About anentrepreneurswords

R. Lee Harris grew up in Manhattan, Kansas and has lived in the Kansas City area since 1977. A 1975 graduate of Kansas State University, Harris began his career with Cohen-Esrey, LLC as an apartment manager two weeks after he graduated. Now president and CEO, he is involved in apartment management, development and investment; construction and tax credit syndication on a nationwide scale. Over the course of his career Harris has overseen the management of more than 27 million square feet of office building, shopping center and industrial space and nearly 60,000 multi-family units. He has started dozens of business enterprises over the past 40+ years. In 1991, Harris wrote a book entitled, The Customer Is King! published by Quality Press of Milwaukee. In 2012 he authored the book, An Entrepreneur's Words to Live By. He has mentored a number of business people over the years and has been a long-time participant in the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program. He and his wife Barb have two grown daughters and one grandson. They are active in their church, community and university.

The Anti-Bulldozer

Posted on October 26, 2014 by anentrepreneurswords

Many of us entrepreneurs have a tendency to be a bit aggressive at times. The appropriate analogy might be something about a bull in a china shop. Speaking for myself I know there have been times when I pushed through a situation and likely ran roughshod over others who were involved. It’s not that we do so intentionally, but we are naturally assertive and want to get things done . . . right now!

Much earlier in my career I was totally oblivious to how others might be reacting to me. I had not yet learned how to “read” people. I thought I was doing things the right way, but apparently was stepping on a lot of toes in the process. When this was pointed out to me I became a bit defensive and thought, “It’s not my problem if others have such thin skins.” Perhaps this was true in a literal sense, but how others feel and perceive us becomes reality – regardless of what we intend. What I didn’t realize is that being the bulldozer caused my colleagues and others to resent me and not want to work with me.

After many years it became apparent that others weren’t going to change – I needed to instead. Fortunately this didn’t require me to compromise my principles. But I realized that not only did I need to understand how others were responding to me, but also that I needed to adjust my approach accordingly. I began to pay close attention to “reading” people and modifying my approach away from a “one-size fits-all.”

Reading people is multi-faceted. It requires us to listen not only to what others say but how they say it. If I am laying out a strategy and asking for feedback, I need to pay attention to voice inflection, pitch, cadence and tone. I need to watch facial features. Does the other person’s jaw clench; is there an eye twitch; does the color change in his or her face, and do the nostrils flair? I must observe other body language tells. Is there a stiffening or turning of the body; do the arms fold or gesture in some way; do the fists clench; does the head raise or drop; is eye contact lost; what do I see in the eyes, and does the person literally shrink in position? How exactly does the person verbally respond? Is there hesitation before speaking? What words are selected by the person in his or her response?

People reads are only part of the sensitivity process. How do I conduct myself when receiving feedback? Is my body language open or closed? Do I keep a smile on my face or do I send signals that I don’t really want to hear what is being said? Am I truly listening or just giving the appearance of doing so? I have found that repeating back what the other person says helps send the message that I am listening. Then it’s important for me to acknowledge what is being said in a positive manner. For example, “I hear you when you tell me that you aren’t in favor of reaching out to the client in the manner I suggested and understand why you feel the way you do. Let’s come up with a different way of handling this.” In the old days I would simply tell the person to “just do it.” Today, it’s become much more important for me to be flexible and help others find different ways to reach the same end goal than just the way I want to do it.

Sensitivity is not a weakness. Instead it is an effective leadership trait. Reading people; listening to them; understanding what they are saying, and making the necessary adjustments engenders the trust and confidence of our team.

This blog is being written in tandem with my book, “An Entrepreneur’s Words to Live By,” available on Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle (My Book), as well as being available in all of the other major eBook formats.

Dealer’s Choice

Posted on October 19, 2014 by anentrepreneurswords

Here’s the scenario. A situation has arisen in your business that is unexpected and unfavorable. Your only file server has mysteriously crashed and your operation is grinding to a halt. Now what? Do you deal with the situation or do you manage it? This may sound like the splitting of hairs but the difference can be as wide as the Grand Canyon.

Dealing with something connotes a mindset of reaction. Managing a situation involves a proactive mindset. If we deal with the file server crash we attempt to take steps to resolve the issue. But we don’t necessarily do anything more. Managing the file server crash incorporates steps toward resolution but also includes contingency planning in case those steps aren’t successful as well as an in-depth analysis to understand why the problem arose in the first place. And, the process of managing the situation requires making changes to prevent the problem from occurring again.

