What Advice Would You Give to your 20 Year Old Self?

What advice would you give to your 20 year old self?

As the author or 14 books and a professional speaker who has traveled the world, I have never been asked this question before, so it has been a special joy to mull over what I would say.

I think I was pretty mature at age 20, perhaps because of being the oldest of four children, growing up in a small town, and a dog bite incident when I was five years old and the subsequent surgeries. On the whole, thinking back, I actually made very good decisions growing up except maybe for some silliness with friends. Choosing to spend a lot of time practicing my piano, doing my best in school, choosing where to go to college, all were good decisions.

Whatever I did, I always did to the very best of my ability, a lesson I learned as a very young person. That led to many awards and honors during those years. I also made an excellent choice in a husband, falling in love with the most honest and loyal person I have ever known……and he was handsome, too! 😉 We raised three beautiful children along the way.

I think one of the important lessons I learned early in life was the idea of the old saying, “Bloom where you are planted.” Find the good in every situation and make the most of it. Some of the wisdom I have gained over the years I think I intuitively knew in those days, but now it is fun to put this wisdom into words.

Barbara at 20 in her college graduation picture

First of all, take care of YOURSELF. Eat right, do some exercise every day, find alone time each day, get a good night’s sleep, and treasure friends and family. Even in my 70’s I am committed to at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. I either swim a mile, walk 3 miles on the beach, go to my trainer, or walk on the treadmill. I am so serious about this that even if it is 10:00 pm and I haven’t yet exercised, I am on the treadmill in my extra bedroom. Commitment is the key! Our minds and our bodies are our temples, and we have a responsibility to take care of them to the best of our ability.

Plan quiet time each day to refill your emotional bank account and to keep connected to your spiritual self. This can be done through meditation, prayer, journaling, or reading a spiritual book such as a devotional or the Bible. I love “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young and “Mornings with Jesus Daily Bible” from Guideposts.

Remember that every day is a GIFT. Look for the blessings even in the most difficult situations in your life. That is always your choice, and if you truly look, you WILL find them. I love the quote from William Winter, “As much of Heaven is visible as we have eyes to see.”

When our second child died, it was the hardest thing I will ever have to face in my life. However, many blessings came out of that time, and one of them was learning to live five minutes at a time. On the most difficult days when I didn’t think I could get out of bed or even get through an hour, I could always make it through five minutes., just five minutes, five minutes, five minutes.

What that taught me was to always be fully in the present. When I am with someone, I am totally with them. This is what mindfulness is about. “Every day is a gift. That is why we call it ‘the present’.”

I also believe that every person who comes into my life is a GIFT Sometimes I can just untie the ribbon, sometimes I can peek inside, and other times I can dig right down to the bottom. However, each time I pass that gift by, it is my loss.

Nurture your FAITH, whatever that may be for you. It is the only thing that can NEVER be taken away from you. I have learned in my spiritual life that in surrender comes perfect freedom. I just have to trust that no matter how bad things get, God IS in charge. His plan is much better for me than my own plans, and that surrender takes the anxiety for the future away. I must admit, however, that as a human being, I do take control back more often than I should, but I am learning each day to give it up to God.

When I started my company at age 52, I said, “God, You gave me this gift, so You put me where You want me to be,”and the result has been the unbelievable opportunity to speak to audiences all over the world. Because I knew from the beginning I was just the “messenger,” I have never gotten caught up in ego (Edging God Out), and my business has all been word of mouth and referral. I am very clear who is the CEO of my company! 😉

I have a new friend who was imprisoned in solitary confinement in Syria for 63 days several years ago. He said they took everything from him – his passport, his cell phone, all his contact information, and even his clothes. It was completely dark, and he didn’t even know what day it was (though he figured out a system to once a day determine light or dark to try to keep count.) He shares so powerfully that the ONLY thing that they could not take from him was his faith, and that kept him sane through the whole horrible ordeal.

RELATIONSHIPS are what life is all about. Be the best family member, spouse, parent, and friend you can be with the skills you have been given. And be a friend to have a friend.

I often think about who might miss me when I am gone. Have I truly made a difference in this world? My idea of Heaven has become that we will see all the people we have touched in some way, most of whom we know nothing about. I can hardly wait to see who is in that line!

Everything can be taken from us so quickly – our health, our homes, our possessions, the people we love, and yet our relationships and our memories can never be taken away. However, we must make the relationships in our lives a priority.

During the pandemic I decided to do a “100 Day Project.” Every day I called one or two people who had influenced my life in some way, many of whom I had not spoken with in years. What a precious gift that was to me – and I hope to them, too! It rekindled many friendships that had gotten buried in busyness.

