Blog by Tracy Stock, CSP

My monthly cellular phone bill increased $30 this past month with no explanation and I was upset. When I called and made my way through the automated phone tree 20 minutes later, I finally got to talk to a live person. He said, “No worries, I will figure out what’s going on and then help identify additional services that’ll interest you.” First and foremost, is the timing really right to talk about upselling me when I’m clearly the opposite of happy? The answer is not only “no,” but “H E double hockey-sticks NO!”

What has happened to offering genuine customer service? I never used to offer training in this area simply because I thought customer service was such a basic concept; wow, was I wrong! Sadly, many companies must also think as I used to, because high-quality customer service seems to be essentially non-existent these days.

Customer service should be more than the pillar of a business—it should be the overarching philosophy that carries them every step of the way through operations. After all, my customers are the sheer reason I have a business; without them, Achieve Positive Outcomes wouldn’t exist. Not only does it take training, practice, and industry knowledge to fine-tune your approach, but it also requires walking in your customers’ shoes, anticipating their needs, and then delivering on exactly that. Here is how some of the top service organizations view the idea of customer service:

You Get What You Train For:

• “Lead a conversation as a person, not as a sales­person. They should speak, and you should listen.” Samuel Thimothy, Co-founder of ONEIMS
• “We train our employees on the customer journey and what expectations we have for each touch point. We listen to the client, talk to the parties involved to get all sides, and then move quickly to come to a resolution.” Elizabeth Johnson, CEO of PATHFORMANCE­TECHNOLOGIES
• “Train your team to actively listen. Once someone’s complaint has been fully heard, and you’ve offered appropriate empathy, 99 percent of complaints are on their way to de-escalation.” Mackey McNeill, Founder of MACKEY

The Service Mentality:

• “The customer is my boss. She is the one who signs my paycheck, and every­body else’s paycheck. Our job is to make her unbelievably happy, and surprise and delight her every single day.” Kendra Scott, Founder of KENDRA SCOTT
• “The connective tissue for everything we do across the company is realizing that we exist to make customers’ lives better and easier every day, and we relentlessly want to do so. Being maniacally focused on the customer experience is always going to be a top priority for us.” Andy Jassy, CEO of AMAZON
• “The more people you serve, the more lives you change, the happier you are too.” David Neeleman, Founder of JETBLUE

Tricks of the Customer Service Trade:

According to research by McKinsey, 41 percent of business leaders say it takes three to six months to train customer service employees for optimal performance. Leaders from numerous organizations I’ve talked with don’t even come close to providing that level of training for new staff. Happily, though, 80 percent of leaders last year said they plan to increase their customer service budgets for 2023 over last year (Source: Zendesk). If plans are followed with action, we should start to experience improvements soon in the service industry. Wouldn’t that be nice?! Well, I’m quietly cheering on cellular carriers to finish first and come out on top, as we are all affected—positively or negatively—by their ability to serve their customers…namely you and me.

• “When I first started my business, I used to book a call with every single customer to personally ­onboard them. Keep in mind, all of these customers were on a free trial. What surprised me was that many of these phone calls led not only to paid conversions, but also to referrals, because of the attention we gave them.” Sean Kim, Founder and CEO of JUMPSPEAK
• “Being quick to hear and act on a complaint is essential. But even when a response is prompt, too often the response focuses on justifying the com­pany’s actions. When we do run into a challenge, we try to see the situation from the customer’s perspective first. From there, we ask questions to understand what their frustration is and generate solutions to address the real issue.” Michael Walters, Founder and President of STUDIO503
• “We’re incredibly customer-centric. If you visit our site and build a cart but don’t check out, we have somebody who will call you. Not every brand could get away with it, but because we’re so customer-centric, we close about 70 percent of those orders. We push them to the front of the line and ship them day-of. Pretty much everyone who experiences a call like that is so appreciative, and it’s helped us dive deeper into what our customers want.” Charis Jones, Founder and CEO of SASSY JONES

Instead of viewing customers like something we have to tend to…like teeth—“ignore them and they’ll go away”—see customers as invited guests to a party and you are the host! Choose to make it your responsibility every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better. Cheers to that!

(Adapted from a recent article in INC. Magazine)

Blog by Tracy Stock, CSP | Achieve Positive Outcomes, LLC

The idea that “work sucks” is everywhere. In fact, according to the State of the Global Workplace 2022 Report published by Gallup, Inc.—renowned for their public opinion polls conducted worldwide—60% of workers today are emotionally detached at work and 19% are miserable.

