Looking ahead to 2009

Here it is, the 30th of December. Time to reflect on 2008, almost "the past" and look forward to 2009. A new year, fresh start, new book with clean pages, clean slate...all those cliches that we buy into that give us hope that this next year, things will be different, better different.

On December 31, I pull out the envelope where I put last year's the New Year's Resolutions, open them up, and see how I did. Hmmmm. As I read the list, I am at times disappointed, amused, bewildered, angry, and resigned. Sometimes, one has actually been achieved. I'm a much better resolver than completer. That doesn't deter me from repeating the exercise for the next year. Undeterred, and always optomistic, I begin again. One year, after not making progress on a single item, I merely crossed out the year at the top of the page and put in the next year.

I always make New Years Resolutions. December 31, I take out the yellow legal pad (great expectations) and begin. #1 is always a repeat (except for 1997), "lose 20 lbs.) Then follows a litany of great expectations, such as "write book, remember everyone's birthday with card or call, make $1 million, be on 'Oprah" with new book, etc.)

One thing about making resolutions, is that making them isn't the thing. They say writing things down make them more likely to be achieved, like goals. I have found that writing them is helpful, but actually DOING them is what makes the difference. I learned the same thing over many years of buying the latest diet books when they hit the market. Buying the books isn't the key. Knowing what to do and why it works (or doesn't) to take off the pounds isn't enough. Actually cutting those calories, getting off your butt and walking or working out is what makes the numbers on the scale decrease. Knowing all the "secrets" and "surefire tips" to losing weight isn't enough. You do much better by putting knowledge to action. 1997 was proof of that...actually lost those 20 lbs!

This year, I'm going to add something to my resolutions. A start date, and a completion date. I'm going to take my own advice (that I give to my audiences in training and speaking) and use action words, set timelines and deadlines. Quantify results. Set milestones. This time the resolutions are not going to go in a sealed envelope, but hang on the wall over my PC in the office for all to see. They will even go in this blog. And not make so many. Too many resolutions are discouraging, since many are not achieved. With a shorter list, more likelihood that the percentage of success will be greater.

Hope springs eternal. There is always a new beginning. Why do we wait until New Year's Day to do it? Every day, every moment can be a new beginning from the previous one. Tomorrow when I make the short list for 2009, one of the resolutions will be to begin again every day. Falling short one day doesn't mean failure, just an opportunity to pick up again the next day.

What will you resolve this year? More money, better education, lose some weight, connect with family and friends? Write it down, share it with someone, and don't be discouraged. You've got a year to get it together and make some progress. They say if you don't have a plan, you will be at the mercy of someone who does. Make your own plan and work it in 2009. And remember to have some fun while you're doing it.

Happy New Year!

"Ho, Ho, Ho" or "Ho Hum" ?

i just returned from my last training engagement for the month. I am now sitting in the midst of christmas cards that haven't been written, gifts that now have to be sent by FedEx ($$$$!!!), the pajamas patterns for the children and grandchildren cut but not yet sewed (7 of them) and a lovely Christmas tree aglow with lights, but with nary an ornament. The nutrolls haven't even gotten to the ingredient-buying stage. No stockings hung on the chimney with care (where are they, anyway??).

Someone asked me yesterday if I was ready for Christmas. I wasn't ready for Thanksgiving, but it came anyway. That's the way I feel about Christmas, too. It will come whether I'm "ready" or not. Thanks to my husband, the lighted wreaths with their beautiful red bows are already in place, hanging outside the upstairs bay windows on our old historic house in Savannah. What is "ready"??? How ready do you have to be, and who decides?

My son is coming tomorrow for a quick visit with two of my grandchildren. Next weekend, we will have the little girls, my husband's two children, and the following week, my two children and four grandchildren will descend on us for two days of welcomed chaos. Am I ready for that??? Absolutely. I can't wait.

Sometimes we let the preparation and some arbitrary standard of "readiness" measure our excitement or enjoyment of an event. The house has to be pristine, the decorations up to Southern Living Magazine standard, the food worthy of recognition by the Food Network. We lose the "Ho, Ho, Ho" merriment and enjoyment of the moment by exhausting ourselves with preparation, wanting that approval or adulation of what WE did instead of focusing on the mere joy of being together for a time in a special season.