Then there’s the “string-along” situation. Recently we lost one leg of a 220 power supply in a building on one of our apartment properties. This caused a partial loss of power for the units that were affected. The repairs involved an electrical parts supplier that had to send us a new switch; an electrical contractor to install the switch; the utility company that had to turn the power off and on to allow the contractor to install the switch, and the city which required approval of the switch before it could be installed. The situation became a complete comedy-of-errors. The electrical supplier sent the wrong switch which delayed repairs. The city was in no hurry to grant approval once the right switch was received. The utility deemed the incident a non-emergency and initially scheduled the shut-down and turn-on for three weeks into the future. Fortunately we raised enough cane to get the utility to accelerate its schedule. Through all of this we heard several “next day” promises from various parties involved. And of course the “next day” turned into the “day after” and the “day after that” – you get the picture.

This is a perfect example of the classic “string-along.” We dealt with the situation rather than managed it and our residents (customers) were inconvenienced for a number of days. Had we chosen to manage properly, someone on our team would have stepped up and “owned” the problem and taken charge of getting it resolved from start to finish. Instead our team members bought into the “string-along” and became spectators in the process. Managing this situation would have involved the team member “owning” the problem preparing a contingency plan that would interrupt the “string-along” and implement different measures to ensure the comfort of our residents.

A mindset of managing tough situations can result in a positive experience for all involved when a member of a team steps up and takes ownership of the situation. Choosing to assertively resolve issues rather than simply dealing what is thrown at us generally produces the desired outcome.

Master’s Degree

Posted on October 12, 2014 by anentrepreneurswords

What would you think of an entrepreneur who says that he or she will give his strategy to his/her competition? The sporting metaphor would be the equivalent of a football coach giving away his playbook. Is this total insanity? Why would we lay out our game plan for competitors that are trying to beat our brains out? I’m not advocating that we do this but I do believe that the hype over being secretive about business strategies may be overblown. Why? Because I don’t believe that the strategy itself is as important as the execution of that strategy.

It’s completely true that most entrepreneurs need to spend more time working on their business than in their business. Translation – entrepreneurs need to be more strategic and less tactical, which is not an easy task in small organizations. But what trumps everything is the effective and successful implementation of a strategy. If we lay out our strategy for a competitor, that doesn’t necessarily mean that our competitor will beat us with it. Our strategy was developed with extensive input from a number of stakeholders in our company. It evolved through our culture and is nuanced by a wide range of variables that are specific to our enterprise. It’s highly unlikely that our competitor can implement our strategy as well as we can

So, if it’s principally about execution, how does an entrepreneur ensure that this process achieves success? Execution is a mixture of tangible and intangible factors. First, the team must have confidence in its abilities; in the strategy; in the data that is foundational to the strategy, and in the resources that must be brought to bear to implement the strategy. Hand-in-hand with this confidence is the trust factor. Team members must totally trust each other to fulfill their roles and be accountable accordingly. Without this trust, the execution of a strategy is impossible.

Sound strategies are often developed with the experience of members of the implementing team in mind. A strategy to manufacture and sell a particular type of product assumes that the engineers designing it and the equipment operators on the line have the minimum level of experience needed to turn out a flawless finished product. In addition to experience there’s an assumption that team members have certain skills that will be married with experience to deliver the product at a cost and level of quality that results in happy customers and a financial profit to the company.

Strategy execution involves a myriad of mechanics. Translation – there’s a well-thought comprehensive process that enables a step-by-step methodology from start to finish. This process encompasses everything from market research, engineering and design, procurement of raw materials (still assuming a manufactured product for illustration purposes), production, quality control, marketing, sales, shipping, customer service, billing and collections . . . the list goes on. The point here is that the mechanics of implementation are vital to successful strategy execution.

Finally, the team must have a winning mindset. This goes beyond confidence. It’s about truly believing that without question the strategy will win. It’s about visualizing success. True believer team members celebrate their impending success on a daily basis. The culture is upbeat and positive. It is focused on honoring the team AND the customer. The winning mindset transcends confidence and envisions the strategy as already implemented in perfect order.

The ability to execute a strategy defines an entrepreneur and his or her organization. Some can and many cannot. Entrepreneurs who can consistently blend all of the right ingredients are masters of implementation.

