You expect service, no matter how it gets done, and when it meets your expectations you are satisfied. But what happens when there are mistakes?
Most people understand that mistakes happen, and companies usually have a chance to redeem themselves. Even so, service failures seem to abound that leave a bad taste and weaken or destroy reputations.
At a recent meeting of the Building Champions coaches, we were reflecting on things from our past that made us better.
My mind went to something I had never shared with anyone before, about a huge mistake I made that thankfully had a long-term positive impact on me. I was a sophomore in my first high school football game. I can still remember that moment when the coach looked at me. Since then I have always tried to be ready and keep my head up.
It has been my experience that people make a huge difference in business. Their attitude, their understanding of where you want to go, and their willingness to help you get there can be your greatest assets. As a manager and leader, building strong relationships with your team is critical.
I recently was asked to share my thoughts on deepening relationships with the Building Champions team. Here are the principles I passed along to them:
What is really impacting your pursuit of the results you want to achieve? If there is something holding you back in your life and chosen career, what can you do about it?
Certainly the economy — domestic and global — has impacted most of us, and will continue to have a negative impact for at least a few more years. But it is too easy to blame outside influences and avoid taking responsibility for what we need to do in order to reach our goals.
There are external factors — including biases, prejudices, regulatory barriers, and so on — that are out of our immediate control. Yet there are things we can do that will improve our situation if we persistently stay the course.
There are all sorts of ways to approach planning for the upcoming year. What has always been clear to me is that you need to have a plan. Your plan should be in writing and it should be specific, including the actions expected, who’s responsible, and when each step should be completed.
There are a few important “mindsets” that will keep you focused on a creating a plan that can help you achieve your desired results.
Leadership wisdom can be found in many places. And sometimes, it is the simplest of ideas that can make a huge difference.
This was underscored in a recent Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars. The game was unremarkable for the most part, but there was an interview that caught my attention. Commentator and former coach Jon Gruden asked Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis about leadership.
Probably a decade ago I wrote a piece for the old Mortgage Originator about the need to lean forward no matter which way the wind blows. Strangely enough I talked about volatility and uncertainty. Times don’t change all that much nor does the message about leaning forward, or moving forward if you like, no matter the circumstances.
There is certainly more than one way to look at change. A view could be that there was a perfect window of opportunity to grow our business and we missed it. Now is not the time to take chances. Let’s do nothing or maybe even retrench. That’s one view but I don’t buy it. I never have.
Of course there are other views. Whether we are in the upside or downside of a business cycle it takes definite action to create momentous results. We need to ask ourselves what will it take to move us forward now? No matter which way the market winds blow, standing still and doing nothing doesn’t usually work.
The Building Champions Experience a couple of weeks ago was a memorable experience for all, and I had the opportunity to discuss a subject that is very important to me. I gave a presentation on “Setting Expectations” — more specifically, asking more of our teammates and ourselves in order to achieve more.
Each of us has a tendency to set our expectations too low. If you think you can’t do something, you probably won’t try hard enough. But often success comes down to executing the basics well – or at least better than others.
No matter what others say or the failures we may have had to date, with the right focus we can unleash the potential within us. We need to think expansively, beyond what we have achieved in the past. We need to continuously move up the performance bar to do more and realize that potential.
There are eight principles that will help you to fulfill your potential – no matter what role or life stage you are currently in.
To say there is much going in business today would be an understatement. In many ways some of this would be amusing if it wasn’t so serious.
Take, for example, all the hearings going on in Washington, DC. This is important stuff – or at least some of it is anyway! Our economy is “in the toilet” (or “struggling” if you prefer). Congress is searching for answers.
American Banker (a publication that is not known for humor) in reporting on a Congressional hearing stated, “Perhaps it was appropriate that a panel of professors testified Tuesday about how to reform the U.S. mortgage system since Capital Hill’s approach is increasingly beginning to resemble an academic exercise.”
There is nothing wrong with professors, attorneys, or consultants. But why not ask the people really involved in the activity?
At the recent Building Champion’s Experience, I had the opportunity to share ideas on how to build productive, high performing teams. In this blog’s limited space, I can’t get into the same level of detail that I did during my presentation to this energetic group, so I welcome your questions and comments.
There are two key ingredients that are needed before you can begin to build a high performance team:
Jerry Baker began his career in the management development program at Ford Motor Company, later became a manager of budgets and analysis for Northrop Corporation, then furthered his management development as Deputy Director for the California Department of Commerce when Ronald Reagan was Governor.
He advanced through senior management ranks at Countrywide Financial, becoming Managing Director. He then became Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fleet Mortgage Group, a public company. Jerry joined First Horizon in 1998, holding several senior executive positions before becoming President and CEO of First Horizon National Corporation and First Tennessee Bank.
As a member of the Board of Directors Jerry helped to refocus, develop, recruit and lead the company through a tumultuous period. Under his leadership the company had nearly 10 years of double digit growth in returns.