This year, my decorations may be "Ho Hum", but when we open the door to family and friends, my heart will be singing "Ho, Ho, Ho." Don't miss the magic amid all the crazienss. Determine your own standards. Clear the clutter off the dining room table, dust off the good china, and really look at and talk to your family and guests. Give a few extra hugs, tell someone how much you love them and what they mean to you. Don't stress over the chocolate stains on the couch or the candy cane stuck to the curtains. That's what Resolve carpet and upholstery cleaners are for. Happy Holidays!

Homeward Bound

It's one of those comfy Fridays...small wisps of clouds in the sky, a hint of warmth in the breeze for the middle of December. The house is quiet, except for the gentle sounds of one of the original albums of Simon and Garfunkle, taking me back to random days, times, sites, and people of a time long lost and often forgotten. Now it's "Bridge Over Troubled Water." I can see Art Garfunkle again (saw S&G in person in the 60's in concert at Valparaiso University) his curly hair almost standing up, thin, lanky silhouette on the stage, soft jacket, scarf carelessly wound around his neck. It is almost prayerful, the song. He closes his eyes, and the lyrics come, soft, liquid, caramel, soothing, yet aching, wrenching.

Music does things to me. Quiets, stirs, evokes. All those afternoons and evenings working in my Dad's music store (K Music, Glen Park, Gary Indiana)endlessly listening to the latest hits, country and western, classical, whatever was new or what the customer was interested in. I learned how to sing harmony by listening to all that music. In my teens, when I was lonely, or just wanted to escape the boredom of everyday or avoid my homework, I would put on a stack of LP's on the record player in the living room at home, and lay prone on the floor, ear up against the speakers on the front so I was enveloped, surrounded, caressed by the music. I could hear at once each individual part and all of them together. There was such beauty, power, emotion in those sounds, meeting, parting, soaring, and then coming together again.

Music has always been a part of my life. My children and I listened to lots of music together. Children's songs, christian songs (in our religious phase), nursery rhymes. I used to sing to them when they were babies, and was renowned for always having a song for everything. Give me a word, and I'd give you a song. We all loved music, and each had his or her own taste. My daughter with her "skater" phase. My son, the bass player for the high school garage band, "Midnight Raid", and husband/father, with some of the craziest songs, played over and over on those long trips to Hilton Head.

A nice, cozy, Friday, full of soft lights, music, and memories. Have a great weekend.

Go Buy Something!

This thing with the economy is too big to even get your arms around, so I'm not going to try to sound intelligent about what caused it or what to do about it. I do know that there are still plenty of things that you have to buy, like food, gas, adult beverages, and new tunes for the IPod. The bailouts and economic recovery packages are designed for people to do just that....spend. So, if the government and all the people that screwed up the economy are getting trillions of dollars to spend FAST, why should the rest of us stop?

One thing that would help, along with a moratorium on foreclosures would be a moratorium on layoffs and terminations. Companies could take the hundreds of thousands (millions?) of dollars they budgeted for bonuses, raises and holiday parties and put it in a fund to pay salaries for the next year instead. Better to keep people working then ruin more lives and cause more economic havoc by putting more people on unemployment comp. Let the big guys with the big bucks learn how to clip coupons and run the self-check out at Wal-Mart, and maybe they would understand what it's like to live like the rest of us. Maybe they would care.

Anyway, have some fun and go out and buy something today. It's good for the psyche, and good for the economy. Buy something for yourself, and something for someone else. You get to smile and help someone else smile too. That's priceless.

Have some fun today!

Geeks to the Rescue in Portland, ME

I have yet another "Geek to the rescue" story to tell. No, I am not an actor, and yes, I really am a customer just like you (hopefully) who just happened to have the need to be saved (yet again) from the treachery of cyberspace, a virus (perhaps), and the perils of using Microsoft Vista (nobody asked me!).

As a consultant, trainer, speaker, writer, I travel a lot and this past week found myself at the Eastland Park Hotel in beautiful downtown Portland, Maine, delivering a training program. I carry an LCD projector and laptop with me for my PowerPoint presentation, and have never had a problem with the computer. Now the LCD is another story. On another trip, just after purchase, the $350 bulb in my new projector blew out, leaving me with no A/V. Thanks to Circuit City and their more than generous return policy, I was given a brand new one (I had just asked for a replacement bulb). (Sorry, Best Buy, but they beat you on price for the same model.) However, every time I push the "Power" button on the LCD, I hold my breath, remembering the loud "pop" sound of that fateful day, hoping that I won't have another equipment failure.

