I had an unusual meeting last week. One of our clients has assigned a new point person to our relationship, so we met to lay the foundation for the future. We also met to reconnect on the past, as Kevin was our point person about 6 or 7 years ago when we first forged the partnership. Years pass quickly at times, so I was happy to be working with him again and looking forward to catching up.
Our meeting started out on business, but as we got further into it, we found ourselves talking about the ups and downs of life. Now, this is not the first time that I’ve had a conversation like this while on the road. This felt different though. As we talked about the vagaries of life, some of the lightness made way for a more direct connection. And the question arose… Are you happy in your own skin?
When your career is new, that question is easier to answer. You feel that you know who you are and where you are going. Here, in the mid-section of life, it gets a little harder to find that answer. It doesn’t matter how happy you are with who you are or how you’re rising in your job or responsibilities. You’re in the middle – somewhere between here and there – and cresting a hill. The end of your career is a little closer than your beginning. You may be looking back at the dreams or desires you had way back when, and wondering what you did with them. Did you take a detour? Did you achieve those young dreams and are now looking for a new one? Maybe you’re feeling restless, bored or stifled and don’t know what to make of it.
It’s tempting to lean towards frustration if you’re drifting a little, to feel uncomfortable in your own skin as you’re searching for the next step in the evolution of you. But don’t question who you are just because you may be questioning where you’re going or your circumstances. Now more than ever, you should accept yourself. Heck, celebrate it! It’s okay to be frustrated, uncomfortable or searching. In fact, it’s great. It means you’re not settling for something. Instead, you’re expanding, learning, growing and becoming something more. Being uncomfortable is a good thing. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. The nerves, the hunger, the yearning…. It drives you forward.
Yes, Kevin. I’m nervous, excited, frustrated, searching and perfectly happy in my own skin, in my own discomfort.
It’s a common saying, and we’ve all heard it. Expect the unexpected. Be prepared. I’m getting a vivid illustration of the importance of this phrase today.
I’m stranded with thousands of my friends at the Portland International Airport. Somehow, the planes have no fuel. Whether it’s due to a power outage from last night’s rain or not, every plane is stranded – along with thousands of people here in the terminal and hundreds stuck on planes on the tarmac. The machine that supplies the fuel for all of the airlines is out. The Starbucks line is almost a hundred deep, and I am laying on the floor and pondering business.
I don’t really think this is a failure of technology. Instead, it is a human failure. Yes, it may be hard to predict that this exact situation could have happened, but that’s a part of leadership. It’s not only about looking future forward, but also about planning thoroughly for today. Goals and aspirations are great, but if something unexpected happens that closes your business or worse, you aren’t going to achieve that goal.
You cannot predict what each day will bring. What you can do is take a look at the critical dependencies in your business – employees, capital, market conditions, fuel for airplanes – and plan around protecting those.
That didn’t happen for the Portland Airport. This is a failure of leadership, not technology. Don’t let it happen to your business.
P.S. Also, for the one flight that did make it out this morning… Always best not to announce that they are going to send you out to Oakland and “hope” that there is enough fuel to make it. Another failure of leadership. Leaders need to instill confidence in those they want to lead – not “hope” to lead. Funny day!
This morning, my son graduated from Pre-K. I wasn’t sure what to expect. After all, they’re not taking the AP test, moving to another state or something as exciting (or gut wrenching) as that. I knew it would be cute. I didn’t know how deeply it would affect me though.
So, there we all were: parents, grandparents and friends – crowded into a small classroom, sitting on kiddie chairs that strained themselves to support us, smart phones ready to snap a cherished memory. Out march all of the little ones in matching school pride shirts, wearing crowns that they colored before we got there. The music comes on, and they mime their way through the beginning of a song looking mildly dazed. Then, their teacher smiles and asks them to sing. My son – never one to be shy – starts belting out the tune at the top of his lungs. Evan joins in. Then Paige. Then 22 little voices raise together, singing:
“I don’t want this day to end. We will be happy together tomorrow. Together tomorrow, my friend. Tonight when I’m sleeping, I’ll dream of us being together tomorrow, my friend.”
Certificates, ribbons and photos of a year gone by too soon were given to each little one as they smiled for a hundred pictures, their eyes beaming with pride. Then, they ran off for a few hours of fun, splashing and cupcakes.
Who knew that a Pre-K graduation could mean so much?
