Marion's Communication Tips

Don't Say No

Do you know someone who is quick to say "no"? A bit of a buzz kill, isn't it? Sometimes, it's easy to say no and tougher to find a way to say "yes".

Years ago, I told my employees, "You're not allowed to say 'no'". When I first introduced them to this concept, the perplexed look on their faces said it all. They weren't quite sure how to respond or what to do. They weren't even sure why I would ask such a thing. You may be wondering the same thing now.

Don't say no - give options.

It all stems from a sense of service. I bet you don't want to hear "no" when you ask someone to do something, right? You want to hear "yes", in some shape, size or form. It's amazing that this small word "no" has such a big meaning. It sounds final, black and white, discussion over, decision made. Not exactly what you were hoping for when you asked the question of someone, is it? Of course, you'd prefer to hear "yes".

The old saying about customer service, "the customer is always right" stems from that concept of saying "yes", validating the client and giving him or her what they are asking for, want and need. Those "clients" can be your colleagues asking you for some information, or your boss asking for another task, or your employees requesting a favor. There's definitely a place in your life for "no" - and that place is not found in customer servicve. It's about saying "yes". Apart from customer service ...

... imagine if you changed your thinking to stop saying "no" to challenges.

Think about the opportunities you would embrace, the risks you might take and the successes you would enjoy. Of course, you might fail every now and then - and if and when you did, you'd know that you gave it your everything. 

You might remember a 2008 Jim Carey movie called, "Yes Man". It was a funny story about this fellow who couldn't say "no" to anything. As you may likely guess, he got himself into some situations where the hilarity ensued. The interesting thing that happened was that Jim Carey's character found himself in many exciting and unexpected adventures that he would have otherwise missed. He figured out a way to say "yes".

There's a place for "no" in your life, for sure. However, when you replace "no" with other responses, you open up a world of possibilities -- not just for your clients, also for yourself. Saying "yes" doesn't mean observing every term and condition that was presented to you. It's about saying "yes" in a way that works for you.

In the short-term, when someone asks you something, it may be awfully tempting to answer with a quick "no". Before you do, ask yourself if this response is going to serve you and your needs in the long run. If not, try figuring out a way to say "yes" to what comes in your direction. It might be an opportunity in disguise. If nothing else, it will be a chance for you to create some options and change how you think. That change just might be what will make the difference in your relationships.

© 2011 Marion Grobb Finkelstein
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communication specialist, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve morale, confidence and productivity by changing how they communicate. Chat with her at www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks and sign up for her FREE weekly "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com

