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I was very intrigued by Tuckmans model but it seemed over simplified to me. I have built and developed teams in the past and yes in essence you go though Tuckmans 5 stages but working with teams is so much more that those bullet points. Out of curiosity I looked for an alternative to Tuckmans theory and found this article which bring up a great point in taking Tuckmans model but adding sustainability to it. This actual discusses a model developed in the 80's and how it could be beneficial in different scenarios.

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Team Development with Scrum: A Useful Alternative Model

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For years we’ve been using Bruce Tuckman’s team development model to guide Agile team development. You know the one: the Forming-Storming-Norming-Performing pattern that we’re all trained to say when we get the question, “How do you handle team performance?” It’s become the standard model, in spite

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Another way to connect with customers that I had not thought about until I came across this article was through subscription services. Its a little more specific maybe vs the article we discussed but it still I think, a top way to stay in tune with what you customers need. It can be a great tool to ensure your customers have what they need when they need increasing the experience of doing business with you.

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Top 3 ways to connect with customers in 2023

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How can brands connect with customers in a hyper competitive market? Discover three ideas for becoming a consumer favorite.

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Similar to being "Foolish" if you really expect to grow as an individual you need to step out of your comfort zone, and some have called this next zone the Growth Zone. I love this article it breaks down the benefits of leaving your comfort zone and how to accomplish this.

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The article from our module reminded me of this "old" saying immediately. I came across this article during that reading and I really had an issue with it. The author claims there is only one reasonable expectation from the triad (Good and Fast) which yes would be the ideal solution in a utopian state. But there are so many variables when generating a product or service and people really are willing to pay less for less quality. I whole hearted believe we live in a society where middle class is trying to get more for their $$. So if I can get 4 products by going with the midrange price point as opposed to 1 of the premium, 9 time out of 10 thats what the consumer will pay for. That is my experience at least.

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One of them is never optional, and sometimes you can't even pick two.

S urely you've heard it before. The iron triangle of service: good, fast, cheap - pick two. You can never have all three, as the saying goes.

Cheap + Fast = low quality
Good + Cheap = too slow
Fast + Good = expensive

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S urely you've heard it before. The iron triangle of service: good, fast, cheap - pick two. You can never have all three, as the saying goes. Cheap + Fast = low quality Good + Cheap = too slow Fast + Good = expensive

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I never thought of being assertive having so many benefits, this module really opened my eyes to this new tool for me in my professional and personal life.

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In my last post ( The Differences between Being Passive and Assertive) I talked about the fact that when you're assertive you actually get to express your own opinions and needs, which of course leads to a better lifestyle. Passive people often feel victimized. They often feel overwhelmed, stressed, and generally unhappy. Long term, a passive personality may tend to be unhealthy because they are not able to get their own wants and needs met.

So now let's take a look at the benefits of being assertive.
Gain Confidence and Self-Esteem
The first benefit is that when you are assertive you gain confidence and self-esteem. Let's think about that for minute. If you're able to express your needs and they are heard by the people around you and respected, then that validates your own opinions and thoughts. It helps you feel more confident - not only in who you are but also how you communicate.
Better Awareness of Your Thoughts, Opinions, and Emotions
Assertiveness also helps you understand and recognize your own feelings and thoughts. If somebody asks you to do something, an assertive person doesn't automatically jump up and do it. They think about whether or not they can or whether want to do it.

If someone asks for your opinion on what movie to see, an assertive person will stop and think about what movie they want to see and maybe why they want to see it. A passive person usually avoids having an opinion. Or if they do, they don't express it. They stuff their emotions down and ignore them.
Earn the Respect of Others
An important benefit of being assertive is that you earn respect from others. An assertive person is not an aggressive person. An assertive communication style is one that says, "This is what I want, how does that work for you?"

It's a way of communicating that is more effective and collaborative. Using the movie example again, an assertive person would say something like, "Oh I really like romantic comedies and this movie looks good to me. What do you think?" An assertive person earns respect from others because they are considerate. They share their opinion but they're also invested in the thoughts and needs of others.
Better Personal and Professional Relationships
An assertive person creates win-win situations. They have more honest relationships and their communication style is very strong. Ultimately, this benefits your personal and professional life and results in more satisfying relationships.

The truth is that most people are probably too passive in some situations. You may be perfectly assertive in your personal life, for example, but quite passive in your professional life. In my next post I will take a look at some of the signs that you're too passive and then follow up with some thoughts about how to be more assertive.

