Life Lesson

Every relationship can be built a little stronger by being more human.

Every business, too.

Actually, every group, tribe, friendship, marriage, workplace, dentistry, brewery, service place, environment and online  interaction can be built a little stronger by being more human.

More often than not, we don’t need more wit, wisdom, facts, flash sales, features, benefits or manipulation.

We just need a human who cares on the other end. And the other end needs that from us.

 

Stay Positive & Time For More Empathy

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Each year I sit on a panel of judges for a college marketing course. This year the students pitched Buffalo Wild Wings and Chick-fil-A. One presentation stuck out for a few reasons.

1. They started by calling out the brand for what it was doing terribly at. Not just listing problems, but actually showing and reporting that these were true pain points from the target, not just their internal fodder.
2. They dug deep to focus on business solutions, not merely marketing tactics. Sure, they showcased some flash, but they weren’t there to win a pitch, they showed up to grow a business.
3. Lastly, and most importantly, they understood the philosophy that if a business invests in its employees, employees invest in customers and customers invest in the business so the cycle can continue. It’s this cycle that make brands like Zappos, Dupont and Delirium Cafe so remarkable.

If you’re going to pitch anything from a marketing plan to an idea, then stand for something. If you’re going to stand for something, standing up for the team members is a great place to start.

 

Stay Positive & We Before Me, Right?

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No doubt, you can certainly grow steadily, slowly, always forward.

An alternative way is a twist on the ol’ saying, “One step forward, two steps back.”

I call it slingshot growth: one step back, two steps forward.

Slingshot growth isn’t for everyone, though.

If you’re a cautious one, if you don’t like to dance with fear, if you’re trying to prevent any amount of scope creep, then slingshot growth isn’t for you.

But for those who are okay saying “this might not work,” and for those who don’t mind the little voice inside your head speaking up telling you you’re making a mistake, who’s not okay with status-quo … this growth strategy is for you.

 

Stay Positive & It’s Okay To Do Things Differently, If They Work For You

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By speaking up, in any way, you have an impact?

Don’t believe me?

Consider this.

Those who don’t speak up, merely don’t care as much as you.

And those who care are the one’s who have an impact.

Right or wrong, they speak up.

Do you care enough to?

 

Stay Positive & We Need More Who Care

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The key to becoming remarkable, sought after and trusted is to … give.

Give more time than others.

Give more of your heart.

Give more of your attention and care.

Give more of your energy than the other guy.

Give more of your all.

It turns out, that to get ahead of others, you have to give ahead of others.

 

Stay Positive & The Best Part Is You Don’t Need Money To Start Giving

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When shit hits the fan, do you know who will have your back?

Do you have an easy process to to make things right?

What if it’s a customer complaint. Do you know how you’ll interact?

Do you take things personally?

You need to have an “oh shit” fund. You need to toss some at the fan before the natural life of running a business serves it up to you. You need to have multiple plans in place. You need to run a situational analysis. You need to be ready.

Why do you need to do all of this?

Because it’s not a matter of if shit will hit the fan; it’s a matter of when and how many times.

 

Stay Positive & Probably In A Single Day

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The quickest way to make a friend is to be one.

The smartest way to sign a new client on is to be there for them before ink touches the paper.

The sincerest way to feel loved is to be the one who loves.

The noblest way to connect guilelessly is do organize an event.

Of course, the option is always available to wait for someone to befriend you, wait for the phone to ring, wait to have someone overcome their fear of asking you out, and wait to be invited.

That’s sure a lot of waiting, though.

 

Stay Positive & Isn’t It?

 

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