As I was setting up the equipment on that Monday morning in Maine, I hooked up the laptop and projector, carefully pushed "power" (no popping sound) and then powered up the laptop. I entered my password, then got an error message that my password was not recognized. I tried again, but got into a maddening loop of entering the password, logging off, logging on, and then the same message. I was frantic, thinking I would have to do my program sans the dazzling PP presentation. Visions of shadow puppets against a blank screen, and recreating the graphics on a flip chart brought fear and terror to my heart. There was no reasoning with the laptop. No go. Nada.

Remembering my previous encounters, I immediately thought of the Geek Squad. Surely, they had one in Portland. To my relief, there was, and after a call to the Best Buy at the Maine Mall, I felt relief was only a cab ride away. After my program was over at 4, I got a cab and off to the mall. A very nice agent named Jeramy came to my rescue. Again, dressed in his official Geek Squad uniform, badge on his belt, he quickly assessed the problem. However, it appeared first that my laptop had a corrupted file, and the initial phone analysis of just a password change was not possible. I believe my pleading, positive affirmations that he was indeed a "genius" who could master anything, and my look of panic made him keep exploring possibilities. After conferring with another Geek at the desk, he successfully circumvented the nasty error message through safe mode and was able to set back my computer to a few days prior to the message. He logged off, and we held our collective breaths while he tried to log on again! Miracles do happen, there is an Easter Bunny, and good guys (and geeks) win in the end. There is no sweeter sound than the login tune for Microsoft and no greater sight than my desktop on the laptop screen (he also removed the password login screen). We cheered, we laughed, we cried (or at least I did). For a mere 30-minute counter charge, I was back in business.

Whether in Savannah, GA, Portland, ME, or anywhere else the 11,000 Geeks are on duty, you can rest assured that they can help. I was able to do my presentation the next day in all it's PowerPoint glory, and then go on to Bangor, Maine and do the same. Not resting on his laurels, Jeramy also personally escorted me to the business supply section (I wanted to get some overheads just in case), and had Ian, one of the store's Business Technology Professionals touch base to be sure all my needs were met.

A very class act. Experts that don't let you down. Best Buy and Geek Squad made a great team. Courteous, professional, knowledgeable, and dedicated to finding solutions. Fast and Economical!

What else can I say? Thanks to the Geek Squad once again.

Halloween Musings

Tonight is the night for ghouls, goblins, and other scary things. In Savannah, we have lots of real ghosts who haven't yet passed over, and they will be at their best, delighting all the people taking the late night "ghost pub crawls." I don't know what's scarier, the real ghosts or tourists dressing up, drinking too much, and then stumbling around dark, creepy houses and bars, listening to stories of murder and mayhem.

There is a great deal on the media about keeping Halloween safe for kids. Lots of police out tonight. One reporter said the police are out to make sure the registered sex offenders are complying with their curfew and aren't out with the kiddies. Now that's really scary. It's sad to think that such a fun holiday has turned into a daytime, go with your parents, controlled activity where it starts going to only approved houses, and ends at the local hospital where the candy has to be x-rayed and analyzed before eaten.

Halloween was far different when I was a child. I remember putting on some semblance of home-made costume, and going out with my friends at a very young age, with a pillowcase for the booty, and walking for blocks and blocks until the bag was full. We went to every house, and before long, the grapevine had bulletins out on who was giving out full-size candy bars...hershey's bars with almonds and nestles crunch bars being the best. We would go up to church where the nuns and priests would OOOH and AHHHH over our costumes and give out some of the best candy. There was nary a parent in sight, but no problem. There were droves of kids making the rounds. If you were out too late when the crowds started thinning, there was the risk of running into the older kids who were out to steal candy bags,but those were few and far between. We would come home from our trek, dump the bags on the floor, and then begin the serious trading. My siblings and I would sort, and trade for what we liked best. Then, my brother would make a fort out of his candy, with Milky Way sentry positions and gun mounts out of sucker sticks. My mother would loan us her turkey roaster pan and soup pot to store the candy in, which went immediately to our rooms and hiding places, far from the other kids and parents with sweet tooths.

