Where is your value?

The simplest way to succeed is to be valuable. Valuable to your customers, your company, your friends and your family. Some of us choose which of these groups to value and then ignore the rest. Some of us are loved by the clients, but destroy our companies. Others are great family people, but don't put out at work. Some look out for the company and view the customer as a necessary evil.

The best life is when you actually are valuable to all of the constituents in your life: your customers love you, your fellow employees are inspired to work with you, your friends trust and enjoy you and your family knows that you are totally dedicated to them.

It's a tall order, but what a reward to be that valuable.

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com

Old-school Communication

I'll stop by your office to chat about an issue
I'm waiting to see when the customer has time for me to drop by
I'm planning a trip to see my clients on the east coast
It's always better to talk in person
The customer is hard to reach, I've left a phone message
I asked when the customer will have a chance to come to our showroom

All of these statements sound sincere and logical. The goal is to see someone in person, to connect, to watch their body language, to shake their hand and feel the warmth. But all of this is old-school communication.

Today, most of us text, email, Skype, WebEx, and phone daily. Yet, often dealers or suppliers play the old- school game of waiting to have that in-person meeting where everything is perfect. I'd love to meet face-to-face, but 95% of the time it's not an option.

The 20-something generation prefers to text or Skype over talking on the phone. They don't feel that a person has to be in the room to be communicated with. It's time for all of us to learn this, that school (the new school of communication) is in session.

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
http://www.labov.com/

The Duke

The Duke was quite a guy. Grew up dirt poor, had health problems, but was persistent in getting an education. He had what he termed a "lopsided personality" meaning he was socially awkward despite being brilliant. He got married, had a couple of kids and endured some unbelievable personal hardships along the way, but he kept pushing. He had a dream to retire and fix bicycles for fun. He never made it to retirement, the years of bad health, smoking and pent-up frustrations beat him down.

What the Duke did that was greatest was his belief in his children. He told one son that, "You can do anything you put your mind to." The son believed him and it altered his life for the better.

Thanks, Duke (Dad), for changing my life, and happy birthday up there.

Barry
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com