While many of these kids will be together in the Fall, some friends are moving on to new schools and new experiences. That moment – that magic – will never BE again. Instead, there will be new moments and new magic. Today will be forgotten by all of the children. They’ll look at the pictures and the video, and marvel at how little they were. They may forget their friends’ names, no matter how much they love them today. How many of your friends do you still have from pre-school, after all?
But the parents will remember. We will never forget. The joy on my son’s face, the innocence of those voices. It’s burned through my skin and onto my heart. I am teary-eyed thinking of it now. It is a visceral thing, much deeper than the personal accomplishments I may have achieved in my life.
It’s a funny thing too. When you do something big or achieve something yourself, you feel excited, proud and fulfilled. It’s awesome. When your child or someone you have mentored with your heart and soul achieves a milestone, it’s something more. I don’t have a word that captures the feeling I have inside. It’s just more. And the kids are right. I don’t want this day to end either.
Whether it’s your child, your friend, your spouse, your team member or your employees that you are mentoring, keep going. More is great. More is awesome. It’s better than awesome. It’s bigger. More is just…. MORE.
Yesterday, I had the honor of awarding a $3,000 grant to Operation Gratitude on behalf of our Company. The charity annually sends over 100,000 care packages addressed to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed in hostile regions, to their children left behind and to Veterans, First Responders, Wounded Warriors and their Care Givers. While I had heard of the non-profit before, the time I spent onsite was eye-opening.
The operation was truly impressive. It’s summer time here in the Valley, which means it is brutally hot. The warehouse we walked into was equally as blistering, but you would never have known it from the smiles on everyone’s faces and the amazing energy they had as they packed box after box for our troops overseas. I got in line to help, and packed items in tight: sunscreen, Girl Scout cookies, toothpaste and handwritten letters of love and support. And as I filled boxes with care, I learned the story behind it all.
After 9/11, the founder – a woman who was only a few years older in 2001 than I am today – wanted to do something to help our Country. She tried to enlist in the armed services and was told she didn’t qualify, but that was not going to stop her from showing how much she cared. It started in her living room when she filled four small boxes with items to send to some of her friends’ relatives overseas. Today, Operation Gratitude is approaching the 1,000,000th package sent. Wow.
Even more “wow” is the statement this makes about how much one person can change the world. So often, we go to work or go through the motions in a day. We may feel small, unappreciated or like we don’t matter. We may feel lost or useless and wonder why we are here. But every life has meaning to someone. Your life has meaning to someone. Your life has meaning to many, actually. You can put a smile on someone’s face, bring lightness to their heart and give them strength in a time of weakness. You are powerful beyond measure, if you choose to believe in yourself and to take action.
Believe that you can change the world and you will.
How many of you remember KTLA’s “Family Film Festival”? Every weekend, Channel 5 in Los Angeles would show all of these wonderful old movies. Tom Hatten would introduce kids to classic movies starring comedic geniuses such as Jerry and Dean, and Bob and Bing. I loved them all, but Danny Kaye was always my favorite. I loved his unassuming manner, his brilliant timing and his gentle spirit. I particularly remember when he sang “Inchworm” in 1952’s Hans Christian Andersen.
“Inchworm, inchworm – measuring the marigold. You and your arithmetic, you’ll probably go far. Inchworm, inchworm – measuring the marigold. Seems to me you’d stop and see how beautiful they are.”
Today was a funny kind of day. Little problems seemed to pop up here, there and everywhere. Little opportunities are right on the horizon as well, and just can’t get here fast enough for me. And through it all, that song was running through my head. I had not thought about it in years, yet it was all I could think about today.
It’s human nature to get caught up in the little things of today. Complaints may get you down. You spend your day analyzing what you could have done better or how you “failed”. You’re “measuring the marigold” inch by inch.
Perhaps the only thing you really “failed” at was seeing the bigger picture – seeing how “beautiful they are”. Before you head into your weekend, I just want to remind you how beautiful YOU really are. When you believe in something with all of your soul and are passionate about it, that’s a thing of beauty. You leave your footprint on your company, on this earth and on lives of the people you touch – every time you lend a helping hand. You create miracles. Don’t let the little things get you down. Be great at the basics, and create your legacy.
I’d like to thank a friend of mine or sharing the following with me. I’m not sure how far these words have traveled or who actually wrote them, but I’m glad they came my way as they resonated with me. Enjoy. And please remember, many people are eternally grateful for you.