Now that I'm an adult, its not the ghosts or goblins that scare me most. It's reading the newspaper with all the violence in the city, or the business page, or the financial news. Recession, layoffs, foreclosures. We are just in the beginning, and who knows what tomorrow will bring. The news media is anticipating a "test" for the new President his first year in office. Dire predictions of a 9-11 type attack, maybe this time biological. Now that's scary. Too much TV time is bad for children, but now it's just as bad for adults. Tired of being scared? Turn off the TV and radio. Hold someone's hand that you trust and cares for you. Count your blessings. Take some time to think of something to be happy about, and don't stop until you do. And when the kids come home with their candy bags, or you've got some leftover nestle crunch bars when the trick-or-treaters have gone home, settle back, snuggle next to someone(thing) (person, pet, etc.)smile, and sink your teeth into some forbidden chocolate delight. Savor the moment.

Happy Halloween!

Eat slow and eat lots!

This was my mother's directive when we would sit down to a Sunday dinner at home. She always made a grand dinner (actually the meal was after 11:00 a.m. mass on Sunday)with some type of meat, mashed potatoes, gravy, several vegetables, sliced tomatoes, salad (with her sweet/sour dressing), homemade rolls and at least two kinds of dessert. My mother showed her love by cooking, and she did it with gusto. We were all too happy to comply with her wishes. My five siblings and I would compete to see who could grab the spoon in the mashed potato bowl the fastest once my father finished the blessing with the final "amen." Six hands would reach, but only one won the privilege of taking the first helping. No worry that there wouldn't be enough. The bowls of food were always heaping full, glistening with that extra pat of real butter on top.

I still hear that phrase in my memory when I sit down to a meal. However, after fighting excess weight (probably due to obedience to it early on) for so many years, I now reach for the mashed potatoes with anxiety. How many calories? How many carbs have I had already today? How many points is this (I'm a lifetime Weight Watcher)? The angst repeats itself with each selection. My early love affair with food has turned into an obsession with the dark side of enjoyment. Right now, I'm about 10 lbs over my desired weight, and it seems that instead of losing the weight, I sabotage myself with Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia (tastes sooooooo good).

Deciding what to eat for breakfast is a major effort, with many considerations (see above). There is so much conflicting information about food and diets and what is good for you, it is mind boggling. The typical breakfast when I was a child was a bowl of cereal, toast with butter and jelly, orange juice and glass of milk. Today, that breakfast would be the target of a dozen diet experts. Orange juice? Too much sugar. Cereal with milk (oh, and it had a teaspoon of sugar in it, too) Carbs, sugar and whole milk with it's animal fat -- can't be good for you. Then, pile on the toast, and in those days it was white, Silvercup Bread, the most delicious, soft, full-bodied bread ever, with the most delicious crust. With butter, please. Top it off with a nice glass of milk, and you were ready for your ABC's

When I look back on those days, one thing stands out. We enjoyed food without guilt. Eating Sunday dinner together was a family affair. It was part of a very enjoyable time, one of few that I remember from my childhood. My mother glowed with compliments on her cooking, attested to by empty serving bowls and satisfied smiles. Sunday dinner was followed by my sisters and I washing and drying dishes together, and my dad taking a nap in his favorite chair while watching a football game. My mother would relax on the couch and read the rest of the Sunday paper. After the dishes, we would scatter to our rooms or call on friends to spend the rest of the day. No anxiety, no guilt, no obsessing over calories, points, and fat grams.

Maybe that's the secret. To weight loss? Maybe not, but to enjoying what food adds to life. Doctors say that stress adds to weight gain by releasing cortisol, which adds fat around the middle. Comfort food is the label attributed to those Sunday dinners of long ago. Not the low fat, low carb, pre-packaged diet meals we force ourselves to eat to gain an image in a mirror dictated by Project Runway or Dancing with the Stars. They call it comfort food for a reason. Good, tasty, relaxing, satisfying. I'll eat a "sensible" breakfast this morning. I still have my mother's meatloaf recipe, and her mashed potatoes I know by heart. Sounds like a plan for dinner. I feel better already.