Oh Those Surly Bonds

Posted on October 5, 2014 by anentrepreneurswords

I’m proud to say that I’m an entrepreneur in a state of denial. And I suggest that you too should be in a similar state of denial. Why you ask, would an entrepreneur want to be in denial? After all, we’re eternal optimists and have a never-say-die approach to everything . . . right? Here’s what I’m in denial about.

I deny fear. I realize that fear freezes me into a state of inertia, or causes me to make irrational decisions. Fear saps my energy and causes me to ride an emotional roller-coaster. Fear robs me of my creativity and my initiative. I will not be afraid.

I deny all thoughts of self-doubt. Self-doubt is my mortal enemy. It causes me to question my instincts and clouds my intuition. I become tentative and worry about making mistakes. Self-doubt destroys my confidence and causes me to question my abilities. I will not allow self-doubt to manifest in my life.

I deny any belief that I’m a victim. There may be times when I feel that I’ve been wronged or believe someone has done something that prevents my success. I realize that when I feel victimized I’m giving away my power to someone else. Playing the victim fills me with negative energy. I will not be a victim to anyone for anything.

I deny all thoughts of lack and limitation. I stop myself when I start to utter phrases such as, “I can’t because,” “I’m not able,” and “if only.” My entrepreneurial spirit is dulled when I think that I am limited in some way. I realize that the only limitations I have are those that I place upon myself. I will not allow thoughts of lack and limitation to creep into my consciousness.

Being in denial about fear, self-doubt, beliefs of victimization, and thoughts of lack and limitation is only the first of two critical steps. It’s not enough to simply deny these negative factors. We must replace them with positive action-oriented affirmations. I deny fear and embrace faith. I deny self-doubt and have total confidence in who I am and what I’m doing. I deny any belief that I’m a victim and take full responsibility for my actions. I deny all thoughts of lack and limitation and know that my opportunities have no bounds.

Denying that which will inhibit me and affirming the positive direction I will take, allows me to release the surly bonds that hold me. And then I can soar to new heights.

Charm School

Posted on September 28, 2014 by anentrepreneurswords

I’ve always believed that the more successful we are the more humble we should be. Entrepreneurs have an opportunity to be fabulously successful in many different ways. And sometimes we may be viewed in a negative light by others who envy our success. That’s why it’s important that we not project the least bit of arrogance or haughtiness. One of the best ways to combat this perception is to go out of our way to practice the little courtesies in life.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve come to realize what a positive difference such courtesies can make in the lives of others. It’s one thing to be interacting personally with someone else and say please and thank you. But how well do we use these words in our e-mail conversations? Here’s a suggestion. Look through the recent “Sent Items” in your e-mail account and intentionally look for instances where you could have said “please and thank you.” Did you? Courteously asking someone to provide information or assistance in some way feels better to others than being “commanded” to do so.

My dad taught me to always hold doors open for others. As a kid, I became quite a doorman. This has certainly carried over into my adult life and it feels good to be polite in this manner. This practice doesn’t need to be limited to building doors but also elevator doors. Rather than be the first person on or off the elevator, I prefer to hold the door to make sure others get on or off ahead of me. In this day and age does this really matter? Perhaps it doesn’t make a difference to most people, but for me it’s the right thing to do. My father always had a good sense about the things he taught me and I think his teachings are ageless.

Sometimes we can be so busy and single-minded that we may not even notice others around us and fail to offer them a friendly greeting. Trust me when I say that while we may not notice them, others certainly notice us when we don’t acknowledge them. In my office or wherever I go, I strive to look others in the eye and say hello. A firm handshake also provides a sense of connection and can help to put the recipient at ease.

In the old days there was a saying about Southern charm. And there is something charming about offering compliments to others. I have found that service providers in all walks of life are often overlooked in this regard. We tend to take their service for granted. I’ve made a concerted effort over the past several years of speaking to service providers and when warranted, complimenting them on their service. If a waitperson in a restaurant has served me well, I’ll say something like, “very nice work this evening.” This statement is made at the same time that I look them in the eye, smile and shake their hand. If the service was really great, I find their supervisor and reiterate the compliment to that person. Recently I was in a restaurant where the food was exquisite. I asked my server to send out the chef if he was not too busy. I then proceeded to tell him what a fabulous meal he had prepared – I thought he was going to cry!