_________________________________________________________________________

Thanks for reading! You can find more of my articles at Paul Duxbury - Learning and Development in Focus

You can also find me at:

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In my last post (The Differences between Being Passive and Assertive) I talked about the fact that when you're assertive you actually get to express your own opinions and needs, which of course leads to a better lifestyle. Passive people often feel victimized.

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Putting the Human back in Human Resources

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Putting the Human back in Human Resources

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Putting the human back into human resources | Mary Schaefer | TEDxWilmington

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"A business is only as successful as its employees, and that goes for any industry."

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"A business is only as successful as its employees, and that goes for any industry."

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Another great article reinforcing the importance of employees in any business any industry!

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A business is only as successful as its employees, and that goes for any industry. Whether you're a leader in an office, a retail store or an online business, the rules of leadership apply. Even the most amazing employees need direction and encouragement to succeed. Guidance is paramount to maintaining a positive atmosphere at work, which, in turn, will boost productivity. To promote a positive workplace in which employees go above and beyond to achieve organizational goals, you need to lead by example and take advantage of everyone's strengths.

How employees contribute to an organization's success

Employees are important because they carry out your mission and have influence over your customers, among other reasons.

They carry out your mission. One of the top reasons employees are important to an organization's success is that they are the ones who are directly responsible for carrying out your mission. For instance, if you have a mission statement that places an emphasis on providing outstanding customer service, no matter how much you believe in the mission, it will be the employees themselves who will deliver this incredible customer service.

While you never want to unintentionally drive employees away, find out the reasons you may want to pay your employees to stop working for you.

They are the lifeblood of the company. In addition to carrying out your mission, your employees are the lifeblood of your organization. All levels of your company are run by your employees. If you do not value them, ultimately, they will not value your or your company.

They drive revenue. Moreover, according to Mapovate, employees are also important to the success of an organization because they help drive revenue. When employees are treated properly and given the proper guidance and tools, they can help reduce costs while also boosting sales and revenue.

They can influence your customers. Last, one of the top reasons employees are vital to your success as an organization is that they can influence customers. No matter what type of company you have, your customers are likely to value the views and opinions of your own employees over all else. Therefore, if you have lots of dissatisfied employees, the customers are likely to develop a negative view of your company overall.

6 ways to guide and motivate employees

Here are six ways to motivate your employees:

Take advantage of everyone's strengths.

Playing to each employee's individual strengths makes for a stronger workplace. While any attention is better than no attention, positive attention - as when an employer focuses mainly on strengths - is the best of all. Plain and simple, focusing on employees' talents boosts your bottom line. Employees who primarily use their strengths at work feel less stressed and physically and emotionally healthier. This increases their productivity and also supports positive engagement with clients and customers.

Hold employees accountable.

Accountability can be an unbelievably useful management tool, but only if you develop a system for doing so. If you tell an employee that they're accountable for their actions only after they have taken action, you'll only confuse and potentially disappoint them. It's too late for your response to have a real impact at that point in time.

However, if you spell out your precise expectations ahead of time, every member of your team understands the standard of work for which they are responsible. When they know exactly what they're supposed to do, you can trust that they'll know how to follow through.

One way to help people know where they stand is to implement time tracking. While some employees "pad their hours" on their timesheets, you might be surprised by the number who underreport the time they spend working on a project - or, in some cases, how many don't bill for overtime, because they want to please their bosses. Not paying employees accurately for their time isn't just bad practice - it's actually a gainst the law.

By implementing an automated system, you won't have to make them feel like Big Brother is watching - and you'll improve overall efficiency by seeing how much time the team devotes to each task and where time might be better spent.

Keep a feedback loop open

A major part of developing a successful team is opening a feedback loop. Employees need to know where they stand.

If someone is lagging behind their teammates, have a conversation with that person early on; this will keep them from being confused when it's time for quarterly reports. On the flip side, if someone has done an amazing job on a project or has improved tremendously in some aspect of the work, let them know. Otherwise, how will they know to keep up the good work?

It's just as important to be transparent and open to feedback on your end. Employees should have room to comfortably and respectfully voice any thoughts or concerns. When you hear from them what's going well and what might need to change, you have a better sense of how your business is running overall.

Break stretch goals into smaller pieces

One thing all organizations have in common is they ultimately want to be successful. Minor and major goals fuel employees' desires to work harder and make a greater impact, but if those goals are too out-of-reach, it can cause burnout and dwindle team morale.

An effective acronym that can help is SMART goals, which stands for:

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Realistic

Timeline

Specificity in goals can highlight your company's strengths and weaknesses for your target market. Measurable goals require analysis of your team and will help you keep track of how far you've gone in achieving a goal. The achievable and realistic factors of the SMART system go hand-in-hand. If goals are achievable and realistic, your team will feel a greater sense of accomplishment at the end of the day, no matter the size of the goal. Finally, a timeline will help your team stay on track and synchronized as each goal is reached.

