mentor challenge

THE LESSON – MAGNIFICENT QUALITY

This past weekend I spent some time cleaning and organizing my office. I wanted to go through a couple boxes of “stuff”, toss what needed tossing, and keep what needed keeping. When I opened the last box I was met with a pleasant surprise—desk memorabilia from a previous job.

As I sorted through the desk toys, stress balls, and conference souvenirs, a gift given to me by a fellow supervisor caught my attention. It was a framed Successories® picture that included the following quote: “Quality: Countless, unseen details are often the only difference between mediocre and magnificent.”

Dusting off that picture took me back in time and I took a moment to reflect on the occasion. A few days prior, this supervisor and I had struck up a conversation on the topic of phone quality assurance. We talked about the behind-the-scenes hard work and preparation that goes into creating a positive customer service/collection call, and we both agreed that while customers might not see all of the “countless, unseen details,” they do see the finished product and they know whether or not the end product is “mediocre or magnificent.”

Companies spend thousands of dollars each year to achieve high standards of quality through initiatives such as Six Sigma and LEAN. Perhaps you have even heard of the phrase Total Quality Management. Quality products and services not only attract and retain clients, but they also help make the workday more efficient and more productive. Clearly, quality really does separate the mediocre from the magnificent.

THE CHALLENGE

My favorite quote on the topic of quality is attributed to United States Marine William A. Foster. He says,

Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”

Foster knew a thing or two about being magnificent. After all, he received the military’s highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for jumping on a grenade and acting as a human shield in order to save the life of a fellow Marine. Although Foster eventually died because of the injuries sustained in the explosion, his heroic action is anything but mediocre and it most certainly was not an accident.

This week spend a moment reflecting on Foster’s quote and determine if the work you produce is a result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution. Do you leave your customers with mediocrity or magnificence?

THE REFLECTION

1.    What did you learn about yourself this week as a result of completing this challenge?
2.    How can you continue to benefit from this challenge in the future?
3.    What was your biggest takeaway?
4.    What positive changes could you make going forward in order to maximize the benefit of this challenge?
5.    How would continual practice of this challenge change your life?

Mediocrity or magnificence: What will you leave behind this week?

Gary Jensen

Editor | collector mentor

To download companion worksheets to use with The collector mentor Challenge, please visit www.collectormentor.com/thechallenge.

THE LESSON – BE KIND

This week’s challenge is inspired by an article I read over the weekend titled, “‘Secret Agent’ is on a mission: Spreading kindness.”

The Secret Agent, Duquesne University administrative assistant Laura Miller, better known as Secret Agent L, has spent the past year performing random acts of kindness in Pennsylvania. Laura’s weekly random acts have ranged from leaving a roll or quarters in the laundry mat to leaving a Starbucks gift card in a church and doggie treats at the dog park. She posts each of her “missions” on her blog, Secret Agent L, and notes that her interests include “spreading joy, practicing random acts of kindness, and brightening people’s days.” Her efforts seem to be catching on. Secret Agent L now has more than 80 “affiliated agents” worldwide and her blog and Twitter (@secretagentl) fan base continue to grow each day.

Reading the article reminded me a lot of one of my favorite movies, Pay It Forward. In the movie, Haley Joel Osment plays the role of Trevor McKinney who is given a school assignment that requires him to “think of an idea to change our world—and put it into action.” His idea: Do one good deed for three people with hopes of those three people “paying it forward” to three others. Do the math and you realize that there is power behind those numbers!

If you have not seen the movie, or if you need a refresher, check out this clip:

THE CHALLENGE

I think the world needs a lot more people just like Laura Miller and Trevor McKinney, and that is why this week’s challenge is for you to perform three random acts of kindness, preferably in secret.

Plato once said,

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”

This week commit to making life a little easier for others. It could be as simple as having a fresh cup of coffee waiting on the desk for a coworker’s morning arrival or something more outgoing such as picking up the gasoline tab for a complete stranger before he has a chance to come in the store and pay.

If you like the way things go, consider visiting Laura’s website and sign up to receive ongoing “missions” via email by becoming an affiliated secret agent. As Trevor’s theory points out—there is power in numbers.

To maximize the benefits of this challenge consider doing each act anonymously so that the unsuspecting recipient does not feel required to return the favor. Also, spread the love by choosing one coworker, one family member, and one complete stranger. For extra credit, try to complete one random act each day.

THE REFLECTION

1.    What did you learn about yourself this week as a result of completing this challenge?
2.    How can you continue to benefit from this challenge in the future?
3.    What was your biggest takeaway?
4.    What positive changes could you make going forward in order to maximize the benefit of this challenge?
5.    How would continual practice of this challenge change your life?