“5 WAYS TO LEAVE A LEGACY”
By default or design, every one of us is going to leave a legacy. It just depends on what kind. So what kind of legacy do you want to leave? Clarity helps you decide how to live and work today, and how you spend your time. Consider the following and then focus on what matters most to you…
1. A Legacy of Excellence – To leave a legacy of excellence, strive to be your best every day. As you strive for excellence, you inspire excellence in others. You serve as a role model for your children, your friends and your colleagues. One person in pursuit of excellence raises the standards and behaviors of everyone around them. You only have one life to give, and there is only one you. Give all you can.
2. A Legacy of Encouragement– You have a choice. You can lift others up or bring them down. Twenty years from now when people think of you, what do you want them to remember? The way you encouraged them or discouraged them? Who will you encourage today? Be that person that someone will call five, ten or twenty years from now and say “Thank you, I couldn’t have done it without you.”
3. A Legacy of Purpose – People are most energized when they are using their strengths and talents for a purpose beyond themselves. To leave a legacy of purpose, make your life about something bigger than you – something greater than yourself. While you’re not going to live forever, you will live on in the positive impact you make in the world.
4. A Legacy of Love – Life is not just about achievement. Sometimes it is just about the power to love. Share a legacy of love and it will embrace generations to come.
So, sometimes no matter how hard you try, you still have one of those days. Perhaps you lose a teammate – a valuable one. Maybe you lose a sale – one you have been working on for a while. Maybe you lose a client – one that you have moved Heaven and earth to keep happy – to someone offering a lower price, fancy new bells and whistles, the latest whatever it may be. You rallied the troops around that teammate/sale/client, and you still lost. How do you react? Are you angry? Frustrated? Off your game?
I would ask two questions in a situation like this.
1. How strong was your relationship?
2. How well were you listening?
What do you think about when you think about the important relationships in your life? Can you picture the laughter, the way that person makes you feel when you are around them, the shared memories? Those are important parts of a relationship, true. But how many of those relationships have come and gone? What is different about the ones that have lasted years? One key difference is probably in the amount of hard work you’ve put into it – the ongoing attention you pay to that special person. Let’s face it. Some of the most important, maybe even most transformative, relationships you’ve ever had are long gone. The best friend, the first love. We’ve all done it. Perhaps we chalk it up to “outgrowing” it, we “learned what we were supposed to learn” and are better people. That’s great. But maybe it wasn’t just a phase. Maybe we didn’t pay enough attention, took that person for granted, or allowed too many excuses to get in the way of getting outside of our box. Getting uncomfortable. Getting vulnerable. Getting real. Maybe our relationship wasn’t as deep as we really thought it was. After all, if you really get down to the heart of any relationship and bust your buns to stay there, you can feel if something is drifting out of focus. You’re working with your head and your heart.
Then, there is the listening part of it. In any sales environment, we know we should be listening more than we speak. That’s a given. But what about those later stages of your relationship? When you’ve worked with a client for a long time, it’s natural that you get to know them. You care for their welfare and have a personal stake in their success. And once you have celebrated success, signed the client and developed that personal stake in it, there’s a danger of becoming too familiar… “Knowing” too much. You assume the next sale. You may talk too much because you are so comfortable, and you forget to listen. Needs change. If you are actively listening, always asking questions, keeping that relationship “new”, always working at it, then you’ll hear those cues that perhaps something isn’t quite right. It’s hard to hear those hints over the sound of your own voice though. It’s easy when you’re quiet… when you listen.
Even when you do your absolute best, you still will lose one here and there. But don’t forget to ask yourself if you really were doing your best after all. And on those days when you do lose one, remember to be grateful for everything in the win column. Now, make sure they stay there
Every now and again, I hear from a certain old acquaintance of mine. Now, I’m someone who tends to maintain long relationships (you should see my Holiday card list – it’s a major undertaking), so I’m always glad when the phone rings or that email comes through. I look forward to hearing all of the great things that have happened in this person’s life. But over the last few years, it seems the great things are few and far between. It’s more of a venting session these days, to be frank. There’s a lot of negativity about work, who did what to who or whatever. It’s the same on the news, in Congress, on the radio. There’s lots of vitriol here and there, and for this friend, very little personal accountability. I don’t get frustrated when he’s upset, especially when that’s all that we hear day in and day out in this hyper-polarized world we live in. But it sure can bring you down.
