Michael Jackson, Entertainer

Everyone's life contains good stuff and bad stuff. While people mourn or disregard Michael Jackson's death, or celebrate his life, we can learn important lessons from how he lived and worked. They include:

• If you want to keep your fans or customers interested, what you do today must be much better, bigger, and more spectacular than what you did yesterday
  
• Always strive for perfection in your life's work
  
• Be yourself, be an individual
  
• Give everything you've got to whatever you do
  
• Use your talents to save the world. And, if you can't save the world, then change it or heal it...even just a little bit. We are the world!

Michael Jackson certainly was an individual. We'll miss his music, his lyrics, his voice, his dancing, and his unique and irreplaceable entertainment style and abilities. What a shame. May he find the peace, love, and acceptance in death, that he sought but, could not attain in life.

No Problem! And Other Negative Commentary

"No Problem!" Two of the most negative words in the English language are "no" and "problem" which, when joined together, are fast becoming an all-too-common phrase. Why is it that in the year 2009, when the human race is at its historic peak in having achieved the highest levels of intellectual and spiritual accomplishments, and at a time when bookstore shelves are full of volumes about positive thinking, building a better life, achieving greater personal and professional success, and other self improvement topics, do so many accomplished people, professionals and others, respond to positive requests with such a downward focused and negative set of words as "no" and "problem"? Other choice responses that coincide with the "No Problem" way of life include terms like: I think negatively when others think positively; Negative trouble; I don't disagree; I have nothing else to say; and my personal favorite...You’re a Jerk!

Some may say these are just words, and there's no need to take them so literally. Well, so are terms like: You're Hired! Congratulations! You just won $10 million! I Love You! Marry me! You look beautiful! You have a new son! You're a genious! Thank you! You just won a new car! Your daughter will receive a full scholarship! Are these also...just words? I just don't get it! Why respond to any positive conversation with such a negative response as "No Problem"?

I received a phone call from one of our firm's most prestigious clients. This particular client has always appreciated the tremendous attention we've given him and our other clients, and the positive energy that emanates from our employees. In this particular call, my client asked me if we'd recently hired a new administrative assistant. I told him that we had, and he asked me if we'd yet shared with her our perspective on positive energy that he enjoyed so much, which evidently was one of the reasons he'd elected to do business with us. He commented about having called our offices a few times over the last week and having heard "No Problem" from our new administrative assistant in response to his requests. He expressed concern over what he felt was a negative impression being given to our clients by a new employee who hadn't yet learned our style of positive communications.

Is this a great client, or what?! How many times have your clients called you for the express purpose of guiding you as to how to improve your company beyond what they perceive as already great? I immediately realized that "No Problem" was not the preferred term of the day, and that "a problem" was brewing.

I took the initiative to speak with our new employee. I asked her to complete a project for the client who'd called me. She responded to me by saying...you guessed it, "No Problem!" and she immediately set about to complete her task. As I stood at our new employee's desk, I couldn't help, but feel that a change had occurred as a result of her choice of words. While she had demonstrated her work ethic by dropping everything to complete my request, my mood still changed from bright to a bit dark. While I knew that our new employee would complete her task and create the results I sought, I grew concerned about the experiences she might inadvertently create for our clients along the way.

I spent a few minutes explaining to our new employee the negative view that positive thinkers have about terms like "No Problem". She said "There is no problem, so I'll be happy to do what you asked." So, I asked her that if she was attempting to convey a positive response, why she would bring into our conversation the possibility of problems. She responded by saying that no problem existed, ergo the use of "No". "So, then why use those negative words?" I asked. I tried and tried to enlighten her to see the true meaning of the words "No" and "Problem". Try as she might, she simply didn't understand, and she looked at me in a very confused way.

So, I thought for a moment and asked her the following question: "If someone asked me what I thought about you, how would you like me to respond?" Our new employee described herself using a list of very positive words and statements, including intelligent, kind, hard working, helpful, high energy, a good employee, a nice person, attractive, a good mother, friendly, empathic, and the list went on. Nowhere in her long list were terms like: not having any problems, not nasty, not a good employee, or not a trouble-maker. In describing herself, she held a very positive and uplifting view, as most of us do, and used only positive words.