So, what makes a job suck? Gallup found the biggest source was “unfair treatment at work.” That was followed by an unmanageable workload, unclear communication from managers, lack of manager support and unreasonable time pressure. Those five causes have one thing in common: your boss. Get a bad one and you are almost guaranteed to hate your job. A bad boss often ignores you, disrespects you and rarely supports you. Environments like that can make anyone miserable.

In fact, someone extremely close to me—who was clearly a rising star and promoted three times in under two years—recently gave notice and said “bye-bye” to his well-paid, degree-aligned leadership position WITHOUT securing another job to replace it. Crazy, you say? Well, I guess when you’ve had enough, you’ve had enough. And he certainly had enough suffering. And the commonality cause cited above mirrored his reasoning, too.

Improving life at work—or having it suck less—may not be easy, but it is rather simple: better leaders in the workplace. Managers need to be better communicators, coaches and collaborators. Awesome managers actually help their teams learn and grow, recognize them for doing quality work, and treat them in a way that makes them truly feel cared about. In environments like this, workers thrive versus struggle.

Following are 10 essential leadership traits or qualities that the best leaders consistently demonstrate and those leaders can focus on to enhance their ability to lead while increasing their chances of success. And guess what…they are not only good for leaders. They are qualities that high performing individual contributors also model:

1. Self-Confidence. Self-confidence is not only one of the essential leadership qualities but possibly the most important professional attribute that you can possess. Leaders who are confident in their abilities are typically more engaged and proactive, leading to better job performance and career advancement.

2. Problem-solving skills. To be successful in any workplace, leaders need to be able to see the situation from all angles and find the best solution for the organization.

3. Integrity. Being honest, adhering to your moral and ethical principles, and doing the right thing (even when it’s not easy or popular) is the foundation of successful leadership. Those with integrity are reliable, trustworthy and dependable.

4. Influence. Influence is the ability to personally affect the actions, decisions, opinions, or thinking of others. Ultimately, influence allows you to get things done and achieve desired outcomes.

5. Communication. The best leaders are skilled communicators who can communicate in a variety of ways, from transmitting information to inspiring others to coaching direct reports. And leaders must also be able to listen to, and communicate with, a wide range of people across roles, geographies, social identities, and more, in an empathetic manner.

6. Visionary. Visionary leadership is characterized by a keen understanding of the future and the ability to see opportunities where others do not. This type of leadership is often required in rapidly changing industries.

7. Accountability. The benefits of accountability are numerous and go beyond simply meeting organizational goals. When individuals are held accountable for their actions, it gives them a sense of responsibility and ownership for their work. Furthermore, it fosters a culture of continuous improvement.

8. Innovativeness. Innovation is a key ingredient in success in the workplace. Innovation ensures new ideas are thought of and put into practice. This leads to better work performance, higher creativity, and a higher level of commitment from employees.

9. Passion. Passion is a powerful leadership quality. Leaders must be passionate about their work to inspire others and drive results.

10. Courage. It can be hard to speak up at work, whether you want to voice a new idea, provide feedback to a direct report, or address a concern for someone above you. Rather than avoiding issues, have the courage to share a tough message in a way that maximizes candor and minimizes defensiveness.

Creating the best leaders—and selecting the right high potentials to fill open leadership roles—definitely isn’t rocket science. After all, every living, breathing adult is already a manager in life; but it does require identifying what leadership traits are critical for your leaders to model and then being very disciplined to ensure you find those individuals who exemplify those qualities. And rather than suffering or struggling, thriving under the right leadership sure sounds like a lot more fun!  

Blog by Tracy Stock, CSP | Achieve Positive Outcomes, LLC

Everywhere we look there are ads that suggest if we take this or do that, we will have found the secret to more energy, vitality and zest for life. And if there was a magic pill or miracle ointment, would you down it or rub it in? I think it is safe to say, most of us would. Well, no need for special pills nor ointments, and it’s free! What is this magic potion? Sleep. And this one thing has helped me in so many aspects in my life.

Instead of considering how much sleep you can get by with, a much more productive and healthier question to ask is, “How much sleep do I need?”

Interestingly, there are competing beliefs about how much sleep we need. Is it six hours? Seven hours? Eight hours? Is there an optimum amount of sleep necessary for a healthy adult? I don’t think so. In fact, I believe it really depends on the individual and his/her lifestyle and needs.

One thing I know for sure is that sleep offers many benefits for those of us wanting to live healthy lives, such as enhanced memory, helps maintain a healthy weight, lowers blood pressure, decreases stress, stabilizes mood, and strengthens the immune system. But there is one additional benefit that often flies under the radar. Do you want in on the secret?  The huge hush-hush is something that can positively affect any adult, no matter your gender, ethnicity, height, weight, personality style, financial status, etc. Have you figured it out? The clandestine advantage that sleep provides is that it also defies the aging process. Securing “forty winks” is known to be an important time for the body’s repair mechanisms to spring into action, producing growth hormones to help repair tissue damage. Who doesn’t want to capitalize on looking younger and preventing wrinkles?

