Stand and SHOUT
Finally, I can stand on a chair and shout to the world, welcome to my newsletter! Based on hours of planning and with a sincere passion for people, please allow me to share with you my insights on leading people. I hope that the concepts will challenge you and allow you to influence others at work - and hopefully impact them for life!

This newsletter will allow me to share concepts that have been proven in some of the top companies in America. I hope that you will find several nuggets each month that will inspire you to become a better leader. We will talk about defining employee value, leading through relationships, and coaching with the specific purpose of improving people’s lives.

This newsletter is the first step in creating a new level of communication to my friends, online-subscribers, audience members, colleagues, supporters, and believers who have offered words of encouragement, prayer, and support into my life. Be on the lookout for a whole new web experience in early 2008.

I hope you enjoy the interactions and look forward to hearing from you about successes in your life as you put into action the ideas outlined here at Impacting People For Life.

Lead with your heart,
Bob Furniss

Butterfly Effect
I recently read an article about a phenomenon called the Butterfly Effect. The premise of this “chaos theory” is that small variations of the initial condition may produce large variations in the long term behavior of a system. The phrase refers to the idea that a butterfly’s wings might create tiny changes in the atmosphere in California which ultimately causes a tornado to appear in Kansas. Had the butterfly not flapped its wings, the trajectory of the system might have been vastly different.
So, you are probably asking, what does that have to do with Customer Service? Let’s explore the concept. Customer surveys constantly confirm the top reason customers leave a business - and vow to never return - is because of the poor attitude of an employee. Whether it is a rude attitude or just one of indifference, we have all walked out the door or hung-up the phone saying, “I will never go back!”

So, what caused the employee to treat a customer with indifference? The “butterfly” may have fluttered its wings many days before! We may be able to follow the path back to the hiring decision – perhaps the right “type” employee was not hired. The hiring process needs to be based on attitude, not just aptitude. We can discuss the effectiveness of the training – perhaps the employee was not given the right kind of training. Delivering information is not enough – the information must be presented in a way that the employee can learn from it. I believe the top reason that employees treat customers with indifference is because their manager treats them with indifference. It is often not a conscious decision, but many of us fail to consider the effect that we have on the people around us. We fail to realize that we may be the butterfly that creates a tornado of bad service at the frontlines.
So, what can we do to ensure that our Butterfly Effect is positive instead of negative? Here are some basic concepts to consider:

1. How does your mood affect your words? Did something happen in your personal life or in the morning meeting that is affecting your attitude with employees right now? Remember when an employee knocked on the door in the afternoon, right after that budget meeting where everything seemed to go wrong? How did it affect your response? Of course, everyone has a bad day, but it is important that we not let it effect the way we interact with others – especially those that work for us.

2. How many times have you said the following about your boss, “Today is not a good day to talk to Bill – he is NOT in a good mood!” The “buzz” of his bad day actually spreads through the organization. For some it is a “look” or negative comments. For me it is a quietness and withdrawal. I remember several years back when an employee gently knocked on the door to ask if I was alright. I lied and said sure, why do you ask? She said that she knew something was wrong when I walked by and did not stop to say something goofy. She said, “We always know when you are having a bad day because you become very quiet.” The reality is that positive attitudes spread - but so do bad ones. What are your employees saying about your moods?

3. Remember that someone is watching you – and if you are in a position of leadership, a LOT of people are watching you. Your conversations with customers, your body language – even your comments after a customer hangs-up or leaves the store – your employees are all reacting to your behavior. Model good customer service and your employees will too. I think back to the laid back style of one of my first managers at the Sonic Drive-in. He set the tone for customer service by the fun and crazy way he managed our team. You also set the tone by your actions. Ask your employees if they enjoy their job – remember they spend more time at work than at any other part of their life.

4. Do something nice for someone today. Small gestures are noticed and seem to create other gestures of positive service. If you have not watched the movie “Pay It Forward” rent it tonight and see how one small act can lead to many. Just a quick remark of “great job” can make a difference in how a person feels about themselves. Don’t wait until the quarterly review session to tell an employee that you appreciate their attitude with customers. Send a written thank-you note to a team member. Point out their positive actions as they occur. Encourage everyone in your company to do the same. Many small gestures equal very positive tornados!
As you read this, you are probably thinking these are not new ideas; and you’re right - but they do work. Choose right now to re-establish your commitment to be positive as a leader. Your employees will notice the difference in you and your customers will notice a difference in your employees.

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at
 Bob is a frequent contributor and on the Advisory Council.  His blog and articles focus on leadership at the frontlines.  Visit often for new concepts and ideas.

Click the button to read Bob’s Blog at
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Volume 1, Version 1, February 2008
© 2008 Bob Furniss
901.230.0567 • 6870 Dovefield Lane • Bartlett, TN 38135 • bob@bobfurniss.com
www.bobfurniss.com