What the Plus...A Practical Guide to using Google+...and why you should

Guy Kawasaki is one of my favorites. If I was the team captain, I'd pick him every time. He has a way of making sense out of things that don't always, well, make sense. Like Google Plus for instance. In the shadow of established social mediums like Twitter and Facebook, it's easy to dismiss Google's platform as an also ran, another Lab project waiting for the scrap heap. Not so fast. Even if you don't plan on using Google Plus, please read the first chapter of Guy's new book. It's free here...and over on Google Plus if you search for it.

Merry Christmas.

 

Comfort

It's what stands in the way of achieving, and even pursuing, challenging goals. Naturally, we choose to stay comfortable if we have the option. That's why people can't lose weight, make a million dollars or just get out of bed earlier. It's not because we can't. We simply choose not to...we choose an easier path because it's more comfortable. Sometimes we're forced into an uncomfortable place...health scare, job loss, new kid's school schedule, etc. And, most of the time we seem to adjust...until we find comfortable again. 

So, the obvious questions is...how can you keep yourself uncomfortable enough, motivated enough to achieve remarkable and meaningful goals?

Hospitality Duty

Tour of Duty Ride from Michael Chaffin on Vimeo.

I’ve spent better part of my life perfecting the art of hospitality, serving and caring for others. And I've learned that almost everyone has an innate sense of duty to help other people. But most of us practice caring in friendly confines. When it comes to danger and especially putting your life on the line, we tend to lean out...and rightly so. Well, there is a minority group of people who lean in. They are willing to assume risk of harm and maybe worse to help people, to keep us safe and to allow us to enjoy the freedom of how we want to live our lives. It might be a police officer directing traffic in a busy intersection, a firefighter working tirelessly to control forest fires or a military member looking for landmines in Afghanistan. This is a different type of Duty...a different type of Art. And the Tour of Duty Ride currently underway across the USA draws attention to that Art.

I literally ran across this group two weeks ago while out for a morning run in Las Vegas. Since then, I helped host them on a stopover in Little Rock and now have an opportunity to join them for the last two stages of their incredible trek. I couldn’t feel more honored to be a part of their quest. These are caring people with nothing to gain but the experience of the journey and the hope of inspiring others to recognize the importance of service through this highest form of hospitality.

I feel privileged to be on board and thank you for your dedication to our collective art.

Treat People Like Family

As a leader, a large part of earned respect is dependent on your delivery...not what you say, but how you say it. Here’s a simple rule I follow...treat subordinates as you would your own family. If you wouldn’t say it to your loved ones, don’t say it that way to the people at work. Now, extend that to customers, peers and others in general.

A slight twist of the golden rule...and very effective.

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Growing Your Tribe

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The folks at Natural Running Store really get it. They understand that you aren't buying shoes. Rather, you're buying attention, special treatment and the feeling that someone cares about you. 

This is a powerful example of how technology can amplify hospitality and help you build an audience of loyal, raving fans vs. simply applying digital to traditional marketing methods, i.e., email blasts and banner ads. 

Don't create billboards, create engagement.

 

Inspiration

Most people fall into one of two categories. They are either more prone to wait for instructions. Or, they choose to initiate and inspire. Waiting for a road map is easier and seems safer. Unfortunately, it also leaves you in an unenviable position...being indistinguishable. And as a commodity your value is determined by someone else, instead of you. On the other hand, taking a chance by executing an unproven idea or stepping up to solve an interesting problem is tough...and a bit scary. But, that’s leadership. And that’s what separates you from the pack...and creates tremendous value. 

The world has way more followers than we need, leaving plenty of room for those who choose to inspire. I hope you do.

Choosing

There’s been a lot of riffing and ranting about Facebook’s recent IPO announcement, particularly how wealthy Zuckerberg and key FB execs will become when the company finally goes public. You hear things like “boy, I wish I would have done that.” My response is, “why didn’t you?”

The first rule of becoming an expert, starting a company, executing a great idea, becoming a billionaire, etc., is to choose to do it. Way too often, however, we simply choose not to.