I keep a “Blessings Journal,” and most days I write the people I interacted with and what blessings I received that day. Sometimes they are big things, but mostly they are small things that happened in my day from a phone call to an email or a surprise gift. No matter how busy or difficult a day is, I can always find one or two blessings, and most of them come from the relationships in my life.

Also, every Thanksgiving I make a list of all the people in this world that I love. I am always so touched by how long that list has grown to be, and how blessed I am to have so many beautiful relationships.

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You, too? I thought I was the only one.’ “ ~ C.S. Lewis

LOVE all people. Even if you do not agree with them or don’t even like them, they were still created in the image of God, so RESPECT them as human beings. (That does not mean that you have to spend time with them! 😉 I believe that our only responsibility in life is simply to love other people as we meet them on our journey. That is why I created the – / 0 / + chart to show the CHOICE we have in every interaction.

We can discount the person and make them feel less important than us or our organization. That leaves them with a minus. We can simply take care of the business at hand which is a zero. OR we can create a Human Level connection which says . “I SEE YOU as a human being” and that leaves the person with a plus because they interacted with you.

Always try to create a plus for the person you meet, even if it is only for a moment. Just using their name, asking them a question about themselves, complimenting them, or sharing a thought with them lets them feel recognized and that they count for something.

I often tell this story about an experience I had in the Ladies Restroom at O’Hare airport as a simple example. It was a cold, snowy February morning, and as I walked into the restroom, there was a woman all hunched over, listlessly cleaning, simply going through the motions. I walked up to her, lightly touched her on the arm, looked right into her eyes, and said, “Thank you so much for keeping this restroom clean. You are really making a difference for all of us who travel.”

She looked at me like a doe in the headlights and then out came a big smile. She perked up, and she started cleaning with a passion. By the time I came out of the stall, she was handing out towels to all the women who were washing their hands.

I left with tears in my eyes, because that cost me nothing. And what did I tell her in that one statement? She was of value; I saw her as a human being with a purpose.

After hearing that story, my audience members tell me they never go into a restroom where someone is cleaning without thanking them. That is just one simple example of how choosing to make human level connections can make such a difference in this world.

My personal philosophy of life has come from Mother Teresa: “Be kind and merciful. Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier.”

Learn to FORGIVE, not for the other person (they probably will never know), but for yourself. Holding grudges eats away at you, so forgive and let them go. That goes for yourself as well! We are only human, and we ALL make mistakes.

I suggest that my audiences think about “mis-takes.” Even in the movies, it takes many takes to get a final print, so a “mis-take” is just one thing that didn’t work…..and we can learn from our “mis-takes” if we forgive ourselves.

“The person who succeeds is not the one who holds back, fearing failure, nor the one who never fails…..but rather the one who moves on in spite of failure.” ~ Charles Swindoll

Read and LEARN something new every day. That is what keeps you growing and young, even if you are chronologically old. I have been a reader my entire life. One of my favorite quotes is from S. I. Hayakawa, “In a very real sense, people who have read good literature have lived more than people who cannot or will not read. It is not true that we have only one life to live: if we can read, we can live as many more lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish.” I suggest you keep a list of all the books you read every year. It is so affirming to go back and realize all the experiences you have had through your reading.

It is so important, too, for us to be open to new learnings, especially with technology today. I am so proud of my 98 year old aunt who uses email every day and even zoom to connect with one of her sons in Thailand. She sends me the “naughtiest” emails of any of my friends! 😉

As a speaker, when the pandemic started, I had to learn how to present in Zoom, how to do webinars for my clients, and how to scan documents rather than faxing. Although I came kicking and screaming to some of it as I am not a techy person, I have continued to learn.

One example was being asked to do a Zoom keynote to over 3000 people. I don’t think I slept well for a week, worrying if the technology would fail (my office is in my home, so I do not have a trouble shooter tech person here to help!). It went well, but I still missed the personal interaction. However, I LEARNED. Continual learning keeps our minds sharp as well as open to new ideas.

Today we can always expand our horizons with listening to podcasts, Ted talks, and searching Google for things that interest us. And if you are having problems, all you have to do is to ask a neighbor kid or a grandchild. They will help you keep young!

Be RESILIENT. No matter what happens in your life, you always have choices in how you respond. I appreciate this quote from Florence Littauer, “I am not responsible for my situation, but I am responsible for my reaction to it.”

Like so many others in their later years, I have had a lot of pain in my life. We lost our second child, Gavin, when I was just 28 years old, the hardest thing I will ever have to bear.

In that same year, my Dad died unexpectedly at age 62, Nana, our St, Bernard puppy died, and I found a lump in my breast. And finally, my dear husband Charlie died when I was just 56. I was very young to be a widow, so it was an extremely lonely time for me. However, I learned that I could either be better or bitter – it was my choice.

