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For Anyone Who Loves a Teenager
This isn’t normal Business Class material, but it clobbered me with its potential for influence.
Actually it screamed at me first. But it was the clobber that compelled me to share it with you.
On the cover of the June 1 issue of People (magazine) is a picture of 18 year old, Bristol Palin on high school graduation day. Dressed in a crimson colored graduation cap and gown and holding a baby. Her baby. Five month old Tripp.
The caption includes this quote from Bristol: “If girls realized the consequences of sex, nobody would be having sex. Trust me. Nobody.”
Flip to page 58, and you’ll find the feature article entitled ‘My Life Comes Second Now’,written by Sandra Sobiera J Westfall. On the first page is this quote from Bristol: “This is hard…I don’t think anyone realized that it really can happen to you – like, in a instant.”
In addition to details about how she is balancing motherhood with teenage-hood, the article includes a few statistics about teenage pregnancy. First, they say it’s ON THE RISE. Second – while Bristol got her high school diploma, the article states that “fewer than half of all girls who become mothers before turning 18 ever get their diplomas. (And fewer than 2% earn a college degree by age 30, according to a 2006 study).”
See what I mean?
Not our normal business topic.
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The Customer is Always Right
The customer is always right.
That’s what we were always told – young and new to the business world in the late 1970’s.
I, in turn, passed it along to all on my team at University Directories.
The customer is always right.
Over a number of years I heard hundreds of stories from customers and customer service reps. There were times when customers denied buying anything, even when we had a signed order in our files. There were times when the customer denied having approved an ad proof, when we had a signed proof in our files. There were times when the customer was so rude that the customer service rep ended the conversation in tears.
I just couldn’t do it anymore. The customer isn’t always right.
And so we changed our motto to:
The customer may not always be right. BUT the customer is always the customer.
This allowed us to take care of our business while still being very polite and respectful to the customer.
A perfect example of doing business with class.
And doing better business….better.
copyright 2009 – Jan Bolick, Business Class Inc
Complaint Land
Every now and then, it feels good to complain.
But it’s easy to get stuck there – and that’s not good.
When you or someone on your team gets stuck in complaint land,
consider asking the question,What do you want instead?
For example, let’s say the complaint is: “I’m so tired of people missing their deadlines.”
Then what if you say: “That must be frustrating. What do you want instead?
Or if the complaint is:
“I hate the way everyone else just sits there when I have so much to do.”
What if you say: “That must be frustrating, what do you want instead?
The answer to “What do you want instead?” is a powerful statement to yourself and to others.
It positively clarifies what you want or where you want to be instead.
We hear so much about the importance of living in the present.
Yet if we feel stuck and are frequently complaining about the present, envisioning the future can propel us forward.
copyright 2009 – Jan Bolick, Business Class Inc
Time: It Really Is Yours!
It’s thrilling to hear stories from people who take on the suggested assignment and then successfully squeeze past and present passions into their hectic lives.
Things like yoga, the guitar, the saxophone, writing or riding horses.
I received a note from a workshop participant who had surprised her 5th grade son by showing up for lunch at school. Here’s what she said:
“He was thrilled! I think those days are numbered, however, with adolescence and middle school right around the corner. But it certainly made my day and I felt so much better after just doing that one little thing.”
What about you? Did you make an effort during the past week to spend your time the way YOU really want to spend it? You can say YES even if it’s just a few minutes of one little thing.
Did it feel great?
Re-energizing?
Now do more this week for an even greater reward.
If you haven’t taken on the challenge yet, I hope you will.
Just make a list of all those things you wish you had time to do. Then choose just one of them and work it in to your calendar this week…even if it is just for 10 minutes. Actually write it on your calendar…just like you would a meeting with your boss.
Now – just do it because as Carl Sandburg said:
Carl Sandburg
copyright 2009 – Jan Bolick, Business Class Inc
Click here to get PDF – a pretty, postable version of this quote
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