Other people say that you should only surround yourself with people that inspire you – that you are the sum of the five people you hold dearest. There’s a lot of truth to that. But I think reality makes that hard to maintain, and I want to work hard to lift people up as much as I can.
So, if you’re feeling put upon, misunderstood or angry about work or the world we live in, I want to share with you a gift that someone gave me a long time ago. I was burning the midnight oil every day back then, working very hard and wasn’t feeling too appreciated. And something inside me clicked.
Yes, you’re working hard. As you become accountable for your own life and your own future, you become more passionate to succeed. And you will work harder because you want to, because it becomes fun, because you are building or living your dream. Some of you will embrace this challenge. Some of you may feel overwhelmed or look to another to bear a part of your load. But you can’t guarantee anyone else will. You need to operate at your full potential to be successful, and you can do so if you accept the same gift that I offer you today: responsibility.
Being Responsible is a choice. If you are going to serve others and create something truly remarkable, you need to make the choice to accept your responsibility as a fully committed and accountable leader. Each one of us is a leader. And being a leader begins with the willingness to be responsible. Leadership is characterized by responsibility.
Once you accept that challenge and make your choice, there are two ways things may go. First, if all goes well, taking responsibility ends with praise. You make the sale, you get the job, you live the dream. Second, if something goes wrong, taking responsibility means being held accountable for your actions. Someone complains, your manager is unhappy or your career isn’t where you want it to be? Is it someone else’s fault? Maybe to a degree. They played a small part, but you certainly did as well. In fact, your part was probably pretty darn big. After all, you are the only constant player in your life. What can you do to empower yourself today and change things? Be accountable. Be responsible. Stop dwelling on what’s wrong, figure out what’s right and focus your energy and willpower there instead.
It’s not always comfortable being a leader. Sometimes, it’s downright tough when you are called to task. But you need to go for it. You will always have a lot on your plate. Step up, take the risk and be accountable. Many people “accept” responsibility, and that’s okay. It’s reactive, but it’s not leading.
You need to take responsibility. That’s when you become a leader. When you take responsibility for something, you own it. You’re personally invested in the outcome. You own it from beginning to end. You reach out for help to make sure things work out, and you’re not afraid to speak up if you need help.
Be a leader. Take the risk, and make your choice.
Someone gave me this gift a long time ago. Now, it’s my gift to you.
I recently had the opportunity to hear Kim Malek, one of the founders of Salt & Straw, speak at a conference. If you have not heard of Salt & Straw, it’s a gourmet “farm to cone” ice cream company from the Pacific Northwest. If you have not tasted their ice cream, put it on the Bucket List now. It’s worth it.
And while the ice cream is fantastic, her story is even better. Kim followed a dream – one that she had held for well over a decade before it came true. As she shared her journey of making a dream become a reality, she also spoke of the tough things that got in her way, of taking great risks and how hard it was for her to keep moving forward in the tough times. Her motto, when the days were at their darkest, was “all ships rise.”
Lately, a lot of friends have had extremely tough times financially, professionally and personally. Friends have lost fathers and children. People have lost their homes or jobs, and others soon will too. I’m not sure why right now. I just know that it is.
We all have our struggles, some more than others. Being on the outside of it, you try to help when asked, and you hurt silently along with them too. Walking through those woods, it is difficult to see a path through it. You can become discouraged, depressed and destructive. But just as the tides change and ships eventually rise, yours will too. How quickly will it rise? That’s up to you. It starts with your frame of mind.
One of my friends has had more than enough heartache; in fact, I think she’s dealt with more in her 30-some years than most people will in their lifetime. She has had health issues, family issues, relationship issues, money issues, lost parents, lived without power and running water while working full time and caring for kids… you name it. But if you met her, you would never know it. In fact, I have never seen her without a smile on her face. She is one of the most uplifting people I’ve been honored to know. She never complains, but instead keeps marching onward – living her life for others. She is the first to lend a hand or a heart. I’ve often referred to her as a living angel, and I think she is. I aspire to have the spirit, the generosity, the wisdom that she has.
During a particularly bad time for her years ago – when I was also walking along a dark road emotionally – I asked her what her secret was. She told me that she had faith that things would get better and believed it would, that she was grateful for what she was going through as she would be stronger for it, and that “all ships rise.”
What an odd circle. I heard this many years ago and again last week.
Seasons keep changing, but the tide always rises. It was a good reminder to believe, to dream and to persevere – no matter what challenge you may be facing today.