It is important to make your employees feel as if the goals in front of them are attainable. This is why you can help improve employee morale by setting SMART goals.

Give your teams more autonomy

Greater team autonomy can not only benefit individual teams but your entire company culture as well.

When teams are more autonomous, leaders don't need to spend as much time micromanaging them and can instead plan for the future and address other company needs. For instance, employee retention rises when teams are given more autonomy. If a company takes processes like onboarding and work-life balance initiatives seriously, employees are more likely to stay at the company for longer periods of time.

This is because, in recent years, meaningful work has begun to gradually take precedence over higher pay and longer hours. A team of researchers found that more than 90% of employees would choose to take a pay cut in favor of doing more meaningful work. When you trust your employees enough to grant them more autonomy, it gives them the ability to find purpose in their work, which can help incentivize them to stay at your company.

Lead by example

Lastly, if you want to promote a positive workplace in which employees are happy and thriving, you must lead by example. Actions speak louder than words. So, if you are attempting to build a company that champions , going above and beyond, etc., you need to exhibit these same traits to your employees. If not, you will eventually create a company that functions in the exact opposite method of what you intended.

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Employees Make or Break Business Success - business.com

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A business is only as successful as its employees, and that goes for any industry. Whether you're a leader in an office, a retail store or an online business, the rules of leadership apply. Even the most amazing employees need direction and encouragement to succeed.

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Team effectiveness is enhanced by a team's commitment to reflection and on-going evaluation. In addition to evaluating accomplishments in terms of meeting specific goals, for teams to be high-performing it is essential for them to understand their development as a team. Most of us are familiar with the concept of "the terrible twos" in early childhood; understanding that developmental stage makes it easier to accept the constant stream of "No No No No No" that we might hear from a two-year old.

Teams go through stages of development. The most commonly used framework for a team's stages of development was developed in the mid-1960s by Bruce W. Tuckman. Although many authors have written variations and enhancements to Tuckman's work, his descriptions of Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing provide a useful framework for looking at your own team.

Each stage of team development has its own recognizable feelings and behaviors; understanding why things are happening in certain ways on your team can be an important part of the self-evaluation process.

The four stages are a helpful framework for recognizing a team's behavioral patterns; they are most useful as a basis for team conversation, rather than boxing the team into a "diagnosis." And just as human development is not always linear (think of the five-year old child who reverts to thumb-sucking when a new sibling is born), team development is not always a linear process. Having a way to identify and understand causes for changes in the team behaviors can help the team maximize its process and its productivity.

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Team effectiveness is enhanced by a team's commitment to reflection and on-going evaluation. In addition to evaluating accomplishments in terms of meeting specific goals, for teams to be high-performing it is essential for them to understand their development as a team.

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In these difficult times, we've made a number of our coronavirus articles free for all readers. To get all of HBR's content delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Daily Alert newsletter.

Most managers are struggling to navigate the impact Covid-19 is having on their organizations, but how the pandemic is affecting different parts of the enterprise varies dramatically from one department to the next. Where finance is grappling with critical questions of cash management, HR is dealing with stark choices about furloughs and layoffs, sales is trying to convince customers to continue to buy even as budgets are drying up, and IT is scrambling to support employees to be productive as they work from home.

One of hardest-hit departments is often customer service. To better understand the impact of this crisis on customer service departments, our team at Tethr (an AI and machine learning venture) recently completed a study of roughly 1 million customer-service calls involving more than 20 companies representing a broad cross-section of industries. All of these calls took place between March 11, when Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the WHO, and March 26.Our analysis used a proprietary 250-variable algorithm that allowed us to score the effort level of a customer's interaction - ranging from "difficult" to "easy" for the customer to accomplish their goal - as well as the underlying drivers behind those scores.

In short, the analysis paints a troubling picture for customer experience and customer service leaders.

In just two weeks, the average company in our study saw the percentage of calls scored as "difficult" more than double from a typical level of 10% to more than 20%. Issues related to the pandemic - from unexpected travel cancellations to appeals for bill payment extensions and disputes over insurance coverage - dramatically increased the level of customer emotion and anxiety in service calls, making a job that is hard for reps on a normal day far more challenging.

One company in our study saw financial hardship-related calls, among the most difficult for reps to handle, increase 2.5 times in the span of a week.