Even though I had some rough times grieving (Gavin was buried on Christmas Eve which is the birth of a baby, and I made a move to Florida where I knew no one soon after Charlie died). However, through it all, I still today CHOOSE to be a positive person, and that has served me well.

Marcia Graf says, “Out of the coldest and seemingly most barren times of our lives, we discover hidden truths and bring them as gifts into the lives of others.”

Keep things in PERSPECTIVE. It is easy for little things to become big things. Try to think, “Will this matter five or ten years from now?” One of the things that happens, especially when you are depressed or grieving, is that we can become overwhelmed with small decisions or details.

It helps so much to have some kind of support group to help you see the bigger picture. Professionally, I am in a MasterMind group of speaker friends from all over the country. We meet once a month and share ideas and challenges. Personally, I am in a sharing group from my church as well as a Bible study that meets weekly. I also created a Book Group of friends that keep me grounded and help expand my horizons.

There are many resources on the internet today that can help you find a place where you feel you are not alone and you can share your concerns safely. That will help you keep difficult times in perspective.

Follow your dreams and dream BIG. Growing up in a town of 4500 in Iowa in the 50’s and 60’s, my dreams were limited by my experience and the people I knew. As I went off to college and experienced a bigger world, however, my dreams became bigger and bigger. I realized early on in my life that I could be and do anything I set my mind to, and I am grateful to my parents for that teaching. I learned to “always aim for the top.”

I was a high school English and Drama teacher for several years before our children were born. (In fact, one of the fun things I share in the introduction to my audiences is that I directed David Hasselhof in his first high school play! 😉

When our first child was born, Charlie and I decided that I would stay home and make them my career. I had a business plan and goals for them – by age seven they had all seen a ballet, an opera, and a stage play, I took them to classes at all the museums in downtown Chicago, and they had to take piano lessons from their seventh birthday to their twelfth birthday, non-negotiable.

During the nineteen years I stayed at home with them, I did some part time teaching and I finished my Master’s Degree in Adult Learning, one course a quarter for five years. (I have written an article titled “You CAN Have it All – A Message of Hope for Women Who Choose to Stay Home with Their Children” about that time. You can read a copy at https://barbaraglanz.com/articles/balance/you-can-have-it-all/ if you are in that situation.)

Then at age 48 when our oldest son was going off to Dartmouth, I went back to work as Manager of Training for a Times Mirror Company. At age 52 I started my own company as a professional speaker and author, and the rest has been amazing.

Even in my wildest dreams I never imagined I could accomplish and experience all the blessings I have had in my life, most after the age of 50 – inducted into the Speaker Hall of Fame, being the first speaker on record to speak in all 50 states and on all 7 continents, being able to visit over 100 different countries, and to have precious friends all over the world.

And if a small town girl from Iowa can do all that, SO CAN YOU!

The message my parents taught me was to believe in myself and to always do my best. That is enough! And I believe that when we do that, doors open that we could never have imagined. So, never give up on yourself or your dreams. You CAN have it all!

Take time to determine your core VALUES and then use them in all the decisions you make. Do what is right. The end does NOT justify the means.

It is critically important that at any stage of your life you find a purpose larger than yourself. My purpose has varied at different times, but when I started my company, I created a personal mission statement: “I am here as the Lord’s helper to spread contagious enthusiasm and to lovingly and creatively help other people and myself see the choices we have to make a difference in the world.”

My best advice is to develop your own personal mission statement. As I move more closely toward retirement, I have realized that I don’t have to speak to 3000 people to make a difference. I can make it just one by one by one, and that is enough.

These are the values and ideas I try hard to live by. I certainly fail often, yet I keep trying to be a little better each day. May we continually learn from our own experiences, especially our failures, hold tight to our faith, and treasure the people we meet along the way.

Much love,

For more inspiring articles, go to www.barbaraglanz.com

BARBARA GLANZ BIOGRAPHY

A member of the prestigious Speaker Hall of Fame, Barbara Glanz, CSP, CPAE, works with organizations to improve morale, retention and service and with individuals who want to rediscover joy and purpose in their lives.. The first speaker on record to have spoken on all 7 continents and in all 50 states, A member of the prestigious Speaker Hall of Fame, Barbara Glanz, CSP, CPAE, works with organizations to improve morale, retention and service and with individuals who want to rediscover joy and purpose in their lives. The first speaker on record to have spoken on all 7 continents and in all 50 states, she is known for her inspiring presentations on Employee Engagement, Customer Service, Appreciation & Recognition, and Kindness. Barbara is the author of fourteen books including The Simple Truths of Service Inspired by Johnny the Bagger®, CARE Packages for the Workplace, and 180 Ways to Spread Contagious Enthusiasm™. Voted “best keynote presenter you have heard or used” by Meetings & Conventions Magazine, she lives and breathes her personal motto, “Spreading Contagious Enthusiasm™. She can be reached at bglanz@barbaraglanz.com or www.barbaraglanz.com.

