Benjamin Franklin knew the power of the three "C's" when he said: “I will speak ill of no man, and speak all the good I know of everybody.”

If we can simply stop criticizing, condemning or complaining, we will heal past relationships and make new friends.  Our influence, which is a measure of the trust and respect others are willing to give us, will go up.  And people will be attracted to us and want to get to know us better.

Let's start today!

Reading Contest #2!

The first three people who answer these two questions correctly will get a one-of-kind Dale Carnegie collectable:


1. Principle: Call attention to people’s mistakes indirectly


Marge Jacob convinced some construction workers to cleanup after themselves after working on some additions to her home.  What did she do to motivate her workers?


2. Principle: Let the other person save face


When General Electric needed to remove Charles Steinmetz,  a genius when it came to electricity, but a failure as the head of the calculating department, what did they do to avoid offending him?

 

One of my favorite quotes by Norman Rice is "dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light." Just a simple gesture of kindness — what possible difference could it make?  


If we look back upon our lives, two things stand out in our experiences - the times we were given appreciation and the times we were criticized.  Which of these lifted you up?  
I still remember a compliment by my 4th grade History teacher when he said that he saw an excitement and passion within me.  He asked me to write a paper on the one thing that excited and inspired me that day - and he gave extra credit to anyone in the class who wanted to do the same.  


I still have it - a scrapbook on the space program with clippings from Apollo 14.  It gave me pleasure to write it in a history class; a class that had nothing to do with the space program, but was led by a motivator who saw the potential to grow someone beyond their boundaries.


If you think we can Win Friends and Influence People using the principles we have been taught, the answer is: yes we can!  If you think we can forever change someone's life for the better, the answer is - absolutely - and this is why it is so important for us to learn to give honest, sincere appreciation to those who work so hard to help us be happy, make a living, or simply serve us in the many capacities that people do.


We will learn the simple formula in Session 7 and it may be a class that will change your life!

New Carnegie Class will not be starting on March 28th

The Dale Carnegie class that was scheduled to start on March 28th has been postponed.  We will let everyone know as soon as we have a new starting date, so that class members can make up sessions missed.  To graduate with your class, you cannot miss more than one session.  Any sessions missed can be made up in the new Carnegie class, once we have a schedule of dates for the classes.

All class members who attend all eight sessions will get a gold 100% sticker on their diploma!  All class members who make up their missed sessions will also get the same 100% sticker to add to their diploma.

Our Creative Class

When a team gets together and puts their creative minds to work, there are no limits to what they can achieve!

Question for you: Have you ever been in need of suggestions on how to solve a problem, and called a meeting, but didn't get very many responses to help you out?  

Solution for you: Use the following "nominal group technique" to get a reluctant and sometimes shy group of people to contribute ideas when brainstorming!  How does this work?  It is simple  Just follow the steps below:

1. Get one sticky pad for each person who will be at your meeting.

2. Create a good problem statement; one that is clear, easily understood and can generate ideas on how to solve it just by reading it.

3. Give everyone a sticky pad and a pencil.

4. Project the problem statement on the wall and give everyone ten minutes to write down as many ideas as they can, one per sticky.

You will generate more ideas and suggestions in ten minutes through this method, than in 10 hours asking people to raise their hands and volunteer their ideas.

Why?

Because you've leveled the playing field, and remove the three "C"'s - people will not be afraid to voice their suggestion through this anonymous process, and nobody will be criticized, condemned or complained about.

Here is the solution to the puzzle; and hence the recommendation to "think outside the box".  For every problem under the sun, there are many solutions to choose from.

Congratulations Shane Keoghan - our Human Relations Award winner from Session 5!  (Remember that these principles work with children as well as adults - and don't forget to eat your vegetables!)

We are ON TARGET!


As we crossed that imaginary boundary into the second half of the Dale Carnegie course, everyone is still on target for our April 4 graduation as a class.   One the great side-benefits of taking this course is the people you meet in the class - they are, in many cases, people that you would not ordinarily come in contact with in your daily day-to-day life.  The shared experiences in the course give all of us an expanded and rich view of the world from the many diverse points of view and backgrounds. Long after you have forgotten your instructor's name, you will remember the people who conquered their fears and build their confidences along side of you.

The Importance of "Paying it Foward"

I've fixed many flats for people stranded on the side of the road.  I grew up helping people who had car trouble and never asked for anything in return.  I started this back in college, when it was me, stranded, on the side of the road.  My cars back in college were clunkers, but they taught me how to creatively fix them when needed.  

 

I can drive on almost any of the highways on the way out of town and point to spots on the side of the road where someone who needed help got it from me.  


Once in Tempe, I pulled off the freeway onto the shoulder and started helping a lady change her tire.  A police patrol car pulled up behind us, lights flashing.  The officer walked up and asked us what had happened.  The lady pointed to her tire and said that she had had a flat.  Puzzled, the officer turned to me and asked me what I was doing there.  I said that I'd stopped to help.  I think he was a bit shocked; he didn't say a word for a moment, then his face lit up in a smile and he said, "I'll keep my lights on and make sure you are safe.  Carry on, and thanks."  


When people offer to pay me, or give me something, I always answer them with the phrase, "No thanks - just pay if forward.  Find someone who needs a hand, and lend it." 


Mark Fountain is "paying it forward" this week - he send me a link to this article on "wowing" our customers.  Here is the article for everyone to enjoy!

Thank you Mark!  


