Lunar Letter / Una Ñapita

A todos nos encanta una ñapita. Recibir un poco más de lo esperábamos crea emociones que nos hacen sentir maravillosos. Dar una ñapita a nuestros clientes, pacientes, contribuyentes, usuarios, amigos y/o familiares genera dividendos que van mucho más allá de lo que podemos imaginar.

La palabra ñapa viene del lenguaje Quechua y se define como ayuda, aumento o añadidura. Una ñapita puede venir en forma de un beneficio económico como también de una acción o intención.

“Prometer mucho y dar algo más,” es una frase que he tenido presente desde el año 1989 cuando la escuché por primera vez en un taller conducido por Joel Weldon. Cuando logramos cumplir con la promesa de dar un excelente producto o servicio y luego damos un poco más, la competencia que suele ser una pesadilla para los demás se convierte en una fuente de nuevas oportunidades para nosotros.

Para los que han asistido a mis eventos, saben que a menudo entrego una pelota de rebote para afirmar la idea de, “Es el Rebote lo que nos Lleva al Tope.” Esta es “la ñapa” que a mí me encanta dar. Es mi forma de difundir mi mensaje a la mayor cantidad de personas posible. Cuando llegan a su trabajo o a su casa jugando con la pelotita, se puede abrir un espacio para una conversación donde ellos compartan la idea con otros: “Todos podemos rebotar por lo menos una vez más.” He tenido el placer de compartir mis ideas con más de 7,000 personas en diferentes eventos. ¡Esto significa que hay muchas pelotas rebotando por ahí! Frecuentemente encuentro personas que me preguntan, “Aunque no me acuerdo de tu nombre, tú eres la persona de la pelotita, ¿verdad?”

Si hay algo que podemos agregar que tiene un valor económico, ¡maravilloso! Si no es el caso, hay muchas maneras que podemos dar una ñapita.

A continuación unos ejemplos:

Ofrecer una idea más de lo que se espera.

Reconocer a todos con una sonrisa sincera.

Utilizar un lenguaje que sea comprensible para todos.

Crear un ambiente positivo siendo abierto y comprensivo.

Aprender y utilizar los nombres de las personas para saludarlas.

Dejar notas y recados indicando lo importante que es una persona para nosotros.

Realmente escuchar lo que nos dicen en lugar de pensar constantemente en lo que vamos a responder.

Llamar a clientes, amigos y familiares en sus cumpleaños, aniversarios y momentos cuando están pasando por desafíos.

Ofrecer un caramelo a las personas que entran a la tienda diciendo, “Este es un regalo para usted. Si puedo ser de utilidad, ¡favor avisarme!”

Dar un abrazo fuerte cuando sea posible y apropiado. En lo personal, yo necesito por lo menos ocho abrazos al día, ¡solamente para mantenimiento!

El cielo es el límite y la creatividad apremia. Lo importante es hacerles saber a los demás lo valiosos que son porque la necesidad más grande que todos tenemos es que nos valoren y que nos tomen en cuenta. Cuando le damos una ñapita a los demás, le proveemos un regalo extraordinario.

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL II 17

 

Lunar Letter / A Little Extra

We all like to get a little extra. Getting a little bit more than we expect elicits emotions which make us feel wonderful. Giving a little extra to our clients, patients, contributors, users, friends and family generates dividends beyond our wildest imagination.

A little extra can come in the form of economic benefit as well as intention or action. “Promise a lot and deliver more” is a concept I first learned from Joel Weldon during a seminar in 1989. I have since kept the maxim close to my heart. When we deliver on our promise to provide an excellent product or service and then give a little extra, the competition, which tends to be a nightmare for others, becomes a fountain of opportunity for us.