What Happened to the Perks?

Recently, I went to my favorite car wash in Sarasota, Eager Beaver, to have my car detailed. Every year I purchase at least two “Wash Books” that have discount coupons for a full service wash. Another perk is that they also have a punch card for each wash so after ten washes, you get one free. I like their service, but most of all, I love these savings (and I am sure so do all the other customers)!

This week when I stopped to get my car washed, the cashier informed me that they would not longer be offering the wash books, and that my coupons would be good only until the end of the year. Then she said they were ALSO canceling the free wash after ten visits. I could not believe it! I asked if they were under new ownership, and she said no. Someone just decided to no longer offer these perks to their loyal customers.

I have been thinking a lot about this experience. When I speak on Customer Service, I talk with my audiences about CORE Services, CUSTOMER Service, and ENHANCEMENTS. Core service is your product, and you must be good at this to stay in business. However, that is not enough to create loyalty. Customer service is all about how you treat your customers- their EXPERIENCE with your organization. Research has shown that there are four things all customers want: Friendly, caring service: Flexibility: Problem solving; and Recovery when a mistake is made. The way your organization deals with these things demonstrates your customer service.

Finally, Enhancements are those additional, often unexpected perks that surprise and delight us. The more creative they are, the more customers love them, so they become huge drivers of business, and an added bonus is that people talk about them to their friends and neighbors. However, we have also learned through our research, both statistically and personally, that once these perks are established, customers come to EXPECT them, so taking them away is now a huge disappointment and ultimately can (and usually does) lead to loss of customers. The only way to save a customer is to offer a new and exciting perk which Eager Beaver does not seem to be doing.

It will be interesting to see how Eager Beaver fares with these new policies. I, for one, will probably no longer be a customer!

To learn more about Barbara’s work, go to www.barbaraglanz.com

RISE – A Company to Emulate!

I recently had the privilege of speaking to RISE, a real estate company that provides housing for college and university students. They are a company of strong values, and their byline is LOVE, CARE, SERVE.

One of the things that I most admire is that they truly do LIVE their company motto. For example, they put a Bible on the bed of every student’s room because their company is built on a foundation of faith.

The CEO attended and actively participated in the entire meeting which sent a strong message of equality and teamwork. Employees are active in their community and give back in many ways. The time I spent with them involved a half day of putting bicycles together for underprivileged children.

I LOVED my time with them! The meeting theme was IMPACT, so everything was about how each person could impact others in both their lives and their work.

I began the day by giving the opening keynote on “Spreading Contagious Enthusiasm™’ – Creating Workplaces of Passion, Purpose and Productivity.” This presentation uses the acronym CARE as the elements of a spirited, engaged workplace:

C = Creative Communication

A = Atmosphere and Appreciation for All

R = Respect and Reason for Being

E = Empathy and Enthusiasm

Following that, they had a fun video, and everyone got a bright green stretch band to join in the exercise.

Later they had me do a workshop on “The Simple Truths of Service Inspired by Johnny the Bagger®,” I began with a teambuilding exercise called “Commonalities and Uniquenesses” which caused wonderful sharing and lots of laughs. Everyone learned new things about their co-workers.

That afternoon they had a scavenger hunt to learn about the history and culture of the city of Savannah, so the meeting was filled with both the Human and the Business levels.

Not only did they give every attendee a copy of my book, “180 Ways to Spread Contagious Enthusiasm™” which contains many more ideas they can use in their workplaces. but they exemplified their values and commitment to each human being by asking every employee before the meeting to share a word they chose as their personal focus for the following year – such things as ”Giving,” “Commitment,” “Peace,” “Renewal,” “Gratitude” and “Kindness,” Then a customized bracelet was presented to each person at the end of the meeting, an extremely personal and encouraging gift.

What impressed me deeply were all the appreciative and affirming comments and hugs I got from nearly every attendee – they immediately modeled what I had shared with them about appreciation and connecting on a Human level. Their spirit of caring, community, and serving was a JOY to see. How I wish more organizations could find that wonderful passion for their work. Helping them do that is truly my mission in life!

To learn more about how Barbara loves to help organizations create workplaces and lives of purpose, joy, and caring, go to www.barbaraglanz.com.

Delta Airlines Customer Service Story

Last week I was scheduled to fly Delta from Sarasota through Atlanta to Las Vegas to speak there the next day. Two weeks before the flight was to leave Delta suddenly changed the schedule, and as a result, even though I had purchased the ticket two months before, I lost my priority seating. By the time I called them the next day, all the seats in Delta Comfort were gone.