But the high effort level for customers of these Covid-related calls is only partly a function of customers' anxiety. Another big contributor is the fact that reps - most working from home for the first time - now find themselves without the infrastructure (like a reliable phone connection) or support (peers and managers available to lend a hand) they once enjoyed in the contact center. As a result, they may struggle more than usual to help customers. For instance, we measured a massive uptick in instances of both customers and reps saying, "I can't understand you," and some companies in our study saw hold times balloon by as much as 34 percent and escalations (calls sent up the chain of command) skyrocket more than 68 percent.

Such a dramatic increase in customer effort is bad news for managers as high-effort interactions are far more likely to lead to churn and far less likely to result in any sort of new sale. For one company in our study, difficult interactions had only a 6% chance of resulting in a cross-sell or up-sell, compared with a more than 80% chance that an easy interaction would. And, among customers threatening to defect, those who had had a difficult interaction had less than a 4% chance of accepting the company's "save offer" (a promotion to entice them to stay) as compared to a 20% probability for customers whose interactions were scored as easy.

So, what can companies do to help reps navigate this difficult situation? We've identified three tactics that savvy service leaders are pursuing.

1. Arm reps with techniques that help them reduce customer frustration.

Making an already difficult situation worse, many reps are still shackled by standard customer-service policies (such as rules about extending bill payments) that pre-date the pandemic. Thus they hide behind policy and indicate that they're "powerless to help" far more often than they would under normal circumstances. In fact, in our sample, we found that low-performing reps were 27% more likely to hide behind policy on Covid-19 related calls than their higher-performing peers. So it's critical to update policies to reflect the current reality and reduce opportunities for reps to use outdated policy to avoid solving customers' problems.

Other rep behaviors that increase customer effort include conveying uncertainty, using negative language and thoughtlessly routing customers elsewhere. A "redirect" is when a rep passes the buck - for instance, saying "I suggest you try contacting..." or "I can't help you but maybe they can." Redirects require customers to wait and then explain their problem again, a seeming waste of time. In our study, low-performing reps were 38% more likely to use "redirect" language on Covid-19 related calls than high performers were.

The clear answer to these challenges is to empower reps to make exceptions in order to solve the customer's problem, but changing service organization culture and policies can be a long journey. In the meantime, equipping reps with language techniques to reduce customer effort, even if they can't make exceptions, can lead to better outcomes.

Techniques such as "advocacy" can convey that the rep is on the customer's side. Saying something as simple as "Let's see if we can figure this out together" can make all the difference in whether a customer leaves an interaction frustrated and disloyal or not. In prior research, advocacy language reduced customer effort by as much as 77%.

One home services provider we work with used targeted coaching of reps on advocacy and similar techniques and saw customer frustration and effort abruptly fall. On March 10, more than 40% of their Covid-related calls conveyed customer frustration; by March 23, just 7% did. Similarly, the percentage of calls scored as difficult dropped from more than 20% to 7% in the same period.

2. Prevent managers from reverting to bad coaching behaviors.

Progressive service organizations have long since moved away from the sort of "structured" coaching that once dominated contact centers. Instead of finding an hour a week to review a handful of calls with each rep (which can be seen as punitive by reps and disconnected from their day-to-day work), managers today look to weave their coaching into daily workflow. This "integrated coaching" happens in short bursts - before, immediately after and even during customer calls - and research shows that it can improve team performance by 12%. In fact, the best managers spend more than 75% of their coaching time on this type of coaching.

With reps no longer on the contact center floor, however, managers lack the visibility they once had into their reps' work patterns (who is on a call, who has a free minute to connect, etc.), making it hard to find moments to engage in integrated coaching. The tendency, then, is for managers to revert to bad habits and old behaviors, namely scheduling one-on-one time for each rep once a week and focusing on metrics such as call length rather than behaviors.

The good news is that integrated coaching can be done virtually. A home products manufacturer we work with has made a significant commitment to this type of coaching and was initially concerned that their forced work-from-home environment would scuttle any progress. However, they found that with a few small-but-important adjustments, they were able to prevent managers from reverting to old behaviors. As one leader explained, "We had to make sure our managers were doing more open-ended questioning with their reps to find out how their calls were going - what they were feeling good about and what they were struggling with - and scheduling several mini-check ins across the day with their people using video conferencing to mimic the cadence and structure of integrated coaching sessions."

3. Use collaboration tools to help reps tap into the wisdom of their peers.

We've written previously about the importance of fostering collaboration between reps. Service organizations like T-Mobile's that enable and encourage reps to tap into one another's expertise perform 50% better than organizations that force reps to stick to the script and seek answers only from management.

