Know Care Want

You do it; I do it; everyone does it. We have stuff we want or need to do and we find every excuse available not to do it. In my coaching days, after some self-reflection, I came up with three motivating factors that I seem to slip into when faced with this issue and those are; want, know, or care. 

I know salad is better for me than onion rings but I don't always pick salad. I could learn how to change the oil in my car, but I don't want to so I get the oil place to do it. I may know how to clean a bathroom, which I've done a thousand times, but I don't care to do it even though I do.

This TEDTalk is from a bunch of years ago and it rings just as true as when it was first published. Mel Robbins makes a bold proclamation which is absolutely dead on true. 

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Too Much Information?

We say it several times a day. We meet a client, see a friend, join a Zoom call, and the first thing we often say is; "How are you?" The reply is often;"I'm good, you?". And we move on. Why do we do that? Is it uncomfortable if someone said they were tired because their baby is sick or down because of their ailing father or upset due to their marriage having trouble?

I get there is a right time and place for personal stuff but without oversharing, how can we take that original salutation just an inch farther? I'm not suggesting fake compassion; I'm referring to the real stuff. Take just twenty seconds to see how someone is doing. You aren't there to solve their challenge but rather to simply be human. We're not robots and there might be much more going on if someone isn't "making their numbers".

Leave it at home

I am lucky to work in a company and with a team who does take a moment to see how you are really doing and let you know they actually see you as a person. It doesn't weaken relationships, it strengthens them.

I feel the core of teamwork is having each other's backsides not our own. Hopefully others feel the same way. If someone is missing deadlines or their work quality is waning, it's time for a check in and see if they are truly okay. Work is not a place to spend your time talking about your kids and home life all day. We are humans not robots and if we think people shouldn't bring their life to work, we may have another challenge.

They might stop bringing their work to life. 

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Memorandum 2022

As we reflect on another strange year. I remember last New Year's Eve saying that there was hope 2022 would be a bit more 'new normal' and yet here we are still dealing with a global pandemic and no shortage of uncertainty. So let's be kind to each other and make 2023 the best we can together.

"It's often said that life is strange, oh yes, but compared to what?"

Steve Forbert 

Life was unstable before 2020 and it will remain unstable. So all we can do is live our best lives, try our level best, take care of each other, and keep what's really important alive in our hearts. That's certainly better than the alternative. 

Let's also remember some we lost in 2022.

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Humility and Humans

It looks great in a book or tweet; set against an inspiring backdrop framed on your wall; or on a coffee cup, but being authentic isn’t easy. We often don't make time to be completely ourselves. Busy at work, busy at home, busy being busy.

We work on relationships all day long but rarely take a moment to figure out who we are in our lives. Synonyms include; reliable, trustworthy, accurate, and genuine. That seems simple enough until we let the harmful self-talk or influence of others get in our way. What could be so difficult in being reliable or dependable or genuine?

Something to Ponder

Intelligent labor is writing a book; manual labor is building a fence; emotional labor is something most of us spend very little time on. I've had it backwards my whole life that if we stand up for ourselves or say we're good at something, we're not being arrogant.

Confidence is okay and it doesn't mean we're bragging. Taking some for you is allowed. So celebrate what you do well and perhaps you'll find a way to dig deeper to figure out what you want, need, and stand for in all this chaos we call life.

Make time for you to get to know you.
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Watch out for Elephants!

If you ask most company managers, executives, or owners, they will undoubtedly be able to tell you what their company stands for in a nice tight mission statement. You may hear words like integrity, leading, best, or pick your platitude. After all, what organization would proudly claim they are the worst or provide bad service?

Jay Wilkinson is the founder and CEO of Firespring. He and his team have stringent measures to ensure they have the best people join the organization.

He has been through a lot since launching the company but remains focused on one prime element of his business which comes before products and profit.


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Happy Christmas

Tezze Iliniz. Yahsi Olsun. Vesele Vanoce. Tchestita Koleda. Gladelig Jul. Roomsaid Joulu Puhi. Mitho Makosi. Sretan Bozic. Feliz Navidad. Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova. Bada Din Mubarak Ho. Joyeux Noel. Merry Keshmish. Mele Kalikimaka. Merry Christmas. Hyvaa joulua. Buon Natale. Wesolych Swiat. Bozego Narodzenia. Feliz Natal. Craciun Fericit. Krismasi Njema. Froehliche Weihnachten. Srozhdestvom Kristovym.