The second rule is to choose remarkable. Choose a path that departs from average, that ends in a place that people will talk about. Don’t settle.

The third rule is to choose to immerse yourself with people who are aligned with you in your pursuits. Find others who make similar choices...people who act like you do.

The last rule and probably the most important is to not make the wrong choice...don’t choose not to do something. Instead, please go get started.

Resumes

If you insist on showing me a resume, please dispense with the traditional format and go with something more meaningful. Instead of the "objective" tell me your dream. Listing experience is fine, but how about adding your core values. Your competency isn't as important to me as what you stand for, what your passionate about and how you live your life. If we're well aligned in those areas, we can overcome competency deficiencies. If not, it's probably a losing battle for both of us.

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The Importance of Ecosystems

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Taking a chapter out of Apple's fully integrated "system", the others (Google, Facebook, Amazon, etc.) are now in a full throttle war to get you to buy-in to their ecosystem. It's a simple formula...how much of your on-line experience stays in one portal? In order to secure more of your attention (translates into sales), each of these organizations must build both physical and on-line systems to make you feel completely comfortable. It needs to appeal to your tastes and be really, really simple and intuitive...a la Apple. Google isn't adding YouTube movies to sell movies per se. It's another reason for you to stay at home on the Google ecosystem. Why go to Netflix?

Kindle Fire, Nook, iPad...designed to keep you in the system.

Not so long ago, the measuring stick was which site you had your browser home page set to. Now, it's which ecosystem do you spend most of your time in.

Changing the World

Remarkable work changes things. And you can't get there without people who are willing to risk being labeled creative, daring or even crazy. More likely, these are people who are willing to be inspired, to be a part of something bigger than themselves. The key then is to steer clear of the cogs, people afraid to contribute anything more than the required 8 hours.

If everyone on your team doesn't subscribe to the idea that changing the world is important, even in some small yet important way, I'd start changing the team.

 

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Free Work

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One of the cheapest and most effective ways to advertise is to give your work away for free. In the right hands, this sort of immersion is very powerful and the idea spreads, almost effortlessly. There are two risks...you give it away to the wrong people, people who would otherwise have no interest...and that your product is average. Both produce the same outcome...the price they are willing to pay is at or near zero. The pressure then is to do something so remarkable that even in the wrong hands it seems satisfactory.

Then there's the fear factor. People who are afraid to give anything away, a song, an ebook or a recipe are hiding behind the false notion that this somehow protects them and their pricing strategy. The worry is that someone will steal their idea and benefit from it. In reality, this sort of theft isn't that difficult anymore. So, the protection effort and the associated annoyances to the fan base are hardly worth it. But, more importantly, what they don't understand is that most people don't want something for free, especially if it's really great. There is an inherent quality in most of us that wants to reward people for brilliant work. So, again, the ultimate form of protection is to do something that matters, that creates such a stir that it compels people to talk about it.

All roads lead to remarkable as the best insurance policy.

 

 

One More Thing...

I never met Steve Jobs. I didn’t know him. But like many, I didn’t have to. I became an Apple fan (I have at least one of just about everything they sell) not so much because of the products, but because of the culture. If you peel back the innovative design and technology, what you’ll find buried way underneath is a culture of hospitality, a culture of caring about not just what you’re doing, but how you do it. Many people have described Steve Jobs as a tremendous leader and visionary. Some have characterized him as a hard driving perfectionist which was off putting to more than a few. But almost no one has labeled him as a hospitality guru. I have.

Imagine the Apple retail experience without the following...

