After a 20-year career with Marriott, in 2006 I ventured into a second act speaking, writing, and consulting, primarily on the topic of customer service. Over the years, I’ve read dozens of business books to glean insights and keep abreast of trends. Two books have shaped my post-Marriott service philosophy
A study conducted by Harvard Business Review Analytic Services revealed 89% of leaders surveyed agreed that “A strong sense of collective purpose drives employee satisfaction.” Yet only a minority (46%) stated their organization currently runs in a purpose-driven way. The article goes on to say that when companies have a
For many years, I’ve gone on record saying that the reason you and I, as customers, consistently receive predictably poor customer service is because exceptional customer service is voluntary; employees don’t have to deliver it, and most don’t. It’s true. While there are things that employees have to do, providing
I was talking with my daughter about a friend of hers who had applied to work at the reception desk of a local health club. Her friend anxiously rehearsed the organization’s mission statement in order to recall it during her job interview. She got the job and later shared that,
I routinely ask groups of managers, by a show of hands, how many would consider themselves to be a purpose-driven leader at work. I see a lot of hands. Next, I ask how many would consider themselves to a values-driven leader at work. Sensing a trap, audience members are more
“That business purpose and business mission are so rarely given adequate thought is perhaps the most important cause of business frustration and failure.” This Peter Drucker quote is a driving force in my work with clients to identify, instill, and reflect purposeful actions and behaviors that will attract and retain
I was thinking about the widely-read business book Blue Ocean Strategy, which was published 20 years ago, and the application of its central premise to purpose-driven work today. In the book, red ocean strategies represent the way business is approached in most industries: competing for contested—and often shrinking—demand and market
According to a recent Gallup article, by the end of 2023, 33% of U.S. employees overall were highly engaged, meaning they were highly involved and enthusiastic about their work and workplaces. Unfortunately, engagement levels slipped in the first quarter of 2024, dropping 3 percentage points to 30% among both full-
Whenever I present to managers about articulating and revealing guiding statements, organizational purpose, or core values to frontline staff and connecting them to their daily work activities, I get the question, “What if they don’t buy in to these corporate ideals?” Now, you might ask, “Why on earth would they
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