Hey Business Leader - It's Time To Draft!

As I watch the NFL Draft today (oh how I love this time of year) I can't help but think how much can be learned from this experience by business leaders out there in the real world. Think about it. How much time and effort do each of these NFL teams spend evaluating, analyzing and cultivating the talent that they expect will take their teams to the next level? A team's next season hangs in the balance of drafting the right players, making the right trades and eliminating those who are their weakest link.

What can a business leader learn from this process? How much time and effort is your organization dedicating to finding and focusing on the getting the right players on your team? Do you spend time mapping a plan to go fill skill positions that are critical to your organization's success? Do you have all employees aka "coaches" keeping their eyes peeled and their ears open for that great free agent?

Which organizations have your talent of tomorrow? What are you doing to get your company exposure with those individuals and recruit them to want to play for you next season?

Build your own team's draft board. Look at your team like an NFL team would. Do your current "players" have the talent and depth that you need or should you be scouting potential replacements.

Every day is draft day when it comes to building and strengthening your corporate dynasty.

You're on the clock and it's time to make your selection.

As for me....I am headed to the fridge to grab a frosty cold one and watch and wait to see where one of my favorite college players, Brady Quinn, will go.


Ripple On!!!


Steve Harper

You Think But Do You Know

I just finished delivering my 3 day customer service training to the State of Texas tax assessors and collectors and boy was it a fun class! I had an amazing group of students who were willing to engage and share, learn and challenge and most of all have fun. It was a good three days and I can honestly say I felt a bit sad yesterday afternoon when everyone said goodbye.

One my students came up to me near the end and told me that she appreciated me challenging her to think about how her staff looks at serving the customer. It made her aware not to assume that her staff understands or appreciates the importance of certain approaches to handling customer situations just because she does.

That's a really big point when it comes to customer service. I think we all assume a lot when it comes to our employees' understanding the hidden rules and unspoken expectations but do they really? You think they do but do you know for sure?

I mean just because you would (without fail) return an important client's voice mail at 5:15 on a Friday afternoon and not wait until Monday doesn't necessarily guarantee your staff will, right? Or perhaps understanding you let the next customer in line know you are ready to check them out by saying "may I help the next person in line" rather than shouting "NEXT!" (Hey Fry's Electronics...are your customers cattle?) Or what about letting a customer walk right out the door without saying a simple "thank you and please come back and see us."

Hmmm can someone say the kiss of death to the customer impression and experience?

These are the little things we all assume our staff understands but I submit they do not. Sure some people are smart enough to catch on and do what they see others doing and you as the manager, business leader or owner hope the powers of observation take in more good rather than bad right? But what happens when you are not around? What happens when the new employee only sees bad examples?

One of the first steps in creating a customer service culture is to focus on the entire experience. Never assume that the person whom you just hired understands or knows what is appropriate language, demeanor or attitude. You have to teach that to them. You have to say, without fail, what your expectations are in no uncertain terms. Then and only then will they begin to understand what you expect of them and how you want them to create an outstanding customer impression and experience.

The little things matter. In today's society we can not take anything for granted. People need to have their level of expectations clearly defined and understand that anything less is unacceptable. Great customer service begins with a good understanding of what it takes to train our people to deliver it. It is worth the time to do it and to keep doing it over and over again so that your staff lives and breaths the little things that your customers need and expect.

Ripple On!!!


Steve Harper

Ripple Connection Question of the Week

Those of you who know me know that I am a big believer in continually learning. I relentlessly pursue knowledge reading 35+ business books, 5-10 "interest" books and at least one or two good novels per year. I didn't always like reading but during these past few years it has become my addiction and I simply can't quench my thirst to learn as much as I can about a lot of things! I can assure you that Amazon.com isn't complaining.

I highly encourage my clients to find their thirst for knowledge and rediscover their limitless curiosity about life. We all have you know? We may just have temporarily misplaced it!

Whether through books, hobbies or areas of interest I think it is incredibly important to stoke the old coals in the cabeza cabin (that's your brain in your head for you gringos). School doesn't stop when you leave high school, college or earn that advanced degree. In fact, your education, the real education, begins when you start individually searching for it.

Life offers each of us an amazing array of bounties which drip with possibilities and undeniable opportunity.

So in keeping with that theme I give you this week's Ripple Connection Question.

What is something you were
proud to learn this past week?

Asking this connection question will undoubtedly open up an entirely new perspective and dialogue with those whom you wish to connect with. Give it a whirl and come back here and share with us what you find. Perhaps the person you ask will, through their own excitement in answering you, somehow encourage and motivate you to want to play and explore for yourself.

Good Learning...Good Rippling...

Ripple On!!!

Steve Harper
www.ripplecentral.com

It's Easy When You Have Passion

Today was a great day! As some of you may know, I am in the middle of delivering my comprehensive 3 day customer service training program for the State of Texas tax assessors and collectors. Today was the first day of the course and after a power-packed couple of modules I was paid one of the highest compliments that I think I have ever been paid.

