This week I was the guest of Stephanie Weaver, the customer experience consultant and host of the Experienceology podcast. We discussed Connection Cultures and how they increase employee engagement and customer engagement to improve the customer experience. Stephanie is a connector, a wonderful interviewer and creative thinker. Click on the player below to hear the interview.
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For additional information on Stephanie check our her website, blog, podcast and book.
Book Review: Manage the Media
Award-winning, veteran journalist William J. Holstein has written a little gem of a book filled with wise advice for CEOs about how to manage today’s media. Manage the Media is one of Harvard Business Press’s new “Memo to the CEO” series. It’s a quick read and to the point which should be perfect for time-starved executives. I highly recommend it for CEOs, board members, members of senior management and anyone interested in media coverage of organizations.
Total Picture Radio Interview on Employee Engagement
Recently it was my privilege to be the guest of host Peter Clayton on Total Picture Radio. Peter is a well-respected thinker as well as an outstanding and insightful interviewer. In the interview we discussed how Connection Cultures increase employee engagement. You can access my interview with Peter by clicking here.
My Recent Quotes in The Wall Street Journal
Recently I spoke with Kelly Spors of The Wall Street Journal about what potential business partners should consider before forming a partnership. As you might expect, my comments focused on issues where connection is most often as risk. Here is a link to her article entitled, “OK, Partner, We Better Sign a Prenup.”
Earlier this month I spoke with Erin White of The Wall Street Journal about how Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences influenced my work at E Pluribus Partners. Here is a link to the article entitled, “Quest for Innovation, Motivation Inspires the Gurus.”
The ABC’s of Employee Engagement
Over at David Zinger’s blog you’ll find a fun and thoughtful list of ideas related to employee engagement from some top thinkers and consultants in the business. Although I don’t know all of the participants I have great respect for the participants I know including David Zinger, Robert Morris, Terrence Seamon, Steve Roesler and Tim Wright. I’m certain the others are top rate too. The free e-book is available at this link.
A poignant journey to heal and reconnect
In honor of Mother’s Day tomorrow, I am taking a break from writing about connection at work to focus on connection in families. Each of us experience times in life when we feel disconnected from family members. The lack of relational intimacy with the people we love can be especially painful. It often contributes to unhealthy behaviors as a means to cope with the pain. In the stories of individuals who break their addiction, you will nearly always find one person or a group of people who helped heal the wounds of the addicted with love and encouragement.
Lost & Found is the poignant story of Kathryn Slattery, a contributing editor of Guideposts magazine and author of several books. In the book, Kitty describes her disconnection with her mother and father, the onset of bulimia, how her husband Tom’s love and encouragement helped her overcome bulimia, and finally how Kitty reconnected with her parents.
I enjoyed this book.
Lifehack Live Interview
Recently, I was interviewed by Dustin Wax of the popular Lifehack Live podcast on Blogtalkradio.com about Fired Up or Burned Out and how Connection Cultures increase employee engagement. To hear the interview click here. Lifehack.org is the premier personal development site on the web, with daily content on productivity, organization, communication, technology, and more. Lifehack live features interviews with leading personal development experts, roundtable chats on topics related to productivity, and an assortment of tips, tricks and hacks to help you make the most out of your life.
Stephen Paletta, The Biggest Giver
Tonight, the judges for Oprah’s new hit show “The Big Give” selected Stephen Paletta as the biggest giver. My family and I just returned home from watching the Big Give with Steve’s family and friends at a local restaurant. Everyone attending the gathering was thrilled that Steve won because he is a big giver, in more ways than you might expect.
Cranky Middle Manager Interview
I recently recorded an interview with Wayne Turmel, host of the “Cranky Middle Manager Show” on The Podcast Network. Wayne is an interviewer extraordinaire. His valuable insights and sense of humor always enliven and enlighten listeners (and guests) alike. Wayne and I had a great chat about Connection Cultures and how they increase employee engagement. To listen to the interview, click here. Also, be sure to check out the other 139 interviews Wayne has recorded since the Cranky Middle Manager show’s inception.
The Mitchells’ Mission: Conquer the World One Hug at a Time
The year was 1958. Ed Mitchell, a 54-year old marketing and advertising executive, got off the commuter train from New York City and announced he was leaving the awful work culture he had put up with for years. Ed realized that being nice to people and caring about them were in his DNA and the work environments on Madison Avenue that he had experienced were indifferent to those values or viewed them as a weakness. Those toxic environments were literally giving him ulcers.
Ed decided to open a men’s clothing store in his hometown of Westport, Connecticut. This way he could create the environment that he wanted to work in. Ed began by selling a selection of three suits all hung on a pipe left over from the previous tenant, a plumber. Norma, his wife, made coffee for customers. The Mitchells’ friends showed up to support them. Ed loved being around people and getting to know them. He loved helping community organizations too. And the Mitchells’ store grew and grew.
Ed and Norma’s sons, Bill and Jack, eventually joined the business, as have members of the next generation of Mitchells. Eventually, they acquired two other stores that shared their philosophy: Richards in Greenwich, Connecticut and Marshs in Long Island. Mitchells/Richards/Marshs has been wildly successful. In 2002, they were named Menswear Retailer of the Year. Celebrities and corporate chiefs flock to their stores. The three stores are likely pulling in around $100 million a year in revenue.
What are the keys to their success? When you observe their business, a few things stand out. They value excellence in the products they sell and the services they provide. A business that attracts and retains the kind of demanding customers that Mitchells/Richards/Marshs has doesn’t succeed unless it meets its customers’ high expectations. What really differentiates Mitchells/Richards/Marshs is hugs. The “hug” is a metaphor for connecting with clients and associates and showing them you care. A hug is everything from knowing a customer’s pet’s name to going the extra mile to get a customer’s suit delivered on time for a special event. In service businesses, hugs are a source of competitive advantage. The Mitchells community (family, associates, customers and suppliers) hug each other a lot. Imagine a culture that lives by the Golden Rule and you’ll get a sense for what it feels like to be a part of this hugging community.
Now the hugging philosophy has gone global. And why not? It’s inspiring. It’s simple. It works. Jack Mitchell, chairman and CEO of Mitchells/Richards/Marshs, has written Hug Your Customers (available in several languages) and Hug Your People. I highly recommend both books. They will give you an up-close look at a thriving example of the Connection Culture I’ve written about that increases employee and customer engagement.
Ed and Norma Mitchell are no longer alive but their dream lives on and so does their example of how to treat employees like family and customers like friends. They started something great. You can find the inspiring story of how it all began on Jack Mitchell’s website under videos (it’s entitled “The Ed Mitchell Story”). To the casual observer, it may look like these unassuming merchants are mere purveyors of exceptional clothing and jewelry. In reality, it’s so much more. They’re philosophers in Armani and Zegna, spreading their beliefs one hug at a time.
Picture: Jack Mitchell (on the left) with me at his book signing held at the Richards’ store in my hometown of Greenwich, Connecticut.