So, now it is Dad’s turn to celebrate another birthday – perhaps a little unwillingly. That tends to happen more and more as life goes along, I guess. The family gathered at his house to share his special day. Have I mentioned that my family is rather large? There were seven of us kids there (and that’s not the entire crew), not to mention the kids by marriage, assorted boy/girlfriends and grandkids here, there and everywhere, two dogs, two cats… You get the drift. It was extremely loud with all of those lives everywhere. Every table was heavily laden with food (it’s a Francisco Family tradition). Fingers big and small made music on the keyboard, and voices lifted in harmony as the organ dimly played its fading bossa nova beat in the background as we passed by. In other words, it was home.
We came together in a dance so familiar to celebrate the man that unites us all. We had a great time, one that I am reminiscing about now as I sit in my quiet home – close and still too far away. So tonight, I wanted to share a few things about my Dad that still serve as life lessons for me today.
1. Small people make a big impact. When I was a child, my Dad towered over me like a giant. Dads do that. As I have grown, I have come to realize that many members of my family are “vertically challenged”, myself included. Yet, while my Dad may be small in stature, he has made a significant difference in the lives of many people beyond just our family members. When Dad moved to the States, he soon became a small town doctor. That small town doctor brought life to generations after generations as he delivered them in homes, in hospitals and out in the local Hutterite communities. Doc Eddie still reigns supreme in borders well beyond those he knows, as others live today thanks to the work he did. The magnitude can’t be measured, and it is real, meaningful and eternal.
2. You don’t have to show off to prove your worth. Dad is a genius – literally. That can be rather humbling to a kid who thinks they know it all. Yet, Dad never mentioned it… Not once. He never really touted his accomplishments; he didn’t have to. He demonstrated who he was in his actions, and others touted it for him… usually to his embarrassment. And he never made his know it all child feel down. He knew when to win, and knew when he needed to let you win. That’s a hard one for me, and I’m working on it. There’s no benefit in always being right. It’s impossible, and hurtful too.
3. Know when to work, and know when to play. Children of doctors know the routine – the early mornings, late nights, even later emergency calls from the answering service. There was no doubt that Dad was always on during the week. But Dad also knew when to call a time out. My favorite silly day, one among many, was on my twelfth birthday. I sat at the kitchen table with my homebaked cake, my brothers and sisters, wearing a cowboy hat, when a giant yell came from the stairwell. Out bounded Dad in a much too small matching cowboy hat, brandishing irons (a fork and spoon) and whooping that he was the birthday bandit. He was exhausted and on call that night, but I never would have known it. He made time stop for me and for the family. Work hard, yes, but there are times that everything else can wait.
4. Silence often means more than words. Dad pretty much does not speak. He is known for one word sentences at most, but more often – if we asked him a question – his response would be a nod, a lift of an eyebrow, or pointing with his lips. It’s a Filipino thing. “Dad, want some ice cream?” Nod. “Strawberry or chocolate?” Lift left eyebrow twice. “You got it, Dad.” He is a quiet man, but says so much without a word. I sat down next to him today, leaned against him, put my head on his shoulder – and with one simple pat on my hand, he said more about how he felt and his love than a million flowery poems or this blog ever could. Words are often overrated. Dad shows his love instead with a gentle touch, and through his endless cooking of pots of adobo, plates of pancit and piles of lumpia. You never go hungry, belly or soul. People show love in different ways. How open are you to receiving it?
5. Don’t forget to dance. We are pre-iPod, CD and cassette. Yet, Mom loved music on at all times (probably to mute the sounds of us crazies), so Dad installed a radio in the kitchen, hanging underneath the cabinet. It would play in the background every night. Then, after the food was gone and the dishes washed, magic would happen. Several nights a week, a song would come on that Mom loved, and Dad was swoop her into his arms, waltzing her around the kitchen in a grandiose arc. Then, he’d pull her close to him, sway softly and sing Julio Iglesias or “Dahil Sa Iyo”gently as an eerie quiet would fall over us all. Life goes by too quickly, and the days run together and are soon forgotten. Yet, those fleeting minutes are magic. Don’t forget to dance.
Here’s to you, Dad. Thank you for the food, the Angels, the unexpected piano concertos and the karaoke marathons.
