Oh brother. Now I’ve heard everything. Someone please tell me how cutting thousands of jobs at Sam’s Clubs is going to increase customer loyalty?

http://www.examiner.com/x-35524-Boston-Populist-Examiner~y2010m1d30-Walmart-to-cut-11000-Sams-Club

Looks like a cost cutting effort to me. If someone can shed some light on this please do. Are the employees of the sub-contractor be any more likely to treat the customers better, create a more delightful experience? Perhaps they will get better training – maybe that’s it – sorry I just don’t see how the move is going make customers more loyal. Enlighten me!

I had a great time on Saturday. Three girlfriends and I did our second one day workshop together here in South Florida entitled “A Woman’s Path to Happiness: Tools 4 Empowered Living”.  Other women go shopping, we pool our talents and teach. www.tools4empoweredliving.com

Since my topic is Happiness Practices, at each workshop I look at another element of what it takes to be happy. This time I called my talk “Don’t Believe Everything You Think: How to Change Your Storyline to Have a Happy New Year All Year Long.”  I delivered it while wearing a Happy New Year tiara.  I wear it every year at this time.

Everybody’s got a story. We have the opportunity to tell that story every time someone says “How are you?” “What’s up?”  Is your story one of empowerment, success, health, excitement, appreciation?

Take a breath and think about that.

Are you telling healthy stories or horror stories? Are repeating and reinforcing the good in your day, or the bad? Is your story of disempowerment, sadness, failure, rejection, poverty, victimization, pain or lack?

If you are telling stories of how hard it is to deal with customers and how miserable they are treating you, then you are in the latter category. Sure, sure, human beings are difficult and dealing with the public, if you do, not a walk in the park, but if you’ve had a tough interaction and you tell the story over and over again to who ever will listen, you are re-infecting yourself with your own horror stories.

The stories we tell ourselves over and over again become the dramas we play our in out lives over and over again. In a world drenched in negativity we m, be vigilant and mindful about our stories if we want to creat a happy every after life.

For the next 24 hours pay particular attention to what you say to yourself and others.  Are you focused on the problems (and problem customers), fearful, pessimistic? Or are you mostly positive, filled with appreciation, lessons learned, focused on creative solutions? What’s your story line? Healthy or horrible or half and half?

Check it out – you can change the quality of your experience (and your customers and your co-workers) by changing the quality of your story – soap operas are SO last decade!

Often I hear that the different generations in business have a hard time understanding each other. It’s most often that I hear that the older generation (now my age) doesn’t think the younger generation (now younger than my daughter) has any values.

I don’t believe that. In fact I think they have similar values, but they show up differently. For instance – in my generation dedication to family meant that you would work and work to make sure there was money in the bank so the bills could be paid, the insurance policies were up to date and the college fund was funded – even if that meant you missed the actual everyday activities of the family. You were, after all, providing for them, and that demonstrated your love, your care and your commitment to them.

The newer generations care about family too – and it shows up when they want to leave work at 6 PM to be part of family life, to bathe the baby, read to the toddler and take the second grader to soccer practice. Because many of the younger generation grew up without one or the other parent (or found themselves hopelessly caught in the middle) they covet actual family interaction.

Same values – different way of expressing them. Take a look at this little video – watch it forwards and then see it scroll back wards  – it’s a palindrome – a statement that reads the same backwards as forward, except this one has a differnt meaning.

Check it out – it will give you a new perspective - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA – the “lost” generation.

Enjoy.

Happy New Year! Is it?  Happy? What makes it happy?

Good health, a better job, lots of money in the bank, a new car, a new wife, a new nose? A new place to live, a new religion, a new piece of jewelry, a new pair of shoes?

A lot of these things do bring pleasure and pleasure is wonderful – but it’s only one piece of happiness. Enduring happiness has three faces – and when they’re all smiling – there is a deep and elevating sense of well being. The three faces of happiness are pleasure, engagement and meaning. So in addition to things that feel good, are the things that feel worthwhile, noble, useful. Work or play we love and can get lost in, a connection to something bigger, something outside of our everyday concerns – something uplifting.

If you want to know more about how to increase your happiness ask yourself three questions – What gives me pleasure? – That’s a really easy list for me. The beach. Good friends. Good food. Good wine and all that comes after it, including chocolate.