Quick, someone throw me a "Life Link"

i just returned from four days on the road, presenting four different seminars for four different clients. Whether it was garbage recycling, web design, aerospace or health care, the greatest challenge for each of these diverse organizations (when asked) was internal communication. Funny, with all the communication channels we have now -- e-mail, texting, IM, cell phones, voice mail, Blackberries (strawberries, raspberries) and the antiquated (yes, you can get your butt out of the chair and actually walk to talk to a co-worker) but amazingly effective face-to-face conversation, we still aren't getting any closer or clearer in communicating effectively.

Salary.com says in it's 2007 survey that the #1 reason people stay at a job is "Relationship with my co-workers" and the #2 reason is "Relationship with my manager." If that is true, being able to communicate effectively and build bridges with co-workers and managers should be Priority #1 for all companies who want to attract and retain top talent. But I find from talking with hundreds of employees across the country that the opposite is true. Many of our communication tools actually hinder building those relationships. We have fast, concise communication (who wants to type in a long message on a Blackberry?) but not much with the three V's critical for effective communication -- voice tone, visual (body language) and verbal (effective --and sufficient-- words). We may be taking care of business from the distance of VM, IM and Blackberry, but losing the all important side effect of face-to-face conversation and interaction, real understanding, follow-on quesions, and the nuances of facial expressions, voice tone, and body language.

So, with all this separation, how can companies help their employees build relatioships that are so important for attracting and retaining top talent? Smart companies are taking time to bring their employees together for retreats, conferences or (please forgive the ancient terminology) Teambuilding programs. Having an effecive relationship-building exercise and a skilled facilitator can make make or break the day. It has to be fun, thought provoking, and provide opportunity to learn more about co-workers and create "links" that bring people together and help them value each other.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to facilitate a retreat for a local organization, using my original exercise, "Life Links," which, through a series of questions (answered pre-meeting by the participants,_ helps them learn more about each other, find common links through life experiences, and discover strengths, values and clues as to what makes a person "tick" and how they view the world. It is a highly interactive, fun, laugh-filled exercise, ending with each person presenting a positive profile of how another member contributes to the success of the group by who they are and thier life experiences.

I created this exercise in 1996, and an article on it was published in Training and Development Magazine. It has been used successfully with organizations such as NASA, Western Michigan University, Coach, Inc., Georgia Power Company, Lighthouse Bank, and the Medical College of Georgia. If your employees, team, work group, or executive team need help in building relationships that make people want to stay on the job and work better together, consider "Life Links" for your next staff meeting, retreat or conference. Over the years, I have seen some of the most amazing answers to the questions, such as the guy who answered the question, "What's the scariest, craziest, most dangerous thing you've ever done" with the fact that he was a prisoner of war in Korea, and he escaped and took two other prisoners with him. Everyone thought the answer had to belong to a leader, so they attributed it to the CEO. It turned out to be the custodian. The awe and respect that the group had for him after that revelation was incredible. Helping co-workers to learn more about each other, and then relating that to strengths that they bring to the table because of who they are and their life experiences goes beyond the resume and work experience. They learn to value and respect each other as individuals, breaking the barriers that titles and position on an org chart can create.

In these times of economic uncertainty, it is even more important for co-workers to feel valued and an important part of the organization. "Life Links" can play a part in bringing people together in both good and challenging times. For more information, contact me through my website, www.mjnhconsulting.com, or e-mail marynh@mjnhconsulting.com

Have a

Is you PC down? Viruses all around? Who you gonna call? GEEK SQUAD!!

Some sad stories have happy endings, there is a fairy godmother, and the good guys do win in the end. And, yes Margaret, there is a double agent from the Geek Squad who can unravel the mysteries of your PC, banish the boogeymen, viruses, trojans, worms and other evil things inside the hard drive, make the sun shine again and make the rainbow appear after the storm.