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How Dare You Talk to You Like That!

We all experience them. Those moments when we beat ourselves up. The presentation wasn't perfect, you didn't get the promotion, the relationship didn't work out, the list goes on. Here's something to try; the next time you are talking crap about yourself to yourself, remove your name and add a friend's name and see how comfortable that feels.

There is no way in a hundred lifetimes you would speak to others in the same negative way you speak to yourself. I'm an Olympic gold medalist in beating myself up and let me assure you, it solves nothing.

Try this...

Every time you feel the urge to put yourself down, stop, then force yourself to think of something you are grateful for in your life. It may sound Pollyanna, too bad. You won't do it well the first few times, keep trying.

Or you could try the strategy of talking to others the way you talk to yourself. That's if your plan is to lose friends and people you care about.

Your call.
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Authenticity with You

It looks great in a book or tweet; set against an inspiring backdrop framed on your wall; or on a coffee cup, but being authentic isn’t easy. We often don't make time to be completely ourselves. Busy at work, busy at home, busy being busy.

We work on relationships all day long but rarely take a moment to figure out who we are in our lives. Synonyms include; reliable, trustworthy, accurate, and genuine. That seems simple enough until we let the harmful self-talk or influence of others get in our way. What could be so difficult in being reliable or dependable or genuine?

Something to Ponder

Intelligent labor is writing a book; manual labor is building a fence; emotional labor is something most of us spend very little time on. I've had it backwards my whole life that if we stand up for ourselves or say we're good at something, we're not being arrogant.

Confidence is okay and it doesn't mean we're bragging. Taking some for you is allowed. So celebrate what you do well and perhaps you'll find a way to dig deeper to figure out what you want, need, and stand for in all this chaos we call life.

Make time for you to get to know you.
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It Takes Ten Seconds

It takes ten seconds to let them into your lane.
It takes ten seconds to say I love you.

It takes ten seconds to lose a friend.
It takes ten seconds to open your heart to a new friend.
It takes ten seconds to have that last sip of coffee.
It takes ten seconds to ask the question.

It takes ten seconds to send that text that could brighten their day.
It takes ten seconds to make it right.

It takes ten seconds to let them finish.
It takes ten seconds to make the call.
It takes ten seconds to speak your truth.

It takes ten seconds to breathe before your presentation.
It takes ten seconds to forgive them.

It takes ten seconds to wait ten seconds before making the decision.

It takes ten seconds to mean it.
It takes ten seconds to stop talking long enough to let them talk.
It takes ten seconds to figure it out.
It takes ten seconds to care.

It takes ten seconds to remove judgement.
It takes ten seconds to understand.

It takes ten seconds to grab their hand.
It takes ten seconds to apologize.
It takes ten seconds to see it.
It takes ten seconds to help a friend.

It takes ten seconds to change your career path.
It takes ten seconds to say yes.
It takes ten seconds to show compassion.

It takes ten seconds to enjoy.
It takes ten seconds to not be so hard on yourself.

It takes ten seconds to change someone’s life.
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As a passionate leader, Kneale Mann has extensive experience in project management, leadership development, business, marketing, media, and talent coaching in numerous industries and organizations including; radio, digital marketing, corporate training, real estate, financial services, healthcare and more. He is always open to meeting companies and organizations who want to become even greater.

Know. Want. Care.

I don’t know how to change the oil in my car. I’m sure I could figure it out but I don’t actually want to know and don’t much care to learn. So the fact I don’t know how is irrelevant. You may not know how to fly a 747 jet but you may have the aptitude and even the interest to take the years of school and training required to learn. So the fact you don’t know is replaced by the desired to find out.

In my work, a manager may say to me; “I don’t know how to navigate all the different personalities on my team”, but she may add that she wants to learn. What’s important is not that she doesn’t know how, but that she has the desire to figure it out.

Do you know, want, or care?

We can read books and articles about the brave who have made bold moves in their lives. We are impressed by their fortitude but when relating it to something in our own lives, it may not seem so simple.

The three motivating factors for most of what we do in our lives is whether we know how to, want to, or care to. Simple to say, not always easy to do, but not knowing how to do something may not be the end result.