Now, many people I talk with say, “I realize sleep is important and that there are numerous benefits, but I have a tough time getting a good night’s sleep.” If you happen to have similar struggles getting enough quality shut-eye, you’re not alone. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-quarter of the U.S. population reports not getting enough sleep, while nearly 10 percent experience chronic insomnia. If you are one of those unfortunate individuals or know someone who struggles with sleep issues, here are ten practical prescriptions to sleep better tonight:

Rx #1: Maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Start by getting to bed and getting up at the same time every day, including weekends. As tempting as it may be, don’t try to make up for a lack of sleep by staying in bed on the weekends. Sleeping in won’t make up for a sleep deficit. In fact, according to a recent Harvard study, when you snooze extra hours to compensate for sleep deprivation, your ability to focus is worse than if you had stayed up all night.

Rx #2: Create a comfy and cozy haven. Make your bedroom environment conducive to how you sleep best in terms of the amount of light, temperature of the room, and appropriate background noise. Plus, if you are able to crawl into a bed that is lined with super soft sheets, it often helps you feel like you are in a positive, comfortable and welcoming space, rather than one you want to jump out of.

Rx #3: If you nap, keep it short. According to the experts, naps can provide significant health benefits, like repairing a body at the cellular level, improving heart function, and providing a more balanced regulation of hormone levels.

Rx #4: Exercise by day to sleep at night. Engaging in regular exercise during the day can help you sleep better at night. However, you should avoid revving yourself up with high-intensity exercise near bedtime. If nighttime is when you are able to exercise, though, and that part of your schedule cannot be altered, choose a more relaxing type of exercise, like yoga versus running. As always, check with your doctor before starting an exercise regimen.

Rx #5: Wind down your brain. Shortly after dinner or at least two hours before heading to bed, take a little time to tie up loose ends from the day and plan out your next one. This way you can have time before bed to let go of anxieties and relax. However, even with your best efforts, clearing your mind before laying your head down for bed can be tough. If this happens, keep a pen and paper handy, within reach of your bed, so you can write down what is on your mind. Even though you are writing in the dark and your penmanship may not be the easiest to read in the morning, you likely will be able to understand the scribbles. More importantly, though, this strategy provides assurance that your concerns or tasks won’t be forgotten and they can be addressed the next day. 

Rx #6: Choose evening snacks wisely. When you want to snack in the evening, choose a healthy one, like a piece of fruit or low-fat crackers. Avoid foods that are spicy and contain a significant amount of oil, as they can trigger heartburn or an upset stomach.

Rx #7: Indulge in a bath.  Before going to bed, try relaxing in a warm bubble bath. It’s also helpful to add a few drops of aromatic lavender oil to the water, which has known calming effects.

Rx #8: Enjoy bedtime reading. Reading is another useful aid to falling asleep gently. Choose short stories or articles that don’t require too much thinking or invoke high emotion.

Rx #9: Treat yourself to a massage. Every time I get a massage, my body feels like a wet noodle and all I want to do is slide into bed and say, “Lights out.” If you have never tried a massage, I highly recommend it. A skilled masseuse will help your body relax and make the tension disappear.

Rx #10: Listen to soft music. For many of us, listening to soft, instrumental music has a relaxing effect, often helping us to fall asleep. Soothing music like this can easily be downloaded to create your own calming collection or you can use a music application to hand-curate a listening experience that is uniquely yours.

Ignore those who say, “If you snooze, you lose,” as that is a very unhealthy view. Realize all the health benefits that sleep provides, and give your body the sleep it needs rather than just the bare minimum. After all, consistently getting the right amount of quality sleep for you is “just what the doctor ordered.”

Blog by Tracy Stock, CSP

Everywhere we look there are ads that suggest if we take this or do that, we will have found the secret to more energy, vitality and zest for life. And if there was a magic pill or miracle ointment, would you down it or rub it in? I think it is safe to say, most of us would. Well, no need for special pills nor ointments, and it’s free! What is this magic potion? Sleep. And this one thing has helped me in so many aspects in my life.

Instead of considering how much sleep you can get by with, a much more productive and healthier question to ask is, “How much sleep do I need?”

Interestingly, there are competing beliefs about how much sleep we need. Is it six hours? Seven hours? Eight hours? Is there an optimum amount of sleep necessary for a healthy adult? I don’t think so. In fact, I believe it really depends on the individual and his/her lifestyle and needs.