Since I am a Million Miler on Delta and also Diamond, the highest status, I am spoiled and was not happy about sitting in the very last row of seats in the plane, especially when I had paid $1400 for the ticket!

After I was seated, a lovely New York based flight attendant named Marianne Micheletto was talking with me while everyone boarded, and I told her my sad story. Later as she came around with the food cart, she said to me, “What would you like? It is on me.” So I had a nice cheese and fruit tray. Then, when she came again with the drink cart, she treated me to a white wine.

Now when you are in the back of the plane, you get nothing except pretzels and a soft drink, so she truly went above and beyond to make up for my displeasure with Delta. I was delighted!

A little while later I had gone back to the lavatory when I spied a package of my favorite potato chips on the counter (which you always get in First Class and Delta Comfort), so I asked another flight attendant if I could have a bag. She said, “Oh, no, these are just for the people in the front.” What a CONTRAST to Marianne! Later Marianne sneaked back with the chips for me with a huge grin – even she could not believe the other attendant.

It turned out that across the aisle from me were some young guys going to Las Vegas for a bachelor weekend before one of them got married, so they were having a gay time, and Marianne and I had such fun talking with them. Funny – because of Marianne and the guys, I actually had a better time in the back of the plane than if I had sat up front!

Finally, as I was getting ready to leave the plane, Marianne came over and gave me a hug and told me she was putting 5000 airline miles into my account to make me even a happier Delta customer. I was blown away by her caring and her attention to me, and I will certainly remain a loyal Delta customer, all because of Marianne!

For more interesting stories and articles, go to www.barbaraglanz.com/articles

Kindness as a Way of Life

KINDNESS IS CONTAGIOUS!

Be kind and merciful. Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier. ~ Mother Teresa

This thought from Mother Teresa has long been a philosophy of life for me. My desire is that no one ever leave my presence or my presentations without feeling a little better about themselves. That is a CHOICE each of us can make in every interaction we have, simply by being kind!

Let me share a simple story with you about how I apply kindness in my life:

“One snowy February day I walked into the Ladies washroom at O’Hare Airport. There was a woman there who was cleaning. She was all hunched over, glum-looking, and listlessly going through the motions of her job. I walked over, gently touched her on the arm, looked her directly in the eyes, and said, ‘Thank you so much for keeping this washroom clean. You’re really making a difference for all of us who travel.’

She stopped what she was doing, looked at me with wonder in her eyes, immediately straightened up, and began cleaning with a passion, a huge smile spreading across her face. By the time I left, she was passing out towels to all the women who were washing their hands!

I left that washroom with tears in my eyes because that interaction had cost me nothing. However, it changed her life, at least for a few moments. My appreciation of her and the value of her very important work gave her a purpose and a reason for being. SHE WAS MAKING A DIFFERENCE!”

(Reprinted with permission from “The Simple Truths of Appreciation”)

That kind act is one which any of us could repeat, and think what would happen in your home, your workplace, and your community if everyone chose to be kinder. Kindness raises morale. Wouldn’t you like to live and work in an environment where everyone was kind? It is simple!

I have been blessed to speak all over the world on Customer Service, Employee Engagement, Appreciation and Recognition, and Creating Workplaces of Joy. My focus is always on how one person can make a difference no matter what his or her station in life or job may be, and kindness is an integral part of that message.

In my presentations, I always use a model I created many years ago to help me understand the choices I have to be kind and make a difference every day. In every interaction we have, we have a CHOICE to create a minus, a zero or a plus for that other person. Each time we are kind and recognize them as a human being with value, we leave that person with a plus. Think about how I created a plus for the person in the restroom.

Your Choice in any Interaction

Can you imagine a world in which everyone is kind to everyone else? Think about the last kind thing someone did for you and then think about the last kind thing you did for someone else. What difference did that act make in each of your lives?

Let’s look at an acronym to help you remember how to be kind:

K = Kinesthetic

Touch enhances a sense of well-being. Just a simple handshake or touch of fingertips creates a connection between you and another person. So many people in our world today are desperate for the kindness of a gentle touch. In fact, research has shown that to be your healthiest, you need five hugs a day!

A friend’s husband tells about a manager he had who shook hands with each employee as they came in the door every morning. That simple act of kindness built trust, broke down barriers, and even the union members began to respect him as a kind man. After several years of working for him, when this manager thanked him for his good work, her husband came home and cried because it meant so much to him

Become aware, too, of your tone of voice, body language and facial expressions. Do you LOOK like a kind person? Remember that your words can make a huge difference. Mother Teresa says, “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”

I = Imaginative

Use your creativity to come up with ideas to be kinder to people. They will be surprised and you will have fun. Natalie Peace of Booster Juice Company started a “22 Days of Kiindness” program at three of the businesses she owned. She paid all 50 staff members to do shifts where their only duty was to perform creative acts of kindness : giving flowers to strangers, washing windows for neighboring businesses, and generally going out of their way to brighten someone’s day. She also ran a radio campaign to challenge others in the community. They even asked their customers to take a pledge to commit an act of kindness for the next 22 days.