Second question: What activities do I have in my life that I can lose myself in? What activities to I participate in that allow me to be my best and use my strengths?

Is there a place where my challenges meet my capabilities… and then nicely edge me out of my comfort zone so I can achieve a little more mastery?

You know…  As we are reaching to get better at something we are reaching outside our comfort zones and when we do – we expand them. We stretch and our lives open to even more possibility.

Third question: Am I connected to something larger than myself? Does my life have meaning, does my work have meaning, can I feel my purpose?

Great questions. Questions to sit with, and have a cup of tea with, or have a beer with, or have a walk, swim or jog with. Questions are important because they frame the way we think.

The more we change the questions we ask ourselves the more expansive our lives become.

As we ask ourselves these questions – and as we are truly honest in our answers – we begin to see where we have quite a number of places where we can do things to move our happiness setpoint.

Do you know about the happiness setpoint? Scientists now tell us that about 50% of the factors involved in happiness are genetically determined. You may have noticed that some babies are born happy and others are born grumpy. Some are like.. “I’m so happy to be on the planet.” And others .. why did I come here and why did I pick them to be my parents..”

You have to admit, some people are just downright cranky.

I used to be like that, a lot.

About 17 years ago I discovered Marty Seligman’s book on Learned Optimism. Before I read it I thought I was an optimist. I had a lot to learn. I had to adjust my attitude.

Twelve years later I got the opportunity to study Authentic Happiness with Marty and became one of 1000 coaches he trained to take his work out in the world and use it in our respective worlds to (as he put it at the time “help raise the tonnage of happiness on the planet.”   Here I am.

note: Marty has since changed the words he uses to describe his vision, I’m still attached to these words, they suit me at the moment.

Having a happy new year has very little to do with circumstances outside yourself. Only 10% of your happiness has to do with the external circumstances in your life.

Fully 40% of how happy you feel comes from things that are in your voluntary control – your thoughts, actions, habits, beliefs – the story you tell yourself about your life.

That’s huge and enough to tip the balance even if, like me, you were one of the cranky colic-y ones. Optimists live 7 -9 years longer than pessimists – that’s a lot of extra years.

Over time this year I’ll be sharing – along with my thoughts on creating more Customer happiness – my thoughts on creating more personal happiness.

There’s been a wonderful series running on PBS this week and it’s mind expanding to tune in.  One more reason to support public television. You can see it here http://video.pbs.org/program/1142148877/ It’s called “This Emotional Life.”

I was out to dinner with friends tonight and shared a story about my Mom. Mom’s 90 years old and doesn’t look or act a day over 75.  She’s an amazing woman and I’m always proud to say I’m one of her kids.

Last Saturday night Mom and several other widows attended a party given by friends. The ladies decided to hire a car so they could all go together and no one had to drive home too late.

On Sunday night when I called to see how the party was she told me it was fantastic – the music, the food, the place – all fabulous. “But I really learned something,” she said.

“What Mom?”

“When your 90 years old you have no business staying out until 3 in the morning. I’m EXHAUSTED!”

I couldn’t stop laughing. Still learning after all these years. That’s a good sign.

Tonight, telling the story, thinking about it a bit, I realized how important it is to celebrate the learning. It’s important to recognize and reflect on the learning.

What did I learn today?

Giving feedback is always a delicate matter and holding the intention that the other will hear it the way you intended is helpful. Slowing down and being mindful of  how you’re being heard is as important as what you have to day.

A balanced life (if it’s a busy life) means that something will always fall off the to do list and have to be reprioritzed.

The list will never be done.

Sometimes dinner out with the neighbors is more important then getting the next step of a project done.

Life is always going to give me the opportunity to learn even if sometimes it’s the hard way. Some of us learn what we want buy first sorting through what we don’t want.

Laughing at yourself is part of loving yourself.

So that’s my list, what’s yours? What did you learn today?

This time of year, especially, I am prone to trying to connect with people I have not heard from in a long time. I am not yet (by choice) a real fan of facebook (although I know full well its power) so I’m probably not as up to date on my friends, prospects, and yes, even customers as those that have fully taken advantage of the power of social media.