One thing I know for sure is that sleep offers many benefits for those of us wanting to live healthy lives, such as enhanced memory, helps maintain a healthy weight, lowers blood pressure, decreases stress, stabilizes mood, and strengthens the immune system. But there is one additional benefit that often flies under the radar. Do you want in on the secret?  The huge hush-hush is something that can positively affect any adult, no matter your gender, ethnicity, height, weight, personality style, financial status, etc. Have you figured it out? The clandestine advantage that sleep provides is that it also defies the aging process. Securing “forty winks” is known to be an important time for the body’s repair mechanisms to spring into action, producing growth hormones to help repair tissue damage. Who doesn’t want to capitalize on looking younger and preventing wrinkles?

Now, many people I talk with say, “I realize sleep is important and that there are numerous benefits, but I have a tough time getting a good night’s sleep.” If you happen to have similar struggles getting enough quality shut-eye, you’re not alone. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-quarter of the U.S. population reports not getting enough sleep, while nearly 10 percent experience chronic insomnia. If you are one of those unfortunate individuals or know someone who struggles with sleep issues, here are ten practical prescriptions to sleep better tonight:

Rx #1: Maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Start by getting to bed and getting up at the same time every day, including weekends. As tempting as it may be, don’t try to make up for a lack of sleep by staying in bed on the weekends. Sleeping in won’t make up for a sleep deficit. In fact, according to a recent Harvard study, when you snooze extra hours to compensate for sleep deprivation, your ability to focus is worse than if you had stayed up all night.

Rx #2: Create a comfy and cozy haven. Make your bedroom environment conducive to how you sleep best in terms of the amount of light, temperature of the room, and appropriate background noise. Plus, if you are able to crawl into a bed that is lined with super soft sheets, it often helps you feel like you are in a positive, comfortable and welcoming space, rather than one you want to jump out of.

Rx #3: If you nap, keep it short. According to the experts, naps can provide significant health benefits, like repairing a body at the cellular level, improving heart function, and providing a more balanced regulation of hormone levels.

Rx #4: Exercise by day to sleep at night. Engaging in regular exercise during the day can help you sleep better at night. However, you should avoid revving yourself up with high-intensity exercise near bedtime. If nighttime is when you are able to exercise, though, and that part of your schedule cannot be altered, choose a more relaxing type of exercise, like yoga versus running. As always, check with your doctor before starting an exercise regimen.

Rx #5: Wind down your brain. Shortly after dinner or at least two hours before heading to bed, take a little time to tie up loose ends from the day and plan out your next one. This way you can have time before bed to let go of anxieties and relax. However, even with your best efforts, clearing your mind before laying your head down for bed can be tough. If this happens, keep a pen and paper handy, within reach of your bed, so you can write down what is on your mind. Even though you are writing in the dark and your penmanship may not be the easiest to read in the morning, you likely will be able to understand the scribbles. More importantly, though, this strategy provides assurance that your concerns or tasks won’t be forgotten and they can be addressed the next day. 

Rx #6: Choose evening snacks wisely. When you want to snack in the evening, choose a healthy one, like a piece of fruit or low-fat crackers. Avoid foods that are spicy and contain a significant amount of oil, as they can trigger heartburn or an upset stomach.

Rx #7: Indulge in a bath.  Before going to bed, try relaxing in a warm bubble bath. It’s also helpful to add a few drops of aromatic lavender oil to the water, which has known calming effects.

Rx #8: Enjoy bedtime reading. Reading is another useful aid to falling asleep gently. Choose short stories or articles that don’t require too much thinking or invoke high emotion.

Rx #9: Treat yourself to a massage. Every time I get a massage, my body feels like a wet noodle and all I want to do is slide into bed and say, “Lights out.” If you have never tried a massage, I highly recommend it. A skilled masseuse will help your body relax and make the tension disappear.

Rx #10: Listen to soft music. For many of us, listening to soft, instrumental music has a relaxing effect, often helping us to fall asleep. Soothing music like this can easily be downloaded to create your own calming collection or you can use a music application to hand-curate a listening experience that is uniquely yours.

Ignore those who say, “If you snooze, you lose,” as that is a very unhealthy view. Realize all the health benefits that sleep provides, and give your body the sleep it needs rather than just the bare minimum. After all, consistently getting the right amount of quality sleep for you is “just what the doctor ordered.”

Blog by Tracy Stock, CSP

No, I don’t own a ton of real estate or have countless tenants, I just have a head occupied with unsafe squatters. I’m not proud of it, but I am human. Some of them make sense and come from significant chapters of my life — an ex’s sister, people who’ve passed away and high-drama friends I’ve lost touch with. Others are more random — the pastor’s Dad who closes every amazing service with an obnoxious commanding rant, a lady in my neighborhood who only reaches out when she needs something from me, or the lawn service worker who likely knowingly blows recently cut grass into my meticulously-maintained flower beds. Combined, they all take up a lot of space in my head that could be admittedly filled with more constructive things, like creating an outline for my next book.