I know this is true, because my very own (well, scheduled to arrive) double agent saved the day (or I should say my desktop) on Saturday morning. He also synced up two laptops, moved files, and make all sorts of other tweeks that left the PC purring and running like the winner at the Kentucky Derby. The appointment was for "between noon and 4 p.m.," and at about 12 noon on the dot I got a call from him, saying he was in range and would be there shortly. I didn't know what to expect, since I had only seen "agents" at the store, but he certainly did not disappoint. I opened the door, and I could swear I saw rays of light emanating from behind him as he stood on the porch, black shoes shining, dressed in full Geek Double Agent attire (black pants, white dress shirt, black tie), with very cool black sunglasses to complete the picture. Calm, cool, collected, and very polite, warm, friendy smile. I knew this was going to be a pleasant experience. After talking just a few minutes I had complete confidence that this Geek knew what he was doing, and he had the great customer service skills necessary to assure me that he could take care of whatever ills had beset my PC.

During the five hours that he worked on the PC and laptops, my husband and I wandered in and out of the office, answering questions, chatting, and watching as he worked his magic. Armed with the proper tools (a portfolio of CDs) he took the PC through extensive diagnostics and tackled each problem one-by-one, taking them to the mat and scoring points each time.

What was remarkable was that he didn't seem to be "on the clock" and took time to be sure that we were completely satisfied with the outcome, and was happy to answer any questions and make modifications that would make the PC and laptops perform even better. I was impressed with his professionalism, confidence and respectful demeanor. I was amazed with his expertise and knowledge and ability to walk into a realtively unknown situation and handle it with ease. The cost of the in-home service was well worth the price, and the ease of scheduling a plus. If I hadn't procrastinated, a double agent could have been in my home the day after I visited the store (Wedneday). As it was, he was available the following Saturday.

One software package, ACT! was a new one to him, and was the only trojan standing after the service call. Still inoperable, he apolgized for not having the key to that one, but promised to do some research on it. Also, he reminded us that the work is guaranteed for 30 days, so if we need him, he's only a call away to the Geek Squad 800-number. We have also found a few files that we forgot to ask him to move (we have two user accounts on the desktop), and will be testing the 30-day guarantee this week.

Often, in home service providers are an annoyance, are in a hurry to get done and get out, are non-communicative, defensive, or know-it-alls who talk down to you. Not the Geeks from Best Buy. Either their parents or Best Buy's training taught them what customer service is all about. When we asked him about retrieving data from a hard drive had been dropped on the floor, he let us know that Best Buy has a new provider that can do a diagnostic for $59.95, and let us know if there is any hope for the data. We promptly took it to our local Best Buy with high hopes that somewhere there is a double agent (or just an agent) that can coax the data out of it. That will be my next story. Hopefully, it will have as happy an ending as this one.

"Double Agents" to the Rescue

Somehow, a trojan horse or worm or virus has attacked my desktop, wiping out all the Microsoft programs. And, the trojan is at the gate of my hard drive, because it has blocked re-installation. I shop at Best Buy a lot, and have engaged the "Geek Squad" occasionally with a question, but now I really needed their help. So, off I went to Best Buy to set up an appointment. I could have called them up, or went online, but since I was out running errands anyway, thoughI would stop in for a few minutes and set up a service call.

How naive and foolish that was! I got in line behind about four other people. From the looks on their faces -- clenched teeth, glazed eyes -- I could see they had been there for awhile. There were two "agents" behind the counter, helping two customers. The time went by, and the line got longer, but no progress at the counter. I was quickly taken into the brotherhood/sisterhood of the waiting line, and we commiserated with each other. Some people were holding computer towers or other pieces of equipment, and as time went by they engaged in some creative balancing acts, leaning them agains the posts of the line barriers, holding them like teddy bears, or sitting on them.

As we waited, I noticed a lot of "geek" personnel (you can tell from their shirts) milling around, walking in and out of an office next to the counters or from behind the curtains behind the counter, but none of them noticed the line and came to help more customers. At one point, one of the agents finished with a customer and then, instead of taking the next customer, proceeded to put papers away, wandered around, disappeared for awhile behind the curtains, all the while deftly avoiding eye contact with the customers in the line. At one point this agent was carrying a CD behind the counter and in a surprise move, snapped the CD in half, sending shards of the CD into the air, some showering us with plastic missles. Not even a warning "incoming" or "fore!" A comment from one guy in the line got no response, not even a look or a nod. We began to feel like the Whos from Whoville in the Dr. Seuss book. Were we so insignificant that no one noticed us?