  • Obsession with efficiency and customer handling- handheld checkout devices, emailed receipts and a devotion to having more than enough people to handle customer demand.
  • Hello and Good Bye- Devoted to greeting you at the door and saying good bye when you leave...regardless of purchase.
  • Passionate people- having witnessed the hiring process first-hand I can say they spend more time and money on screening and training than anyone I’ve come across, except for maybe Zappos. The result is an army of fiercely loyal and passionate people who I think would almost work for free.
  • No Counters (except for the genius bar)- devoted to a high level of customer engagement.
  • Genius Bar- a dedicated group of highly trained specialists who listen and care more about solving your problem than charging you for it.
  • Apple Care- just the name is enough said.
  • The Details- classic Steve everywhere...receipts (if you want one) are produced like magic tricks from printers cleverly hidden under display tables, bags are high quality design statements in their own right and worth buying (and also come from seemingly nowhere) and store layouts are spacious, eye appealing, clutter free and comfortable. Everything fits.


Without these elements, Apple stores would be very different...much like most average retail experiences...boring and much less personable. Thank goodness they’re not.

Here’s a video pitch I made earlier this year to help secure an Apple training meeting at our hotel. I’m told it made quite a splash at Apple (and luckily we got the meeting). We lived with the Apple culture for three weeks, had a great time, made new friends and learned a lot. And in the process we helped them open a new store.

Steve...thank you for doing it differently. Thank you for inspiring me to often ask “how would Steve do this?”. And thank you for taking hospitality seriously.

I will miss you.

Driving with Your Head Down

This isn't a post about texting while driving. It’s a post about awareness. It’s obviously not smart to drive with your eyeballs focused on the dashboard (or anything other than outside) for more than a second or two. The same rule applies in hospitality. And it’s the one I see broken the most often.

Go out today and watch how many people don’t see you coming. Test it. See how close you can get before they make eye contact, before they smile and before they speak. Those of us formally trained in the business of service know it as the 10 and 5 rule. If a person enters your 10 foot circle, you must acknowledge their presence by stopping whatever you’re doing and making eye contact. Once they hit 5 feet, you must say something to them, presumably something nice.

Awareness though begins outside of 10 feet...at least it does in the customer service business. It starts with your approach on how you do things. You’re either the type that focuses intently on the matter at hand, like sorting receipts or typing an email and tunes out most everything else. Or you focus first on your surroundings and passively on the other busy tasks that you need to get done by the end of the day, shift, etc. Focusing outside your own bubble isn’t something that comes naturally, it’s a developed skill which requires practice. So, if you’re in the hospitality business (who isn’t really), please go practice. And make it mandatory for everyone on your team.

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Create Content

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Most organizations, and people for that matter, don't spend nearly enough time working on what really matters...meaningful content. Instead they worry more about selling the idea, spreading the word and getting on Oprah (I realize that's actually not possible anymore).

Companies spend more energy and money on interrupting people than ever before, mainly because of the proliferation of channels. They feel pressured to sell the story, buy the ad, talk to the editor...before someone else does. Ironically, if the same energy, passion and commitment was devoted to creating content, they wouldn't need the push...the pull would happen instead.

In a conversation about how to generate more PR, a chef once told me, do something truly remarkable and you can't hide.

Spreading the word is indeed important...but without remarkable content, you're pushing boulders up a hill. Good luck.

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Dream Company

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I’d probably call it Appelos...hybrid Apple and Zappos

It has nothing to do with computers or an internet store. It’s about their obsessions...

Apple- quality, innovation, design, spirit, growing the tribe

Zappos- employee care, employee dream fulfillment, customer engagement, pursuit of happiness

Obviously, both organizations have been very successful on every measure. But, they also both started at zero and went through serious dips before emerging into what we know today. The key takeaway is how they stuck to their core values and developed obsessions around them. They survived and made progress by ignoring popular trends and advice and simply (but not easily) doing flawless work. They executed their obsessions...and continue to do so.

Lesson...Write down your purpose, what you stand for. Develop obsessions and execute. There, that’s your business plan. Please go do something remarkable.

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Don't Answer the Question

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Try this experiment the next time a subordinate or child asks you for an answer to a challenging question (warning, does not work well with a spouse)...ask them a question in return. Leaders know how to solve problems and find answers. Giving people answers then doesn't really help develop this critical skill set. Conversely, helping them find the right path teaches them to think and find the right support.