To understand why I — and likely you, too — can’t evict people from our heads, it’s important to look at how they got there in the first place. Whether it’s a breakup, a work conflict or a heated family fight, people make their way in when I focus on those stressful and negative events, replaying them over and over, wondering how the outcome could have been different. This constant replay in my mind causes this event to become an unfortunate trigger for the future. A trigger reactivates a memory about something in the past — especially when high emotions were involved — and just like that, the thought is top of mind. But when I try to fight against that, or try to evict someone from my head, I end up thinking about the past more. If you want to change a bad habit, you have to change the pattern of it.

When wanting to change a pattern to your thinking, you first should label these unwanted thoughts more accurately for what they are — not a threat you have to fight against, but an unwelcome and negative intruder who should be avoided, and if necessary, kicked to the curb. The more you train yourself to stop arguing with them and instead disengage, the less distressing and obtrusive they become. And once you’re able to do that, it’s important then to occupy your mind or headspace with more positive, happy thoughts — such as a recent time you laughed incredibly hard or enjoyed a tender, intimate moment with a loved one. This is what I call the “magic elixir” — viewing life through an optimistic lens by making small adjustments to who and what you allow to occupy your mind. I’d rather let go of those toxic trespassers who enter without permission and instead focus my thoughts on people or things where I feel a sense of happiness, encouragement and inspiration.

Remember, no thought lives in your head rent-free. Each and every one will either be an investment or a cost. Choose to invest in you.

Blog by Tracy Stock, CSP

Letting go of something in your past can be difficult and you may not even realize why you’re hanging onto it. Perhaps you haven’t forgiven yourself yet for a past action or maybe enough time hasn’t yet passed from a painful experience; regardless, if you want to move your life forward, it’s very helpful to learn from your past, but then take conscious steps to forge ahead.

Step 1: Acknowledge what is keeping you stuck. Are you holding on to a failed relationship? Do you need to forgive someone? Do you feel guilty about a past decision?

Step 2: Identify why it’s important to move on. Ask yourself what your reasons are for wanting a change now. How will your life be altered? Will it positively affect your relationships? Will you feel a greater sense of peace?

Step 3: Focus on what you can control. Shift your focus away from other people and events outside of your control; instead, realize the only thing you control in life is your own actions and decisions. You can’t take back an unhealthy relationship, but you can learn from it. You can’t fix a bad childhood, but you can realize your past doesn’t equal your future.

Step 4: Set, capture and review goals. Identify both professional and personal goals for the year and be sure to put them in writing. Goals not written down are just wishes. Set goals annually, review monthly, apply weekly and prioritize daily.

Step 5: Be present. Enjoy the experience of the present moment. Put down your device, turn off the television, step away from your computer and engage in a thoughtful conversation, or watch a beautiful sunrise, or enjoy hearing a faint laugh in the distance. Learn to not dwell so much in the past or project too often into the future. As the famous saying goes: “Yesterday is history so stop living there. Tomorrow is a mystery and may never come. But today is a gift and that is why it is called the present.”

Step 6: Surround yourself with positive influences. Who you hang with you become. Letting go of the past is much more difficult if you are around people who constantly remind you about it. When I wanted to put my divorce in the rearview mirror, I chose to move across the country to start over. I wanted a fresh start with happy and optimistic people, new places and things to do and explore, and different + unique experiences from what I was used to.

Don’t continue to stumble over something behind you or let it direct your life forward. Everyone has stuff from their past they hoped didn’t happen. You simply can’t change it. Your past is like scrambled eggs; no matter how much you try, you can’t unscramble scrambled eggs. Resolve to focus on today with your eyes looking forward.

Blog by Tracy Stock, CSP

Have you ever been in a meeting where the conversation just drags endlessly on, and nothing gets decided on…ever? People talk over one another and the only outcome is to schedule a follow-up meeting?

If you’ve nodded yet, you’re not alone. Did you know that 49 percent of meetings are considered to be a waste of time? So half of the countless hours we listen, debate and respectfully challenge, are better left unattended? Wow! That statistic is alarming. If only there was a more productive solution. Well, I’m going to share an excellent five-tiered solution, but I first want to ask you a question that will lead to one of the five components that I’ll dive deeper into shortly.