Clean Up Your Image Have you purchased any of those web bargain coupons? They're all over the place -- WagJag, Daily Deals, Social Living and more. I've scooped many of them with great success ... and then, some that were less than shining successes, like the one I used this week. I had a wedding to attend, so I figured it was a perfect time to use my voucher for manicure and haircut that I'd purchased. I'd never gone to this place before, never even knew about it, so I arrived with no preconceptions. My first impression began from the moment I pulled up in front of the shop. It seemed like a nice enough place in a neighborhood that was being revitalized and soon becoming a trendy hot spot. It struck me that this hair salon had potential, yet had clearly not kept up with the times. Apart from being dated, the thing that struck me the most was its untidy appearance.  It wasn't dirty per se, just unkept. Hair clippings were left on the floor from the cut of a previous client. The storage area enroute to the bathroom was piled with dirty pails and clothes. The baseboards were scuffed, marked and in sorry need of a repaint. The tile floor sported dust that had been dragged in. The posters on the wall had been there for enough time that the thumbtacked corners were beginning to curl ever so slightly. These surroundings left me with a sense that the shop owner didn't really care, didn't take pride in his work, and didn't give a hoot about what his clients thought or needed. All this made me wonder if I could trust him with my business. Was he competent? Organized? Professional? Mmmm, I had to wonder. This image did not match the image I had in my mind of a well-run beauty shop. Now think about your workplace. What type of impression does it give? Do your work surroundings project the image that is consistent with your brand, the quality of your work, and what you want to be known for? Does it reflect a professional and organized approach, or are all your files or supplies sprawling across your desk in complete disarray? It might be "organized confusion" for you and give a completely different message to others. For your client, colleagues and bosses, it may be shouting, "WARNING: stay away! Disorganized person works here!". Nothing may be further than the truth. However, clues lead to conclusions and people may read these environmental surroundings as warnings that your work is out of control. Why risk it? Why not stack the deck in your favor and project the image that instills a sense of confidence in your abilities? You deserve no less. It might be unfair that the world judges books by their covers. Whether we like it or not, it's also the reality. When the image you project doesn't match what people expect, that gap between expectation and reality may not serve you well. It may be making it harder for you to get the recognition, the pet projects and the rewards that you deserve.   The good news is that there's one person and one person only who controls your workplace environment, and you'll find out who when you look in the mirror. You might not control the whole workplace -- you do control your piece of it. Put the control to work and project the image that you deserve. By the way ... the haircut and manicure was OK, not great. It pretty much matched the image of the boutique itself. And that, right there, is the whole point. Next time, I'll follow my gut and my impressions and just may walk away. Your clients may do the same based on the impression you give with your workplace. You have the ability to control the image your work space projects. Take a look around you right now and ask yourself honestly, is this the impression you want to make? Is it truly a reflection of your professionalism? If not, you can change it, starting today. You've worked hard to build a great reputation and give a good impression -- let your work space reflect that. Comments about this article? Blog them below -- everyone welcome! PS: have you signed up yet to receive my weekly "Marion's Communication Tips". Visit www.MarionSpeaks.com and fill in the webform, or just email me at Marion@MarionSpeaks.com with "sign me up" in the subject line. Until next time, here's to ... Better communication, Better business, Better life, Marion Grobb Finkelstein COMMUNICATION CATALYST Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author www.MarionSpeaks.com Marion@MarionSpeaks.com www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks   © 2011 Marion Grobb Finkelstein WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communication specialist, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve morale, confidence and productivity by changing how they communicate. Chat with her at www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks and sign up for her FREE weekly "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com

I often get emails from people asking some excellent communication-related questions. Many of you are likely wondering the same things, so I'll be responding to these questions from time to time via my "Marion's Communication Tips" enewsletter. If you have a question or communication challenge you'd like to share, drop me a line at Marion@MarionSpeaks.com and you might be featured in a future edition. (PS: I use first names only and always ask permission to use your story first. I also may take a few editing liberties to shorten the text). And now, on to this week's question ...

QUESTION: "Marion, your recent newsletter about (the importance of) response times brought a flood of instances to mind where I was less than prompt getting back to clients. I met with a client the other day -- 10 days after our initial contact. Files just pile up, not to mention having to act as team lead and fill in extra shifts while co-workers were on holiday. I find myself having to make excuses for why I haven't contacted people sooner. I suppose the right thing to do would have been to take a few minutes to let her know I hadn't forgotten about her."
Signed, Overwhelmed in Edmonton  

MARION'S RESPONSE:
Dear Overwhelmed, you are not alone. It seems everyone these days is expected to do more with less. The proverbial "fat" has been cut so severely in some organizations, that the powers that be have succeeded in cutting into muscle. It's difficult to live in an environment of increasing expectations and reduced resources. And this type of workplace defintely puts a strain on how we communicate. Stress always does. So here's some tips:

• MANAGE EXPECTATIONS -- BEGIN WITH YOURS. You can only do what you can do. Even the most organized and productive person has a breaking point. Know what your boundaries are and when you're approaching them, then tell yourself it's OK to admit that you're human. Set challenging and reasonable goals for yourself and allow yourself some breathing and "contingency" room to get things done.
• MANAGE EXPECTATIONS -- THEIRS. Once you know what your timelines and boundaries are, communicate that to the person waiting for your response. They might not like being told that you'll be getting back to them next week instead of tomorrow. They might even be upset and disappointed. Even this is better than them thinking you're responding tomorrow and them getting more angry by the day when you don't respond for a week. As difficult as it may be, explain the reality. No communication at all is a void, and if you don't fill it with information and expectation, the client will fill it with anxiety, anger and disappointment. And those emotions destroy relationships ... and business.
• MEET EXPECTATIONS -- BOTH OF YOURS. Now that you've set the expectations, make sure you meet them. When you say you're going to do something, do it. It's as simple as that. That's how you build credibility and distinguish yourself from the competition. Much better to have a client, colleague, boss or employee dealing with a realistic expectation and you meeting it, than just thinking you're not responding at all. It lowers the stress for both of you.

