Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM FEBRUARY 2015 42 RO John Tschohl Customer Service John Tschohl—described by Time and Entrepreneur magazines as a customer service guru and service strategist—presents strategic keynote speeches to companies worldwide. He is the author of "Empowerment, A Way of Life." Contact: John@servicequality.com or www.customer-service.com I t's such a sad thing to say to yourself that if you 'woulda' done this, you 'coulda' had that. This thinking is so common in the world today with all the global upheaval and disasters that are happening. It's so easy to sit back and take the "well I can't make a difference all by myself" attitude and just let things happen. I have a saying on the bulletin board in my office that says, "There's a time to let things happen and a time to make things happen," by Hugh Prather, author and counselor. This is so relevant to the workforce today. People are tired of their jobs but are doing little or nothing to move to where they want to be and should be to make changes for themselves and their families. Nothing will change until you take action. The first step is to be honest with yourself and take a look at where you have come from. The world got this far from ancestors of yours that were willing to look at the big picture and do something about it. They were willing to take the first step. They were willing to put all the things aside that hold people back. They were willing to be honest with themselves and create a blueprint for their lives. One that determined their success and helped them overcome their failures (and we all have them). Did you know that in the US today, the top wealthiest immigrants are Asian Indians? They are also the top highly-educated and the top entrepreneurial immigrants. These are people that believed in themselves and were willing to take risks. They understand that dedication is non-negotiable. They made themselves indispensable. They took action. Ask yourself if you are working towards the goals you have for yourself or are you simply doing what gets you by. It's time for YOU. Time to Move Up. You must believe in yourself. Many people give up on their dreams as soon as they encounter the first obstacle. They let the negativity of others drag them down. Don't waste energy by focusing on what others think. Develop the self- confidence to do what needs to be done. Free yourself of fear and limitations, and you will unlock the hidden genius inside you. The same as 47 year-old Satya Nadella, who joined Microsoft 22 years ago because he was empowered to do magical things and ultimately make the world a better place. Nadella worked with Sun Microsystems, as a member of its technology staff, prior to joining Microsoft in 1992. In Microsoft he led the major projects including the company's move to the cloud computing and the development of one of the largest cloud infrastructures in the world. He is now the new CEO of Microsoft. While passion, clear goals, and dedication are critical to realizing your goals, you also must have the right combination of skills to be great at what you do. Planning, communication, creativity, and productivity are critical. So are time management, motivation, knowledge, and interpersonal skills. Make a commitment to investing whatever time and money is necessary to strengthen your skills. Enroll in classes and workshops. Read books on leadership, management, customer service, sales, and personal development. Become the expert on your organization's and your industry's products and services. As you reach one goal, set a new one. Dream bigger. You can succeed; you can accomplish great things. Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks says, "There are moments in our lives when we summon the courage to make choices that go against reason, against common sense and the wise counsel of people we trust. But we lean forward nonetheless because, despite all risks and rational argument, we believe that the path we are choosing is the right and best thing to do. We refuse to be bystanders." • The exceptional employee will be the driving force of the future. • The extraordinary employee will challenge the status quo. • The indispensable employee will move up. Keep your passion and the hunger to move up. It's what you are meant to do. REFUSE TO BE A BYSTANDER- TAKE ACTION AND MOVE UP

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