Be kind,

Gary Jensen

Editor | collector mentor

To download companion worksheets to use with The collector mentor Challenge, please visit www.collectormentor.com/thechallenge.

Photo on Flickr c/o wadem

THE LESSON – SAY THANKS (in writing)

Over the past few weeks I’ve been conducting interviews in hopes of finding a new assistant. So far, I’ve held face-to-face interviews with seven potential candidates. To date, two candidates have expressed their thanks via email, one candidate sent, what appeared to be, a computer generated thank you letter template in the mail, and one candidate sent a handwritten thank you card in the mail.

Of these, it was the handwritten thank you card that captured my attention. Why? Because even though typed post-interview thank you letters are the norm, handwritten post-interview thank you cards are not. Over the years I’ve conducted hundreds of interviews, and while I have received hundreds of post-interview thank you letters (most are of the Internet copy- and-paste template variety) only a handful have been handwritten sentiments.

So what would make a person take the extra time to pick out a card and pen a handwritten note? A few things come to mind: The candidate wanted to stand out from the crowd. The candidate has good manners. The candidate genuinely wanted to express gratitude. The candidate has class.

Over the years I’ve read and heard some great stories about thank you cards and how a small gesture eventually made a significant impact on someone’s life. For instance, you can click here to read author Harley Hahn share his story about how a simple thank you card helped him get in the “in” circle of IBM consultants. Hahn’s article also shares additional stories and information related to thank you notes which is worth the read if you have the time.

As someone who also relies on handwritten thank you notes, I know the how valuable they can be, and this past weekend I found myself wondering why thank you cards are becoming such a lost art. I started thinking about text messaging, email, and Facebook and how quick and easy it is to send our “thanks” using these communication tools. But, think about it: Does a message in your inbox mean as much as a message in your mailbox? Does the wall post on Facebook beat opening an envelope? Doubt it.

If you’ve ever received a thank you note (especially one that had nothing to do with a wedding or graduation gift, or an interview, since those are expected) you know what I’m talking about. It likely made you feel good and put a smile on your face. You probably even had positive thoughts about the person who sent it. In fact, chances are you still have that card tucked away somewhere for safekeeping. I know I have several.

THE CHALLENGE

GB Stern once said,

Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.”

I agree, and this week’s challenge is to express gratitude in the form of a handwritten thank you note. Consider sending one thank you note each day to someone who has made an impact on your life. It could be the waiter who went out of his way to better serve you, the friend who unexpectedly stopped by to visit, the coworker who covered for you so that you could have a day off, or the spouse who took on additional hours at work to help make ends meet. Just ensure you are authentic and sincere.

If you need a quick lesson on how to properly write a thank you letter, this video can get you up to speed in less than two minutes:

THE REFLECTION

1.    What did you learn about yourself this week as a result of sending handwritten thank you notes?
2.    What did you choose to be thankful for?
3.    How do you think the people receiving the notes felt?
4.    Did anyone reach out to thank you in return?
5.    How would continual practice of writing thank you notes change your life?

Thank you,

Gary Jensen

Editor | collector mentor

To download companion worksheets to use with The collector mentor Challenge, please visit www.collectormentor.com/thechallenge.

THE LESSON – SET A TEAM STRETCH GOAL

This week’s challenge is inspired by legendary college football coach Lou Holtz:

“All winning teams are goal-oriented. Teams like these win consistently because everyone connected with them concentrates on specific objectives. They go about their business with blinders on; nothing will distract them from achieving their aims.”

Holtz was passionate about teamwork and goal setting. When he took over the reins of the Notre Dame program in 1986 he had the names removed from the players’ jerseys to emphasize teamwork. Although the team ended the season with a 5-6 record that year, they went 8-4 the following year, and in 1988 the Fighting Irish went undefeated and ended the season with a Fiesta Bowl victory, thereby claiming the NCAA Division I National Championship. When it was all said and done, Holtz ended his 11 year Notre Dame career with a 100 wins and 30 losses, including five bowl championships.

For additional insight I encourage you to invest three minutes of your time watching Holtz discuss the importance of goal setting:

THE CHALLENGE

The challenge this week is to work together as a team to identify one specific goal (preferably a stretch goal) to focus on in the month of August.

Here are some ideas:

• Perfect attendance.
• Score 100% for quality assurance monitoring.
• Set a new record for wrap time.
• Recover more money than any other month so far this year.
• End the month with zero customer complaints.

