Featured Product of the Month...

This year's Spring Equinox Google Doodle

Despite what some weather patterns may say, Spring has officially sprung. And soon you'll be talking more about A/C plans and A/C units and less about heating products and services.

Idea: Featured Product of the Month

• This May, take pictures of the products and units you are selling, enlarge them and post them for all to see.
• Add notes on the features and benefits of that product
  •  Write them out in "winning phrases," so in a pinch everyone can talk knowledgeably about the product.

Having the visual helps the team focus and work together towards the goal.

Tip: Having trouble getting a big pic of the unit you are selling?  Contact the manufacturer, I'm sure they'd love to help!

Dream Job?

Researchers for the New York Times found in a survey of thousands of employees that the jobs that make us the happiest aren't necessarily our dream jobs. Good news, because we can't all work at Black Labs and Coffee incorporated! The research identified 4 key characteristics and we'll share one a week, with examples, for the rest of the month. 

Tip #1: Renewal Taking a break every 1.5 hours is more productive than taking no breaks (or even just a lunch break) during the day, and can raise higher creativity and health levels. 

Putting it into Practice

• Start a team-wide goal to do three squats every hour.  
• Encourage people to take lunch.  How?  Be an example and make sure you take lunch.
• Set a timer at the start of an task.  When the timer buzzer goes off, start a new task or do something physical for 5 minutes then head back to the task.  Oh ya, start the timer again.

Simply breaking the trend of sitting and typing can be useful not just for profits, but for your entire office's well-being. 

Wall of WOW!

Is your office as passionate about their work goals as they are about March Madness?

If not, maybe you need to inspire their competitive spirit and pride.

Tip of the week: Create a Wall of WOW.
Make results visual and highlight the importance of customer service and that you value customer feedback given to your own team. Root for your team in the office just like you do on the court.

How? Print out those emails you get from happy customers, enlarge those grateful texts, highlight those survey results and post them on the wall to show off your success. Your team may not be competing to make it to the Final Four, but you can still show off your Sweet Sixteen or Elite Eight amazing examples!

Add even more value by reading those positive messages and outstanding customer feedback at your weekly or monthly meetings. 

Tech tip: Post a copy of your wall online for all to see.

They didn't get there alone

This evening, we'll watch the opening ceremony for the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.

We look to these athletes as the pinnacle of determination, skill, and effort. What we often forget is that they have an extensive support team that works with them, for them, and because of them. That support may be in the form of mentoring, parenting, teaching, investing, managing or coaching - and it all matters.

But when it comes down to it, the athlete is the only one competing for gold.

Consider this as you manage your team today.  Your job is to provide direction, coaching, and encouragement, but not to do the task.  Get off the field, outta the pool, and let them win.

Boo Y'all!

What are your plans for all that leftover Halloween candy?

Here's an idea, send someone a sweet message.  

How will you use yours?

Don’t Take It Home With You

Idea of the month:  Leave Your Bad Day at Work!

Some days it seems like everything we do goes wrong.  If you’ve had one of those days and don’t want to take it home and allow it to turn into one of those nights… try this. 

Write it down.  Before you dash for the door – jot down some notes on what you need to look into tomorrow.

Clear your mind.  Take a few deep breaths. Visualize the things that matter to you outside of work or how nice it has been to see the sun. 

Get up and leave.   Once you've completed steps 1 and 2 – leave. Avoid the temptation to check your email once more or stop by someone's desk.  Just leave.

Tomorrow’s a whole new day!

Got Millennials on your team?  Looking for a way to work better together?  We can help.

Flexibility is the key...

Q: How many times a day does something unpredictable or unexpected happen? 
A: All the time!
 
A key leadership skill is flexibility - the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
This skill is the most challenging for anyone who values structure and predictability because for those people, unexpected change is probably a big source of stress.
 
To improve flexibility, consider your language.  Re-label tasks as ‘preferences’ rather than ‘must-haves’ and change your own expectations by removing the absolutes.  This can give you some room to flex.
 
For example:
I must have a perfectly clean kitchen when I leave for work.
Rewrite: I prefer to have a clean kitchen when I leave for work.
 
I must have all the answers when a customer or team member comes to me.
Rewrite: I prefer to have the answers, but know that I can be helpful in any situation.
 
I must have zero defects.
Rewrite:  I prefer zero defects but appreciate hard work and effort.