Creating this sort of "network judgment" climate, however, is difficult under normal circumstances and even harder when reps are no longer sitting side by side in the contact center. Fortunately, modern collaboration tools like instant messaging and Slack can create workspaces for reps to connect in near-real time to get advice and perspective from colleagues.

Managers at one travel-and-leisure company in our study told us that the first thing their reps do at the beginning of their shift is to start up a group chat on the company's collaboration platform. "The traffic on that channel is constant - from the first minute of the shift to the last, reps are peppering one another with questions and offering suggestions." The company's VP of service also reported that reps are quick to correct misinformation if anyone gives incorrect guidance to a peer, helping the company to avoid costly compliance failures.

The Covid-19 pandemic has put service reps, managers and leaders under pressure they've likely never experienced before. But with a focus on the right skills and support from able managers and peers, there's no reason that service organizations can't successfully navigate and even flourish during these trying times.

If our content helps you to contend with coronavirus and other challenges, please consider subscribing to HBR. A subscription purchase is the best way to support the creation of these resources.

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Supporting Customer Service Through the Coronavirus Crisis

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Among the company functions that are hardest-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic is customer service. An AI analysis of more than 1 million customer service calls showed dramatic increases in customer anxiety and frustrations, and reps struggle to effectively respond.

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Today, there are more ways than ever to connect with customers. There’s email, social media, mobile, meetings, focus groups, trade shows. The list goes on. But which ways are the most effective? CIO.com asked dozens of business owners, managers and customer relationship experts to find out. Following are their top 14 recommendations for how to connect with customers–and what makes those methods effective.

Note: The success of a method depends largely, if not entirely, on the business you are in and who or where your customers are. While social media sites–e.g., Facebook, Twitter, YouTube–may work great for some organizations, they may not be the best option for others. Similarly, while some customers may prefer to be contacted via email, others may want or appreciate a phone call or a face-to face meeting.

So before you invest too much money or time in one particular method of customer outreach, ask your customers how they prefer to be contacted or engaged. As for prospective customers, all the experts we queried suggested organizations try multiple forms of outreach and track which one(s) worked best.

1. Survey your customers. “Surveys allow businesses to identify user needs directly,” says Reuben Yonatan, CEO, analyst and editor-in-chief of GetVoIP, which provides guidance and assistance to voice over IP consumers.

“Once customers’ needs are known, companies can steer their offerings towards filling these needs,” he says. “Surveys are also a good tool to bring in prospective customers who are on the fence about a product/service–i.e. surveys can be used as a platform for prospective customers to voice their wants/needs,” Yonatan says

2. Use newsletters. “Send out a newsletter about 10 times per year,” says Stan C. Kimer, president, Total Engagement Consulting by Kimer. “It should have a table of contents up front so people will at least take three seconds to scan it, and the five to six articles should be short (two to three sentences) and include links to useful resources.”

“We segment our [newsletters] according to business verticals and construct targeted content to those verticals,” says Maciej Fita, SEO director, Brandignity, an Internet marketing services company. “Our newsletters are filled with free information,” not lots of advertising, he adds. “It is a good way to stay on people’s radar screens.”

“And don’t forget to integrate social media functionality!” adds Keith Trivitt, director of Marketing and Communications, MediaWhiz, a performance marketing agency. Include “share” buttons for Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest, whichever are relevant. “Not only will you increase the social shares of your content but you’ll give your customers and prospects an easy way to spread your company’s expertise,” he says.

3. Blog. “One of the best ways to connect with customers is by blogging,” says Deborah Sweeney, CEO, MyCorporation.com, an incorporation and trademarking service. “If you actively keep up a quality blog, not only will your customers read your blog, but they will respond to your blog,” she notes. “This creates a positive flow of communication”–and helps build customer loyalty.

4. Pick up the phone. “There’s nothing more direct than picking up the phone to call a customer or client,” states Gil Effron, cofounder, The Growth Team, a coaching and consulting firm. “Whether following up on a delivery, apologizing for something that went amiss, or wondering why you haven’t received an order in a while, there’s no better way to build or strengthen a relationship,” he says. Moreover, “in a world saturated with one-way communication, the phone provides instant feedback.”

5. Go visit. “In a recent study SAS sponsored we asked marketers ‘What are your company’s most effective channels for customer engagement both now and in three years?'” says Jonathan Moran, product marketing manager at SAS, which provides business analytics and business intelligence software. “The top response: ‘face to face,’ from 59 percent of respondents.” That said, when visiting customers, it is critical to listen–and not walk in the door trying to sell them something.

