Honesty is so refreshing, isn't it? I was recently at a restaurant with my daughter, and we had something so interesting happen that it's worth sharing. While looking over the menu items, we both wanted to order meals on the healthier side. When the server stopped to take our order, she quickly deducted, by our conversation and menu orders, that we were trying to be healthy. She mentioned to us, very confidently, that if we want a lower calorie and lower fat meal, the turkey burger is not a good choice. She told us that she found out that it is injected with fat for flavor, which triples the calories and puts the fat content at a very high percentage. How refreshing to know the truth!  And, how she did this was in a caring and informative manner and not in a way to slam the restaurant. 

One of the biggest mistakes for any follow-up email is not including a strong call-to-action.  Leaving the email open-ended with phrases like “let me know what you think” or “keep in touch” aren’t a strong enough incentive for your client to respond. You’re more likely to get a response when you ask pointed questions like “What day and time works best for you next week to discuss this further?” or “Based on the deadline that you mentioned, you’ll need to start our service by the end of this month—do you have 30 minutes to sit down and chat later this week?”

- Stuart Leung, "No One Likes the 'Just Following Up' Email"

Customers come in all shapes and sizes.  Each has its own unique characteristics (and demands), and how you care for each customer is important not only for their satisfaction, but also for the morale of your team.  You have seen it before- just one customer can disrupt your company's entire day by making an unrealistic demand, and your team can be sent into a tailspin trying to figure out how to satisfy this ridiculous request and to make this customer happy.  Or, how about the customer that calls and asks for a solution, but has no suggestions for how and what should be implemented?  All of these details are then left up to you and your team, which can lead to uncertainty and a bit of insecurity since all of you might think you understand what is best, but you have nothing to guide you on how close to the mark you wil be.  Neither of these scenarios are fun, so for the betterment of our business and employees, you and I need to learn how to navigate through each type of customer relationship and characteristic.  

Cooperation means working together for mutual gain—sharing responsibility for success and failure and covering for one another on a moment's notice.  It does not mean competing with one another at the team's expense, withholding important data or information to "one-up" your peers, or submitting to groupthink by going along, so as not to make waves.  These are rule breakers that are direct contradictions to the team-first mindset.

- John J. Murphy, Pulling Together

The idea that prompted this week's topic is the onset of our company retreat. Our company's executive team consists of individuals living in five different states, as well as four additional locations within one state. We are a team that works virtually. Getting together face-to-face is so important for not only our morale, but also for team building to ensure that our purpose aligns with our personal wants and needs, individually, and as a team. 

Over the years, we have worked with many teams where there was not a clear purpose, focus, or mission. These are the key ingredients or characteristics that will sustain high levels of team motivation, which translates into a unified and rewarding team experience.

Here's a little game to get you thinking.  I like to tell owners to think of their brand as a person or a personality.  It's a creative way to brainstorm and help you "put a face" on what you are trying to convey.  Close your eyes and consider…

What does this person act like, dress like, sound like?  What makes them stand out?  Are they fun, serious, silly, funny, educated?  Are they sophisticated, youthful, mature?  Who will like them?  Why are they likeable?  What do they stand for and believe in?  How do they conduct themselves?  What are they skilled at?  What do they represent?  What color would better suit this person?  What symbols or letters would best represent them?  What name would a person like this have?  What words would you use to describe this person?  What catchphrase or sentence would tell another person how to describe them?  What would tell people all they need to know about this person?

- Tabatha Coffey, Own It!