When you were a kid, and attended elementary school, did you sit in a desk and work fairly autonomously, facing the front of the room, likely with a larger-than-life-sized chalkboard staring back at you? I know I did! Interestingly, classrooms today are far different. Small groups of students are seated together and are expected to do countless activities as a team. And in our workplaces, many of us are now working in open-plan offices where we are seen and overheard by our colleagues, without a lick of privacy and solitude. This means our schools and workplaces cater to the likes of extroverts far more than introverts—who crave quiet, low-key environments to think about and process issues, before formulating their view and recommending solutions.

No quiet = no input.

No quiet = perceived lack of interest or disengagement.

No quiet = no solutions from 30 to 50 percent of the workforce.

But how do we fix this huge engagement and results problem? We need to fundamentally change how meetings are facilitated.

The responsibility of a meeting’s effectiveness lies almost solely on the shoulders of the meeting facilitator. Their role is clearly not an easy one—yet, often is the difference between meeting success and failure. A facilitator needs to listen, extract information, make decisions and drive actions that are in alignment with the desired outcomes. And in order to manage meetings well and foster productivity—they need structure and order. For without these elements, meeting drudgery can go on forever and not accomplish a thing. The five key roles of a meeting facilitator include:

1. Identify the objective of the meeting and prepare the agenda.
2. Communicate the agenda, meeting expectations, and the decision-making process—all in advance.
3. Determine facilitation strategy and coordinate meeting logistics.
4. Acknowledge differences in contribution preferences and how they impact interaction.
5. Address challenging behaviors in a professional and prompt manner.  

As promised earlier, I want to continue to explore role #4—to acknowledge differences in contribution preferences and how they impact interaction.

It’s likely a fair question to now ask if you know whether you are an extrovert, introvert, or maybe a combination of both (known as an ambivert)? If interested in knowing, you can take this short online quiz to find out @ https://susancain.net/quiet-quiz/.

Introversion and extroversion go to the heart of who a person is: how they work, how they live, and how they interact. And now that your style is clear, let’s look at what facilitators can do to lead meetings with enhanced involvement and collaboration between all contribution preferences—including introverts, ambiverts and extroverts:

• Ask questions in advance. Clarify what ideas will be discussed in advance of the meeting so ideas can be considered, analyzed and thought through by everyone before being put on the spot.
• Request that ideas are put in writing. Ask people to write down their thoughts and bring them to the meeting so they don’t feel that silence is the better choice. Collect the written ideas and capture them on a whiteboard to review together. This ensures some individuals aren’t jockeying for airtime.
• Consider online versus live brainstorming sessions. Allowing quality time to think and share perspectives online without being seated next to your colleagues makes it easier to formulate your own thoughts and opinions rather than agreeing with what is heard in a live brainstorming exercise.
• Put a problem on a piece of paper, pass it around, and each person adds his/her solution. This allows for everyone to contribute and share unique ideas without being potentially criticized.
• Invite several introverts to share their thoughts first. This strategy reinforces that the views from introverts are valued too, especially when they’re heard in the first few minutes.
• Ask both styles to appear on the agenda in prominent roles. Often times, extroverts are asked to share their findings in meetings and the opinions of introverts are more easily overlooked. For example, research indicates that in a typical six-person meeting, two people do more than 60 percent of the talking. In bigger groups, the problem is even more serious.
• Allow people to work the way they want to. Encourage extroverts to socialize and share ideas when they feel compelled to and give introverts the freedom to take a walk to recharge or work from the coffee shop next door if they need a break from the team environment.
• Encourage each style to be more open to differing styles. Inspire extroverts to listen, reflect, and become more open to the perspectives of their more silent peers. Incite introverts to speak up by helping them feel comfortable enough to contribute.

Clearly, it’s important to acknowledge and prepare for differences in how people like to contribute in meetings. And when it’s fairly balanced, meeting attendees can harness their strengths using their preference in terms of how they like to process questions and share their respective input. Because a meeting with too many extroverts can suffer from ego issues, while a meeting with too many introverts can be lacking a collaborative dynamic.

The secret to success is to do COMMON things—like facilitating meetings—uncommonly well…which is a skill worth celebrating.

***If you’re organization struggles with facilitating productive meetings, connect with me about my in-person or virtual program entitled, “Master Meetings! Schedule Less. Achieve More.” (I recently spoke in-person on this topic at the Annual SHRM Conference & Expo in New Orleans, LA.)

Blog by Tracy Stock, CSP

With the pandemic predominantly in our rear-view mirror and most companies bringing employees back into the workplace—either full-time or in a hybrid format—building camaraderie and figuring out how to operate as a cohesive team again can seem uncomfortable at best, and at worst—quite daunting.

