Luck vs Probability

"Luck is merely probabilities." - Brian Tracy

I began giving motivational and inspirational speeches back in late 2006 to college level students as a part of a career-planning class. One core idea I expanded on was that there is no such thing as luck when you are actively looking for something, such as a career path and related opportunities. The way I put it was - if we are already seeking this stuff and an opportunity presents itself, it was by way of probability and not luck. If you weren't looking for it and it lands in your lap, then maybe that is luck, but how passionate are you about random things that fall from the sky?

Three and a half years later, I stumbled upon this video by Brian Tracy, king of salespeople and so much more. The above quote is right from the video and it just confirms, to me, that I wasn't nuts for believing what I do about this so called 'luck' thing.

Check out the message below:

Recognizing All Stages of Leadership at Work

The video below was not the inspiration for this entry; I was looking for other ways of stating what I mean to say, that there are levels of leadership from the bottom to the top of any workplace. In particular, Mark Sanborn mentions that a job title does not, by itself, make a great leader. In fact, lack of a title and exhibiting leadership qualities if often a more respectable position to be in because people are following simply because of a person's initiative and determination to progress in a given situation.

I personally gave up giving myself a title a few years ago. I wanted to have some sort of title to live up to and be respected for, but in looking back at my history of 'things I do', I felt it was appropriate to avoid any one title and just go by my name. Instead of telling people what I do by way of title, I explain in terms of my mission statement because it represents my life's work rather than just what I do during the day, which for me includes seemingly wide and varied activities, but they do adhere to a central theme.

No matter what title a person is given at work, it must be realized that leadership begins at the bottom and works it's way to the top, or at least varying levels in between, depending on an individual's initiative. If you have the initiative and determination, others will follow your lead because of your ideas rather than of your title and there is less chance of mutiny if your ideas are sound and respectable.

Customer Service Blunders & Solutions Part 4: Yes, Virginia, it IS Your Job.

As we go through our workdays, it can be easy to become jaded...if we let it happen. A very common result of this jadedness is the statement: "It's not my job." I spent years in the workforce witnessing similar reactions and I came to the conclusion that most people do not like what they do for a living.

I know what it's like to be stuck in a rut or have a bad boss try to humiliate you. I have also felt the 'empty fishbowl' effect of watching as the world went by outside of the trap I created for myself, wondering when I would get to join in on the action and do something important instead of being stuck inside with my jaded co-workers.

Then, one day, I saw 'Joe vs. The Volcano" and it made me think. It's not that I wasn't thinking before that, I just wasn't thinking the right things. Showing up at the same place every day with the same problems and hearing the same things over and over and over again can really take the color out of life (even though the color really doesn't go anywhere).

It's easy to see why someone might utter the words 'it's not my job' and it is not entirely their fault. But, when a customer hears somebody say that, it's a real letdown. It makes customers feel uncomfortable because they don't want to hear that kind of internal struggle that is so evident in a company; they just want to get what they came for. The concept of 'it's not my job' also affects productivity.

So, Virginia was just finished helping a customer with a new jacket one day and another customer had dropped a milkshake on the floor. The other salespeople were with customers and the manager asked Virginia if she could clean up the spill. Guess what Virginia said? Of course she didn't want to do it, because she felt that that kind of work was below her and therefore humiliating.

The manager, Steve, gave Virginia very little reason to come to work every day because he wasn't very nice and commanded things rather than asked. There was a running joke that he was a 'retail dictator'. Virginia needed her job and was there primarily for commissions because the hourly rate was so poor, so she reluctantly grabbed a broom, dustpan and large rag to clean up the mess - and she didn't look happy about it.

That retail store was clearly not a well-oiled machine. But, what was the problem? Who was to blame? Was it Virginia's job? Let's examine this case study to find solutions:

1. Problem: No wage increases. Details: There is little that can be done about Virginia's hourly rate at this time. It was mentioned in a company memo that there would be no pay raises for six months so that the company could avoid layoffs. Solution: Steve should have had a meeting with his staff about the memo. He should have motivated people to get more commissions by selling more and he should have provided information on how to do it.

2. Problem: Steve does not know how to motivate people. Solution: He should take professional development courses or seminars and educate himself about how to motivate people and communicate with them. Steve should also show a good example once in a while by cleaning something himself when everybody else is busy. He should explain to Virginia (and other staff) that a liquid spill is more of a safety hazard than anything else and that it must be dealt with by anybody who is available as a gesture of extended customer service - and do so with a smile. Steve should also learn how to tell a joke or two to lighten up his staff.

3. Problem: Virginia is jaded and only in it for herself. Solution: Virginia should be reminded why teamwork is important and that she can improve her livelihood by learning a few new sales techniques and therefore get more commissions. She should be reminded to think about customer service and safety for customers and staff - but she should be told in a calm, humorous way and not in front of customers or other staff. She should also be encouraged to laugh.

For more on this topic, contact:
- Buck Moore (buck@thinkworknotjob.com)