6. Respond to email. “At our company, we make it our goal to respond to customer emails within five minutes, and the response we receive from our customers is usually something like ‘Wow, that was fast’ or ‘Fastest response I’ve ever received. Thanks so much,” says Giancarlo Massaro, the cofounder of ViralSweep, which provides businesses tools to create giveaways on their website. “How has this helped us? People love amazing customer service and in turn have been referring people to our service, all because of our customer service.”

7. Send a personalized note or a postcard. “I love sending personalized cards by snail mail to let customers know I’m thinking of them,” says Kathy DalPra, the owner of Bride Appeal Web Design & SEO.

“Physical mail is so uncommon these days, it’s remembered,” DalPra says. “When customers receive a card from me, they know I’ve put thought and time into it, which translates into feeling valued. And when customers feel valued, they buy and refer their friends.”

8. Be active on Twitter and Facebook. “One of the best ways to connect with customers is through social media, such as Facebook and Twitter,” says Ian Aronovich, cofounder and president, GovernmentAuctions.org, a site that compiles and provides information about government auctions of seized and surplus merchandise from all over the country.

“With social media, you can reach out to your customers at any moment rather than wait for customers to send you emails or phone calls with feedback,” Aronovich says. Use your company’s Facebook fan page or Twitter account to “engage your followers and keep conversations going. Social media can also be used as a form of customer service, where company representatives can directly answer customer questions and concerns,” he says.

“It’s critical to have a social media listening post to quickly respond to each issue that arises,” notes Chuck Wall, founder and CEO, Customer CEO Consulting. “You may not be able to solve their specific problem, but don’t ignore them. They will give you credit for listening and acknowledging their situation.”

Similarly, a great way to connect with customers at trade shows and events is to “participate in any ‘Twitter parties’ using the event hashtag,” says Niquenya Fulbright, the president and CEO of Building Bridges Chicago LLC, a small business consulting and executive coaching firm.

“Tweet quotes from the speakers as well as your own tips and advice–and respond to and engage others who are also tweeting,” Fulbright says. Why is this important–and how can it help you connect with prospective customers? “One, it establishes you as an expert on the subject, and two, it connects you to potential customers who you can follow-up on later.”

9. Use Instagram. “Instagram helps us stay connected and engaged with our customers and fans,” says Julie Pocino, co-owner and director of Communications & Development at Barnabas Clothing Co.

“We can post pictures and information regularly, and post contests and giveaways,” she says. “For our contests and giveaways, we ask our followers to repost and hashtag to enter,” Pocino says. “When our followers tag us, we can then go and comment on their posts too. It has been a great way to interact with our fans, and it allows us to post new pictures and content about our brand frequently.”

10. Offer webinars. “Webinars–seminars delivered over the Internet–are a great way to keep the spice in your customer relationship,” says Marc Gutman, chief meeting officer, Lighthouse Conferencing, the provider of audio, video and Web-based conferencing services. To get customers interested, “invite a well-known speaker in your industry to present on a topic your customers want to hear.”

11. Empower salespeople. “Salespeople can make or break the retail experience,” says Joseph Cecere, president and chief creative officer, Little & Company, a provider of design services. “Empowering them with access to real-time answers and information beyond what the consumer can find online provides value that brings shoppers back to the store again and again,” he says. “Concierge-like services and expert advice create truly personalized experiences, which are the hallmark of the brick-and-mortar experience. In truth, sales associates are underleveraged store assets.”

12. Provide exceptional customer service. “One of the most powerful tools an organization has to connect with its customers is its employee base,” says Rick DeMarco, managing director, West Coast Operations, Inward Strategic Consulting, a marketing, branding and positioning firm.

“Every interaction between a customer and employee, whether that is pre-sale, the actual sales process, after sales support or billing, provides an opportunity to either add or detract from the equity of your brand and company,” DeMarco says. “Significant empirical evidence exists that makes a direct connection between employee engagement and satisfaction and customer satisfaction and loyalty.” So one of the best ways to connect and engage with customers, he says, is to “turn your employees into company ambassadors and brand advocates who deliver on your brand promise and business strategy at every single customer touch point.”

13. Go mobile. “Almost everyone is carrying some kind of mobile device today–92 percent of Americans have a mobile phone,” says Nur Sharina Shariff, cofounder, Mobile Sales Systems. And “the use of SMS/text messages is instant, cost effective and a tried and tested communication medium that every mobile phone user knows about and knows how to use,” she adds.

“In our modern mobile society one can reach with SMS almost anyone at anytime and anywhere in the world within seconds, making text messaging an easy way for a local businesses to connect with their customers,” she says.