I noticed that when a transaction was completed, the agent would make some entries in a register and then leave the counter, walk to the back of the store, and return with papers in his hand. This happened every time. I wonder why, since they were techno-geeks, they didn't figure out that if you put the printer behind the counter you can save a lot of time walking back and forth. It didn't escape the brother/sisterhood in the line. We watched as this was repeated time and again.

Finally, I got to the front of the line, and was told that I had to call the 800-Geek line to set up an appointment, but that one of their "double agents" (the double agents do the in-home service) may be available as early as that afternoon. My hour in line got me information that I could have found if there was an "info" only line, or a poster somewhere with that info and the number.

Putting the printer at the counter where the transactions are completed, posting information for customers, making eye contact, and refraining from actions that can put your customers in jeopardy are only a few of the observations for making this customer service experience better. How is your customer service area arranged? Where is your equipment? What about signage, and flow? A simple analysis of these items and some observation can make a big difference to your customers and help keep their attitude positive while they are waiting. As for me, I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my "double agent" tomorrow. I wonder if he will arrive by scaling the back garden wall, or be dropped out of a helicopter, or something equally 007-ish. I don't really care, just so long as he can slay a trojan, squash a worm or cure a virus.

Have a great weekend.

Waiting for Service

Since I travel quite a bit, I have to squeeze in "home stuff" when I'm in town. This time the list of stuff includes the usual like going to the cleaners, shopping for jazzy clothes to take when I'm back on the road (thanks Ann Taylor Loft for the great $25 off when you spend $50 coupons), and cleaning (yuk!).

It's also time to tackle some larger issues, like the sectional that we bought six months ago that now looks like a large beige sharpei dog with folds of wrinkled fabric on the cushions, deep depressions in cushions long after the "sitters" have left, and seat cushions that no longer line up like soldiers on the parade field. I am also anticipating a return trip by the bug guy to re-spray for the pesky little german roaches that still roam occasionally over the kitchen countertops, inside the dishwasher, oblivious to the sprays and traps that were supposed to drop them in their tracks.

Waiting for service has become a commonplace thing. Some businesses, like the bug guy, schedule service at a particular time so you can plan your day around them. Others, like the furniture company, will call me tonight (as if it's a national secret) and let me know when they will be coming tomorrow. It won't be a definite time, just a range, say like between 10 and "whenever we feel like showing up." Fortunately, I have the flexibility to be home at random hours during the day to meet these people. Not so when I had a "real job" and had to squeeze service people in before 9 or after 5, or race home to be there or convince my husband to come home early to meet them.

That I have to spend time doing this at all is what irks me and most people that have to return or redo some service or product. If the quality of the product was what it should have been in the first place (and promised) or the bug spray service had knocked the little buggers off like it was supposed to (in one service, guaranteed), I could be off to the beach or taking advantage of the 20% off coupon at Steinmart this morning. But, here I am, sitting captive in my own home, not daring to leave lest someone show up early (or on time, God forbid) and I miss them. I would then have to endure a scolding from their customer service rep for missing my appointment, and then reschedule and do this all over again.

People are busy, with busy lives and not a lot of discretionary time to sit and wait. With prices going up for just about everything, shoppers are becoming more discerning. If I have to spend time after the sale to fix things or replace them, I will be less likely to return to the same store or service provider. Give me the "one-night-stand." I'm looking for vendors that see me once, take my money, and leave me with nothing but pleasant memories. I like to be the one to rekindle the relationship by seeking them out and buying again, not to cry, complain, and tell them why they've done me wrong. Who needs another disfunctional relationship?

Service providers take a lot of heat, since they are often fixing problems they had no part in creating. Companies spend a lot of money and create a lot of ill will when they have to send service workers out to fix things. They could be spending that money on new products, marketing, or printing up those great 20% off coupons to bring in new business. If I have to wait, let it be for the guys from Publisher's Clearing House with that $1 million check. That's worth waiting for.

Water, Batteries and TP

This month is shaping up to be an active one for hurricanes. I happened to be in Jacksonville when Fay blew in (only a tropical storm) and she managed to shut down the town, close stores, and send rain and debris flying sideways in heavy winds all day and night. Midway in the second day of training the chandelier in the meeting room sprung a leak, showering water all over the table with all the AV equipment.