Here are a few other little tidbits. Drop a short handwritten thank-you note to someone with whom you’ve met or with whom you’ve dined – especially if you did so in their home or they paid the bill in a restaurant. An e-mail conveying the same message only gets us halfway there. When invited to someone’s home for dinner, don’t forget to take flowers, a bottle of wine, fine hand soap, or some other token of appreciation. I wish every high school senior had to take a Miss Manners class. The world would certainly be a much more polite and courteous place to live.

The last thing in the world we want is to step on someone’s feelings and have them think we’re an arrogant “high and mighty” so-and-so. By putting the needs of others first and being gracious we will have nothing to fear in this regard.

Grrrr!

Posted on September 21, 2014 by anentrepreneurswords

I know someone who always seems to have the worst luck with personal encounters. This person relates harrowing tales of being cut off by other drivers and nearly having an accident on a daily basis. This person is regularly aggrieved by others – slights of all types and magnitude. This person is opinionated and not the least bit shy about sharing views on a wide range of subjects, often causing discomfort for others. In short, this person lives in a constant state of conflict.

Conflict can be a healthy thing if it’s properly managed. But I sure don’t want to live there. Some people dread and avoid conflict as much as others seem to constantly be embroiled in it. As entrepreneurs it’s next to impossible to completely avoid situations where conflict may arise. And trying to do so may damage our relationships if we fail to be genuine and authentic for the sake of what we perceive as “keeping the peace.” So just how should we manage conflict in a healthy manner? I have learned through experience that there are four elements to managing conflict.

First, we must never play the victim. Conflict begins when we give someone else our power by letting our feelings be hurt or believe that we are being taken advantage of in some way. These feelings bubble up and our resentment builds as we buy into this story that we are telling ourselves. It’s critical that we break this cycle before it starts thereby allowing us to avoid wallowing in and exaggerating the fiction that we have created. Of course there may be instances where someone really is trying to hurt us and take advantage of us. But if we don’t give our power away the perpetrator won’t be able to escalate the conflict.

Second, maintaining a positive attitude is critical to successfully managing conflict. After we eliminate any stray feelings of victimization we need to shift into a 100% positive frame of mind as quickly as possible. Our positive energy is vital to creating the end result that we desire. Think about it. Are we more likely to end up in a good place with negative energy or positive energy? The choice is pretty simple.

Third, we stay in “fact mode.” Let’s assume for a moment that the conflict involves an employee who has accused you of showing favoritism to another employee. The accuser is so upset that he has pleaded his case to a number of his co-workers, causing a minor uproar in the organization. You know this guy is flat wrong but you resist the temptation to feel like a victim and take offense that your integrity and leadership is being impugned. You choose to stay positive and move directly into the fact finding mode. You have a calm and non-accusatory conversation with the angry employee to find out specifically why he believes you are showing favoritism. Perhaps the facts lead you to the realization that this person misunderstood a key piece of information that led to his misperception. You are easily able to share the real facts and quickly defuse the situation.

Finally, we must know when to compromise when appropriate. It’s easy when we know we’re right to become entrenched in our position and dig in our heels. And it might be just as easy to say something like, “I’m sorry for the misunderstanding,” even if we truly aren’t at fault. I do not advocate compromising our core values or our principles. But sometimes it’s better to offer the olive branch when neither is at stake. The conflict may quickly de-escalate at that point and our leadership may be admired and respected.

Managing conflict can be a positive opportunity to build relationships. Entrepreneurs should embrace this opportunity by not playing the victim card; staying positive; pursuing the facts and compromising when it makes sense to do so.

Beam Me Up Scotty

Posted on September 14, 2014 by anentrepreneurswords

Did you know that Michael Jordan was cut by his high school basketball team because it was determined that he lacked skill? Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times in his stellar career. Winston Churchill flunked sixth grade. Elvis Presley was once told that his career was going nowhere and he should drive a truck. Authors Stephen King, John Grisham, Theodore Seuss Giesel and cartoonist Charles Schultz were all rejected more than 85 times before being published.

What do all of these famous people have in common? They all are or were extremely self-confident. Successful entrepreneurs need a healthy dose of self-confidence. Without it the chances to achieve our goals and objectives drop precipitously. We also must guard against misunderstanding confidence for arrogance. Arrogance is actually overcompensation for a lack of confidence.