For the past month or so, I've been shopping for "just the right" couch. I finally found one last week. It was the right colour (well, OK, it's a tad darker than I'd like -- life is full of compromises, right?), the right size (maybe just a smidgen too large, though it still fits), the right price (hey, leather's expensive so a higher price is justifiable, isn't it?) ... and then the delivery date. What?! Eight to ten weeks? Are you kidding me?

At first, I couldn't believe the lengthy waiting period. We have already sold our old couches and are watching TV in the rec room downstairs while our upstairs family room is being renovated. As nostalgic as this "college dorm" look is, I wasn't planning on two and a half months of this. Then the salesman said something that made a lot of sense. He explained, "Most other furniture places will tell you they'll deliver in 6 to 8 weeks, but that's just not so. We tell people 8 to 10 weeks, because that's what it really is. And if you get it early, bonus."

He was absolutely right. Now I know that we'll be a couple months without our furniture and I'm planning on using that time to paint, refinish the floors, and choose accessories. In other words -- he communicated a realistic situation and managed my expectations. I, in turn, am grateful to him for being upfront. You can use this same technique with your clients and work mates. I think this approach sets that furniture company apart from many others. You can position yourself uniquely too, just by being upfront about managing expectations.

When you find yourself overwhelmed and simply unable to respond when you (or they) hoped, let the people know. You deserve to be relieved of undue stress and your client deserves an answer, if only to advise them when you'll respond in full. That's managing expectations, stress, and relationships. Allow yourself some breathing room and keep others up to date. Now, that's worth communicating.

WHERE ON EARTH IS MARION? In addition to communication coaching and consulting, here's where I'm presenting in the next few months. If you're attending, let me know! Or if I'm coming to your area and your organization is interested in receiving communication training, just drop me a line at Marion@MarionSpeaks.com :   June 8, 2011: OMSSA (Ottawa, Ont) June 15, 2011: Vitalize (Edmonton, Alberta) July 27: IAAP Education Forum and Annual Meeting (Montreal, Quebec)

Until next time, here's to ...
Better communication, Better business, Better life!
Marion Grobb Finkelstein
Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author

www.MarionSpeaks.com
Marion@MarionSpeaks.com
www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks  

© 2011 Marion Grobb Finkelstein
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communications expert, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve their businesses and their lives by improving their communications. Chat with her Facebook www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks  or sign up for her FREE weekly e-newsletter "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com

How's your response rate these days? I mean, how long does it typically take for you to respond to an enquiry or request? It could be from your boss, employee, colleague or client -- and how long you take to respond is going to make a difference to your success rate and building relationships.
 
Jay Arthur, a fellow pro speaker (http://www.lean-six-sigma-money-belt.com), advised me that in the March 2011 HBR reports that sales could benefit from cutting response times. Companies spent $22.7 billion generating online sales leads in 2009. Companies that followed up within the hour were seven times more likely to qualify the lead than companies that followed up after an hour and 60 times more likely than companies that waited 24 hours.

How are most companies doing?

• 23% never responded at all
• 24% took more than 24 hours
• 16% responded in 1-24 hours
• 37% within the hour

In other words, two-thirds of companies are throwing away their investment (that’s $14.6 billion) by waiting too long to respond. Learn from what corporations are doing wrong. Wow, that's a lot of money. Clearly, response rates matter in business.

They also matter in terms of projecting yourself as a professional. How you treat others shouts volumes of how you value them. Non-response suggests that you don't value the person making the request. Nothing may be further from the truth -- you may simply be overwhelmed, be super busy, or the request may have gotten lost in cyberspace. The person waiting for the response doesn't know any of that. All they have to judge how you value them is the way in which you respond.

I worked with a client recently who dashed off an urgent note full of angst to his boss. When the boss responded immediately (within an hour or two) by phone call, requesting the employee to call back, this employee took over a day to respond. The boss did the right thing -- immediate response to an urgent request. The employee did not.

