a simple breakfast!....

With the winter that we had this year...it is now time to celebrate the 'true meaning' of spring. This morning I had breakfast with a visionary in my industry that gave me hope that 'I am on the right path' in my thinking about customer service. He and his wife were open, honest, and easy to talk to.

I am again excited about the future which (at times) depending on who or what you listen to....is as though the 'sky is ALWAYS falling.' This team provided 'just enough' information to keep me wanting to know more about them and I look forward to our dialogue again someday. Sometimes it makes sense to 'bounce' ideas off another person...just to make sure you are on the right track....and you know what? I am!

I am extremely good at what I do and now....after all these years...I am finally beginning to believe it myself. No matter what business you are in....every business is a "people business." Whether you are dealing with internal or external customers...being able to deal with people is the key! I tell everyone that they're in the people business, and passion makes the biggest difference. If you're going to have an impact on somebody's life, you have to be excited about what you do.

Try this…before your next shift; ask yourself how passionate you are about your work. Does it show? Get honest assessments about your level of desire from coworkers or your spouse. Many employees let life and its circumstances get them off track. If this has happened to you, think back to when you started. Remember the lives you touched, the people who will never forget you, and try to recapture your passion.

You should also associate with people who have a passion for people. It sounds corny, but birds of a feather really do flock together. If you've lost some of your fire, get around people who haven't, because passion is contagious.

The second thing you must do is control your attitude. Attitude is more important than education, appearance, skill or talent. It can make or break personal relationships, business organizations, and teams of all sorts. The good news is that you have a choice every day regarding the attitude you wear. You may not have control over things around you, but you can control how you respond to them. Focus on the way you interact with people and attend to their needs. You must consciously decide to not let external factors affect your attitude, because doing so impedes your ability to give your customers your best.

And....positively interacting with people and building successful relationships requires effective communication. This goes far beyond the verbal. You have to interpret mental states and discern true meanings behind words. You must learn to communicate at the emotional level. This involves eye contact, tone of voice, body language and facial expressions listening with your eyes as well as your ears.

The final way to improve the quality of life of those you interact with is sharing your sense of humor. Of course making jokes during emergency situations is improper. But in many instances, when appropriate, a moment of laughter can give any stressed-out person a change of perspective. It can break the ice and put you on the fast track to building a relationship.

And I certainly hope that I built a relationship with the two I had breakfast with this morning...sometimes...a simple breakfast meeting can put you on the right path to your personal success!