Starting with your top strength

It is best to build on your strengths. Few give thought that by being you you bring wealth to your organization. Think about it. If you go to work and expect it to make you a great human being you are making a mistake. You make work great when you bring your values and apply them to what you are doing. When you do this you prosper as a person. If you want to take and take and not contribute, then you will not derive satisfaction from work. Too often we think that if we do something the doing will result in our satisfaction. Putting yourself into what you are doing allows you to share more!

Great Attitude is a Great Characteristic

This past week I met a fabulous customer service waiter. What struck me about this particular person was his great attitude!

It is my custom to greet service personnel and to ask them how they are doing today. Chris, the waiter would respond "I am excellent today, I'm working."

It is so true. Having a job is an opportunity to thrive ! Unfortunately many workers do not display an attitude of gratitude that working is better than not working. They forget that working is an exchange of service for dollars.

Working is also an opportunity to achieve ! Working has great meaning. Too many of us forget to bring a positive attitude to work and do not reflect on the importance of having a job as does Chris the waiter. Chris is thankful that he is working, even though his job is not high on the social ladder.

Chris achieves high levels of customer satisfaction because he believes that every job is worth doing well. His customers note his good work and take the opportunity to point out his good work to the head waiter. Chris achieves and because he achieves he can say: "I am excellent, I'm working."

How about you? Be sure to control your own attitude, and no matter what job you have, make a difference! Every worker is of value. Act like it ! What is important is what you bring to the job.

You can be sure that when I return to the restaurant, I ask for a table that Chris serves. When I ask him how he is doing he will tell me: "I am excellent, I'm working."

The midle initial of the CEO

Not many job titles have action verbs hiding within. The CEO has the responsibility to execute the company plan.

It is unfortunate for the CEO to not be able to singularly execute what is needed to be done to achieve the company plan.

The person who must 'execute' is the front line employee. Customer service has to be delivered and if the delivery person does not have the special touch, the customer may look for another company.

In effect I am signaling to all employees that they share the CEO title. The front line gets the job done. The front line executes the company plan.

Every employee can learn the skill set required to deliver on the company promise. It is not a secret. It is an attitude that displays respect for the customer and makes sure that every customer inter-action is a relationship of one human being to another.

Customer service is a meeting that includes courtesy. It is a meeting that is informative. It is a relationship that includes a thank you.

You Control Crucial Keys to Success at Work

If you go to work without thinking about the contribution you can make to achieving the goals and objectives of your company you are disconnected. Employees who want to be a success on the job know that there are three keys to success.

Let's name them. The first key to success is that you are willing to go and obtain knowledge. In today's world there are many resources to help you know more about your job. Within your company there are resources to help you better understand your role at work and what can help you be more competent. Remember that is it up to you to go and obtain job related knowledge. If your employer provides tuition assistance use it. Go out and sign up for professional development. Use your benefit!

The second is key is the self realization that you control the quality of your work. The work you display tells people about you. Pay attention to detail and take the time to display your skill. Remember that is why your employer gave you a job, your set of skills. You control the quality of your work, no one else is accountable.

The third key is your daily decision to bring a positive attitude to teamwork. Most jobs link to others and depend on cooperation. People like dealing with positive people who delight them. Choose to bring a positive attitude. Speak about the strengths of those who surround you. Each one will have some type of failing. Learn to look for the strength and praise them when they display it.

Dump that negative attitude !

Are you having a difficult time dumping irritating behaviors? Do you complain too much? Or have you just failed to notice that you lack a positive attitude because too much of your time goes to talking trash about your fellow co-workers or that easy target, your manager?

If you are you are lacking professional composure you need to acquire it. Because your negative energy is robbing you from marching down the road to success. Likes attract likes and if you exhibit negatives that is what you will attract. How about deciding to be different?

If you want to be positive you need to dump your complaining. So get started !

Choose one day each week to start. Pick the day and decide, no matter how much you are tempted, do not complain that day. If you do, give a dollar to charity. This small fine will turn you towards considering the well being of others which will help you from dwelling on how terrible life appears to you.

Once you do it one day a week. Make it two days a week. Soon you will be different. Remember change happens when you make a plan and work the plan. Be different today !

Customer Service as Self Respect

Did you ever stop to think that the quality of your work demonstrates your personal level of self respect? Indeed it is not often that we get to see our self respect made visible. Yet, if you think about it, the quality of your work displays your self respect. If you have a high regard for the quality of who you are and if you realize that you are driven towards the good of others your work will show it. That's right, the quality of your work is a barometer of who you are!

In other words the product of your efforts displays your internal self. Don't fool yourself, you know that you want to be your best. However, in order to be the best, it is not a mere "wishing" to be your best. Displaying your best means that you take a 'basic stance' before you start work. You start from a firm understanding that you have something to contribute to others.

In other words you understand that within you lies much good that can be shared with others.

Hiding the good within you keeps you from being a success. So if you want to be a success start demonstrating quality work. Once you see it you will be pleased. Once you are pleased you will repeat it. Once you repeat it you start to get good at it.

Remember the "Karate Kid" - his mentor told him to "Wax on and Wax Off". He thought that did not make sense. He did not know that repetition pays off in quality and improvement.

Display your self respect by doing a good job!

Values in Competition

When you are at work do you put yourself first? Perhaps you think that work owes you something, that you are entitled to recognition and appreciation for doing your best. Certainly all of us look for good feedback, but if all we are doing is looking out for ourselves, we are missing the point of providing service.

Providing service is something to be achieved. That's right it is an achievement. In order to provide good customer service you need to be ready to speak the right words at the right time. You need to be thinking of the other person. You are present to help facilitate an experience of concern. You are present at work to be helpful.

If you are going to be good at service you need to put your values to work. You need to make visible your high regard and appreciation that your client seeks to do business with you. After all, your client has chosen to do business with you and can choose to go elsewhere.

Therefore, it is up to you to make a difference and give your client a reason to come back and continue to do business. So if you are working you can't afford to put yourself first. Your client deserves your attention. Acknowledge your client, let him know what you will do for him. Tell him how long it will take. Explain the process. Finally don't forget to say thank you!