Results tagged “advantage-makers” from stevenfeinberg.com
This is not an ad. It is a note to say thank you to both 1-800-Contacts, the business, and to Jennifer, the service representative, in particular. And the thank you is specifically an appreciation of their individual and business Advantage-Making culture and skill.
I was calling to re-order my contacts. A small chore, but I had been putting it off. Getting put on hold, fumbling for eye Doc information is not my idea of something I look forward to, so I procrastinate.
One of the easiest ways to spot advantage-making is how the front line service people interact with their customers. Most of us have encountered doing business with people who are overworked, tired, frustrated, under 'attack' like at the airline counter. This seldom ends well.
Advantage-making goes beyond just finding a nice person - that is always a good start. And Jennifer certainly is that. When I recently re-ordered my contacts I was reminded and really appreciated what it was like to be in good hands. People who are solving your problems rather than putting up road blocks and obstacles, and when its done well it almost seems invisible.
That is exactly the service and solution that Jennifer from 1-800-Contacts provided for me. And the kicker is i ordered a years supply instead of the usual month or two supply. So they benefitted by helping me. And it wasn't just the price, which added to my appreciation. This wasn't life changing, but it was life enhancing. It really was the oft used phrase but seldom believed, 'it's a pleasure doing business with you."
The owners, leaders and company obviously gave her ways to solve problems in advance, anticipating people's concerns and providing a solution that I would want without adding to my burden. If you want to know how to set up a customer facing business that keeps customers coming back for more, and ordering higher amounts then i would suggest you check out 1-800-Contacts.
And again, thank you Jennifer.
The recovery required both structural and perception changes.
A number of structural changes have been designed and implemented.
And these forces will continue to work in the midst of uncertainty
But what can you do?
This is tough but the question now for the economy, and your personal economy
is what energy do you associate with?
With the winners or the losers.
Winners resonate a can do mentality, they are proactive. They don't deny reality but they don't play to the naysayers.
Who do you want to do business with? The naysayers or the resilient who perceive the opportunity that others don't see?
It's time for each of us to influence the perception that we can do and will do.
Perception drives behavior and controversy gets headlines.
We are beyond predominantly structural problems.
I do believe we must keep the stimulus flowing.
Best remedy for you individually is find ways that are working for you.
Small, medium or large.
Don't buy the naysayers
Shift the game. Your personal energy is what people first notice.
Shift the question with potential customers. Instead of what can you do for me, ask What can I do for you now?
I can attest to the reality that shifting your energy shifts the interactions fundamentally, and our ability to perceive opportunity
Board members -
Do you have the right folks running the business?
While working with a Director of Marketing the question arose, not about their immediate boss but the management team. It's a fair question. We are placing our bets and our livelihoods on their know how and good judgment.
Consider the Big 3 Automakers. We certainly can't have more of the same expecting different results.
There are on doubt competent people in management and it may not be their fault for this crisis.
However, the same managers will unfortunately make similar decisions, unless they are Advantage-Makers.
Let's not pretend Advantage-Makers never make a mistakes. It's simply that the are profound learners.
They learn faster, make mistakes quicker, engage more fully in unexpected solutions, work the probabilities and the possibilities and rearrange the scope to create value. Their thought process systematically leads to game changing decisions.
Do you know if your management team are Advantage-Makers?
Assess their ability to shift time:
Does the executive know how to shift rapidly in these trying times or are they using the same words doing the same old same old. Are they acting like Eeyore, woe is me. We all feel it but how are they acting. These folks are not strategic, nor are they using tactical ingenuity. They are duck and covering. Survival is at stake. Defensive moves are important. But if they are only driving defensively you will be at an even bigger disadvantage. Time shifters are able to rapidly adjust to the circumstances, resolve issues early, and shift time horizons. For Advantage-Makers, 'there is no time like the present to create the future'.
Assess their ability to shift interactions:
Does the executive know who to change the game. Do they know how to uncover viable options in the midst of all the cost cutting. Are they just cutting across the board or are they focused on specific strategic interactions and spectific tactical decisions that they adjust to move with the winds of change. This is no time for platitudes, like stay the course. But it is time for rapid adaptation and knowing how to uncover viable options.
Assess their ability to shift perception to influence outcomes:
Does the executive know how to persuade the remaining employees to reengage? Do they know how to make the case compelling for your products and services. Are they leading? Have they differentiated your brand in the minds of the prospects? If your company is not differentiated your company is failing now. Everyone is paying attention to your leaders command presence in this time of crisis. Both the advantage they create in products as well as their non-verbal, their tone of voice, and the language of influential leaderships.
Assess their ability to shift structure to shape behavior:
Does the executive know how to create structures that succeed? I'm not speaking about the org chart. I'm speaking about the forces at play that drive behavior, make decisions, produce momentum, align the teams and generate movement. Has the executive made command decisions that root out structural conflict, that is, competing objectives between teams and departments that are causing delay. If your executives are not determining the hierarchy of importance and making the hard decisions they are contributing to a structure that will fail.
If they are Advantage-Makers, keep them, endorse them, support them.
If not, change them or get them help now.
Now is the time for the Board to act, for the executives to perform, for the leaders to lead.
The Advantage-Makers has advanced into a new sphere of influence. Homeland Security.
At a conference organized by the U.S. Department for Homeland Security last week in New York City, Sidique Wai, NYPD Director Community Relations, quoted from The Advantage-Makers in his presentation "Securing NYC through Community Relations and Partnerships."
Sidique, himself, an Advantage-Maker, spotted an opportunity to encourage the distinguished audience to increase their advantage-making for the security of New York City and the country. Quoting from our conversation and book, he advised them to see what others don't see by shifting to a powerful vantage point that Advantage-Makers seek.
"Great leaders can see opportunities where others see problems...
influence outcomes where others are hopelessly stuck...
transform their obstacles into powerful advantages.
They've learned to use levers of power that other executives don't even know exist."
Sidique's presentation was well received with the Advantage-Maker statement setting the backdrop. I applaud Sidique's penetrating insight and sound judgment to protect us.