Mean what you want

A friend of mine recently shared a situation in his life where a relationship isn’t going so well. He is frustrated and says he doesn’t know how to change it. I asked him one simple question – do you want to find out how to change it? He said is isn’t sure. That may sound odd but it makes sense.

We get caught in situations and they become our comfort zone and we play out all the scenarios of what could happen if we made changes and we get stuck. So his desire to change it, is still unclear. The fact he doesn't know how, almost becomes irrelevant.

Discovering whether we want or care is critical.
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

Questions for All Leaders

• Do you spend dedicated time helping your team?
• Do you provide the same care to your team as you do to your customers?
• Do you have a strong sense of your people?
• Is each member of your team working the majority of their time on strengths?
• Do you truly care about your team and their personal development?
• Is there encouragement for people to grow and try new things?

How many are on your priority list?
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

istock

Happy Dad Day

Today is Father’s Day. I know a lot of great fathers, good men who love and care for their kids. My dad is still rocking and rolling. He would admit he made a million mistakes. He isn't perfect and I accept him for him. I was one of the lucky ones; my parents encouraged me (and still do) to do what makes me happy.

Like being a mom, there are no manuals to being a dad. There are countless books and websites that can give you opinions and ideas, but nothing helps you in real life.

When I was a kid, my dad built the nets and would play road hockey with us. He was – and still is – always good for a story. He made great fried egg and peanut butter sandwiches (hey, don’t judge until you try one!), and he’s still good for a long deep chat about life. We’ll have one today. Thanks Dad!

DNA doesn't make you a dad. Money doesn't make you a father. Love does.

Some others’ perspective on fatherhood

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years. Mark Twain

It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.
Johann Friedrich von Schiller

I found out that I'm a pretty bad father. I make a lot of mistakes and I don’t know what I'm doing. But my kids love me. Go figure. Louis CK

It is much easier to become a father than to be one.
Kent Nerburn

Fatherhood is great because you can ruin someone from scratch.
Jon Stewart

Whoever does not have a good father should procure one.
Friedrich Nietzsche

My father used to say that it's never too late to do anything you wanted to do.
Michael Jordan

By the time a man realizes his father was right, he has a son who thinks he’s wrong.
Charles Wadsworth

Having a kid is like falling in love for the first time when you’re 12, but every day.
Mike Myers

Nobody ever asks a father how he manages to combine marriage and a career.
Sam Ewing

It's an ongoing joy being a dad.
Liam Neeson

When my father didn't have my hand, he had my back.
Linda Poindexter

My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give; he believed in me.
Jim Valvano

It is a wise father that knows his own child.
William Shakespeare

Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.
Ruth Renkel
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Kneale Mann | Leadership Strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, executive coach facilitating performance growth with leaders, management, and teams.

shutterstock

Wows and White Elephants

If you ask most company managers, executives, or owners, they will undoubtedly be able to tell you what their company stands for in a nice tight mission statement. You may hear words like integrity, leading, best, or pick your platitude. After all, what organization would proudly claim they are the worst or provide bad service?

Jay Wilkinson is the founder and CEO of Firespring. He and his team have stringent measures to ensure they have the best people join the organization.

He has been through a lot since launching the company but remains focused on one prime element of his business which comes before products and profit.


__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | Leadership and Culture Strategist, Writer, Speaker, Executive Coach engaging leaders to build successful talent and profitable business.

TED | Jay Wilkinson

Do We Care?

I don’t care if I don’t agree with what you say.
I’m thankful we can engage in a meaningful conversation.

You might not care what I did last year or last week.
We can bring forward the good and incinerate the rest.

I don't care how much money you have or have lost.
The key is we can collaborate to create change now.

You could not care about my opinion.
It's good we have the freedom to have one.

I may not care it didn't work out for you last time.
Together we might be able to make our ideas a reality.

You probably don't care what I did years ago.
We could merge our collective experience and create something cool.

Through leadership, let's show how much we care.

Kneale Mann

cdnsba

Is Customer Service an Endangered Species?

If you work somewhere, you have customers. Even if you are eight levels away from actual paying clients, you are part of the equation. Which means you have a chance to improve or diminish the experience each and every customer has with your company. We are also customers of each other inside our companies. I call it internal customer service. Without it, external customer service will forever be a challenge.

