Click on this link...Thank you!
http://www.bnipodcast.com/
Synopsis
Deanna Tucci-Schmitt, Executive Director of BNI Western Pennsylvania, and Bob Gambone, author of Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked to Order, join Dr. Misner this week to talk about BNI’s culture of recruiting.
Businesses have recruiters, whose job is actively finding the right person for the right position. BNI has had a tradition of inviting new members, without qualifying them in advance. If all BNI members develop the mindset of recruiters, everyone will get more and better referrals.
Remember, culture eats strategy for breakfast. Keep your chapter’s culture in mind when recruiting new members.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Everyone Falls, Not Everyone Fails
You know the cliche'... "What's old, is new again."
In a recent Success Magazine CD I heard something that was told to me years ago by John Susan.
John was a mentor of mine for many years.
...After struggling through a terrible year in one particular store, I was demoted and put on probation.
John shared with me these inspiring words:
"Bob, in business there is a difference between falling and failing...just like the stock market, all businesses fall. Its takes passionate leadership to prevent the failure."
A few weeks later he sent me a note with this quote...
"Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain." ~Author Unknown
John died of pancreatic cancer in his mid 50's. In my book Pecan Pie, I credit John for my leadership growth.
Memory Eternal - John Susan
In a recent Success Magazine CD I heard something that was told to me years ago by John Susan.
John was a mentor of mine for many years.
...After struggling through a terrible year in one particular store, I was demoted and put on probation.
John shared with me these inspiring words:
"Bob, in business there is a difference between falling and failing...just like the stock market, all businesses fall. Its takes passionate leadership to prevent the failure."
A few weeks later he sent me a note with this quote...
"Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain." ~Author Unknown
John died of pancreatic cancer in his mid 50's. In my book Pecan Pie, I credit John for my leadership growth.
Memory Eternal - John Susan
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Put On Your Customer Hat
Back in early 1980’s I was a participate in a corporate think-tank. Our goal was to identify the one employee position that truly represented customer service. The strategy was to focus on this position for training tactics.
The members of the think-tank were polled and the number one choice was the store manager, followed by the assistance store manager, cashiers, meat manager, and so on. Only one person said the most important person for customer service was the lot guy. I was that person.
After the rest of the think-tank team stopped laughing at me, the facilitator said,
“Ok Bob, get serious now, what position is your choice?”
I stood firm and said… “Yes, in all seriousness the lot guy (person) is the most important employee representing our customer service brand."
Why?
The lot person is the first employee customers see when they arrive at our store and the last person they see when leaving. We only have once chance for a first and lasting impression.
I was overruled….the group voted the store manager.
UPDATE!
3 years later, we paid big bucks to have a consulting firm tell us:
“The people on the front lines, like the lot-people, are the most important employees when it comes to customer service.”
Really?!............ I never did get credit for that one.
Take a look at your business as you would a customer, put on your Customer Hat.
***10 First Impressions you may be overlooking***
YOUR…
1. Business Cards
2. Web site, LinkedIn, Facebook.
3. Dress Code and your employees dress code.
4. Parking lot, store front, entranceway.
5. Voice mail message.
6. Vehicle.
7. Smile, breath, overall appearance.
8. Email .
9. Handshake.
10. Attention-focus-eye contact.
“You never get a second chance to make a first and ever-LASTing impression.”
-------------------------------------------------
“Copyright (8-05 -2011) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
The members of the think-tank were polled and the number one choice was the store manager, followed by the assistance store manager, cashiers, meat manager, and so on. Only one person said the most important person for customer service was the lot guy. I was that person.
After the rest of the think-tank team stopped laughing at me, the facilitator said,
“Ok Bob, get serious now, what position is your choice?”
I stood firm and said… “Yes, in all seriousness the lot guy (person) is the most important employee representing our customer service brand."
Why?
The lot person is the first employee customers see when they arrive at our store and the last person they see when leaving. We only have once chance for a first and lasting impression.
I was overruled….the group voted the store manager.
UPDATE!
3 years later, we paid big bucks to have a consulting firm tell us:
“The people on the front lines, like the lot-people, are the most important employees when it comes to customer service.”
Really?!............ I never did get credit for that one.