“What better way to connect with loyal customers than with a branded app that integrates location technology, allowing automatic, personalized delivery of messages to consumers near stores?” asks Eric Newman, vice president of products and marketing at Digby, a mobile commerce and marketing technology solutions provider. “Location-aware apps open an entirely new channel for customers and brands to personally connect before, during and after a shopping experience.”

14. Monitor review sites. “Whether it’s Yelp, TripAdvisor or Angie’s List, find out what customers are saying about your business [on review sites],” says Lisa Parkin, president of Social Climber, LLC, a social media consultancy.

“Responding to customer reviews on these popular sites shows that your company is aware of any problems and is willing to fix them,” Parkin says. However, she urges caution when replying to negative comments. Instead of being defensive or picking a fight, try to understand and offer to fix the problem or provide an inducement for the customer to try your product, service or establishment again.

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14 Proven Ways to Connect With Customers

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There are many ways to connect with customers, but which ways are the most effective? Business owners and managers as well as customer relationship experts share their tips on how and where to best engage with existing and prospective customers.rn

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Give yourself permission to be creative | Ethan Hawke | TED

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Pursuing creativity through new ways of engaging with groups inside and outside the organization unlocks value beyond inventing new “things” alone.

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Design thinking is an approach to creative problem solving. It is a human-centered approach to innovation that will transform the way you develop products, services, and organizations.

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Before, we were focused on products, and now we're focused on patients, which has led to a whole line of services that go beyond the pill, and it's taking off in the India business. Now there is a whole group of people constantly thinking about what can we do to make the patient journey better. What can we do with other things to make patients want to work with us. So those kind of things in effect are helping us and having an impact on the strategy.

The other part is that internally, the fact that empathy is being dialed up is helping people work together. The hope is that this thinking and dynamism gets ingrained in people. As we grow in size, we don't get paralyzed by bureaucracy. We'll be agile and build a unique culture. To a certain extent, it helps everybody to think very clearly now.

Other values we've been talking about are quality and safety, and all of this has a place in this journey, in service of the patient. It's all falling very nicely together: the brand, the brand values, our own values.
Click here to learn more about this partnership.

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What Defining a Common Purpose Can Do for a Company

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Before, we were focused on products, and now we're focused on patients, which has led to a whole line of services that go beyond the pill, and it's taking off in the India business. Now there is a whole group of people constantly thinking about what can we do to make the patient journey better.

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Finding Confidence in Conflict | Kwame Christian | TEDxDayton

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Being assertive: Reduce stress, communicate better

Assertiveness can help you control stress and anger and improve coping skills. Recognize and learn assertive behavior and communication.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Being assertive is a core communication skill. Assertiveness can help you express yourself effectively and stand up for your point of view. It can also help you do this while respecting the rights and beliefs of others.

Being assertive can also help boost your self-esteem and earn others' respect. This can help with stress management. It may especially help you reduce stress if you tend to take on too many responsibilities because you have a hard time saying no.

Some people seem to be naturally assertive. But if you're not assertive, you can learn to be.

Why assertive communication makes sense

Because assertiveness is based on mutual respect, it's an effective and diplomatic communication style. Being assertive shows that you respect yourself because you're willing to stand up for your interests and express your thoughts and feelings. It also demonstrates that you're aware of others' rights and willing to work on resolving conflicts.

Of course, it's not just what you say - your message - but also how you say it that's important. Assertive communication is direct and respectful. Being assertive gives you the best chance of successfully delivering your message. If you communicate in a way that's too passive or too aggressive, your message may get lost because people are too busy reacting to your delivery.

Assertive vs. passive behavior

If your style is passive or nonassertive, you may seem to be shy or overly easygoing. You may routinely say things such as "I'll just go with whatever the group decides." You tend to avoid conflict. Why is that a problem? Because the message you're sending is that your thoughts and feelings aren't as important as those of other people. In essence, when you're too passive, you allow others to ignore your wants and needs.

Consider this example: You say yes when a colleague asks you to take over a project, even though you're already busy. The extra work means you'll have to work overtime and miss your daughter's soccer game. Your intention may be to keep the peace. But always saying yes can poison your relationships. And worse, it may cause you internal conflict because your needs and those of your family always come second.

The internal conflict that can be created by passive behavior can lead to:

Stress

Resentment

Seething anger

Feelings of victimization

Desire to exact revenge

Doubting or questioning our own judgment

Assertive vs. aggressive behavior

Now consider the other side. If your style is aggressive, you may come across as a bully who ignores others' needs, feelings and opinions. You may appear self-righteous or superior. Very aggressive people embarrass, intimidate and scare others and may even be physically threatening.

