I Want to Suck Today!
“8 Ways to Shine a Positive Light on Others
1. Let the other person appear smart. The person who desperately tries to be the smartest person in the room inevitably comes off as the least.
2. Don’t bring attention to anything which may embarrass another person. Whether your conversation partner has poor grammar, a pimple on his chin, or lacks social grace, a discreet person does not say or do anything which would make another feel ashamed, embarrassed, or humiliated. Allow the other person to maintain his own grace and dignity.
3. Ask their opinions, seek their advice, ask them inquiring questions. By allowing them to reveal their opinions and knowledge, you will demonstrate respect and make them feel important.
4. Practice patience. Sometimes it takes a person a moment to gather her thoughts, process information, or respond appropriately. Your patience is respectful and appreciated.
5. Maintain your calm. Rather than react with anger or defensiveness, regulate your response and shift the energy into a more positive direction.
6. Put your ego aside. Allow another to triumph and enjoy the spotlight.
7. Be aware and concerned for the feelings of others.
8. Purposely seek ways to put others at ease and make them feel comfortable.”
— Susan C. Young (The Art of Connection: 8 Ways to Enrich Rapport & Kinship for Positive Impact (The Art of First Impressions for Positive Impact, #6))
Yawn, good morning, we slept in again. No rush to get up, just laying in a nice comfy hotel bed on the beach enjoying our last days of this unique year. I hope this soup feeds and nourishes your need for some good news and some perspective from a couple aging 50 somethings.
We got up and took a long walk to get some brunch. The service here is not excellent; we are used to Mexico service, which is over the top; here, they don’t seem to care if you enjoy your visit to their establishment. It’s all about the management; I don’t blame the rude young indifferent folks for their behavior; we are what we tolerate.
We dined at a taco joint yesterday; we sat down, a few servers walked by. We waited; about ten minutes in, I motioned to a server we would like a drink; he held up his hand as if to say “wait.” Another ten minutes roll by, and another young lady came by our table; I asked her if we could get water, and she said, “let me find your server.” I wondered you look like a server; what is your role here?
About 5 minutes later, another young lady came up and took our order. Since we had been sitting there a while, we ordered our food and drink. The speed of delivery was turtle-like. We had a couple of beverages and then got the tacos we ordered, which were the wrong ones. We didn’t say anything; we ate what was served, it was good, but I do wonder about this joint’s ownership, do they want to have a shitty customer experience? As an owner of a business, I would be embarrassed if my team treated a client this way. Acknowledgment of your existence and then the speed of service is part of our playbook. We execute 99% of the time, with 1% of our interactions not being perfect.
It’s taken us years to work and build our policies and procedures. We continue to monitor, adjust, and learn from our mistakes. Operational excellence comes from first building a playbook and then finding the right teammates to execute the plan.
We left there and made the mile plus walk to Cousin’s house. His mother and business partner were there; we sat around the pool, caught up, told jokes, made fun of the world today, and got some vitamin D. We sat until about 5:00, then headed home to get ready for dinner. We dined at our hotel; the service was surprisingly good, the food was great, we returned to our room for some grappling. Don’t tell her, but I let the Queen win every time.
Today is a beach day, just my Queen and me, sitting, drinking, and thinking. We will hang out for a few hours getting more medicine, aka the “D,” and then head back to the room to clean up and find some excellent local joint to have a nice meal. We will dine with our cousin and another friend, the Head Volleyball Coach of St. Thomas University. I will check the trip advisor to find some good service recommendations. I don’t mind paying for quality service; most people will pay a little extra quality service.
We will not be out late on New Years’; we will dine early, get home and fall asleep by 9:00; we don’t enjoy the amateur night; we are professionals and will be enjoying the day; the night time is for the outlaws. We will head home on the 2nd and relieve GG of his dog watching duties. He has learned PVHT has a bonus energy pack.
I’m got an appointment this morning with an old friend in CO. He has some risk management questions, and I’m going to see if our firm can help him out. I’ll facilitate the conversation and have one of my teammates on the line to do some heavy lifting if needed. I like to work a little even when taking some time for my Queen and me; work is the essence of life.
I’ve witnessed many people retiring early only to die after they got their gold watch. My Queen was sharing a story about “Birdie,” a 90 plus-year-old who lied to work on a ship serving drinks to tourists. She didn’t need to work; she got joy from helping others. She lived many more years, smoking and drinking after work enjoying her 100 years plus on this planet. I wish there were more Birdies out there; it’s funny how this younger generation swings.
I don’t think anyone goes to their job and thinks, “I want to suck today!”. Many people got to their job and have been beaten down by a lousy manager, someone who is just punching a clock, not giving a rat’s ass about their output. If you have this leadership type, the newer team members will soon follow their supervisor’s lead. One key to a successful business is having a manager or managers invested in their work; they bring happiness and joy and help make the workday fun and a classroom that all can learn.
We had our sales call yesterday; I didn’t join; I let our operations manager run it. We need to confirm, but I think the number we hit was the most significant one month gain in years. It was not one person who hit a home run; our team hit a few singles, doubles, and triples. Our agency is built with small and medium-sized rocks; a few boulders give us a strong foundation, but the smaller to medium-sized businesses make up most of our client base.
We are well-positioned to write any size business, but we need to feel they are a fit for our firm. Not everyone chooses to follow our process; that’s fine; they will not become a client. A business needs a system to follow when engaging with new prospects. It must be consistent for all and, if followed, allows for constant growth.
Don’t be the person that blames all your problems on COVID. There are ways to fly and shine, even during a pandemic. I have a goal to help other insurance agencies next year implement our system, our tools, and help better my industry. There are some mismanaged shops out there and if you own an agency and want some help, let’s Zoom and see if I can help you grow in 2021. I’ve got a proven track record, not just for my firm but also for others. My role in life is to help others grow personally and professionally. -Cheers, I’ll see you tomorrow.
"8 Ways to Shine a Positive Light on Others
1. Let the other person appear smart. The person who desperately tries to be the smartest person in the room inevitably comes off as the least.
2. Don’t bring attention to anything which may embarrass another person. Whether your conversation partner has poor grammar, a pimple on his chin, or lacks social grace, a discreet person does not say or do anything which would make another feel ashamed, embarrassed, or humiliated. Allow the other person to maintain his own grace and dignity.
3. Ask their opinions, seek their advice, ask them inquiring questions. By allowing them to reveal their opinions and knowledge, you will demonstrate respect and make them feel important.
4. Practice patience. Sometimes it takes a person a moment to gather her thoughts, process information, or respond appropriately. Your patience is respectful and appreciated.
5. Maintain your calm. Rather than react with anger or defensiveness, regulate your response and shift the energy into a more positive direction.
6. Put your ego aside. Allow another to triumph and enjoy the spotlight.
7. Be aware and concerned for the feelings of others.
8. Purposely seek ways to put others at ease and make them feel comfortable."
— Susan C. Young (The Art of Connection: 8 Ways to Enrich Rapport & Kinship for Positive Impact (The Art of First Impressions for Positive Impact, #6))