I grew up on a large cattle ranch. We raised Registered Brangus. The best cattle were sold for 10’s of thousands of dollars to ranchers looking to improve the genetics of their herds. The ranch was a mix of iconic cattle wrangling and sophisticated lab work, which melded together to produce the best bulls and cows possible. I worked on the ranch during the summers. Two days a week all I did was mow. I mowed acres and acres of grass. I mowed miles and miles of road edges. I’d finish those two days covered in grass clippings with a lingering hum in my ears. One day I asked my dad why we spent so much time mowing grass: “When people come to the ranch, they see how attentive we are to the grass. They assume that if we take that good a care of the grass, we must take…
About two years ago, I asked a new friend of mine to join me for lunch. I had just celebrated my daughter’s first birthday. Gene Ellerbee had just celebrated his 70th birthday. I was upfront about why I wanted to get together: Gene was the father of five daughters. In his more than 45 years of marriage and raising children, Gene had a lot of lessons to share. I knew that Gene’s insights could spare me missteps in fatherhood, marriage and my career. Over plates of succulent barbecue, Gene began to share how to be a good father to daughters. We discussed balancing time with multiple children and modeling a healthy marriage. He shared how loving your wife well is a key component to loving your daughters well. We talked about dating your daughters through their teens and leading them into a relationship with Christ. He reflected on mistakes he…
How often do you find yourself saying, “You misunderstood me”, and getting caught up in a prolonged conversation to explain what you really meant? At best, the frustrating exercise costs you time. At worst, the repeated misfires erode relationships. What if you focused all that time and energy on becoming a communication chameleon? A chameleon always changes its color to adapt to its environment, not the other way around. You can immediately become a more effective and others centered communicator by doing the same. Instead of assuming other people need to understand you better, what if you assumed you need to understand them better? Although it will take some time and effort to study your audience and you have to believe they’re worth it, the impact can be significant. The effort alone will help establish a healthier connection that will serve as a conduit for better communication. As you master the…
I just finished reading the Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant, a wonderful, albeit lengthy, account of Grant’s military endeavors. In several scenes I was struck by the respect both sides showed for the other’s generals and in particular Grant. Prior to one of the battles, the picket lines for both sides were so close that the soldiers drew water from the same small creek the separated them. Grant rode out without his party one day to inspect the scene first-hand. As he approached the lines, the union picket guard called for the troops to salute, but Grant quipped, “Never mind the general”. As Grant rode on he neared the confederate line. Seeing Grant approaching, the confederate picket guard called for the troops to salute the general of their enemy as they would their own. Grant returned their salute. The men seemed to acknowledge that although Grant was waged in an…
Wondering how strong a significant relationship at home or work really is? Here’s a quick gauge: How comfortable are you saying difficult things? If you shy or run away from difficult conversations, it’s probably because intuitively you know the relationship cannot weather the turbulence. Significant relationships that cannot withstand the turbulence caused by honest and transparent communication are weak. If you find yourself in this situation, how you can invest in the relationship so the thought of saying the hard things doesn’t make you queasy?
What separates mediocre service from service worth telling others about? Isn’t it doing whatever you can for your customers v. doing what you must? A “must” perspective is inherently limiting and restrictive. It’s rooted in rules, checklists and contracts. A “can” perspective is inherently expansive and freeing. It’s rooted in permission, opportunities and the spirit of the agreement. I believe a “must” customer orientation develops out of a culture that manages their people that way. Employees follow rules, are policed with checklists and are routinely told to consult the handbook. I believe a “can” customer orientation develops out of a culture that gives its people permission to exercise good judgement, that pushes its people to take initiative and to act with the overall intent in mind. You agree?
What happens when conflict emerges around you? Do you avoid or ignore it or do you lean in? Regardless of the source or catalyst, the most effective leaders know that healthy acknowledgement and resolution of conflict is critical for them and their team to keep moving forward. When conflict emerges around you, have a hairpin trigger for acknowledgement and resolution. Lean in to understand the issues and seek to restore genuine peace. Do not let conflict fester or spread. Dealing with it may cost you some time and emotional energy, but both are less costly on the front end than the back.
Late one evening as I drove back into Austin some field lights shinning brightly off the road caught my attention. The location was peculiar. I did not think there was a baseball or soccer field located there and was curious about what it could be. The next time I passed by I decided to veer off and take a look. I discovered to my delight that the lights were used to illuminate a driving range. Being a golfer and lacking a nearby range, this was a welcomed find. The first time I patroned the place, the owner handed me a bucket of balls and suggested I pay on the way out since he was “using his internet connection to browse the web and couldn’t run my credit card until he was done.” I proceeded to hit my bucket of balls and returned to the office when I was done. I…
Anyone who has been to Chick-Fil-A and muttered a “thank you” has heard an employee reply, “It’s my pleasure.” Sure, they train and require everyone to say it, but it is a reflection of the company’s heart and soul. The company really believes they are serving you, the customer, and that the thanks is all theirs. This perspective is not uncommon in the restaurant or hospitality industry, though few execute it as genuinely or consistently as Chick-Fil-A. What happens though when you evaluate other industries and companies? Are they known for communicating genuine gratitude after every interaction with their customers? Rack your brain and try to come up with a list. I bet you cannot name five companies outside of the restaurant or hospitality industries. Would your customers put your company on their list? Although there are probably a variety of reasons why so few companies consistently and genuinely communicate gratitude, I…
There is a great book written by Stephen M.R. Covey, son of famed productivity author Stephen Covey, entitled The Speed of Trust. Covey argues that the lack of trust in business is extremely costly. All the due diligence, exhaustive contracts, monitoring and the like slows business down and increases costs. Alternatively, what if you trusted the person on the other side of the table? How much quicker and more easily could you do business? I wholeheartedly agree with Covey’s thesis. I do not suggest being naive, but I do advocate and practice aligning with customers, vendors and employees one can trust and stepping away from those one cannot. My strong conviction wasn’t birthed out of the book though. For me, the seed was planted many years ago when I was a young boy attentively observing my father conduct business. My father manages ranches raising registered cattle. He’s what people have…