Time To Shape Your Future Or The Kids For 2016? 

Merry Christmas From Workplace Evolution! (?)

Right now I have about two hours to call my own over Christmas before the family return from either shopping, drinking or the traditional Christmas walk. I have decided to spend these two hours writing to you. I hope you have some space to think about what next year will bring and how you want to shape you future. Being a dad I am also thinking about my kids future and I don't think SMART goals will work!!!


What Are Our Options?....Be DUMB?!!
You may struggle to stay to goals and perhaps let other things in life over-take them. SMART goals are great but I struggle with time constraints and whilst great for project management, I am not always inspired enough to be bought in to them. The DUMB goal model can also help to ask some really thought provoking questions to our kids. The concept developed by Brendon Burchard is worthwhile reflecting on this Christmas when you have some time free!.....

Dream-driven 
Let’s have vision for our lives, not just focus on our tasks. Let’s dream big again and get our heads out of our to-dos. Are the goals we’re setting aligned with our bigger vision for our lives and our contributions? Have you ever asked your kids what their dreams are for the future and really listened and explored them with them for just an hour away from mobile phones and social media!?

Uplifting
How is it that smart goals have no prerequisite for positivity? Shouldn’t our goals inspire something in us more than a need to meet a deadline? Let’s set inspiring, positive, joyous, uplifting goals for ourselves. Perhaps we need to know more about what excites and motivates our kids to really inspire them. 

Method-friendly
If we’re going to take aim at something, let it be something  that is friendly to developing practices of mastery towards. Most things we work towards requires methods, practices, forms, and habits that are built around a broader goal and help people move to mastery. A good goal allows us to create methods and practices that help us move toward them. Often as a Dad I know that I am not the best source of information / knowledge! Where are you getting your best practice from for your kids? How effective is the environment they are practicing in? 

Behavior triggered
When we set a goal, we should create a behavioral trigger that reminds us to chase it. A trigger means: if I am already doing A, then I’m going to add behavior B right after in order to habitually move toward my goal; it’s a reminder and an activator. For example, if we want to be a better parent, then we can set a behavior trigger to accomplish it, like a rule, so that when we pull into the driveway at night our first thought is to take a moment to center ourselves and finding a calm and loving space before entering the house.

MY DUMB Goal?

D: To write a blog which will lead to a book which will be published one day. The book will help Dads be the best they can be - support their family through the roller-coaster of life, set role-model behaviour and help their children reach their potential.
U: Helping other Dads who might be struggling with modern day demands will be a great feel-good factor for myself. 
B: My trigger for this goals will be when the TV is one and something rubbish comes on. At this point I will remind myself of D, U and M!
Have a prosperous 2016......if you liked this article please let me know
M: I will set time aside each month, one Sunday typically, to write my blog as well as receive feedback from friends / colleagues / other publishers / journalists / websites etc. I need an inspiring place to write though....watch this space.

Good luck with your DUMB goals. Mine is out their now (publically sharing your goals can actually help motivate you to accomplish them). 

How Well Are Your Staff Packing Parachutes?

How Well Are Your Staff Packing Parachutes?

"You woundn't catch me up there using this!..."

I'm preparing for a customer service workshop today and came across an old story that encourages you to put yourself in the customer's shoes and exceed expectations.

The famous story is about parachute packers in the Second World War who achieved a quality rate of 99.9% and felt satisfied with the result. Needless to say the thousandth parachuters did not share their satisfaction! One day it was decreed that once a week the packers would make a jump with the parachutes at random. The error rate promptly sank to zero. 

If 100% is available we should always aim to achieve it - just being good is never enough. 

Ways To Meet Or Exceed Customer Expectations.....

- Encourage your staff to take a little extra time explaining to the customer what they are doing and what they expect to happen and / or the result to be

- If your staff can't help in the first place instead of referring the customer to a third party make arrangement with that third party to call your customer 

- Send a regular note to all your current customers thanking them for their continued custom and expressing your pleasure at doing business with them (in your own unique way perhaps!)
- Write to or call customers who have complained to thank them for doing so
- Write a note or send an acknowledgement to those who have increased his or her level of spending or commitment to the organisation
- Add something extra to your service where possible e.g. a free smaller product with a large product that has just been bought