You’re going to need a positive attitude, put forth sincere commitment, and sharpen your focus to accomplish your mission, but don’t forget Holtz also reminds you that

No one has ever drowned in sweat.”

THE REFLECTION

1. What did you learn about your teammates this week as you worked together to set your team goal?
2. How can your team continue to benefit from setting team goals in the future?
3. Was your team able to proactively identify potential roadblocks and devise work-arounds?
4. What positive changes could your team make going forward in order to maximize the benefit of this challenge?
5. How would continual practice of this challenge change your team?

Ready, sweat, goal!

Gary Jensen

Editor | collector mentor

To download companion worksheets to use with The collector mentor Challenge, please visit www.collectormentor.com/thechallenge.

Photo on Flickr c/o lululemon athletica

THE LESSON – ENCOURAGE OTHERS

Sometimes when the going gets tough, the tough just want to quit. At least that was the thought running through my mind last weekend as I was finishing the final two miles of a 10k. You see, I’ve been training for a marathon (my first marathon actually) and last weekend I decided to pack in a full day of racing to help me get some miles in—15 miles worth of racing to be exact. It started with a 10k in the morning followed by a 5k and 10k later that night.

By the time I got to the last two miles of the last 10k, I was spent. My legs were cramping and I was getting dehydrated. In fact, my normal pace had slowed dramatically and my stride had turned into baby steps. That was about the time when my mind spoke up: “You’ve already run more than 11 miles today, just drop out now.” “Hey, it’s okay to walk from here.” “You can’t do it.” “Stop.” “No one would fault you for quitting now.”

Apparently many of the spectators and fellow racers also knew what was going on because I started hearing people cheer me on. “Just two more miles, you can do it.” “Looking good, keep it up.” “Just a few more blocks.” “Don’t give up, you got this.” Their words of encouragement were just what I needed to keep pushing forward. Then, when I hit the last mile, another runner pulled up beside me, just as exhausted as I was and said, “Do you think we can pick off 10 people before the finish line?” Now at this point I was really hurting and my mind was still insisting that I drop out. But, I’ve always had a hard time turning down a challenge and without hesitation I replied, “I think we can pass a dozen.” “Let’s do it then,” he said.

So there we were. Two guys ready to give it our all for the last mile of the race. I wasn’t sure where the energy was going to come from, but I was ready to try. As we passed other runners, we heard, “Good job guys!” “Finish strong” “Way to go!”

My pace for that last mile was nearly a minute faster than my pace for the previous two miles and I know where I found the energy. It was in the words of encouragement that I was hearing all around me. We finally crossed the finish line, but we didn’t pass 12 people. We didn’t even pass 10. We passed eight. But that was eight more than I would have passed had my “encourager” not pulled up beside me and challenged me to go with him.

THE CHALLENGE

Your challenge this week is to sincerely encourage those around you. It could be your coworkers, your spouse, your customers, or just like in my case, someone you might not even know. Your encouragement could be just the thing that person needs to hear to reach the finish line. Your words might help them pick it up and finish strong. You might prevent them from giving up.

By encouraging others, you will ultimately encourage yourself. When you start making others feel good, you’ll start feeling good as a result. This week look for opportunities to provide encouragement to people in your life.

THE REFLECTION

1. What did you learn about yourself this week as a result of completing this challenge?
2. How can you continue to benefit from this challenge in the future?
3. What was your biggest takeaway?
4. What positive changes could you make going forward in order to maximize the benefit of this challenge?
5. How would continual practice of this challenge change your life?

C’mon, you know you can do this! You’re almost there!

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor

To download companion worksheets to use with The collector mentor Challenge, please visit www.collectormentor.com/thechallenge.

Photo on Flickr c/o ingorrr

THE LESSON – KNOCK THEIR SOCKS OFF

Last summer I was asked to give a presentation on how to deliver great customer service. It seems that today good customer service just isn’t good enough—it has to be great.

For an icebreaker activity, I decided to break the group into triads. I gave each triad a piece of flipchart paper and asked them to write a definition for great customer service. As expected, there were as many different definitions as there were groups. Coincidently, however, many of the definitions revolved around the same theme: You know it when you experience it. Isn’t that the truth?

