ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - February 10, 2006

After nearly two months of rain, the drought conditions we have lived with for the last six years are officially over. Now it looks like a couple of weeks of sunshine ... and not a moment too soon!

REQUIRE VS. EXPECT
Regular readers know that I often include material from my colleague, life coach Steve Straus' 3-Minute Coaching E-Letter. His messages are brief, but they always make me think ... and in some interesting directions. Here are his thoughts this week:

In business you expect certain things to happen and it's useful to communicate those expectations to others, particularly if they are expectations you have of people who work for you. Clearly telling them what you expect of them is a part of your management and leadership. However, expectations, by their nature, have some flexibility in them.

When you have a situation which does not allow for that flexibility you may want to escalate to the level of requiring.

When you expect, you define a target to aim for. When you require, you define a minimum level of standard. For instance, (in the USA) it is a requirement to drive on the right side of the road. If you only expect it, you're in trouble! So it can be in your business; some actions can be expected, others are required. [Note from the Doc: Proper sanitation practices are on my required list.]

Note: Watch your tone when you communicate expectations and requirements. Both are best delivered in a charge-neutral manner, neither lecturing, nor pleading. Simply direct.

Coaching Point:
Where have your expectations not been met and you know you now need to require a certain level of performance?

Subscribe to Steve's (Complimentary) Coaching Letter at http://www.StrausUSA.com/subscribe.htm

DINNER FOR TWO
What are you doing for Valentine's Day to make it special? (Of course, I think at the least you should make it Valentine's WEEK to get more bang for your promotional buck, but the question still stands.)

You can't offer just your regular menu and expect people to think they are part of something special, so get creative. Think romance. Make sure your lighting levels are flattering. Add lots of flowers. Pay careful attention to your music. Think sparkle, like candles and mirrors. Use those clear Christmas lights that I told you to buy in December (you DID buy them, didn't you?)

Offer complimentary champagne to anyone who has to wait and/or a complimentary glass when the party is seated. Offer menu items for two -- appetizers, entrees and certainly desserts. You will still want to offer your core menu items, but celebrate the spirit of the day by giving guests the option of a special meal to share.

In short, be a pro ... and let your guests see it!

THE SERVICE SURVEY
Last month the EHC Survey took a look at exceptional service ideas. When the survey closed, 73 operators from seven different countries had contributed 169 of their best ideas ... including forty things they advise you NEVER to do!

With a list like that, do you think you might be able to find an idea or two that would make your cash register ring? I would be willing to guarantee it ... if you are willing to do the work.

If you were one of the contributors, you already got the list just for being part of the survey. But if somehow you missed out, don't despair. You can still get a copy of the survey results ... and for only $17! If you can't make back hundreds of times that investment, you just aren't trying!

Click here to order the January Survey Results. It has been compiled into a PDF file and comes as an immediate download.

THE FEBRUARY SURVEY
I am coming to believe that training is the ultimate competitive advantage. But the way we were trained is not necessarily the way that today's workers learn ... and many of the skills necessary to success were never formally trained at all!

This month we look at the good, the bad and the ugly about training -- what it is, how it is done and how well it has worked as a point of difference in market.

As usual, I will provide a compilation of all the responses to everyone who contributes to this project. Just click on the link below.

Click here to add your thoughts to the February survey.

THE PERPETUAL QUESTION
What did you learn from your staff today?

I learned that there is always some information they know that I thought they were unaware of ... and for which some recognition is in order. In turn, I had to give my staff a well deserved hug on account of the busiest day recorded in over 4 years. One of my employees walked away feeling good about the "atta girl" and remarked, "That was the first time I ever got a hug from the boss before." -- Anonymous

It is always better to reward ANY progress in the direction you want rather than to punish behavior that you do NOT want. Not always easy to do, I will admit, but start to notice if you tend to focus on the positive or the negative.

What gets rewarded is what gets done. Some rewards can be financial -- and you need some of those -- but the ones with the most impact are usually personal.

Listening is just another form of paying attention to the others in your life. You want to be aware ... not just what is going on, but what is going on with THEM. Who knows? You might just learn something important! (At the least, you become the sort of person that others want to be around.)

Never doubt that the most critical -- and perhaps profitable -- management skill you can develop is your ability to truly listen.

I will continue to collect your answers to this important question ... and you can add comments as often as you want. Just click on the link below and contribute your insights for the common good (and your own as well!)

What did YOU learn from YOUR staff today?

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