When you don't respond in a timely manner, especially to urgent requests, and especially those from superiors or clients with time-senstive issues, you disrespect them.

Now think about it -- is there anyone you need to respond to? If the answer is "yes", do it now.

cheers,
Marion

PS: if you're having difficulty coping with all the requests to communicate, I have some strategies that I share with my coaching clients -- the first of which is change your attitude and realize how your actions may be perceived. If you're interested in being coached, drop me a line.

This weekend, my hubby and I went to the "Ottawa Renovations" show. I got inspired. He got worried. What started as a "let's do an accent wall" is evolving into redoing the family room and possibly updating the kitchen cabinets. I went to the show with the mindset of spending money and looking for ideas. I knew I wanted to move forward; my only question was, "with which supplier?". I was absolutely what one would call "a qualified client". In marketing terms, a client like this is a dream come true.

Given this fact, I was particularly surprised at the lukewarm reception some of the businesses at the tradeshow gave me. Several spent all their time with me explaining why my project wouldn't work instead of showing me how it could. Perhaps the job wasn't big enough to be of interest -- but how did they know I didn't have a bigger job around the corner?

For my Canadian colleagues, this is the long Thanksgiving weekend. It's wonderful to take a moment to recognize all the things for which we are grateful, and there are so many. Besides friends, family, health and life, I am always thankful for great customer service. I was reminded of that just this past week

If you visited my website www.MarionSpeaks.com lately, you're likely aware that I've been having lots of technical difficulties. Links weren't working, pictures didn't apear as they should, text was changing color for some unknown reason, and I was getting emails from clients and colleagues alerting me to these facts. I was frustrated beyond belief, so did what most of us would do in that situation -- I called the help line. That's when the wheels fell off.

I was greeted by a soft-spoken gentleman named Jeff. I explained one problem and received a brief "uh huh". I went on to describe the next issue and then the next. All I heard was silence, so much so that I said, "Hello, are you still there?". I left that conversation feeling like I really hadn't been heard and was not confident that Jeff would be able to find a solution. This concern was confirmed when I received an email with the "work ticket" indicating "Low Priority". Clearly, in spite of my stating the urgency of this situation, Jeff didn't understand how fundamental my website was to clients visiting my site. Having just delivered a session to 200 people in Thunder Bay a few days before (special "hi" to my Stepping Stones colleagues!), I was understandably concerned that many people would be visiting my website and getting first impressions ... with links that didn't work. Turns out, I was right.

The very next day, I checked my website and none of the problems had been resolved. I called the help line again and spoke to Jeff's work mate named Jonathon. Jonathon at least punctuated his listening with "uh huh", "I see", and asked a few questions to demonstrate his active listening and understanding. He was doing well until the very end of the conversation when I said "goodbye" and he hung up without even responding. Who does that?! Apparently phone service people who don't realize what it feels like to be on the receiving end of such lack of communication.

ATTENTION TO anyone who speaks to clients on the phone (and isn't that all of us?). Perhaps you may not require verbalizing your thoughts and you may enjoy some time to process information and find a solution. That might be all find and good and work for you. However, in case you are not aware, here it is up straight -- it absolutely does not work for your client. To connect with your client, you need to evidence that you are actively engaged through audial clues.

When there's a live person on the other end of the phone who can't see your body language, you will connect by giving audial signs that you are actively engaged. If you choose not to do so, your client may mistakenly conclude that you are disconnected, not interested, or working on something else. That is the absolute worst way to respond and if it's your way, you would be well advised to change it. Here's how.

TIPS TO OFFERING GREAT PHONE SUPPORT:

• After the client speaks, say something. While you may be working away finding the answer for clients on the line, make sure they know what you're doing. Do not remain silent ... when you're on the phone, silence is anything but golden. Validate your client's position and frustration. "I can understand why you would say/think that" (even though they might be wrong, you can still see WHY they would logically conclude something). Agree with what you can such as, "Yes, you're right. This really is fundamental to your business and needs to be rated as 'urgent priority'". If you say nothing, the client has no way of knowing that you are actively engaged. Remaining silent is bad communication and a surefire way to disconnect.