The Value in Wowing Your Customers
by Fred Reichheld
A friend of mine in Dallas loves the local Chick-fil-A restaurant. The reason? An employee named Jose once asked my friend's three-year-old to help with the mopping — and proceeded to give the boy a ride around the restaurant on the mop. For my friend, this was a "wow!" experience, the kind of out-of-the-ordinary event that you want to tell people about — and that inspires you to recommend the business that provided it.


One of my favorite examples of this happened at Rackspace, the managed hosting and cloud computing company. An employee on the phone with a customer during a marathon troubleshooting session heard the customer tell someone in the background that they were getting hungry. As she tells it, "So I put them on hold, and I ordered them a pizza. About 30 minutes later we were still on the phone, and there was a knock on their door. I told them to go answer it because it was pizza! They were so excited."


I'd have been pretty excited, too, if I were that hungry customer. Another "wow!" moment.
Maybe you noticed something about these wows: They don't cost much. I call them "frugal wows." A company that brings a smile to the face of its customers in this manner builds a huge reservoir of goodwill and positive word of mouth at very little expense.


Why would an employee make that kind of a gesture? No doubt the individuals involved are good-hearted folks. Doing well by others makes them happy. But there are plenty of equally good-hearted people in other companies who would never think to offer something extra to a customer. It just wouldn't occur to them to go beyond their usual duties.


What distinguishes Chick-fil-A and Rackspace is that both companies have created what might be called a "Golden Rule" culture. Employees treat customers as they would like to be treated if they were in the customers' shoes. Rackspace calls it"Fanatical Support" and views it as a cornerstone of the company's competitive advantage. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy says, "We strive to deliver something for which there is unlimited demand — being treated with honor and respect."


Both companies regularly survey customers using the Net Promoter system. They disseminate the scores and responses throughout the organization. They follow up with unhappy customers, and they make a point of acting on the feedback they receive. In other words, they take their commitment seriously.


So it's hardly surprising that employees of these companies would come up with imaginative ways to wow the people they serve. It isn't only their own good-heartedness or their personal commitment to the Golden Rule — they know that's what their employer values as well. And they know that their actions will ripple outward through the recommendations their customers provide.


Barbara Talbott, the retired head of marketing for the Four Seasons, tells the story of acts of intelligent kindness: a pot of tea delivered gratis to the room of a guest with a bad cold, a vaporizer for a mother with a croupy child, and so on.


Her point is that if you hire good employees, they will seek out opportunities to be kind. They know that when the line at the front desk is five deep, then they must be intelligent and move the line expeditiously, but if there is no crowd, then that is the time to add a little flare and conversation.


All this sheds light on the ongoing conversation about employee happiness. Most people are happiest when they get a chance to do something that others truly value — when they can act according to their best instincts. More and more companies are making sure that they support those instincts with the right team structures, leaders, tools, and training. And they put in place systems that give employees immediate feedback about how they have enriched a customer's life — or why they fell short and how to fix it.


For an employee, that support is likely to mean a chance to make a real difference in the life of a customer. How fitting that the employee's company gains from this as well.

As we move into areas that are outside our comfort zone, we grow into a more flexible person.  Take a risk and think "outside the box" when you approach some of the more challenging problems everyone in life has to face.


Here's a good analogy; a puzzle.


Take a look at the dots below.  If you put a pen down on one of the dots and drew four straight lines, you can connect all of the dots without lifting your pen.


Give it a try - and remember - think outside the box!  

“Life is rarely what we expect it to be, but we need to look for the lillies. We need to do what brings us joy and what gives us a sense of purpose.” ~ Sally Meyerhoff


On March 8, 2011, one year ago today, the running community lost a world class athlete, friend, and inspirational person - Sally Meyerhoff, age 27.  We celebrate her live and her achievements, and in many ways, we have changed the way we look at life.  


Sally worked with me for a short time as a volunteer on the Arizona Road Racer's board.  She had a gift for speed, and won the PF Chang's Rock & Roll marathon in 2011.  It was an honor to have her helping out the running community.


The last time I ran a race with her was in Tempe in February, 2011.  It was called the "skirt chaser" race - the women got a five minute head start over the men in this 5k distance.  At mile 1, I was heading out, when the lead woman, race back past me, followed closely by Sally, about a block behind.  I yelled out, "Go get her Sally!", and she smiled and disappeared around the bend.  She set a record - 16:33 and won the race in the last 800 yards.  


It is seldom that someone with the talent to win a marathon distance can also do well in the short races.  Sally had many talents - and after qualifying for the olympic trials, we all knew our Arizona home down girl was going places.


Sadly, it was not to be - only a few weeks later, while training for an Ironman, she was struck and killed while cycling in Maricopa.  


So if you happen to make it out to a race sometime, you may find a number of guys wearing knee high pink socks - to honor our friend, and our inspiration - Sally - for these will forever be known as "Sally socks".

Congratulations to everyone!  We had a great "break out" session, with lots of fun, animation and spirit!

Here’s a Reading Contest!!!

The first three correct responses to the two questions below, taken from this week’s reading, will receive a unique one-of-a-kind Dale Carnegie bookmark:

Question 1: Eddie Snow, a sponsor of our courses in Oakland, once phoned a store to rent a bow.  Instead of renting a bow, he was persuaded to do what?

Hint: In Part III, it is in the chapter called “What everybody wants”.

Question 2: Joyce Norris applied this principle successfully to motivate her student Babette to do what before taking another piano lesson?

Hint: In Part III, it is in the chapter called “The Secret of Socrates”.

As we move from the first set of Dale Carnegie Principles to the second set, we extend our influence to others and start on the path to becoming a stronger leader. Leaders lead by example, supporting and building the people around them.