Walk The Talk Chock full of resources to inspire, motivate, encourage, and challenge you!

The greatest part of our happiness depends
on our dispositions, not our circumstances.
–  Martha Washington

Today’s quote comes to you from  Welcome The Rain:

Choosing to See Beyond Life’s Storms

The only thing necessary for the triumph of

evil is for good men to do nothing.

- Edmund Burke

Today’s quote comes to you from Ethics4Everyone:

The Handbook for Integrity-Based Business Practices

Today’s Topic: Communication Recovery – Six Step Model

Have you ever said something unintentionally offensive and wished you could take it back? If so, you know how awkward it feels when communication goes awry. And it does from time to time. Even with the best of intent to be inclusive, you might say something biased, stereotypical, or exclusionary. You can choose to ignore it and hope no one notices. (Guess what – it was noticed!) Or, you can employ a strategy for recovery.

“Communication Recovery” involves acknowledging your mistake, sincerely apologizing, and then moving on in a more inclusive way. Communication Recovery is an underutilized skill. When things go wrong in communication, many people shy away from trying to recover. They are afraid of making things worse. They don’t know what to do. The good news is Communication Recovery is possible, it’s not that difficult to do, and it has a big payoff.

Communication Recovery allows you to acknowledge your mistake when things go wrong – when you have unintentionally demeaned, discounted, or excluded others. This gives you the chance to rebuild communication with your listener(s) and enhance your own credibility. Communication Recovery includes six quick steps and takes thirty seconds or less. It’s relatively painless.

1. Accept the Feedback – Give some sign that you are open to the input, such as listening to and thanking the gift giver.
2. Acknowledge Intent and Impact – The most important thing here is to recognize the negative impact of your statement or behavior on the listener, regardless of your good intent.
3. Apologize – Say “I’m sorry” or “I apologize,” and do so sincerely.
4. Ask Questions for Clarification – If you don’t understand the feedback you’ve been given, ask questions for greater clarity.
5. Adjust / Change – State or demonstrate what you will do differently. A clear sign that you’ve accepted the feedback is to not repeat the offense.
6. Move Forward – Recovery is a quick process. You don’t need to linger. Move on once the listener is ready.

Of all of these, Accept the Feedback and Apologize may be the most powerful. In its simplest form, recovery sounds like this:

“Thanks for telling me. I’m sorry.”

Today’s lesson is from OUCH! That Stereotype Hurts:

Communicating Respectfully in a Diverse World

by Leslie Aguilar

212° Change

When it comes to the old adage, “The only constant is change,” truer words were never spoken – especially in the business arena. To survive and prosper, organizations must respond quickly to changing conditions. Learn to deal with change effectively by reminding yourself that:

• Although the timing may stink, there’s usually a good reason behind the changes you and others are required to make.
  
• Those requiring or dictating change (typically managers) rarely control the circumstances they must respond to…and if they don’t respond, you lose.
  
• Change helps you battle your competition and poor economic conditions. No change equals no progress.
  
• Everything you now enjoy was a “change” at one time.
  
• The fact that you must make changes means you’re still employed.
  
• Your job is to do whatever the organization needs done. If that involves change, so be it!

Now, turn up the heat…212°

Start Right, Stay Right:

Every Employee’s Straight-Talk Guide to Job Success

Language has power.

Based on the way you choose to name

and describe people,

you send different messages.

- Leslie C. Aguilar

Today’s quote comes to you from Ouch! That Stereotype Hurts:

Communicating Respectfully in a Diverse World

When it comes to bringing values to life –

to doing the good, right, and appropriate thing…

we’re always working at it,

we’re never totally there, and the challenge starts

all over again with each new tomorrow.

– Eric Harvey and Steve Ventura

Today’s quote comes to you from WALK the TALK Gift Book:

Translating Beliefs into Behaviors

Is there a secret to success and failure? In his 1957 classic The Strangest Secret, Earl Nightingale, the “dean of personal development,” explores this topic. Today, we have the privilege of sharing these profound words with you. Watch this movie and learn The Strangest Secret!

To Your Success,

Eric Harvey
Founder and President, WalkTheTalk.com

It’s not the way the wind blows,

it’s how you set your sails.

–  Unknown

Today’s quote comes to you from  Welcome The Rain:

Choosing to See Beyond Life’s Storms

The following tip comes from The Simple Truths of Service: Inspired by Johnny the Bagger, written by Barbara Glanz.

Every one of you can make a difference and create meaningful memories for your customers that will motivate them to come back. How?

Put your personal signature on the job.

Go home tonight and think about something you can do for your customers to make them feel special – a memory that will make them want to come back and shop at your store again.

To see The Simple Truths of Service inspirational movie, go to www.simpletruths-of-service.com/preview.

We are not put on this earth for ourselves,

but are placed here for each other.

If you are always there for others,

then in time of need,

someone will be there for you.

– Jeff Warner

Today’s quote comes to you from Five Star Teamwork:

How to Achieve Success…Together! (Part of the Customer Service Tool Kit)