At our final break one of the students came up to me and said, "I have attended training courses throughout my career but this is the first one that I have actually enjoyed from start to finish. I know we have a long way to go but if tomorrow and the next day are as a good as today has been, then I can't wait to see what's next."

She then made a comment that ironically has some relevance to a BLOG post I had a few weeks ago on the subject of passion (click here if you want to check it out). She said, "Who would have thought a boring topic like customer service could be so much fun."

I was of course humbled by her compliment and appreciative of her assessment of the course as being fun. I work very hard at what I do to deliver a performance that will undoubtedly stick in someone's mind long after they have left my class. It is my sincere goal that the information and how I share it will hopefully serve as a compass which will guide and stir not only them, but those that they work with and ultimately serve.

As I left the Omni Hotel today I was both proud and excited to have such positive feedback on the first day of my course. As I drove home I thought about what she had said and some of the other positive comments that had been received by other students throughout the day and I just smiled. I know without a doubt that I am destined to do exactly what I am doing and that is one of the most surreal and incredible feelings you can imagine. My passion, my drive and ultimately my desire comes out when I am training, speaking and pontificating (yes, I do that from time to time) and I am having more fun than a person should be allowed to have. Obviously it shows...or at least it did today.

On days like this my passion can't help but shine through and burn with such intensity that it (hopefully) leaves an indelible mark on the people I am lucky enough to serve. I feel absolutely blessed to be to be able to impact someone (hopefully many people) in some way. Talk about the ultimate Ripple!

I guess this is what Bruce Springsteen feels like as he holds the microphone as the first notes of Born To Run begin to play and the crowd goes absolutely nuts. Man....what a rush!!!

Ripple On!!!!

Steve Harper

P.S. If your organization sells a product or service and has customers....you might be interested in what my course has to offer. I promise your people will walk away with a truly refreshing approach to servicing both your internal and external customers. This ain't your typical blah blah blah boring same old customer service training....I can assure you of that. No organization can get enough education when it comes to serving the customer so why not learn how to service those customers...Ripple style?!? If you're interested in learning more about my course, please email at steve@ripplecentral.com

Gotta Get Goals - Tag Your It!

I recently signed up for www.mybloglog.com and have simply been overwhelmed by the amazing community of Bloggers and just generally cool people that I have met over the past month or so. One of those amazing people is a Blogger by the name of Marjie who created The Cure For Silence Blog. Check it out as this young twenty-three year old really has some great posts and an interesting take on the world.

Marjie "tagged" me last week to participate in a series called Gotta Get Goals where I have to outline five of my goals and explain why I want to achieve them. This tagging thing is a fun way to encourage Bloggers to connect and learn something about one another on a whole host of interesting topics, questions, etc...

So thanks to Marjie for thinking enough of me to "tag me!"

My Gotta Get Goals are....

1. Take The Ripple Effect to the big time....I want to Ripple Nationally Baby!

I want my concept of Rippling to reach epic proportions. I want people throughout the country to learn how easy it is to connect and Ripple their way to build more successful personal and professional relationships and ultimately better lives. By getting the concept traction in all parts of the country I want to stimulate more interest in the book and in organizations and companies willing to bring me to them to teach them to Ripple.

2. Write The Second Book

Yep...it's about time that I get crackin on my second book! I have learned so much these past two years and I know that my experiences and the amazing stories I have collected will manifest into something amazing.

3. Create the Ripple On Course

This is sort of cheating as I am almost finished (development wise) with this goal but it is worth sharing it anyway. I wanted to create a program based on The Ripple Effect that is like no other follow-on training or coaching program out there. I have worked hard to put together a "experience" that I think for the right person will absolutely help them take their personal and professional life to the next level...Ripple style of course! The 12 month intensive program is called Ripple On and I am truly excited about how it will apply the concepts and the content of not only my book but my own personal philosophy for success.

4. Get More Centered

I want and need to find some more time to focus just on me. I plan to stick to my exercise regime (lose a few pounds and gain some more muscle) and find more opportunities to get quite every day so that I can open up the old cabazza and let my creativity flow!

5. Show More Gratitude Every Day

I have an amazing life filled with a vast assortment of incredible people (including you my faithful Blog readers) and I don't nearly say often enough how grateful I am for every one of them. I have so much to be grateful for and I intend to show my gratitude through my thoughts, words and deeds every day.

Okay...so there are my five Gotta Get Goals.

Now it is my turn to "tag" a few people whom I know we will all enjoy hearing from and perhaps playing a hand in helping them achieve their Gotta Get Goals.

Asha Prasad

Thom "Two Booker" Singer

Prince

Carlon Haas

Drew McLellan

Matthew Homann

Donna Karlin

Terri

Ripple On!!!

Steve