She says, “There were so many wins from this creative initiative : free advertising for my businesses, more customers, increased loyalty among existing customers, and my staff became even more engaged and motivated. Did this make my businesses more profitable? You bet! But the truth is, I measure success on multiple bottom lines, including impact on my team and my community.”

N = Neighborly

Do you remember “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood”? He was one of the kindest men ever, and also think of State Farm Insurance’s motto: “Like a good neighbor, Sate Farm is there.” Even the Bible says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you think about someone who was a good neighbor, it was probably because they were kind and you could count on them. Look around your home, your workplace, and your community to find ways to be a better neighbor to those with whom you live and work.

D = Deliberate

Be purposeful and deliberate in planning ways to be kind. You need to have a strategy. One of the ways I encourage my audience members to be kinder is the following: In the morning put five pennies in your right hand pocket, and every time you do something kind for someone, move one penny to the other pocket, Don’t go home that night until all five pennies are in the other pocket. This is also a great strategy to use with your team or your family. At dinner or some chosen time during the day, each person share what they did to show kindness to others.

Finally, kindness IS contagious. By becoming aware of how you use your body, getting your creative juices going, thinking like a good neighbor, and planning a strategy to be kinder, you will spread that spirit throughout your workplace and your community, leading to business success and a far more caring world.

“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.”

BARBARA GLANZ BIOGRAPHY

A member of the prestigious Speaker Hall of Fame and one of fewer than 700 Certified Speaking Professionals worldwide, Barbara Glanz, CSP, CPAE, works with organizations to improve morale, retention and service and with people who want to rediscover the joy in their work and in their lives. She is the first speaker on record to have spoken on all 7 continents and in all 50 states. Known as “the business speaker who speaks to your heart as well as to your head,” Barbara is the author of twelve books including The Simple Truths of Service Inspired by Johnny the Bagger®, CARE Packages for the Workplace, and 180 Ways to Spread Contagious Enthusiasm™. Voted “best keynote presenter you have heard or used” by Meetings & Conventions Magazine, Barbara uses her Master’s degree in Adult Learning to design programs that cause behavior change. She lives and breathes her personal motto: “Spreading Contagious Enthusiasm™” and can be reached at bglanz@barbaraglanz.com and www.barbaraglanz.com.

Are You Kind?

Next week I have been asked to be part of an interview on the subject of Kindness, so I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be kind. In my work in customer service, I use a three column chart model that has a minus column (-), a zero column (0) and a plus column (+). Below, it says “Your Choice in Any Interaction.”

It refers to the impact we have on each person we meet. We can either discount them and make them feel invisible or less important than us or our organization (-). we can simply do the work at hand (0), or we can make what I call a human level connection (+), seeing them as a unique and special person in the midst of that interaction.

These interactions do not have to be long or involved. We can focus on another person simply by asking and remembering their name, giving them a compliment, asking something personal about them, or just sincerely thanking them for being there. I tell my audiences that I want them to leave with this simple 3 column model in their heads so that connecting with people on this level becomes part of their daily life. This, to me, is what kindness is all about!

I recently realized how much a part of my life this practice has become when Jed Liuzza, one of my clients, introduced me as the opening keynote speaker for the Oklahoma University Medical Systems Leadership Symposium this fall. After my formal introduction, he shared what had impressed him most was that I LIVED what I was going to talk to them about. He said the minute he picked me up for dinner the night before, I had begun asking him questions about his family, his goals, and his interests, focusing on him as a human being.

Then, when we entered the restaurant, there was a couple with a baby, and he noticed I stopped and talked to the little one and told the parents how blessed they were. Then, he shared, I immediately asked the server her name and gave her a compliment. Finally, when I was introduced to the rest of the team, I asked during dinner to have each of them tell about someone who had greatly impacted their lives. They all told touching stories, and this allowed for a much deeper level of sharing the rest of the meal. What he said he noticed most, however, was how each person simply “came alive” when someone truly connected with them.

I was deeply touched by his words as all of these things I had done unconsciously, simply wanting to acknowledge each person as a precious human being.

One of my beliefs is that every person who comes into our lives is a gift. We have the choice to either open that gift or pass it by. Sometimes, depending on time and circumstances, we may only be able to untie the ribbon, but other times we can dig down deeper to the true gift inside. However, if we ignore that gift, it is a loss for both us AND the other person.