I am one of those people that tends to take on way more than they can realistically accomplish. Consequently there are times (this is one of them) when I guard every moment as precious and commit myself to staying focused NO MATTER WHAT draws my endless curiosity.

I digress.

Today I wrote to someone I haven’t heard back from in a long time. I was frightened by his response to my request for just a nod (a return email, 5 minutes on the phone…).

“I’m slammed” he said. “Picked up some new responsibilities that are just killing me.”

Ouch. That frightened me. So I wrote back.

“Watch that language or it will kill you.  You’re challenged and you’re capable and you are resilient. You’re a pro and you’ll know just what to do to get the job done.  I don’t want you dying on me, we haven’t met yet. Remember – the body hears everything you say. Breathe – deeply”

I didn’t know anything else to say. I haven’t heard back and hope he’s not upset.

I’m sensitive to language. If someone says “This cheesecake is to die for!” I truly worry about them. Because I know that the body listens. Why program it to die from cheesecake?

I know, I know. Most people think I’m nuts.

I’m not.

When I tell myself I can, I can,. When I tell myself I can’t, I can’t. You can see it in a 4 year old.

“Slammed” is such a violent word. I now it because I used to use it – along with “crash burn deadlines” and “crazy, busy, nuts.”  Language has a way of framing our reality.

Look, I’m as stressed as the rest. My goal is to tell myself a story that feels more empowering, more manageable and more in alignment with the capable adult I’ve become. Positive self-talk is an important part of my teaching. (You can read more about that if you go to www.MotivationMadeEasy.com ) For fun, I developed a whole positive language around caring for customers.

The people who use it – love it. While I was at the Customers First conference several people approached me to tell me they subscribe and get their dose of positive self talk every Monday morning and love it. I was beaming. There’s nothing that makes me feel better than to think that my thoughts are making a difference. (Okay, I’m blushing…)

Watch YOUR language. Your body hears everything you say.

What’s better than a mission? A cause!

Employees at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center decided to raise awareness for Breast Cancer by donning pink gloves and doing a dance.  They had a ton of fun doing it (that’s obvious) and it brought the whole organization together in a whole new way. Over 200 people danced on the video wearing pink gloves. The video was distributed on You Tube and they raised money to provide mammograms.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEdVfyt-mLw

 

Now that’s an engaged group of people ! Baby are YOU down?

I just finished doing my seminar on the Heart Based Service Expo. What fun – my heart felt thanks to Lori and Raleigh for inviting me to take part in this extraordinary event.

If you missed it and you want to listen in do this:

Download your handout at www.PositivityPractices.com and then go to
http://www.heart-based-service.com/expo/Brandi

http://bit.ly/23U3mL

to find my seminar (in the next 48 hours) and to sign up for the others! 20 Experts 5 days – spectacular info, great fun!

 

Starting next week, for 5 weeks, 20 world-renowned thought leaders are sharing their insights and wisdom on how to live better, experience more joy, have more fun and create prosperity even in tough times. We’ll be talking about business and we’ll be talking about life.

This online event is called the Heart Based Service Expo and it’s f- r- e- e-

I’m speaking along with Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks, Joyce Gioia, James Twyman and many more. If you want to find out who the other thought leaders are and the amazing topics, visit…

http://www.heart-based-service.com/expo/Brandi

My topic is Positivity – The Path to Performance, Productivity and Power. It’s based on my studies in Positive Psychology over the last 6 years.

The “Science of Happiness” as it’s called has been helping companies create better and more productive cultures. Part of the success of Zappos extraordinary customer culture is Tony Hsieh’s focus on creating happiness at work.

If your schedule doesn’t allow you to listen to the live presentations on your phone or computer, register anyway because you will get “REPLAY” of the live event after each presentation.

I’m giving this event my highest recommendation (not just because I’m in it, but because I plan to participate myself) so check it out now and see this incredible line up of experts and their topics while it’s at the top of your mind:

http://www.heart-based-service.com/expo/Brandi

Just sit back and relax in your favorite easy chair and absorb this heart based service training and guidance for f.r.e.e — even ask questions of the experts — no hassle.

Once you register, you’ll have the option to listen to each speaker either over the phone or on your computer.