• Smile. Although the client can't see your smile, they'll still hear it in your voice. Be friendly and reassure him or her. Your client is already frustrated with the technical issue, so don't let your silence add to that frustration. TIP: keep a mirror by your phone and when you're dealing with clients, look into it. If your face looks uptight, angry, disinterested, happy, engaged or smiling ... your voice will convey it. Make sure your face is saying what you want it to because only then wll your voice have the tone you hope to convey.

• Make it free for the client to call you. Although a 1-800 number is ideal, it's not always affordable for small businesses. If your organization doesn't offer one, be sensitive to the fact that the client is calling long distance and offer to hang up and call them right back so they incur no unnecessary charges.That starts your conversation off on the right foot and evidences from the very beginning that you routinely take the client's perspective into consideration. 

Silence may well be golden, but not when you're speaking to clients or colleagues on the phone. Remember, they can't see your visual clues, so compensate with lots of audial clues to ensure that you connect. Do this, and even though your silence won't be golden, your relationships will be.

NOTE: are you on Facebook yet? Jump in and stay connected at www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks   

Until next time, here's to
Positive communication,
Productive relationships,
Powerful results!

Marion Grobb Finkelstein
Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author
www.MarionSpeaks.com  
Marion@MarionSpeaks.com  
www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks 

© 2010 Marion Grobb Finkelstein

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communications expert, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve their businesses and their lives by improving their communications. Chat with her Facebook www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks or sign up for her FREE weekly e-newsletter "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com. 

I'm a big believer that offering great customer service means great business. Whether you're working in a government office, a retail outlet, or selling a service, it's your clients and consumers who are your raison d'etre, the reason you do what you do. Offering great service builds business

If I asked you to tell me about an awful customer service experience you've had, you could probably give me several. And I bet that when you received this less than stellar service, you told other people, right? Sure you did. We all do. We need to vent with others we trust, and we want to warn them against patronizing businesses and services that don't deserve our business.

Now , let's flip the coin for a moment and think about the last time you received outstanding service. What did it look like? What was it that made it so wonderful? What made the difference? When you got this fantastic service, how many people did you tell?

Research suggests that when we're satisfied we relay the great experience to a few people. When we're disgruntled, watch out -- we tell many more. We seem to be quick to complain and slow to compliment. But why? Great service begs to be acknowledged, and there's two people who need to hear about it:

1. the person serving you

2. their supervisor

Last week, I received a phone call from an online autoresponder service I was trialing. I'd decided not to go with them in large part, due to cost and because I could get comparable services elsewhere. Although their product was a cadillac, I didn't need all the bells and whistles. I had advised my customer service rep of my intent to leave the plan and he relayed the information to his colleague to close my account. When Scott (let's call him that) called me, he asked why I was leaving. I told him. And then I continued to expound on some of the suggestions I had for his product. I then told him about the excellent service that Steve (the sales rep) had offered me. I asked that my comments be relayed to Steve (I'd already told him personally, but I wanted his colleague to know too) and be noted to his supervisor. In a case like this, I often ask to speak directly to the supervisor who is always pleasantly shocked to hear someone taking the time to compliment a staff member. That tells me that it doesn't happen often.

Asking for your positive feedback to be noted to someone's personnel file is the best way to say "thanks". Be specific about what the person did to help you and the impact their service had on your business, your stress level, your life.

Gestures like this take only a few moments, yet their impact can make differences to careers and last a lifetime. It's motivating and encouraging for the person serving you to hear and it reinforces this great behaviour. It's also important for the supervisor to hear, to know that they have a real "winner" in their midst, and this information may well open doors for that employee and also make the supervisor look good too.

Next time when you get a chance to pass on a compliment about customer service, do it. Someone needs to hear. And now, you know who.

Until next time, here's to ...
Positive communication, Productive relationships, Powerful results!
Marion Grobb Finkelstein
Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author

www.MarionSpeaks.com
Marion@MarionSpeaks.comMarion@MarionSpeaks.com

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© 2010 Marion Grobb Finkelstein

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communications expert, author, professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve their businesses and their lives by improving their communications. Chat with her Facebook www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks or sign up for her FREE weekly e-newsletter "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com.