Being kind to me is noticing and loving all those persons with whom you interact, and that day I realized I was modeling the message I was going to be sharing without even knowing it!

Mother Teresa said, “Be kind and merciful. Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier.” In this new year, we all have the choice to make this our philosophy of life. I hope you will choose KINDNESS.

To learn more about Barbara’s work, go to www.barbaraglanz.com.

What is YOUR “White-Hot Why?”

What is your “White-Hot Why?”

Two weeks ago I went to the annual Global Leadership Summit at Willow Creek Church in Illinois. Throughout the two days of presentations from top level leadership gurus, the most prevalent message was the critical importance of finding purpose and meaning in one’s work.

An organization with a sense of purpose!

Bill Hybels, the lead pastor of this mega church, discussed the intangibles of leadership as the following:
• Grit
• Self-Awareness
• Resourcefulness
• Self-Sacrificing Love
• Sense of Meaning

He used the term, finding your “White-Hot Why.” Instead of thinking about WHAT you do and HOW you do it, start with WHY you do it. He even suggested leaders should have the title of “Chief Meaning Officers!” He referenced Bob Buford who writes about moving from Success to Significance, finding a sense of purpose or mission in your work beyond making money.

Jim Collins described an Engaged Culture as having three elements: First, a sense of Service to a cause or purpose; second, a list of BHAGs (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals), and third, Communal Success (all succeed by helping others succeed).

Horst Schulze says, “Don’t come to work just to work. Come to work to be proud of a purpose.”

Dan Pink tells us that purpose is one of the three big motivators for knowledge workers, along with autonomy and mastery. He writes:

“Autonomous people working toward mastery perform at very high levels. But those who do so in the service of some greater objective can achieve even more. The most deeply motivated people–not to mention those who are most productive and satisfied–hitch their desires to a cause larger than themselves.” (“Drive,” pg. 131)

Do you feel a PURPOSE in your work? Does your organization adhere to a cause larger than you or them? If not, what can you find in the work you do every day that inspires you and makes you feel as if you are making a difference? What is YOUR “white-hot why?”

To learn more about Barbara’s work, go to www.barbaraglanz.com.

Gus, the Singing Butcher!

I had the most delightful customer service experience at Publix this week. As I was waiting to get my sockeye salmon which was on special, I saw one of the regular butchers who always is happy and greets everyone with a smile and usually a joke. Since I rarely eat meat anymore, I had not seen him for some time on my grocery visits. But there he was –with a little display in the aisle sharing a new service Publix is offering for seafood.

I greeted him, learned his name, and told him how much I always appreciated his good humor when I saw him. Then this is what happened next:

I was so tickled that I asked him if I could videotape his “performance,” and he responded by telling me that he had several videos from customers on YouTube and one even from a customer from Brazil, and that, as a result, Publix was going to do a story about him in their company newsletter.

Not only is Gus a very good singer, but just like Johnny the Bagger®, he has definitely added HIS personal signature to his work!

Publix is lucky to have so many employees who care about their customers and use their special gifts to add more joy to the customers’ visits.

To learn more about Johnny the Bagger® and how he added his personal signature to his work, go to click here.

“The Rules ARE the Rules!”

I had a most frustrating (and also, sadly, very common) customer service experience in Colorado last week. I was visiting my sister in Grand Junction for a few days, and we decided to take a jeep tour to the mountains to see the fall colors.

On the way to Ouray, CO, to get the tour, we had enough time to make a quick stop at a garden shop where Beth wanted to look at some flower pots that were on sale. We noticed that they had a small restaurant there, and while she was looking at the pots, I asked to see a menu since we had not had time to pack a lunch before we left. I explained that we were in a hurry as we had to be in Ouray at a certain time to get the tour, so could they get something for us really quickly — we only had about 15 minutes extra. The waitress said yes, so we decided the easiest thing would be two wraps.

The menu had avocado crossed out on the turkey wrap (mine), so I asked if I could still have it added since avocado was available on other things on the menu. She immediately said, “No, we cannot make ANY substitutes!” That should have been a hint! Then we asked if we could just get the wraps and not the sides that went with them, and of course, the answer was the same.

My sister then went to the general counter and paid for the wraps to save time, and again we reminded them about our time issue. We then waited and waited — all the while hearing them talking in the kitchen and every once in awhile one of the waitresses would even walk out and put silverware on the tables. But, still no wraps!

Finally, after more than 15 minutes had passed, I asked where our lunch was because we HAD to leave. At that point, the waitress we had dealt with came out and said that there was another table outside that was ahead of us, so they had not even started our order yet — a fact she had never mentioned when we placed the order. How long could it possibly take to make two wraps, one of which even had pre-prepared filling?