Take a look at your business as you would a customer, put on your Customer Hat.
***10 First Impressions you may be overlooking***
YOUR…
1. Business Cards
2. Web site, LinkedIn, Facebook.
3. Dress Code and your employees dress code.
4. Parking lot, store front, entranceway.
5. Voice mail message.
6. Vehicle.
7. Smile, breath, overall appearance.
8. Email .
9. Handshake.
10. Attention-focus-eye contact.
“You never get a second chance to make a first and ever-LASTing impression.”
-------------------------------------------------
“Copyright (8-05 -2011) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
Sunday, July 24, 2011
In Memory of Paul
I lost a good friend this week, his name was Paul Knight.
Paul was a very eclectic individual. We worked together on night crew (third shift) from 1974 to 1976. Paul was never one to give people a good first impression. His appearance was often less than professional and he was so soft spoken that he was hard to understand at times.
Many considered Paul a little weird and unmanageable, but I took the time to get to know him and truly recognize his God given talents.
“Find the number one in everyone,” a leadership quote from my book Pecan Pie¹, was a catalyst for me in identifying the right role for Paul. Because he had a special talent for memorizing numbers he was a brilliant inventory control person, however only I and a few other team members of our store knew of Paul's unique skill.
On July 2, 1975 that brilliance, that gift, became known to everyone in the store and eventually throughout the entire supermarket chain. You see on that day, the assistant store manager had accidentally erased the cassette tape (and the back-up) that contained the inventory codes for all the product that needed ordered from our warehouse for the holiday weekend. The shelves would be empty. Panic set in.
I was ending my shift when I heard of this calamity; I approached the store manager and said,
“Call Paul, he can probably help.”
“Paul? What can he do!?” he replied with a negative surprise.
“Trust Me,” I said looking firmly into his eyes, “He will know what to do.”
We had less than one hour to “place an order” with the warehouse, we needed four hours.
The manager called Paul at home.
Paul called the warehouse.
Paul had memorized all the order codes, the on hand inventory and all the product movement.
In less than 30 minutes, he verbally placed an order for approximately 300 items.
Yes, you had to be there to believe it.
Paul gained a new respect with his colleagues that day and was promoted to Company Inventory Control Manager.
Paul was a hero…and on that July 4th weekend of 1975 Paul was truly a “Knight” in shining amour.
¹ Please refer to The Diamond Rule² (page 29) and Pecans of Wisdom (page 120) in my book:
Pecan Pie, 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked to Order.
Available on Amazon.com
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM
Paul was a very eclectic individual. We worked together on night crew (third shift) from 1974 to 1976. Paul was never one to give people a good first impression. His appearance was often less than professional and he was so soft spoken that he was hard to understand at times.
Many considered Paul a little weird and unmanageable, but I took the time to get to know him and truly recognize his God given talents.
“Find the number one in everyone,” a leadership quote from my book Pecan Pie¹, was a catalyst for me in identifying the right role for Paul. Because he had a special talent for memorizing numbers he was a brilliant inventory control person, however only I and a few other team members of our store knew of Paul's unique skill.
On July 2, 1975 that brilliance, that gift, became known to everyone in the store and eventually throughout the entire supermarket chain. You see on that day, the assistant store manager had accidentally erased the cassette tape (and the back-up) that contained the inventory codes for all the product that needed ordered from our warehouse for the holiday weekend. The shelves would be empty. Panic set in.
I was ending my shift when I heard of this calamity; I approached the store manager and said,
“Call Paul, he can probably help.”
“Paul? What can he do!?” he replied with a negative surprise.
“Trust Me,” I said looking firmly into his eyes, “He will know what to do.”
We had less than one hour to “place an order” with the warehouse, we needed four hours.
The manager called Paul at home.
Paul called the warehouse.
Paul had memorized all the order codes, the on hand inventory and all the product movement.
In less than 30 minutes, he verbally placed an order for approximately 300 items.
Yes, you had to be there to believe it.
Paul gained a new respect with his colleagues that day and was promoted to Company Inventory Control Manager.
Paul was a hero…and on that July 4th weekend of 1975 Paul was truly a “Knight” in shining amour.
¹ Please refer to The Diamond Rule² (page 29) and Pecans of Wisdom (page 120) in my book:
Pecan Pie, 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked to Order.
