Servings of Stone Soup

I was trying to pay for a continuing education course at a local, state-supported community college. I was in-between clients and operating on a tight time line. I filled out the necessary paperwork and was writing a check to pay for the course when the woman behind the desk stepped back and said, “Oh, we can’t accept that.”

I replied “what do you mean?”

“We just take the registrations here.”

”Okay, where do I need to go to pay for the course?”

“Here.”

“I must be missing something. Where exactly is ‘here’ – where the payments are accepted?”

“Here where I am standing. The person that takes them doesn’t come in until 10:00 a.m. So, you just have to wait until then.”

I replied, “So you mean that I have to wait, even though you are side-by-side?

“Yes, she is a different department. I can’t touch the money.”

“I am paying by check, there will be a record of it. Could you just attach it to the registration form, so I can leave? It’s 9:45 now, it would just be for 15 minutes.”

“No.”

So, I stand there and wait with about 15 other people who needed to pay. I begin to wonder if I will have to call my client and explain my delay.

At 10:00, the woman that accepts payments comes in to work and gets on the phone. By now, 20 plus people that have gathered. We can hear her conversation. It is personal – not business.

After another 10 minutes of waiting, I clear my throat and say “will you accept payments now?”

She gets up, very frustrated that she has been interrupted, takes my check and attaches it to the registration then sits back down. That was the super technical, highly secure method of accepting payments that the other employee, standing beside her, could not perform.

At this point I am stunned. I look around the room to see other stunned expressions. Then I notice a sign on the wall that reads “Customer Service Center.”

I say out loud, “Customer Service Center, now there is a contradiction in terms.”

To which the original employee – that couldn’t accept the payment – stated (and this is a direct quote!), “Customer Service? We tried that and it don’t work, so we don’t do that no more.”

I was speechless.

What systems or policies no longer work in your business environment? Which have become sacred cows?

What customer service nightmare will you share?

Advocate for Customers Everywhere,

Jan Hinton

www.stonesoupcoaching.com

While in graduate school, a professor required us to sit across from our partner and for 2 minutes say “I am” statements.  “I am a student.”  “I am a daughter.”  “I am a teacher.”  And on it went – mostly statements about roles we played.  That was the easy part and took about 20 seconds.  What followed was a painful minute and 40 seconds of silence as I (and my classmates) sat across from each other.  We had quickly run out of things to say once we covered all our roles. 

 This exercise has had a lasting impact on me – who am I, really, outside of the roles I have in life?  In Brian McLaren’s book, The Story We Find Ourselves In, one of his concepts is we find ourselves in our own stories.  What does your story say about you?  Think about that for a moment and move away from the roles.  My story would be more about being a survivor and adventurer, risk taker and humorist.  This takes me out of the typical labels and roles and paints a truer picture of me.  Sometimes the circumstances of my story would paint me as a doubter and questioner.

 It seems like we become so focused on our roles as labels to describe who we are that we forget.  Our society can label you in roles that are challenging to change.  Have you ever been to a High School reunion?  Often, those voted most likely to - didn’t.  And we have a hard time adjusting to who they really are - now.  Many times our families can create roles for us that often ignore a real person living out a calling that may or may not be their expectation. 

 Find someone and for 2 minutes tell them who you are, minus the roles.  What are the results?  Who would you be without your story?  How does your story show up in your every day life?

Jan Hinton

Writer, Blogger, Thinker, Observer of life

www.stonesoupcoaching.com 

Radiohead, the British rock group, recently announced they were releasing their newest album online - available to anyone to download - paying whatever you want (or nothing) for the recordings.  No label, no production costs, no marketing, etc.  So whatever the fans are willing to pay goes straight to the bottom-line for Radiohead.  While the recording industry tries to revive itself from the shock - could this be the new trend?

I mention this to challenge business owners that are clinging to survivability on the laurels of “we’ve always done it that way?”  (The last 7 words of any business).  When was your last new idea?  Was it shot down because it was too hard, too costly, or too radical?  In what ways are you looking creatively and innovatively at your strengths to grow and enhance them?  How are you frozen by past successes or failures?