You may think that being aggressive gets you what you want. However, it comes at a cost. Aggression weakens trust and mutual respect. Others may come to resent you, leading them to avoid or oppose you.

Assertive vs. passive-aggressive behavior

Now consider passive-aggressive behavior. If you communicate in a passive-aggressive manner, you may say yes when you want to say no. You may be sarcastic or complain about others behind their backs. Rather than confront an issue directly, you may show your anger and feelings through your actions or negative attitude. You may have developed a passive-aggressive style because you're uncomfortable being direct about your needs and feelings.

What are the drawbacks of a passive-aggressive communication style? Over time, passive-aggressive behavior damages relationships and weakens mutual respect. This makes it difficult for you to get your goals and needs met.

The benefits of being assertive

Being assertive is usually viewed as a healthier communication style. Assertiveness offers many benefits. It helps you keep people from taking advantage of you. It can also help you from acting like a bully to others.

Behaving assertively can help you:

Gain self-confidence and self-esteem

Gain a sense of empowerment

Understand and recognize your feelings

Earn respect from others

Improve communication

Create win-win situations

Improve your decision-making skills

Create honest relationships

Gain more job satisfaction

Learning to be more assertive can also help you effectively express your feelings when communicating with others about issues.

Learning to be more assertive

People develop different styles of communication based on their life experiences. Your style may be so ingrained that you're not even aware of what it is. People tend to stick to the same communication style over time. But if you want to change your communication style, you can learn to communicate in healthier and more effective ways.

Here are some tips to help you become more assertive:

Assess your style. Do you voice your opinions or remain silent? Do you say yes to additional work even when your schedule is full? Are you quick to judge or blame? Do people seem to dread or fear talking to you? Understand your style before you begin making changes.

Use 'I' statements. Using I statements lets others know what you're thinking or feeling without sounding accusatory. For instance, say, "I disagree," rather than, "You're wrong." If you have a request, say, "I would like you to help with this" rather than, "You need to do this." Keep your requests simple, specific and clear.

Practice saying no. If you have a hard time turning down requests, try saying, "No, I can't do that now." Remember that no is a complete sentence and you don't need to explain why you choose to say no. Don't hesitate - be direct. If an explanation is appropriate, keep it brief.

Rehearse what you want to say. If it's challenging to say what you want or think, practice general scenarios you encounter. Say what you want to say out loud. It may help to write it out first, too, so you can practice from a script. Consider role-playing with a friend or colleague and asking for clear feedback.

Use body language. Communication isn't just verbal. Act confident even if you aren't feeling it. Keep an upright posture, but lean forward a bit. Make regular eye contact. Maintain a neutral or positive facial expression. Don't cross your arms or legs. Face the person. Practice assertive body language in front of a mirror or with a friend or colleague. In addition to what you say, your body language and facial expressions are also important.

Keep emotions in check. Conflict is hard for most people. Maybe you get angry or frustrated, or maybe you feel like crying. Although these feelings are typical, they can get in the way of resolving conflict. If you feel too emotional going into a situation, wait a bit if possible. Then work on remaining calm. Breathe slowly. Keep your voice even and firm.

Start small. At first, practice your new skills in situations that are low risk. For instance, try out your assertiveness on a partner or friend before tackling a difficult situation at work. Evaluate yourself afterward and adjust your approach as needed.

When you need help being assertive

Remember, learning to be assertive takes time and practice. If you've spent years silencing yourself, becoming more assertive probably won't happen overnight. Or if anger leads you to be too aggressive, you may need to learn some anger management techniques.

If despite your best efforts you're not making progress toward becoming more assertive, consider formal assertiveness training. And if certain issues such as anger, stress, anxiety or fear are getting in your way, consider talking with a mental health professional. The payoff will be worth it. By becoming more assertive, you can begin to express your true feelings and needs more easily. You may even find that you get more of what you want as a result.

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Show references

1. Seaward BL. Simple assertiveness and healthy boundaries. In: Essentials of Managing Stress. 5th ed. Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2021.

2. Seaward BL. Healthy boundaries: Behavior modification. In: Managing Stress: Skills for Self-Care, Personal Resiliency and Work-Life Balance in a Rapidly Changing World. 10th ed. Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2022.

3. Bourne EJ. Being assertive. In: The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook. 7th ed. New Harbinger Publications; 2020.

4. Olpin M, et al. Social support, relationships, and communication. In: Stress Management for Life. 5th ed. Cengage Learning; 2020.

See more In-depth

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Learn the importance of assertiveness and how to be more assertive.

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Swati Singh! Great class, our professor is a Business professional and lead us through some great topics in this class.