I have a theory: we can all make a difference in our lives and those of others by practicing what I call, "The Thank You Principle".

 

Marion, have you ever been in a restaurant, enjoyed a wonderful meal and said nothing to anyone? Even if the server doesn't ask, why not tell him or her, "That was a delicious meal"? Take it a step further and direct the comment to the person actually responsible, and add, "Please tell the chef I loved it". Why do the same in your own workplace? Notice something someone's doing well that helps you in some way, and pass on the thanks. My guess is, we all hear complaints often enough, perhaps we even contribute to giving some -- so why not balance that out with some positive energy?

 

I've had occasion to call a government office recently. The person on the phone responding to my questions was outstanding. At the end of the conversation, I asked if I could speak to her supervisor. The phone went silent. I could just hear what she was thinking, "oh no, what went wrong? What is this Marion person going to complain about to my boss?" It seems we're all conditioned to think the worst. I allayed her concerns when I offered that I wanted to speak to the supervisor to say what a great job she had done AND to request that my comments be noted on her personnel file (TIP: always suggest that your comments be noted on file).

 

We can all make a difference in people's lives by communicating thanks. Thinking it alone is not enough. We must put words to those feelings of appreciation and reach out with them.

 

This week I resurrected something I started about ten years ago. I sat at my computer with a blank screen and at the top of the page I typed, "Lessons My Mother Taught Me". Then I wrote the subtitle, "Lesson #1: I am valuable". I followed with a recount of a very vivid memory of a particular event in my teenage years where my mother was instrumental in helping me feel valued when I felt anything but. I thanked her. And I plan on thanking her with another story every week or so.

 

This gesture becomes more meaningful when I explain that my mother is 90 years old, in failing health, and living with advanced Alzheimer's. She may not remember these events or perhaps, not even these letters moments after they've been read, but I'll remember. I'll remember that I told her thanks for the amazing positive impact she's had on my life. I want her to know the lessons she instilled in me. I want to share this thanks in her living years. It may seem like a gift to her -- it's really a gift to me. And that's how "The Thank You Principle" works.

 

A few years ago, at the end of a series of presentations across several provinces I had done for a national association, I sent my contact a personal thank you note followed by a gift basket to share with her colleagues. I was exercising "The Thank You Principle" by giving a small token of my thanks. I was pleased to do so and I waited anxiously to hear about her surprise. I looked forward to receiving an email acknowledging that the item had been received as I imagined the scene in my mind of her delight with the basket arriving. Instead, I got nothing. No thank you, no acknowledgement, nothing. After a couple weeks, I thought surely something had gotten mixed up. I called the gift basket company to ensure that the delivery had been made. It had.

 

Let me be clear here. "The Thank You Principle" says that when you give thanks of any sort, it's completely with no strings attached -- you don't expect anything in return and you see absolutely no obligation on the other person's part at all. When I give, it's to demonstrate my sincere thanks. I do, however, expect common courtesy which would dictate a simple, "thank you". It's a reasonable expectation.

 

Who is it that you need to thank or acknowledge in some way? A colleague who has worked extra hard on a project, perhaps. Or maybe your supervisor who treats you like a person first, employee second (I recommend this approach). Or a client who has been loyal for many years. They won't know you're grateful unless you tell and show them.

 

Thinking thankful thoughts is good, it's just not enough. Try verbalizing that gratitude and when you see the reaction of those receiving your praise and gratitude, you'll have one more thing for which to be thankful.

 

PS:  Are you on Facebook? I'd love to have you join me on my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks and post your comments about this article or any communications-related item.

 

Until next time,

Better communication, better business, better life,

Marion Grobb Finkelstein

Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author

www.MarionSpeaks.com

Marion@MarionSpeaks.com

 

Recipient of APEX "Award for Leadership in Service Innovation"

Marion@MarionSpeaks.com

www.MarionSpeaks.com

613-983-TALK (8255)

• ·Marion is a contributing author to "Award-Winning Finalist USA BOOK NEWS Non-Fiction: Anthologies" book, "The Power of the Platform: Speakers on Success", featuring 21 authors including Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy and Tana Goertz. See http://www.marionspeaks.com/bk-popsuccess_70.html   

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