The hotel was very accommodating, but with all the rain and humidity, (and being Florida) when I got wet, it was almost impossible to dry out, even overnight. My one pair of comfortable shoes were soaked inside and out, and never did dry out over the three days I was in Jacksonville. Everything in the hotel room seemed damp, and I swear the bottomof my socks were wet when I walked on the carpet.

I made it out of Jacksonville and finally dried out, but now there are three possible hurricanes out in the Atlantic, all three with "cones of concern" projected to come up the eastern seaboard. Here we go again. Rain, damp, light fixtures that become upside-down fountains. Now, at home, we are urged to prepare for the worst, and go out and stock up on a few essentials -- bottled water, batteries and, most essential, toilet paper. On my trip to Sam's Club today, I was able to get all three, and a few other things on the survival list. Interesting how survival comes down to a shopping list of items that are so commonplace that we don't think of them when the sun is shining and there are no swirling masses on the weather map with names like Fay, Katrina and Hugo.

When disasters loom at work, what is on your list of survival items? Without electricity, lights, and air conditioning, what would you use to keep things going? Once when the electricity went out at the Resort where I was working, the servers at the restaurants had to write up manual tickets, make change (without the registers telling how much to return), and wash dishes by hand. We found out how unprepared our employees were to handle simple tasks like legibly writing up tickets, doing simple math to add up charges, figure sales tax and make change. And how unaccustomed they were to rolling up their sleeves and take on the unpleasant and repetitive task of washing dishes quickly in order to reset tables and take care of customers. Essential skills like math, writing, and innovation are often overlooked in employee training, but like water, batteries and toilet paper, they can surely keep you going when the lights go out (and the electricity is off). Working Smart means being prepared for whatever comes down the pike. How prepared is your workplace? What's on your "Essentials List?"

Welcome to Working Smart Works!!!

I haven't seen many news articles lately where some HR person put a gun to an applicant's head and forced them to take a job. Most people take a shower, brush their teeth, put on their best "interview" suit or dress, shine their shoes, pick up a leather portfolio (with a great interview pen inside), and print off a couple copies of that professionally scripted resume. Then they head out for an interview hoping to make the final cut, and ulitmiately become the workplace version of "American Idol Employee." Take center stage, hear the roar of the crowd, see the paystub with their name on it, slide into their new leather chair behind their new mahogany desk.

Unfortunately, some workplaces more closely resemble "Survivor -- Workplace." When the employee shows up on the first day, the job they interviewed for has changed and the manager they interviewed with has moved on. The co-workers who were friendly in the interview are now suspicious of their ambition and fear their credentials. The new employee is either ignored, tolerated, or fed misinformation.

If you have to work at all, it makes sense to work smart! That means that you choose the job, the company, the hours, the terms. Sound impossible? Well, if you work for someone else, at some point you are going to voluntarily sign on the dotted line and agree to whatever was said (promised, written) in the interview and your offer letter. So, be smart about it and choose well.

If you work for yourself, you have more freedom to choose, but you still will sign a contract, agreement, or proposal promising to show up at the company or client's place of business, or deliver a product at some point in time. Either way, there is an agreement to deliver something and you have a chance to name the terms, the place, the timing and the compensation. Again, choose well, because you are committing precious time that could be used doing something else (and possibly more fun, challenging and lucrative).

This blog will discuss all aspects of what we call "working" and propose ways to work smart. We all know how to work hard, put in long hours, be productive. But are we working smart -- leveraging our days on the job to that next level, more recognition, building that resume, enjoying more free time and control of our life on the job? Or maybe just chukking it all and going on your own. I'll share my experiences, trials, tribulations, elations, triumphs and lessons learned. Share yours with me.

As I travel around the country consulting, training, writing and speaking, I am struck by the attitude of so many workers, regardless of the level -- boredom, stressed out, angry, negative, just "hanging on". There are some bright spots, someone who has found a way to make work interesting or bearable until they can leave at the end of the day and get on with their real life. Work should be real life, too -- fun, engaging, positive, rewarding, challenging, creative.

What makes you jump out of bed every morning and get to work (hopefully on time). Other than having to pay the bills, what is it about your job makes you (or you wish it would) willingly spend most of your waking hours four or five days a week working? What issues would you like to discuss? Have answers to? Log on to see what creative ways people are learning to work smart, join me in my travels, and find out who out there is really taking care of the customer.

Mary N-H