Those who have attended my events know I often give bouncy balls to affirm my philosophy that “It’s the Bounce that Counts!” This is my little extra. It is my way of spreading my message to as many people as I can. When attendees at my seminars or conferences get back to their work places or homes bouncing a little ball, it can lead to discussions regarding my idea. I have had the immense pleasure of sharing my ideas with more than 7,000 people in various events. That means there are a lot of bouncy balls out there! I frequently encounter people who tell me, “Though I don’t remember your name, aren’t you the one with the bouncy balls?”

If it is possible to give a little extra using something of material value, then great; if not, there are still many other ways we can give a little extra.

A few examples:

Acknowledge all with a sincere smile.

Give one more idea than what is expected.

Learn and use people’s names to greet them.

Create positive expectancy by being open and understanding.

Leave or send notes telling people how important they are to us.

Use language which permits all to understand subjects with complex terminology.

Listen to what people have to say rather than constantly thinking about how we will respond.

Offer candy to customers who walk in the door telling them we would be happy to help if they so desire.

Call clients, friends and family on their birthdays, anniversaries as well as during times of trial and tribulation.

Give big meaningful hugs whenever appropriate. Personally, I need at least eight hugs a day just for maintenance!

End all encounters showing a genuine appreciation with an even bigger smile.

The sky is the limit and creativity is master. It is important to let people know how significant they are because one of our greatest necessities as human beings is to be acknowledged, to be taken into account. When we give a little extra to others, we provide an extraordinary gift.

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL II 17

 

Circumstances…

Circumstances break men’s bones; it has never been shown that they break men’s optimism.
 
~ G. K. Chesterton

Victor or victim? by Alan Weiss

The Human Condition – Victor or victim?  

There was a poll taken recently by the Pew Research Center  which found that Republicans are happier than Democrats! That is, more  Republicans pronounced themselves happy than did Democrats, and they did so  more frequently, as well.

DISCLAIMER: I am in Independent  myself, this is not a political treatise. This is stochastic, not diagnostic.  

Pew researchers claimed the cause of the difference was people  citing themselves as Republican feeling that they had the power to control  their destiny, and people citing themselves as Democratic as feeling that  other forces controlled their destiny.

I am not endorsing this  poll or even claiming it’s valid between parties. But I do want to comment on  the underlying attitudes, which I see in people, regardless (I believe) of  political persuasion.

If you believe that external forces  control your success and failure, then you have adapted a victimization  psychology. And your response will always be that of a self-appointed victim:  “What can I do, I’m helpless,” “The world is against me,” “It’s futile to  fight this.”

But if you believe that you control most of your  successes and failures, then your reaction is that of someone in control: “I’m  going to have to improve my approach to this,” “This worked well, so I’ll use  it again next time,” “What have I learned today that will help me tomorrow?”  

People who ascribe their ability to continue to learn as the  causes of their success are resilient, and react to failure and defeat by  going out to learn more so as to be more successful the next time. People who  feel they already know all that they need to know and who experience defeat  tend to become depressed and ill. Their reaction is, “I gave it my best shot  and it didn’t work, so this is a disaster.”

We have a choice to  be a victor (of our own fate) or a victim (presumably of “them” out there). It  is our choice. I don’t believe it has anything to do with political  persuasion, the Pew people notwithstanding. I think it has everything to do  with personal confidence, skills, and philosophy.

What and whom  do you choose to be? Is it up to “them,” or is it up to you?

©  1996-2008 Summit Consulting Group, Inc. All rights  reserved
Reprinted with permission from Alan  Weiss
Balancing Act (November  2008)
http://summitconsulting.com 

 

Laughter

You don’t stop laughing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop laughing.
 
~ Michael Pritchard

Reality…

Reality is above all else a variable, and nobody is qualified to say that he or she knows exactly what it is.  As a matter of fact, with a firm enough commitment, you can sometimes create a reality which did not exist before.
 
~ Margaret Halsey

Happiness

Happiness is a very small desk and a very big wastebasket.
 
~ Robert Orben

A little bit of good…

Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.
 
~ Desomond Tutu