones tune Satisfaction.  You can get a lot of outside signals that .. 'tell you how white your shirts can be' (when you're) 'doing this and signing that' .... in short, you have to do the right work for you in a way that works for you and your family.  Only you know what is going to work in your individual situation - because these situations are as different as each one of us. 

Some of us love our work so much it can be a drug - it's an energizing rush!  But of course, any drug should  be taken in moderation.   You build up a tolerance to the drug until eventually the results just aren't there.  It's up to you to communicate your needs with everyone you work and play with to arrive at the best solution.  That's how you find balance - a balance that's different for each of us.  I suggest you write down what those things are and make sure you are mindful of them - even measuring them.  Measure how much time you devote to your children, your spouse, your health.. to whatever is important to you in achieving balance.  As they say in business, if you don't measure it, you are saying it's not important.   Most of us measure profits, but do we measure balance?      

The Green Thread - It Works!

Everybody seems to be talking about green these days.  What does it really mean to be green?  Well, start by just looking around.  Green is the most predominant color in the universe- and therefore, it is an overriding energy that connects all of us.  From basis physics we all learned colors vibrate at different frequencies - and therefore have different energies.  So you could say there is a green 'thread' that connects all of us - an energy that we all share.  Does this sound too 'woo-woo?'   If you spend any time in nature at all you know it energizes you - it gives you creative thoughts - it nourishes you.  I just can't believe this is an accidental thing. 

We ARE creatures of nature and when we become more aware of that we realize green is about awareness.  It's about who we are, what we do during our short time on this planet, and why we are doing it.  Green is the awareness that we have a responsibility to ourselves and everyone that is connected to us, which is why the current green movement to save the planet may just work.  The trick may just be all of us making the effort to maintain the connection and not break that thread.  It can work!

Right Way Selling

One of the most valuable tools in selling is knowing your customer.  When you engage with your customer on a regular basis, you learn their habits, mannerisms, and generally what they are like as a person.  Yesterday I gave a presentation to the Snow and Ice Management Association.  One of many excellent questions I was asked was how you know how to make the right response with a customer.  For an instant, I thought of Bill Murray - aka Carl Spackler in the film Caddyshack when he makes a decision to kill the gophers on the golf course - he says - "My enemy, my foe, is an animal. In order to conquer the animal, I have to learn to think like an animal. And, whenever possible, to look like one"  --  Of course, it does help if we learn to think like our customers, but we certainly don't have to look like them! - which was one of the old school tricks.

In my corporate days, I was taught to 'mirror' your customer.  If he leans forward, so do you.  If he sits back, so do you.  It often became this hilarious game where I'm sure my customer was wondering what the heck I was doing.  Don't do this!  Sales isn't a game - unless you consider relationship a game.  That's manipulation.  People see through this because it becomes apparent that you aren't being yourself.  Today, we are surrounded by reality television.  What's that telling you?  That you need to be real!  You need to be open and honest with your customer.  To the best of your abilities, you need to always try to do the right thing - the right thing for your customer, for you, and for the company you represent.  There's nothing difficult about this.  All that's required is a preparation, full attention and awareness on the verbal and non-verbal communication used by the customer, and the natural response will likely follow.  If you don't make the right response, no problem, your customer will usually give you the opportunity to make it right -- if you have built up trust with them.

Sales is dealing with people on the most human level you know.  This is how most of us want to be sold - this is right way selling!

When Something's Not Right its Wrong

It occurred to me today that when you work on fixing what is not rightfully your responsibility, you are doing the wrong thing.  Why?  Because your time and talent and energy should be focused on doing the right thing.  It reminded me of the verse from Bob Dylan's You're Gonna Make Lonesome When You Go - "when something is not right its wrong!"

So what's wrong?  It's wrong, for example, to expect others to clean up your mess.   While we can't possibly finish the job, we baby boomers have a responsibility to leave this planet in a better condition than it appears to be presently heading.  It would be wrong to expect our children to fix what's already broken.  We have to do the right thing for them.

