How to Treat People - 5 Lessons (Continued)

Third of 5 Important Lessons - "Remember Those Who Serve"

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "50¢," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.

"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "35¢!" she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.

When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

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How to Treat People - 5 Lessons (Continued)

Second of 5 Important Lessons - "Pickup In The Rain"

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.

A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home.

A special note was attached. It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."

Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.

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How to Treat People - 5 Lessons

First of Five Important Lessons - "Know The Cleaning Lady"
During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello."

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

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The difference between a "Talent" and a "Skill"

Most often people confuse a "talent" with a "skill". Obviously there is a strong link between the two, but it is not the same thing.

The most basic difference between a talent and a skill is the following: "A skill can be acquired; a talent is something you are born with."

The level of excellence to which you are able to acquire and perfect any skill, is directly linked to the presence or absence of a talent to support and fuel that skill. And that is the bottom line: a talent is a fuel. It provides energy, motivation and a natural sense.

We often refer to a skill as a talent.

"Wow, what a talented athlete. Did you see the way he dribbled that ball?"

"I really enjoyed the piano performance. It is a most talented pianist."

These kind of statements are correct, but we must understand that what we mostly observe is a skill that is built on top of a passion and talent within a specific field. The most important thing you can do in you life is to align natural talent, passion and acquired skill. That spells success!

Natural talent without hard work to perfect the skills needed in any field, means nothing. It is simply potential that is not enhanced.

Skill and hard work without natural talent might prevent failure, but it is not a recipe for sustainable success, fulfillment and satisfaction.

Knowing your natural talents is simply the first step. It is like a flare: nice to look at when launched, but not lasting. Adding skill is more like a moon rocket - it has destination and takes you somewhere.

In order to keep you energy and motivation topped up, you should drive on the fuel your natural talent provides.

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How do you Engage Employees?

While I was taking a prospective customer on a tour of my company's beverage-can plant in Golden, Colorado, some years ago, I suddenly found that I was talking to myself. I turned around and saw the customer staring at an employee.

The worker was placing paper sleeves over can ends and placing the filled sleeves on a pallet.

I waited a bit, thinking the customer would soon get bored and catch up with me. But he stood there, mesmerized. He motioned to me to come over. He said: "Watch that guy. He lays those sleeves down like eggshells, then steps back to admire his work. Then, if he is happy, he gives the pallet a couple of love taps before he releases it for storage. How do you create employee engagement like that?"

Good question. Intense employee engagement is something that all companies strive for, and sometimes they get it — but in just a few departments, such as R&D, design, or marketing. Not many companies can say their production line employees' enthusiasm is so pronounced it's visible to a visitor.

So after we had stood there for a while, watching the employee delicately push thousands of disc-like can ends into paper sleeves for ease of handling (a process that has recently become automated), I put the question to the plant manager. The answer sounded more like something from a philosopher than a manufacturing exec: "All good people want to change their lives for the better. When people work here, their lives change for the better. When people know we've had a lot to do with changing their lives for the better, they make sure our corporate life changes for the better as well. We add to that by letting the employee know no one is better at sleeving ends than he is. He is the best, and every day he lives up to our expectations. Multiply this by everyone in the plant, and you end up with a superior plant that can sell itself — even better than you can."

Ouch. But I don't mind the comment. The plant does sell itself. In our company, everyone is in sales. The enthusiastic end-sleever who caught the prospect's eye was doing a lot more than fulfilling his job the best way he knew how. He was also selling the plant, and by extension, the workforce, our product line, and our top management. Nothing I say as a salesman has the same persuasive impact as the sight of that end-sleever enjoying his job.

How do you create employee engagement?

- by Clif Reichard (www.hbr.com)

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