Yesterday I had the distinct honor of leading a team building workshop for a local firm. They wanted me to deliver a program that would help demonstrate their commitment of investing in their people, create a welcoming culture as they head back into the workplace, and have some fun reconnecting with familiar colleagues—while introducing themselves to new, unknown faces, too. It was a huge success! Teams were engaged, laughing and having tons of fun—while unbeknownst to them—were also participating in “structured practice” for real-world situations they are confronted with on a daily basis in the workplace.

Clearly, this company understands the importance of team building. Many do not. Let’s compare it to baseball, for a moment. With baseball season now in full swing, baseball players practice together to become stronger, more cohesive teams. Because without the dedicated time, energy and effort put forth in practice, successfully executing during a big game would likely prove to be an exercise in futility, with a win being almost an impossibility. The same is true for your employees. Just as baseball practice helps players systematically develop a range of skills related to their athletic ability, team building helps employees enhance their skills across various aspects of teamwork—such as planning, communication, delegation, trust, creativity, resource management, and decision-making, to name a few.

In addition to creating a more unified company culture and enhanced morale, there are definite halo benefits of team building, too, including:

• It strengthens trust in low-risk situations so it’s ready to come into play when the stakes are higher.
• It generates greater acceptance of ideas and helps to resolve conflicts.
• It helps employees feel valued for their ideas and contributions.
• It enhances motivation and encourages productive problem-solving.
• It unites people and allows employees to get excited about work again.
• It helps employees unlock their creative and learning potential.
• It encourages team members to express themselves authentically.

By this point, you’re probably very intrigued as to what team building workshop I led. The wildly successful program was entitled, “The Marshmallow Challenge.” This powerful, remarkably fun and instructive design team building workshop enhances a team’s ability to generate fresh ideas, build rapport, effectively collaborate and integrate prototyping—all of which lie at the heart of effective innovation. The lessons learned are universal. Following the activity, teams were asked to reflect upon the experience and share aloud their findings related to communication, decision-making, teamwork, etc.

The goal of The Marshmallow Challenge was simple: Build the tallest free-standing structure in 18 minutes using only the four supplied materials, with the marshmallow needing to be on top. The 13 teams of six-people each (with most participating in-person and the balance engaged virtually across multiple locations) had three winning teams. And in addition to earning some bragging rights, each person on the winning teams earned a fantastic prize!

• Third place winners each received Succulent Smores—including chocolate-filled marshmallows, graham crackers and Hershey chocolate bars. How fitting, right?
• Second place winners each received a signed copy of my latest book entitled, The One Choice Rule: Transform Your Life and Work by Changing Your Mindset and Behavior.
• First place winners each received a fabulous gift-basket! They were able to pick from seven uniquely designed baskets filled with high-quality goodies!

So if your job is the big game, then team building activities are your practice sessions. And if your team or organization are seeking a home run and ready to step up to the plate, connect with me today!

A few months back I decided it was time to lose some weight and get into better shape. I have always been active and worked out on a regular basis, but I wasn’t as consistent as I knew I should be. I looked into a program my neighbor belongs to and decided to also enroll.

January 3, 2022 was the start of my new fitness program—not because it was the start of a new year, but because I woke up and decided it was time. The program runs in 8-week segments and provides a workout plan and a meal plan. It’s designed for all fitness levels, can be done at home, and everything (plans, live/recorded workouts, nightly talks, Q&A, etc.) is shared through a private Facebook group. And I was frequently reminded that this was not simply a “program”; rather, this was a journey of new habits that would prove to be (supposedly) transformational.

Habits…changing them can be tough. Really tough. Why? Because they feel warm and squishy, comfortable, easy, and part of our engrained routine. However, they also bring about guilt and regret sometimes, especially when the habit is one that you have wanted to change. All habits are clearly not created equal. Some have little impact on your life, and others, referred to as “keystone habits,” can affect your life immensely. Keystone habits are very different from regular habits, like posting a daily message on multiple social media platforms. A regular habit is a positive thing to do, but whether you choose to do it or skip it, it doesn’t have a huge impact on the rest of your life. By contrast, a keystone habit, like consistently exercising five or six days per week, is a habit that can also lead to other positive, unintended outcomes like:

• Stronger and more flexible body
• Enhanced mood
• Decreased level of stress
• Reduced risk of heart disease
• Enhanced productivity
• Improved quality of sleep
• Heightened brain function

When you choose to make keystone habits a non-negotiable part of your routine, you change. You take more control of your life and the positive ripple effect naturally occurs. It can be…transformational.

What habit or behavior are you wanting to change in your life, and why do you want to do it? It should be meaningful to you, it also has to be something that you believe in, that you value, that you want to get behind and commit to. You have to know the work ahead of you will be worth it.