So, I then said to her "If I lived my life the 'No Problem' way and were asked to describe you, I'd likely respond in a manner that would demonstrate that no negatives were part of your personality." I watched our new employee nod her head in agreement. But, because we were still talking about negative terms, I knew that we were still not on the same page. I continued "In that vane, if I lived my life the "No Problem" way, and someone asked me what I thought about you, I'd probably describe you by saying 'She's not a jerk!'. I let that one hang there. She thought for a moment, smiled and said "I got it!"

My employee and I agreed that from that moment on, she'd be diligent in changing the way she spoke. Her new objective would be to present herself in as positive a light as possible to our employees, clients, and business partners, and to ensure that those who deal with our firm would receive a positive experience, in addition to great results. She even suggested that such a change could have a positive effect on her personal life. I was thrilled!

As I walked away from our new employee's desk feeling elated about having improved my company's image and perhaps having had a positive affect on another person's life, I reminded her to complete our client's project as early as possible. She responded by saying "No Problem". As I stopped dead in my tracks, turned and looked at her, she looked back, smiled again, and said "Gotcha!

Damage Control, In Advance

Webster's defines Control as: “To exercise authority or influence over; To hold in restraint.”



Why do business people like the term “damage control”? Possibly because it makes us feel like we have the power to change the impact of undesirable circumstances. It has a safe sound to it...damage control...as if all will be well after we control the damage. We all want control over our lives, our careers, our companies, and to be the masters of our own destinies unimpeded by external forces or the wills of others.



Yet, at times, external forces do get in our way, especially lately, and we must rectify those situations. So, most often we rely on our ability to do damage control...there's that term again. Some companies operate in a constant state of damage control, and treat that approach as an everyday method of conducting business, as a means to protect themselves. Such companies often believe that if they are able to minimize the immediate affect of damage, they will have essentially eliminated the damage. Do we really believe that?



If someone was to punch you in the mouth, and then attempted to placate you, after a while you might calm down and eventually the physical pain you experienced would subside, and you might even forgive that person. But, simply because the person who hit you spun a story and provided you with reasons, justifications, and apologies for his or her actions, would you simply forget the incident? Would you go about your business as if nothing had happened? Would you be just as pleased to maintain a relationship or do business with that person again as you did before he or she gave you a right cross and a fat lip?


If you were hit in the mouth, wouldn't that incident and its negative energy stay with you, at least for a while? Would you wonder why it happened in the first place? Wouldn't you want answers? Wouldn't you want to make up your own mind as to the likelihood of your receiving another swollen jaw in the future, and possibly losing some teeth? Of course you would! But, while you would certainly ask yourself these questions, you might not vocalize them. As a result of your apparent contemplative silence, your assailant, who did plenty of damage control after he or she realized that you might no longer stay friends or do business with them, might figure that silence is golden and that all would be well. Yet, you would know that all would NOT be well.



Why do so many companies position themselves to do damage control after a negative event occurs? Why don't they, instead, prepare for damage control in advance, and actually do it before anything dangerous occurs? Do those companies believe that nothing could go wrong, that they are so good, so perfect, that they might not make a mistake? Why not do damage control before the event occurs by ensuring it doesn't happen? Or, if it is inevitable, then address it before it gets out of hand, don't just explain it away.



Successful executives are truly focused on their customers, business partners, shareholders, and employees, and don't wait to do damage control after the fact. They anticipate the down-side effect of their actions before they proceed. They don't hold their breath in the hopes that the wall won't cave in on them and their customers, they shore up that wall long before their customers (and their relationships with those customers) are in jeopardy. If they must do damage control, they do so well in advance of a negative event actually occurring. They conduct Damage Control in Advance.



Damage Control in Advance actually brings companies, whether they are service providers, sellers of products, or otherwise, much closer to those people who are important to them, their customers, employees, partners, and others. Conducting Damage Control in Advance let's their customers and others know, in advance, how events could impact them and their relationship, and prepares them. Damage Control in Advance makes it very clear that the service provider is thinking about their customer, is concerned about them, and wishes not only to preserve the relationship, but to bring the customer into an important conversation early on, and into the decision-making process, itself. Damage Control in Advance not only elevates communication between people, but it brings about greater collaboration, as well as, strengthens relationships on both personal and business levels.



Damage Control in Advance is an honest, up-front, simple, and intelligent approach to solving problems before they become unsolvable and create irreparable damage.