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been re-reading the book, Sustaining Knock Your Socks Off Service. Although the book is nearly 20 years old, I noticed that it is still very relevant to delivering great customer service in 2010. One part in particular caught my attention, The Customer’s Five Criteria for Service. Looking back to last year’s training session, I couldn’t help but notice how the majority of groups’ definitions included one or more of these five criteria:

1. Reliability – The ability to provide what is promised, dependably and accurately.
2. Responsiveness – The willingness to help customers promptly. The turnaround time or response time.
3. Assurance - The knowledge displayed to customers, and your ability to convey trust, competence, and confidence.
4. Empathy – The degree of caring and individual attention you show customers. The warm feeling customers get when doing business with your organization.
5. Tangibles – The physical appearance of facilities and equipment. Your own and others’ appearance.”

 The book goes on to state that:

 In short, customers want you to be reliable and responsive; they want you to act in a manner that inspires confidence in your ability to meet their expectations; they want you to treat them as individuals and their concerns as important; and they want you to maintain a physical environment that enhances their experience of doing business with you. These five factors form the foundation upon which customers base their perceptions of your organization’s service quality.”

 Every time a customer comes in contact with your organization, it’s a Moment of Truth. Think of the five factors–reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibles–as a template against which you can examine each Moment of Truth and determine what you need to measure, track, or be concerned with.”

THE CHALLENGE

This week, commit to approaching each Moment of Truth ready to deliver great customer service using the five items above as your framework. Resolve to “knock the socks off” your customers.

And if you are one of the collectors who say, “I’m in collections. I’m not in the business of delivering customer service,” you have an extra challenge: Pick up the phone and call one of your clients and ask them if they agree with you. If you’re a first-party collector, ask your CEO if he/she agrees.

THE REFLECTION

1. What did you learn about yourself this week as a result of completing this challenge?
2. How can you continue to benefit from this challenge in the future?
3. What was your biggest takeaway?
4. What positive changes could you make going forward in order to maximize the benefit of this challenge?
5. How would continual practice of this challenge change your life?

Knock their socks off this week!

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor

To download companion worksheets to use with The collector mentor Challenge, please visit www.collectormentor.com/thechallenge.

Photo on Flickr c/o dumbledad

THE LESSON – VOLUNTEER

Last month the famous 7-foot-7-inch NBA star Manute Bol passed away at the age of 47. Manute came to the U.S. from war torn Sudan and was drafted by the Washington Bullets in 1985. He enjoyed a 10 year career on the courts where he twice led the league in blocked shots and became the only NBA player to finish his career with more blocked shots (2,086) than points scored (1,599). But, this lesson isn’t about what Manute did on the court; it’s about what he did off the court – he gave back. In fact, Manute is widely admired for donating his NBA salary to charity.

But you don’t have to donate your salary to charity in order to give back and contribute to those in need. All you need is a couple of hours and a desire to get your hands dirty.

A few months ago I was able to contribute an afternoon to Meals from the Heartland. This program gets people together to package meals for starving people around the world. It was a very humbling and rewarding experience. When my wife and I arrived at the event we were placed in a team with six other individuals and our team was tasked with the challenge of seeing how many meals we could package during our two hour shift. To ensure the process was as efficient as possible, each person in the group was assigned a very specific task and for two hours we scooped, filled, sealed, and boxed several hundred meals. During my shift, I had the opportunity to meet and visit with the other members of the team and hear everyone share a little bit about what motivated them to get involved. It seems that many people just wanted to be like Manute – they just wanted to give back. And, in 2009 Meals from the Heartland volunteers packaged more than 4 million meals!

On June 16, 2010 the Des Moines Register ran a front page article titled, “Iowans’ volunteerism ranks No. 2 in the nation.” As I read the article I couldn’t help but smile knowing that my family and I helped contribute to the 109 million hours that were volunteered in 2009. Do the math and you’ll quickly find out that Iowans’ volunteer efforts are equivalent to a company with 52,400 full time employees!

THE CHALLENGE

Not only is volunteering good for the soul, it’s good for the career too. In fact, a 2006 Deloitte/Points of Light Volunteer IMPACT Survey found that 63 percent of volunteers believed that volunteering had a positive impact on their career. That’s why this week’s challenge is for you to find a way to give back. Thankfully, there are endless opportunities: The United Way, Habitat for Humanity, Make-a-Wish Foundation, your local soup kitchen, or even your local hospital. If you need additional ideas, you might consider checking with a local church in your community or visiting VolunteerMatch online at www.volunteermatch.org. If you can’t find an event to participate in this week, at least sign up for something and get it on your calendar.

Here are a few ideas to get the most out of your volunteer experience:

• Make it a family event by involving your spouse, kids, parents, and siblings.
• Team up with coworkers to make it a company event.
• Volunteer to a cause that you really care about (or maybe one you’ve never even heard of).
• Set a goal of earning the President’s Volunteer Service Award (Yep, straight from the White House. For more information, please visit www.presidentialserviceawards.gov).

