E- Zine - February 2004

WELCOME to the PROTOCOL PLUS MONTHLY E-ZINE

IN TODAY'S ISSUE:
Tips to Outclass Your Competition – The Professional Propensity Test

The following short quiz consists of 4 questions and tells whether you are qualified to be a "professional." Please think about your response then scroll down for each answer.

The questions are not that difficult.

How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?

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The correct answer is: Open the refrigerator door, put in the giraffe and close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.

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2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?

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Wrong Answer: Open the refrigerator door, put in the elephant and close the refrigerator door.
Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator door, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door.

This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of your actions.

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3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend except one. Which animal does not attend?

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Correct Answer: The Elephant. The Elephant is in the refrigerator. This tests your memory. OK, even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your abilities.

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4. There is a river you must cross. But it is inhabited by crocodiles. How do you manage it?

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Correct Answer: You swim across. All the Crocodiles are attending the Animal Conference. This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.

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According to Andersen Consulting Worldwide, around 90% of the professionals they tested got all questions wrong. But many preschoolers got several answers correct.

Did you make any mistakes? It doesn’t matter; there are no repercussions. But can you afford to make mistakes with your business relationships? Make no mistakes here, as relationships do drive sales – and relationships are built on great interpersonal and social skills. I’m not talking about rocket science. I’m talking about being comfortable meeting and greeting, and dining and wining your clients.

To have confidence you are attracting and building good relationships, and to outsell and outservice your competition, bring “Outclass the Competition” into your workplace. To avoid potentially disastrous meetings with your clients, call 405-341-3216 today.

Customer Service Techniques – Who has the ball?

How is your relationship with your assistant? Do you make the best of your assistant’s time? How can you help them function as productively as possible?
  • Clarify. The number one factor in working with anyone: It must be crystal clear “who has the ball” – who takes the next step.
  • More clarity. End any communication with a very specific question: “What’s next and who does it?”
  • So you want something right now! And you interrupt your assistant? It takes more than twice as long to finish a task if we get consistently interrupted. Interrupt only when immediate communication is needed.
  • Ask your assistant. “What is working well right now? What could we do better? Can we eliminate anything that may be outdated or inefficient?
  • Be appreciative and say “Thank you” – even when you don’t have to.
To learn more about my customer service programs, call 405-341-3216 today or visit me on the web at http://www.protocolplus.net/seminar/smallbus.html

The Coach’s Corner – Why New Year’s resolutions fail

Did you make any New Year Resolutions? Did you follow through on any of them? Do you even remember what they are? Were they important in the first place?

Were they a want/could/should/need? A want is something you want and a should is something others want. A need is not optional. If you want a change in your life, it should be driven by your “want” of that change.

Coaching questions:
  • What are your “wants?” Be perfectly clear.
  • What might stop you?
  • Remember a time when you really succeeded.
  • How did that success make you feel?
  • Can you capture that feeling with your new goal?
  • How can you get there?
  • Who can help you?
  • Envision you have your want met.
Sometimes our wants get lost in the busyness of life. If you want someone to support and encourage you through a goal or a want, hire a coach.

To experience the power of coaching, call for a complimentary coaching session. This session will give you an idea of how coaching works and for you to see if you could benefit from working with a coach. To experience a taste of coaching, call 405-341-3216 to schedule your complimentary session.

Our coaching relationship is powerful, and when the going gets tough, we stay in collaboration and work through to the other side. As your coach, you have my word that I am 100% committed to you being powerful, successful and to having the life you want.

For information on my Etiquette/Coaching Package, visit http://www.protocolplus.net/schedule.html.

Quotes of the Month –

"The truth of the matter is that we are all guests on this planet and we have an obligation to respect everything-especially our fellow human beings….On the other hand, rudeness is at the top of the list of what influences a perception of unlikability, which results in unfavorable outcomes with people. The choice should be easy."
         --- Bill Cottringer

"Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use."
         --- Emily Post

Ask the Expert - How to disagree agreeably

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