We all want great service but clearly we don't always get it. Why is that? Is it because good enough will do for most people? Is it because the fear of actually stopping and doing a great job will cost you more than the profit made from that customer?

Money Talks

Perhaps most companies think we’ll be satisfied with what we get and keep coming back for more. Maybe we don't know any better. Maybe we just don't care. We all mess up, we all make mistakes, but when it becomes a pattern, there is cause for concern.

The best tactic is to vote with our wallet. But with some companies it certainly makes one wonder if customer service is something that should be relegated to annual reports, marketing collateral and coffee mugs.

If you want to establish a competitive edge, provide great leadership and service. Then you can take some chances.

Kneale Mann

cartoonchurch

One Simple Way to Save Your Economy

We All Want It. Do We All Give It?
.

You've done your online research, you asked some people who already have one and you are now at the store with money in hand ready to buy one. The guy behind the counter has never heard of it, the person in aisle 27 can’t find it and the manager looks annoyed to be interrupted for something so trivial as a paying customer.

That familiar generic voice on the customer service line says they are experiencing a high volume of calls. You have to endure 17 minutes of some instrumental soft rock nugget until Bernie gets on the line. You explain the problem and he tells you he has to transfer you to another department. Another 11 minutes of another ditty and Jennifer picks up the phone. She informs you that Bernie was incorrect and back to yet another snappy number while you wait for George.

You Give Up

It begins to make more sense to toss the thing in the garbage. Your time is more valuable than what you spent on the it, it never worked properly, the claims in all the advertising were misleading and it's time to cut the bait.

Clearly many of us are giving terrible service. Is that really the best way for us to turn our economy around? Should we not give a crap and hope people buy our stuff? If we really really really want them to pay us money, it won't matter that we don't care, right?

Serving Customer Needs

Have a complete look at your business. Have someone outside of your business have an honest look at it as well. Then actually ask your customers for their feedback. This is not to tear it apart but rather to find the weak spots. It will help stop the head scratching when revenue dips. You may think it’s a product issue but it’s often something deeper and much more human.

It’s sad that we are resigned to the fact that the bar for customer service is so low it’s scraping on the pavement. Lift it up a few inches and you will slay your competition. If we want to turn your economy around, actually care.

Do You Think It Will Work?

Kneale Mann

image credits: despair | robotnine
I am available for a 30 minute complimentary introduction call to discover where I can help your business. Feel free to contact me via email and let's chat.

Resolution 2010 | 10 Things (part one)

Will We Do Them This Time?

As a new decade approaches, the lists continue.

The best of the decade, the worst of the 21st century, the famous and infamous and it all means one thing – we love our lists.

Do we just stare at them and nod our collective heads then file them away with previous years, decades and centuries?

How do the lists affect our lives?

Here is a list of ten timeless things to think about. The first five today, second five tomorrow. They can be accomplished no matter your financial stature or geographical limitations.

10. Care A Little Less

We seem to put far too much credence in the opinion of others. Perhaps because we have a need to belong and in order to quantify an idea or success, we need a pat on the head from others.

For just one day, without malice or harm, try not caring about what we think and see what happens. Ideas may flow and we all win.

9. Give More

This is not another suggestion that everything is free and we all hold hands while we tweet and blog into the sunset. The concept of give more, is to suggest that we allow our talents and gifts to shine and replace all the empty boasting that all too often gets the spotlight.

8. Do Not Heed

If you allow the faceless group named ‘them’ to rule your decisions and behavior, you will lead a challenging life. The musician doesn't ask the crowd before she writes the song.

7. Smile and Wave

Imagine you are going about your day and suddenly it becomes clear that someone is having a bad time and is looking to have a fight with anyone they can lure. Nod your head and remove yourself from the situation immediately.

6. Learn to Say No

No is a perfectly acceptable answer and a complete sentence. In our fear of belonging or losing potential customers or slipping our market share we tend to travel for long periods of time outside the pocket. That is when the 300 pound lineman on the other side of scrimmage will crush us.

This is not to suggest we don't stretch but while we try to do everything, we do nothing well. Say no so you can say yes to what matters.

Please to add yours. Part two tomorrow.

Happy New Year :-)

@knealemann
business. marketing. social media. communications.