This brings me to the genesis of my thought.  Today a customer asked me to fix a condition that pre-existed my company's work on a project.  I used to do this - and at no charge.  Why not, I reasoned, I'm already there and it's not worth debating.  This all saved me from confronting the reality that I was cleaning up someone else's mess in the name of "customer service."  It was a convenient lie I fed myself.  Unfortunately, I've come to realize this isn't how the universe works.  It only creates a low state of consciousness. It's not the proper resolution, unless you're in the charity business, which I'm not.  And even charities work for a specific purpose or reason.

When you take on responsibilities that aren't rightfully yours, you feel compromised.  You owe it to yourself, your company, and your customer to do the right thing.  When we all do this, responsibility and accountability all fall into the right places and then the whole system is lifted up because now we are all working for the right reasons - we're all being true to ourselves and not feeling that low state of making the wrong choice.  Right choices are grounded in the right reasons - which is why they deliver the right results!

Grow Your Business The Right Way

A few nights ago I was sitting in my screened porch enjoying the scents and sounds of the evening rain storm.  When I wandered inside to the pantry for a snack, I was struck with how many products today are labeled 'organic' - from chips to raisins to even wine and more!  I wondered if organic really means something or if it's the latest 'flavor' that is being marketed to us consumers. 

When I think of organic I think of things that happen naturally - almost without effort.  Organic growth, whether in nature - or in business, such as internet search engine optimization (SEO) - implies that organic is a better way because it's more sustainable in the long term.  I'm an educated consumer, so I know, for example, that wild salmon is better than salmon raised in farms where cholorinated products are used to control the undesirable growth of pathogens.  For some reason wild salmon doesn't even cost more.  At least that has been my experience.  I do know that organic SEO is cheaper and more effective than pay per click.  Organic is really taking a natural approach.  I suppose natural has connotations that don't work as well in commerce today and we need a descriptor that does.  Enter Organic.

What we are really after is results.  If you want to get the right results, you can achieve them in many ways.  But if your approach is the right one - the natural way - then you are most likely in harmony with what sustains that result.  This applies in nature as well as commerce.  Interesting, isn't it?  This takes me right back to my rainstorm.  You can't replicate that.  Something is lost when we don't follow the right or natural path for obtaining desired results.  I'm suggesting that organic is more about "the way" and less about the product."  If you want to acheive the right results in your business - sustainable sales, service and customers -  you need to think about "growing" your business organically - which simply means doing the right things in the right way.  Your value system will give you clues to the right way - then you just have to 'grow from what you know.'

Market to Yourself - and Get What You Want!

Are there things in your life that you are having trouble achieving?  Maybe you should consider getting the message out to the one person that can help you most - you!  If you are going to make something happen in your life, you have to keep your attention on that goal.  I've blogged about The Secret before - which of course isn't a secret at all.  It's simply a matter of focus and attention.  However, there is one secret that I'd like to share that made the difference for one person.

My son Zak was having trouble making the grade in his high school Honors History class.  I won't reveal what his grade was at mid-term, but let's just say it was substantially below average.  We discussed the situation.  We talked about study habits and advanced preparation.  He even had a one hour session with a tutor to see if we weren't missing anything.  You guessed it, he is very likely going to get an A --  a massive improvement in a couple of months.  In fact, because it's an honors class, an A is actually an A+ in the grading system.  So what's the secret you ask?  We recently discovered the secret -- and it was right before our eyes.  It was Zak's secret.  In his re-organization effort, he had printed a new cover for his binder and appropriately titled it "Honors History."  Though we only recently noticed that lying just beneath that title, in quite large, yet, very, very, very faint letters, was a subtle message.... "A+" - exactly what he wanted!   There really is no secret - just know what you want - set your "marketing" plan in motion - and don't be surprised at the results you achieve!