So You Think You Know How to Motivate?

Thanks to my Irish friend, Krishna De, for posting on her interview with Dan Pink, author of a new book called Drive. To make a long story short, pink believes that the old “carrot and stick” theory works in only a limited number of cases and may, in fact, reduce productivity, and he has scientific evidence to back up his claim.

Of course Pink has a solution to the problem which he explains in the book.

Check out Krishna’s post, especially the eighteen-minute video of Pink speaking on the subject.

Persistance

[This post originally appeared at Mine Your Own Business on October 10, 2006.]

Today, I’d like to offer a famous quotation without any additional comment. It’s just something to think about.

“Nothing
in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not;
nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. the slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States.

The Art of Customer Service

Link: Signum sine tinnitu–by Guy Kawasaki: The Art of Customer Service.

Are you old enough to remember when our school rulers had the Golden Rule printed on the back?  "Do unto other as you would have them do unto you."  Who knew we were being subliminally trained in the art of customer service?

Since those words were first spoken, some 2,000+ years ago, business "experts" have been looking for new ways to say it.  If you want repeat customers; if you want loyal customers; if you want evangalizing customers; treat them the way you would like to be treated!   

Blogger Guy Kawasaki offers ten common sense tips for incorporating customer service in everything you do.  Tip number one:  it starts at the top. 

If the CEO thinks that customers are a pain in the ass who always want something for nothing, that attitude will permeate the company, and service will be lousy.

The nine tips that follow are more common sense, but a good read because we all need an occasional (daily?) reminder of who actually pays the bills and what we have to do keep them coming back and telling their friends.