So, I think about relationships and leadership a lot. After all, any kind of selling – whether you’re selling to businesses or people – is really about building a relationship. Relationships are founded on milestones: your first date, taking a trip or buying your first car. Yet, relationships are forged on the moments that come in between. It’s the small things that you do such as smile a special smile, sharing a joke or opening a door, that speak to who you are and how the person with you feels when they are around you. Now, every business person today has heard from industry “experts” that loyalty is dead. Gen X and Y folks may have eight or more “banking” relationships. They don’t care about what make and model of car they drive etc. According to many, the days of loyalty are fading fast. Do you buy into that? I don’t. Take a look at your favorite sports team. Take a look at their fan base. Among that loyal fanbase – the jersey wearing face painted nation – are people of all ages. Heck, my 5 year old can recite Kobe’s stats and recently schooled me on Metta World Peace. And my house is part of the Spurs Nation. What happened there?
So why aren’t more of your current clients, loyal clients? Are you making every moment matter?
Now, I’m from a small town in South Dakota where you don’t lock your doors, where you know everyone (and their business) and where you go to the same store to purchase whatever you may need every time. People still wave and say hello when you coast on by. And if you burn a bridge, you probably just burned that bridge with half of the town as word spreads quickly. Every moment matters. In today’s hypercompetitive economy, technology keeps people with us all the time – kind of like that same small town. People you haven’t seen in decades “wave” as you pass by on Facebook, and one bad review or relationship turns into a thousand if not properly tended. Today, you must always be aware, providing better and faster service to improve loyalty and keep your clients happy. There are always opportunities to make magic moments each time you work with someone.
Tell Your Story
Every time you speak with someone, reinforce why your service is the best and what sets you apart. After all, you work where you work because you believe in the greater purpose or mission. It’s a basic human need to believe in something. Share proudly why people should believe in you.
Show How Much You Care
Find sincere ways to show your clients how much you value them and how your product or service helps protect and care for them. Every product is designed to meet some basic need. What need does your product satisfy? What problem does is cure? How important is it to you personally that they are protected? Make sure they know.
Everyone Walks Away With A Smile The path to happiness is a short one. It starts with you being happy. How happy do you feel when you sit down across from someone? Is anything getting in the way of your good mood? If so, get rid of it. Is your desk cluttered? Perhaps your mind is cluttered. If you’re in a bad mood in the morning, find a token to remind you to change your frame of mind. Mine is a set of rubber bracelets I picked up at a conference last year. I call them my “Bracelets of Power.” They tell me that “No Negativity is Allowed” and “Success is My Duty.” I glance down at them, get a reminder, and put a smile on my face. No matter how long someone has known you, every time they see you again, there is a tiny little adjustment in how they view you – a tiny judgment. Make sure it’s a good one. (Thanks to Grant Cardone for the token.)
Meet People Where They Are Most of your younger clients today grew up with both in person and digital relationships. They’re comfortable in that space, and they expect you to be too. Why ask them to go out of their comfort zone to meet you? You’ve just added another hurdle to your success. Just like the Country Doctor (AKA my Dad) did back in South Dakota, go to your client instead. Do they want to meet in person? Great. E-mail? Great. Text message? I’d bet a lot of people would appreciate it. That’s what I prefer, and the fastest way to reach me frankly. Then, great. Getting outside of your comfort zone and into theirs helps build that elusive loyalty factor. You’re placing their needs first.
People Remember Mistakes: No matter how good you are, sooner or later, you will let someone down. Don’t let one bad experience ruin someone’s opinion of you or your Company. Mistakes usually happen when you are distracted, whether it’s in multitasking and emailing while you are on a call or just a bit of mental drift near the end of a long day. Remember, every moment matters. Focus on the here and now when you are with someone. Everything else can wait. People have long memories in small towns and online, the world’s biggest small town. And if you don’t have people that believe in you, you won’t have a business. When you do make that dreaded mistake, please apologize. Yes, it’s good manners. Yes, it should be natural, but often we may get defensive. Ultimately, that never helps. A sincere, heartfelt and humble apology will go a long way to rebuilding a damaged relationship and creating a raving fan instead.
Make every moment matter. It’s hard work, but it’s good work. And it’s work that pays dividends both professionally and personally.
I had an unusual meeting last week. One of our clients has assigned a new point person to our relationship, so we met to lay the foundation for the future. We also met to reconnect on the past, as Kevin was our point person about 6 or 7 years ago when we first forged the partnership. Years pass quickly at times, so I was happy to be working with him again and looking forward to catching up.
Ramblings of a Creative Mind 