It only takes on Radiohead to shock an industry.  Who will follow them?  Is this the end of the music industry as we know it?  Will you be the Radiohead of your business?

I watched portions of the recently televised Women’s World Cup.  The talent of the athletes and the intensity of the competition was thrilling!  I do think that the removal of Hope Solo as goalie was a total bonehead move on the part of the US coach.  Bri Scurry is a talented player, but Hope had the current teams’ heart, knew their moves, knew their support,knew and was critical to the team chemistry, etc.  Sadly, what that bonehead move communicated to the US team was you are not good enough as you are to beat Brazil.  We need something extra, we need an add-on.  That had to rattle the team, the coach doesn’t believe in us as we are . . .

In my work with businesses and individuals, they are constantly looking for the latest, greatest.  The add-on that will make them successful, increase their profitability, make them an effective leader, be able to motivate others, and the list goes on.   In many ways we communicate to ourselves, our families, our organizations, that we are not good enough as we are.  We say there is something missing and we need the latest,  greatest management theory/process or self improvement book.  We focus intensely on the weakness.  My clients are typically stunned when I say let’s focus on the strengths - really?  I often find myself giving them permission to start there.  This in no way conveys that there is no room for improvement - there always is.  Yet, by being focused on the strengths, that alone changes everything.  Often, the perceived add-on is not needed.

We’ll never know the outcome if Hope Solo had stayed as goalie.  She was kicked off the team and now has been added again.  I can’t imagine what the team must be like now.   I would guess it’s like a lot of businesses I see where mediocrity is the status quo because individuals have believed that they are not good enough unless . . .

Celebrating YOUR Strengths,

Jan Hinton

www.stonesoupcoaching.com 

I now know the origination of the term “ugly as sin” – it’s

the wallpaper in the half-bath of the house I moved into.

Okay, being from the South, let me re-phrase the statement

and say that my tastes differ greatly than those of the

previous owners. This has been one of my priority projects –

to change the look (basically remove the hideous wallpaper).

I consulted with several experts about removing the wallpaper.

Most of them rolled their eyes, clutched their hearts, and

commented, “are you really sure you want to do that?” as the

color was quickly draining from their faces. “Do you know what

you are in for?” Obviously ignorance was bliss. I consulted

more experts who enlightened me to the concept of painting

over the wallpaper. They graciously provided step-by-step

instructions.

In theory, it was a great idea to paint over the wallpaper.

What I didn’t consider in the plan was the change in color.

The wallpaper was black (really!) and I wanted yellow walls.

Three coats later, I had gone from hideous to something

words can’t quite capture in the realm of ugly.

Now, I am back to taking the wallpaper, (plus primer and

three coats of paint) off the walls. I have tried every

commercial product and removal device and have found

that old-fashioned elbow grease is the best method. It is

taking time and effort, and each day I am closer to the

yellow walls and a completed project.

So why take the time to share this experience? This is so

much what we do in life. We want (or need to at times) make

a change. Sometimes our circle of influence repeatedly

reminds of us of how hard and challenging it will be. Often

we opt for the easier method – the quick fix – just

paint over what already exists. Just go in any bookstore

and you’ll find a plethora of quick fixes in the self-help

section. What needs to happen is removal of the old

patterns, those old tapes we play that no longer work.

I admit I wanted the quick fix. It has been hard work to

remove the wallpaper. However, I am making tons of

progress and am truly excited to be working on the project.

And, it hasn’t been as challenging as I thought it would be. I

let the removal portion of the project become a huge obstacle

that I thought I couldn’t get around.

So, what about you? Where are you looking for the quick fix?

In what ways would a thought pattern, action, or old tape

be best served by being completely removed? What is so

overwhelming that it seems unconquerable?

Change Goddess,

Jan

Jan Hinton

www.stonesoupcoaching.com

After many requests, I am finally adding a Blog! What you’ll find in future posts are observations about life and typically questions that will provoke thoughts on your part. I tend to think in questions, so that will be reflected in my writing. Also, I find the everyday and ordinary filled with many great a-ha’s and lessons to be learned. I’ll pull from my own journey - and it has been quite a ride! So, hang on, it will be interesting! To quote Helen Keller, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing!”

A big WOO HOO to the adventure!