Available on Amazon.com
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Lou the Nabisco Guy
We have all heard, read, took training, listened to CDs, etc. on how to sell, i.e. “selling” strategies.
Lou the Nabisco Guy never used selling strategies …Lou had a culture of “selling.”
I was 23 years old when I first met Lou. He was the region’s number one salesman for Nabisco from 1974 to 1985.
One day I was eating lunch with Lou and asked,
“Lou, so what do you do to be so good at selling?....can you share some tips?”
Lou replied, shaking his head and smiling, “Bob there is really no magic tips, but I do have five core beliefs about selling.”
1.) Love and believe in your product.
2.) People like to buy, but not to be sold to.
3.) I never sell anything, I solve people’s problems.
4.) Never talk yourself out of a sale.
5.) and….Never close a sale, open an opportunity.
Lou died in 1985 from a heart attack at the early age of 63.
Lou’s culture of selling has lived on. Those that adopt it become very successful.
To be the best, you need to have more than just strategies, you first need a culture, a core belief.
Dr.Ivan Misner says it best, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
Today when I eat my favorite Nabisco crackers I always think of Lou…Lou the Nabisco Guy.
Lou the Nabisco Guy never used selling strategies …Lou had a culture of “selling.”
I was 23 years old when I first met Lou. He was the region’s number one salesman for Nabisco from 1974 to 1985.
One day I was eating lunch with Lou and asked,
“Lou, so what do you do to be so good at selling?....can you share some tips?”
Lou replied, shaking his head and smiling, “Bob there is really no magic tips, but I do have five core beliefs about selling.”
1.) Love and believe in your product.
2.) People like to buy, but not to be sold to.
3.) I never sell anything, I solve people’s problems.
4.) Never talk yourself out of a sale.
5.) and….Never close a sale, open an opportunity.
Lou died in 1985 from a heart attack at the early age of 63.
Lou’s culture of selling has lived on. Those that adopt it become very successful.
To be the best, you need to have more than just strategies, you first need a culture, a core belief.
Dr.Ivan Misner says it best, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
Today when I eat my favorite Nabisco crackers I always think of Lou…Lou the Nabisco Guy.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Seven Ways to Help You Identify Leaders
1. Leaders have passionate enthusiasm! Attitudes are contagious and your team “leaders” need to understand that they are role models.
2. Leaders model your company’s values and “walk the talk.”
3. Leaders pull their teams up the hill, face them and don’t turn their backs.
"Old-school" managers push employees.
4. Leaders are not necessarily the best workers, and they understand that the “task” is never more important than the customer.
5. Leaders develop others, place a high value on the “we,” and discourage the “I.”
6. Leaders know when to let other “leaders” lead.
7. Leaders listen and provide positive reinforcement and constructive criticism.
2. Leaders model your company’s values and “walk the talk.”
3. Leaders pull their teams up the hill, face them and don’t turn their backs.
"Old-school" managers push employees.
4. Leaders are not necessarily the best workers, and they understand that the “task” is never more important than the customer.
5. Leaders develop others, place a high value on the “we,” and discourage the “I.”
6. Leaders know when to let other “leaders” lead.
7. Leaders listen and provide positive reinforcement and constructive criticism.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Leadership Is Not Selfishness
--------Top Rated Posting-------
Why do you think you are instructed to put your oxygen mask on first in an airplane emergency?
Well, the obvious answer is to save yourself. The more robust answer is to save yourself so you can help others.
Quite often leaders in our society are frowned upon because they are taking care of themselves. For example, those in leadership roles are considered “selfish” for; taking vacations with their families, allocating time for continuing education, playing golf, going on a retreat, etc.
The reality is leaders need to take care of themselves in order to effectively lead those they serve.
I don’t know about you, but I want my “leader” to be healthy and wealthy. Not just in a monetary sense, but as a whole person; physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Vince Lombardi once said: "The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence regardless of their chosen endeavor."
Bottom line: Leaders need to first take care of themselves, in order to be effective quality leaders.
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*** Read MORE!!! My Book, Now Available!
Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!"
BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM
http://lnkd.in/TNNzBM
“Copyright (6-10-2011) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
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