BLOG – Page 651 – Disney Brand Loyalty Keynote Speaker

Poor customer service is rare these days

Hotel ironing board with inspiring thoughts — The ironing board was a delightful “wow” moment.

Do we have the courage to act on limited knowledge and insufficient evidence?

That’s what speaking up against status quo requires. That, or ignorance.

Twice yesterday i was quietly stunned by two incredibly weird customer service experiences.

The Dollar Rent A Car representative at Chicago Midway told me i needed to fill up the gas tank within 10 miles of the airport and if i didn’t have a receipt as proof, i would be charged $10/gallon.

The Best Western Valparaiso front desk clerk asked for my credit card for incidentals. When i shared that i would not be making any charges, he revealed that it was really to cover themselves against any damages the guest might create.

It would seem both of them lied.

That is so weird to think that some companies have a culture ~~encouraging this~~ allowing this to happen.

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Onstage and backstage simplicity is operational genius

prolific blogger jeff noel — Simplicity is operational genius onstage. What the reader sees.

Onstage and backstage simplicity is operational genius.

Organizational vibrancy cannot be achieved if the front line can’t prioritize and internalize the most important aspects of your operation.

Ignoring this doesn’t make it go away.

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i can only speak from experience

Apple Watch update 2015 — Time is the only thing everyone gets the same of each day.

If you hit the snooze button, if you do rolling stops at stop signs, if you drive too fast, these are valid indications you are not a great leader. You are probably a great manager, getting things done, even burning the midnight oil, and racing down the highway to increase your output.

But leadership starts with self.

Is the purpose of speeding to save three minutes? Go to bed three minutes earlier the night before. No?

Saving three seconds by doing rolling stops instead of full and complete stops? Wake up one minute earlier so you don’t have to shave 10-20 seconds off of your commute.

Hitting the snooze button?

Rushing out the door half awake, in a rush, disorganized – the three minute and 20 seconds you save on a typical 30- minute commute requires a level of worry and anxiety that could be spent in an entirely different way if you went to bed (or woke up) just five minutes earlier.

Think about it.

When i finally came to terms with my blind spot, i fixed these things.

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If i have to explain it to you

Avant garde mind explosion — Photo: From unknown Facebook contributor.

One of the most under rated benefits of daily journaling is the cathartic effect of being able to say something publicly, and then letting it go, once and for all.

It’s often been said:

If i have to explain it to you, you won’t understand.

But it sure would be cool to blow that up.

Thank you for calling me a zealot and a narcissist. i’ve always valued your feedback.

Walt Disney was a zealot. As are most people with big dreams. The narcissist label has challenged me, in a good way, though. And thankfully, i can see your point.

In my final annual performance appraisal, my leader used those two words to describe my reputation amongst leadership.

And i finally figured out why he felt that way. At least it feels like the only logical explanation. There are times when all we have is our “gut” instinct.

In order to help him see my value, i would, begrudgingly, share things he would never see – an act of desperation really – simply to raise my salary. It was literally impossible for leadership to carve out time to observe the type of work the delivery team does.

How did i come to this realization?

Being on my own for nearly a year now, my salary is not measured by a leader’s opinion, it is measured in revenue – a metric successful companies put on a pedestal.

No one in their right mind would ask for a 30% raise and 50% fewer work hours.

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We were there for the very first serve of the 2015 season

Windermere Prep Lakers Girls Varsity Volley Ball season opener 2015 — Windermere Prep Lakers Girls Varsity Volleyball season opener 2015 two nights ago.

The time to network is when you don’t need to.

The time to look for your next job is when you don’t need to.

The time to start your own company is when you don’t need to.

The time to teach teens (in this case, a high school freshman) about these things is when you don’t need to. Like at the Girls Varsity Volleyball home opener two nights ago.

The way to build relationships is to be visible and approachable.

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