So how do we go about building self-confidence? Allow me to share my experience with you. Early in my career I struggled in this department. I graduated from college at 21 years of age and immediately began working for the company I’ve been with ever since. I thought I was pretty confident when I was in school but in the real world I discovered a lot of self-doubt. It didn’t help that I was told that I was just a punk kid who didn’t know anything. This statement was reinforced for a number of years – and I let it get inside my head. Eventually I came to realize that with a few years of experience under my belt and some creative successes along the way, I really did know what I was doing.

Here are some ideas. Repetition is extremely important. Identify one or more things that you feel less confident about and do them over and over again. Perhaps it’s public speaking or maybe it’s interacting with lots of other people in a large group setting. Set standards for what you believe to be “good” or “great.” Try and consistently perform to those standards and when you do, congratulate yourself. Own your mistakes and setbacks. Resist the temptation to blame others or play the victim. When we focus on how we can improve and do things differently the next time, we build confidence for our next encounter in a similar situation. When we celebrate the success of others – including our competitors – it’s a demonstration of confidence. When we criticize others – including our competitors – it’s not. When we’re not afraid to be wrong, that’s evidence of self-confidence. Being defensive and making excuses is not. Being positive and humble are definitely traits of self-confident people.

Self-confidence can ebb and flow. Our goal is to be more consistent with our confidence. But just because we have moments of doubt or fear, doesn’t mean we’re losing our mojo. When we can take a deep breath and understand from where the doubt or fear is coming, that’s a way we can regain our confidence.

Self-confidence enables us to eliminate thoughts of lack and limitation and know the truth about ourselves. In so doing, we can shoot for the stars and realize our true potential. Beam me up Scotty.

Tick-Tock

Posted on September 7, 2014 by anentrepreneurswords

Did you know that the earth is estimated to be 4.54 billion years old? And did you know that the lifespan of a U.S. male is 77.4 years? U.S. women have it better at 82.2 years. Do you realize that if we extrapolated the earth’s age to that of a U.S. male – 77.4 years – the human equivalency would be a mere 41.6 seconds? And for a woman, the human equivalency would be 46.9 seconds. Simply put, we’re but a tiny blip in the overall scheme of the time continuum.

When we contemplate how short our lives really are it brings a new perspective to how we spend our time. When I was in my 20s and 30s, I always had a thought in the back of my mind – “I’m young and there’s plenty of time to do everything I want in life.” Well I’ve done a lot in my life and I know I’m a lot closer to the finish line . . . and yet, there’s still a lot I want to do. We’ve all known people whose existence was cut short unexpectedly and didn’t have the opportunity to live a normal lifespan. And the knowledge that we are a heartbeat away from the same fate is a sobering thought. Thus, I am committed to making every moment a quality experience and let me tell you, I have a lot of work to do to accomplish this!

So, exactly what am I doing to make every moment a quality experience? I’m trying not to get hung up on inconsequential things that don’t really matter one whit. It’s become evident to me that fighting and arguing with others does not fall in the category of a quality experience. Thinking negative thoughts of lack and limitation are no longer in the cards either. Worrying about things is completely taboo. I find myself testing much of what I do by asking myself this question – “Is this a memory I want to make?” Do I want to finish cranking out a document on my computer on a Sunday afternoon at home, or do I spend a few moments and toss the football with my grandson? “Is this a memory I want to make?” Do I watch another mindless show on TV or do I take a walk with my wife? “Is this a memory I want to make?” Do I dwell on how a guy just cut me off with his car, or do I become immersed in the music from my stereo? “Is this a memory I want to make?”

Folks, it’s not easy making every moment a quality experience. But when framing each moment in the context of what kind of a memory we want to make, the task becomes much easier. Of course we still have to do certain things that may not be particularly enjoyable, but we can change our perspective enough to create a memory we want to make through the end result. For example, my mother made me weed our yard as a kid to the point that I was fairly certain that I never wanted to pull another weed as an adult. Yet, today I don’t mind weeding the shrub and flower beds at my home because the end result is beautiful landscaping that makes for wonderful memories.

When we realize that life is far too short, we’ll begin making every moment a quality experience. There’s not a moment to waste. And we’ll create countless pleasant memories in the process.

Curious?

Posted on August 31, 2014 by anentrepreneurswords

How curious are you? This may seem like a curious question (pun intended) for me to be asking. But follow along. Remember when we were in elementary school how the world looked so huge? We were in awe and wonderment of all there was to learn. When my daughters were young the phrase I heard the most was, “Daddy, why ______” – then fill in the blank. Why does the sun come up in the east instead of the west? Why do dogs bark but chickens cluck? And the list goes on forever. The point is, as children we were curious about nearly everything.