Will I “see” you there?

JoAnna

P.S. Even though the Heart Based Service Expo is f. r. e. e to listen to and ask questions of the experts and you even get replay lines of the presentations at no cha.rge, like all expos, there are great offers made during the event.

So in the spirit of providing you with all the details, when you click on the link above, depending on whatever extras you might choose, I might or might not receive some form of compensation. Whether or not that happens, I’m just thrilled to be a part of and to invite you to such an incredible event.

http://www.heart-based-service.com/expo/Brandi

Like many of the attendees at the NACCM Customers First conference last week I was excited to see Michael Tchong (www.ubercool.com) as one of our closing keynotes. Michael (besides being ubercool is uber informative and engaging in his presentations. He playfully engaged the audience and kept us involved in his thoroughly well done peek at the future of our world – which is without a doubt a digital one.

Michael asked this audience of professionals (not teenagers, mind you, grown-ups) how many people texted while driving. I’d say about 20%- 30% of the audience raised their hands. I looked around the room and saw people I knew with their hands in the air. I must say I was a bit taken back, after all we all know the dangers, yes?

And then he asked how many people emailed while driving and hands went up all over the place – I’m guessing maybe 50% of the people, perhaps more, and many had big smiles on their faces as if they were proud of the fact they could do both – drive and email at the same time.

I was stunned. Yes, I do talk on the phone when I drive sometimes, usually hands free. Like many I find drive time a convenient time to catch up. But more and more these days I am choosing to pay closer attention to my driving and listen to music or just think while in the car. I’ve been on my daughter’s case about it as well, knowing that the precious cargo in the back seat, my grandbaby, deserves her full attention on the road.

Seeing the large number of my colleagues with their hands waving in the air admitting to driving while distracted was disturbing. I know these people and I know they wouldn’t drive while drunk.

Texting and Emailing – and even just talking on the phone creates a distraction. Enough to kill you.

Yesterday I was interviewing a new client before I designed the keynote speech I’ll be doing for him. Just a few minutes into the presentation he said. “Uh, you know about Buddy, don’t you?”

“Buddy? What about Buddy?”

“He died last week in a car crash.”

Buddy is the man that brought the two of us together when he invited me to do a CEO Summit in Alabama a few months ago. My new client had been in the audience there.

All he knew that was Buddy was driving back to his office from appointments, about a two hour trip, he never made it. It was a one car crash.

As soon as I got off the phone I called the one person that I thought might know more. She was still pretty shook up. I asked her what she knew. She didn’t know much more but she had a supposition.

It seems Buddy had been on the phone with her just a short time before the police said the car crashed. He asked her to send him some emails. One thing she knew for sure, Buddy was working while he was driving.

No one really knows what happened and in all likelihood, I’ll send the condolence card to his wife and not pursue it any further. My intuition is pulling strongly in the direction of thinking that what she said was right. Buddy was a high achiever and a busy man. He’s had to reschedule our last two scheduled phone calls. It was a familiar road and he had a lot of time. What would you do?

For me this is a wake-up call. Buddy’s gone and I saw a group full of responsible caring adults admitting to driving while distracted. For the sake of what?

We don’t drive when we are drunk, yet

• Distraction from cell phone use while driving (hand held or hands free) extends a driver’s reaction as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (University of Utah)
• The No.1 source of driver inattention is use of a wireless device. (Virginia Tech/NHTSA)
• Drivers that use cell phones are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (NHTSA, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• 10 percent of drivers aged 16 to 24 years old are on their phone at any one time.
• Driving while distracted is a factor in 25 percent of police reported crashes.
• Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent  (Carnegie Mellon)

http://www.nationwide.com/newsroom/dwd-facts-figures.jsp

Let’s all please think of Buddy’s wife Tina when we go to send that message that can’t wait, and the rest of his family who won’t have the pleasure of his company, and all the clients that relied on him for their sales training and sage advice on running their businesses.

And if you think you’re so good at it that it’ll never happen to you – go here and play a little game:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/07/19/technology/20090719-driving-game.html

Let’s let caring for our customers extend out to the people in our communities – the ones on the road around us. Let’s please please please be uber care-full about what we do behind the wheel of a 2 ton metal machine.