THE REFLECTION

1. What did you learn about yourself this week as a result of completing this challenge?
2. How can you continue to benefit from this challenge in the future?
3. What was your biggest takeaway?
4. What positive changes could you make going forward in order to maximize the benefit of this challenge?
5. How would continual practice of this challenge change your life?

Be sure to give back this week!

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor

To download companion worksheets to use with The collector mentor Challenge, please visit www.collectormentor.com/thechallenge.

Photo on Flickr c/o Don Hankins

THE LESSON – GREATEST MOMENTS

A few weeks ago the popular television show, Larry King Live, celebrated its 25th anniversary. The show is CNN’s longest-running interview program, and over the years the show has played host to some of the most celebrated interviews in history. As part of the celebration, viewers were invited to review the top 25 favorite show moments and then vote for the Top Five. You can review the results here.

The show really got me thinking about greatness. People like greatness. Michael Jordan’s Greatest Dunks. The Beatles’ Greatest Hits. Johnny Depp’s Greatest Films. The Greatest Moments in History. The Greatest Books of All-Time. I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

Have you ever sat down and reflected on your greatest achievements? Have you ever asked others (spouse, friends, parents, etc.), what they think your five greatest moments are? You might be surprised at what you hear, but these are some of the defining moments in your life.

THE CHALLENGE

This week’s challenge is to define your greatest moments up to this point in your life. They can be a mix of personal and professional milestones, or you might create a separate list for each. Take some time to ask the people who are close to you what they think your greatest achievements are. You can then compare your defining moments with the moments that others have identified and reflect on the similarities and differences. This is what people are going to remember you for. Are you happy with the results?

THE REFLECTION

1. What did you learn about yourself this week as a result of completing this challenge?
2. How can you continue to benefit from this challenge in the future?
3. What was your biggest takeaway?
4. What positive changes could you make going forward in order to maximize the benefit of this challenge?
5. How would continual practice of this challenge change your life?

Be great this week.

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor

To download companion worksheets to use with The collector mentor Challenge, please visit www.collectormentor.com/thechallenge.

THE LESSON – FLEXING YOUR RISK MUSCLE

This week’s challenge is inspired by a quotation from Roger Von Oech:

Everyone has a ‘risk muscle’. You keep it in shape by trying new things. If you don’t it atrophies. Make a point of using it at least once a day.”

Roger is the president of California-based consulting firm, Creative Think. I was turned on to Roger’s work about two years ago while I was researching the fear of failure for an article I was writing. For many people, the fear of failure is a powerful, limiting force that sometimes prevents us from trying new things, taking chances, and exercising our risk muscles. Often this fear leads to excuses for inaction:

I don’t have the time. I don’t have the money. I’m not smart enough. I’m not good enough. I could never do that. I’m too slow. I don’t know where to start.

Ugh! How many times have these thoughts stopped you from trying something new? Probably more than you can remember or care to admit for that matter. However, as Roger points out, we have to try new things in order to exercise our risk muscles and keep them in shape

THE CHALLENGE

This week, while at work or at home, try to identify one new thing that you can do to exercise your risk muscle each day. It doesn’t have to be as risky as crossing skydiving off of your bucket list, but it should be something that provides you with a new experience—something that pushes you to see things from a different perspective.

Here are a couple of ideas to help you get your creative juices flowing:

• Take an alternative route to work.
• Pack your lunch this week if you normally go out.
• Brush your teeth with your opposite hand.
• Try water instead of pop/soda or vice versa.
• Read a magazine you wouldn’t normally read.
• Dress in your Sunday best each day for work.

As I hope you will see, even simple exercises like those described above are likely to provide fresh insights and get you thinking in new ways. However, if this challenge inspires you to go skyping, horseback riding, or out on a blind date, great! Your risk muscle will only be that much stronger.

If you feel inclined, please share one (or all) of your seven exercises in the comments area of this post.

THE REFLECTION

1. What did you learn about yourself this week as a result of completing this challenge?
2. How can you continue to benefit from this challenge in the future?
3. What was your biggest takeaway?
4. What positive changes could you make going forward in order to maximize the benefit of this challenge?
5. How would continual practice of this challenge change your life?

Be sure to exercise this week!

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor

To download companion worksheets to use with The collector mentor Challenge, please visit www.collectormentor.com/thechallenge.

Photo on Flickr c/o divemasterking2000