As we get older our curiosity changes and our questions are generally more mature. Naturally we’ve learned a lot over the years and sometimes it’s easy to get stuck in a “learning dearth” rut. In other words, we ask fewer questions and seek fewer answers. If we’re not careful we can become very one-dimensional, wrapped in our comfortable cocoon and drifting along on the river of life. I’m not being critical, but as entrepreneurs, we can be more effective and accomplish more if we maintain our curiosity. Asking why often leads to innovation. Why do certain processes exist within our organization? How could a particular product be improved? What could we do to provide better customer service?

There are a number of things that we can do to maintain the curiosity bug. Reading different publications (not just business books) on a regular basis is stimulating. This might include such topics as human interest, hard news, politics, religion, travel, philosophy, humor and sports. The Internet is today’s version of the World Book Encyclopedia – on steroids! Sometimes I’ll simply surf an obscure site just to see what’s there. A walk through Home Depot serves the same purpose. Frequent conversations with friends and colleagues are invaluable in stoking curiosity. Attend sporting events, the theater, concerts, seminars and other live activities. For me, I’m constantly asking the why, what, how, where and when questions in the context of everything I see and do.

We can become more creative and innovative by being intentional about arousing our curiosity. Blend this with some quiet, meditative time, and we find new ideas pouring into our consciousness. This quiet time is critical for it gives us the opportunity to empty our minds of all the clutter that accumulates through the course of the day. And the vacuum that is created opens the way for solutions to problems to emerge and for new opportunities to be born. But curiosity is the beginning of this winning formula.

If you feel like you’ve become a bit stale in the curiosity department, I recommend that you keep a simple journal for a few weeks. Record the things you do each day to stimulate your curiosity. Write down any new ideas that you have. See how many why, what, how, where and when questions you can ask . . . and answer. Don’t forget the quiet time that is needed each day to allow your curious mind to make sense of all of this.

Curiosity, creativity and innovation go hand-in-hand. We’re never too old to recapture that childlike curiosity that we experienced when we were seven.

The Kelly Factor

Posted on August 24, 2014 by anentrepreneurswords

My wife and I ate dinner at an old 1960s vintage diner while on vacation recently. Our server was Kelly and she was absolutely terrific. In fact I told her she should come and work with me. Why was I so impressed with Kelly? She was genuine and authentic. This translated into her being very personable. Not only was she friendly but she clearly was very interested in providing us with the best dining experience possible. Kelly checked on us regularly, was witty and her countenance literally beamed.

It was obvious from the minute we sat down that Kelly was fully invested in her job. She had “skin in the game” so to speak. She greeted every customer that walked in the door, even if she wasn’t their server. And when a customer departed she acknowledged them similarly. There is a great lesson here for us entrepreneurs. When someone throws themself into their job like Kelly did, it not only is obvious but it is infectious. My wife and I both left the diner feeling more upbeat than we did when we walked in.

While sitting in the booth listening to some great old rock and roll tunes (from the 60s of course) I got to thinking about what makes Kelly tick. As Simon Sinek would say, what is her WHY? It was pretty apparent from what she said and her demeanor that Kelly is all about building trust and lasting relationships. Thus, everything she does for her customers is foundational in this respect. At one point she stopped by to see if some barbecue sauce had been delivered – it had not. She ran off to the kitchen and got it. When she returned, she explained that someone else was bringing it and then there was a minor disaster in the kitchen that caused the sauce to get waylaid. The fact that she felt a need to explain what had happened told me that she really wanted to earn our trust.

As entrepreneurs we need to have “skin in the game” as do all of the people we work with. It’s pretty evident when someone is simply going through the motions. While on the same vacation, we ate at another restaurant where our server was nice, but it was obvious she was just doing her job. She made no effort to engage us in conversation and build a relationship of any sort. Our experience in this restaurant and with this server was fine. But it serves in stark contrast with our Kelly experience.

Skin in the game means doing whatever it takes to make the customer happy. Skin in the game means going the extra mile for everyone involved – customer, company and other team members. Skin in the game means taking the wins and losses personally. Skin in the game means sometimes doing something that is less advantageous for us and more advantageous for someone else.

We know when we’ve become fully invested in whatever we’re doing. The results will be evident when we see that everyone involved had the kind of WOW experience that we did with Kelly.

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