Do you want to go back to school and earn a diploma or degree?

Do you want to feel happier?

Do you want a job you enjoy?

Do you want to make more money?

Do you want to find love?

Do you want to stop smoking?

Do you want to be more confident?

Do you want to say “no” more often?

Do you want to laugh more?

Let’s revisit the behavior I wanted to change: Lose some weight and get into better shape. This was definitely a loose and undefined goal, and one that I quickly fine-tuned.

I am proud to say that after following the program for eight weeks, I exceeded my fitness goal! I lost 12 pounds, shed a lot of fat, and added some lean muscle. Equally important—I am in the best shape of my life and am feeling better about warmer weather quickly approaching. But the benefits of this keystone habit didn’t stop there. I’m not only eating much healthier, but I have also dramatically decreased my sugar intake. I stopped drinking [diet] soda, decreased my alcohol consumption, and now workout consistently six days per week—mixed with cardio and weight-training. Plus, I drink a gallon of water per day. Yes, you read correctly! At least one gallon of water every day. I’m stronger, more flexible, haven’t experienced a migraine in eight weeks, my stress is less, I sleep great, my productivity increased and I’m even happier than I was before. In all honesty, my muscles are sore on a regular basis, but that should be a given, right? Just in case you’re curious, the amazing and transformational program that I joined is: E2M Fitness. Check it out!

So what habit or behavior do you want to change to help you get one step closer to becoming your greatest self?

Aim for awesomeness. Strive for spectacular. And allow yourself some wiggle room for slips and trips. It’s all about progress, not perfection. Instead of thinking, “Unfit and frumpy in my fifties,” it sure feels incredible to chant in my head, “Fit and feeling fabulous at fifty-four!”

Blog by Tracy Stock, CSP

Where has common sense gone? Common sense is clearly not common practice. For example, if you’re driving in the left lane on a highway and are backing up traffic because you’re going too slow, common sense says to move to the right lane; or, when an elevator door opens and numerous people are trying to get out, common sense says don’t try to step into it until all those who want out have safely exited; or, if you wear black at night…common sense says others can’t see you.

Common sense is a form of practical decision-making and the ability to imagine the consequences of something you do. It stops you from making irrational mistakes and makes it easier to make choices on what to do. With that said, some find it harder to think through the consequences of their actions and need to learn common sense. I guess that is why common sense is like deodorant; those who need it most rarely use it.

Developing common sense may seem like a difficult task; however, by being more aware and reflecting on situations before you make decisions, you will gain more common sense and make smarter choices more easily. To apply common sense to your decision-making, consider trying these strategies:

• Compare the risks and rewards of a decision before choosing what to do. Look at the positives and negative outcomes that could come from a decision you’re making.

• Trust your initial feelings so you don’t over-analyze things too much. Whenever you’re faced with a decision, take notice of what your first instinct or answer is. Think about what good or bad consequences could come from the decision, and if the decision seems like the best one, it just may be.

• Look at your situation from another perspective to think through it clearly. You may notice that it seems easier to give advice to someone than it is to tell yourself the same thing. When you’re faced with a tough decision, consider what you would advise s/he to do based on what you feel is the smartest or best decision for that person.

• Ask someone you trust for feedback if you aren’t sure about your decision. Reach out to a trusted confidant and talk through possible decisions so you can gain his/her input. Others may have more life experience than you or could have faced a similar situation in the past.

In addition to applying common sense to how you make decisions, here are several ideas of how to practice common sense on a daily basis:

• Think before you speak (text, email or post) so you don’t say something you regret. Before you say anything that could be taken as offensive or hurtful, consider how it would feel if someone said the same thing to you.

• Don’t do things that you know are bad for you. If there are things that you know are bad for you, don’t do them since they can have negative effects on your life.

• Pick options that are the most practical in the situation. When you’re faced with a decision, take into consideration the pros and cons of each choice to determine which one is the most practical. Think the options through before you react so you make the best choice going forward.

• Be more observant of your surroundings. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times and pay attention to how people react around you to specific actions.

• Accept that there are some things you cannot change. Bad things happen to everyone. Realize and accept that there are some things you can’t change. Instead, ask yourself, “What is one thing I can do right now to move forward even though this negative thing just happened?” Moving on from things outside of your control can decrease the victim mentality and create a more positive mindset for the future.

Practice common sense today and make it more common than yesterday. So the next time someone says “hi” to you, say “hello” or a similar pleasantry in return; or, if you’re more tired than usual, dedicate more time and effort to getting more quality sleep; or, if you’re feeling a higher level of stress, engage in some physical exercise to reduce it. Just be sure to shower after and use deodorant—a common sense point worth mentioning.