Of course, we were distressed, so we told them we wanted our money back and to cancel the order. The waitress went back and we could hear them talking in the kitchen which again took more time. She finally returned and said she would have to find someone to do that — another 5 minutes went by when at last the owner came out. She said the kitchen was separate, so the chef would have to give us our credit. At that point, my sister said, “Why don’t you just give us a store credit as I shop here often.”

“No,” said the OWNER, “I can’t do that. I will send the chef out in a minute.” After several more minutes, the chef came out and FINALLY credited my sister’s card. But in the meantime, we were without any lunch, we were late for our tour, and we were VERY unhappy customers — all because no one was willing to bend the rules!

The tour waited for us, and we ended up having a wonderful time except for being very hungry! 😉

To learn more about how Barbara can help you improve your customer experiences, go to www.barbaraglanz.com.

Another Meeting???

Speaking at the American Specialty Toy Retailers Association in Baltimore

Ever find yourself needing to hold a meeting and JUST dreading it?

You know what I’m talking about… the glassy eyes, the unresponsive faces, the doodlers, the far-away-day-dreamy looks, the dead silence after a question is posed, the annoyed or bored looks when you discuss difficult items… even the under-the-table-phone-checker/chatterers.

Do these all leave you with the eerie feeling that you aren’t exactly being heard and your audience is tuned out? WAY OUT?

YOUR time is valuable, and so is theirs! You already know that it is crucial that they:
A) Receive your information,
B) Participate fully and willingly in the purpose of your meeting, and
C) Take the actions that you need them to, QUICKLY (all in a timely manner.)

After all, you’ve all got a lot on your to-do list, right? If you are anything like me, that list is calling out to you and growing steadily even now. So, let’s get to it!

Three main points to getting the most out of your meeting, AND your team:
1) Be a planner! Plan your agenda in advance. Be concise and clear. Use examples where possible.
2) Incorporate some creative communication to surprise and engage your team. Visual, verbal, physical. Make it stand out.
3) Start with THE POSITIVE! Three minutes of good news at the beginning of the meeting will make your team more receptive to sharing, engaging and being productive.

My assistant told me a story about a large company she once worked for where meeting after meeting after meeting was held – to the point that if she attended all the meetings she was supposed to, there would literally be no time for her to complete her actual job function.

And, frankly, these meetings were boring–dry and all-business, meaningless, often redundant, with seemingly endless talking. They often ran over the time limit, and items that were on the agenda were not even discussed. Whiners would sometimes “take control” of the meeting and derail the speaker’s timeline. There was no humanity in it, no joy, no inspiration. Nothing was being solved, and it felt like a waste, she said. She often left these meetings feeling absolutely drained and somewhat diminished, even bewildered, thinking, “There go two hours I’ll never get back!”

Until, that is, the day that Lynn came to have a meeting! Lynn is a spit-fire. She EXUDES positive energy, has a giant smile stamped on her face (yes, ALWAYS!), and is clearly enthusiastic beyond measure. She knows her material, but it isn’t scripted; it seems, instead,it is seamless. She made a promise right at the beginning to her audience: “I’m going to be real with you. We’re going to have fun together! You are going to participate, so your phone goes in this basket over here! You will leave smarter AND you will know what to do.”

Lynn kept her promise, always, and held the audience to keeping their end up, also. Shirking or non-participation were NOT options, and it WAS fun! Lynn had them do exercises, and they always stood up to do an activity because she said, “You use 1/3 more of your brain when you are standing.” She had them participate in activities that either proved her point or that they could take back to their departments to use as training tools. There was ENERGY! There was LAUGHTER! There was productive REAL TALK and HONEST FEEDBACK! There were even FIELD TRIPS! People LOVED going to Lynn’s meetings and would look forward all month to the next one. People even came in on their day OFF to attend her meetings and always left energized, thinking, and inspired to take action.

It came to the point that if Lynn wasn’t holding the meeting, there was a silent sigh in the room. Everyone WANTED to go to Lynn’s meetings and do what Lynn asked them to do and work with Lynn to make a better project/product/workplace. She built trust and loyalty. She built a team, just by mastering the art of the meeting!

For more ideas on how to make YOUR meetings more productive, here’s a free
Video Q &A session addressing just that!

https://www.barbaraglanz.com/iquestions/iq34.html

It’s your precious time we’re talking about, so let’s make it COUNT! Have a great week, and a phenomenal meeting! You CAN DO IT!

For more helpful ideas, feel free to explore my website, www.barbaraglanz.com, where there are free videos, blog archives, speaking programs for hire, consulting, super books and DVDs and more- all to assist you with managing change, raising morale and retention, getting the most from your team, and improving customer service.