THE LESSON

Each of us has been blessed with unique gifts and talents, and when we use those gifts and talents it can feel as if we are operating in a “zone.” A special, magical place where everything clicks and we feel unstoppable. Our confidence and happiness levels are sky high, and we actually enjoy the work we do. Sadly, many people spend too little time in their zone.

Getting in our zone requires that we focus on our strengths and find situations that suit us and avoid those that don’t. To do that requires an upfront understanding of how each of us is individually wired.

One valuable tool that I have come to rely on is the StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment. The assessment pulls from more than 40 years of research and has helped millions of people gain a clearer understanding of their strengths.

My first experience with the assessment was in 2009, and since then it has become a core component of my coaching and development work with clients and employees. The assessment measures 34 themes and produces a “top five” report to help each person more fully understand their uniqueness. Armed with this new knowledge, people can focus on what they do best, instead of becoming frustrated by trying to be someone that they were never designed to be.

After becoming familiar with my top five strengths, I approached my work in an entirely different way. I stopped taking on projects that were better suited for someone else, and I began to delegate tasks that took me out of my zone. Doing so affords me more time to focus on the things that I enjoy and excel at.

THE CHALLENGE

This week your challenge is to uncover your strengths by completing the StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment. In order to complete the assessment, you will need an access code which can be obtained by purchasing a copy of the StrengthsFinder 2.0 book at your favorite local bookstore or through online sites like Amazon. The investment is minimal (you can find new books starting for as little as $10 online), and I fully believe you will find that the return on investment exceeds your expectations.

Once you have completed the assessment, spend some time reviewing your top five themes and reflect on how much time you spend in your zone.

For extra credit, complete this challenge as a team/department/company. Then, share results, discuss how to leverage strengths, and make a plan to ensure more people spend more time in their zone.

THE REFLECTION

Question: What are your top five themes? Do you believe the assessment accurately describes you? How can you spend more time in your zone?

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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

© 2012 collector mentor  All rights reserved

THE LESSON

I’m not a fan of hoarding stuff, but there are some things that I just can’t bring myself to throw away. For instance, in my desk, I keep a blue folder. It’s a special folder. A prized possession of sorts. The contents of that folder are very valuable. In fact, I sometimes wonder why I don’t have it in a safety deposit box. In just a moment, I’ll tell you what’s in that folder, but before I do, I want to share with you an article that I read this past weekend.

While surfing insideARM.com, I stumbled upon Brooks Mitchell’s article, Peer-to-Peer Recognition Really Works in Call Centers. In his article, Mitchell shares the story of a 200-seat call center and the peer-to-peer recognition taking place there. He notes:

Given an opportunity and a conduit, these barely minimum-wage, front-line customer service agents, when given the opportunity to recognize the people they worked with, put forth an average of 117 ‘thank-you notes’ per year.”

117 each.

That’s remarkable.

We’ve all seen bosses honor employees with certificates of appreciate, plaques of achievement, and the like. I’ve received that type of recognition, and I’ve supplied that type of recognition. While certificates and plaques are often much deserved and much appreciated, they don’t always have the same feel or hold as much meaning as the recognition we receive from our peers.

And, I should know. I have a blue folder stuffed full of thank-you cards and emails that I’ve received from my colleagues over the years — some dating back more than a decade!

Chances are you, too, have a few such notes and emails stored away. Why? Because deep down that peer-to-peer recognition touched us. We knew it was sincere, and we were proud to be recognized for our efforts. It inspired us. It motivated us. It made us smile then, and it still makes us smile today.

THE CHALLENGE

This week your challenge is to recognize the achievements of your peers or thank them for lending a helping hand. You could choose to Say Thanks (in writing), send them a personal email, or tell them face-to-face.

To foster teamwork through recognizing the achievements of others, you might consider implementing a team initiative using collector mentor’s Awesome High-Fives flyer. The concept is simple: print a couple hundred of these flyers on neon colored paper, distribute them to the team, and let the fun begin. To up the ante, why not challenge yourself with delivering one high-five a day for the next 117 days?

THE REFLECTION

Question: What is the most meaningful peer recognition that you have ever received? What made is so special?

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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

© 2012 collector mentor  All rights reserved

THE LESSON

There are two things that I am allergic to: bee stings and spontaneous activity.

As a kid, I could often be found flailing my arms and running in fear for my life any time a member of the “stinger” species came within a 10-mile radius. Thanks to hundreds of hours of therapy, however, today I am able to live normal life free from the fear of being stung. Unfortunately, I still flail my arms and run in fear for my life. But, it’s no longer because of bees, it is because of something much more frightening. A little something known as “spontaneity.”

I’m a planner. An organizer. An agenda-loving-checklist-making-to-do-lister who enjoys a structured routine. Take me too far from my well-worn path and I start going into anaphylactic shock. (Okay, maybe that’s not totally true, but there is some minor twitching involved.)

Spontaneity and I just don’t see eye to eye.

Like many busy professionals, I rely on planning and scheduling to keep my business and personal ambitions on track. Over the past few years, I have developed a unique system that allows me to be extremely productive and focus my energy on the things that I enjoy doing most. And, since much of my work involves meeting deadlines for clients, getting off track simply isn’t an option.

But, a couple of weeks ago I was presented with an opportunity to break free from my agenda and set my to-do list aside.

A good friend who moved away a few years ago made an unannounced trip back home, and he wanted to know if I had a few hours to go boating. According to my calendar, I didn’t. And, I didn’t the last time he was in town either. This time, however, I decided to put my “schedule” aside and said ‘yes’ when I normally would have said ‘no’.

Saying ‘yes’ caused me to put in a few extra hours that night and I had postpone a lunch meeting, but the spontaneous experience was well worth the allergic reaction. The memories will last a lifetime.

(Perhaps my sudden change of heart had something to do with watching Jim Carrey’s “Yes Man” the night before. Who knows. If you haven’t seen the movie, below is a short clip to bring you up to speed.)

THE CHALLENGE

This week your challenge is to do something spontaneous. Say ‘yes’ when you would otherwise say ‘no’ and roll with it. See where life takes you.

THE REFLECTION

Question: When is the last time you broke free from your schedule? How could continual practice of this challenge have a positive impact on your life?

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor

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

© 2011 collector mentor  All rights reserved

THE LESSON

This past week, I attended 6th grade orientation with my son so that we could both learn about what life is going to be like as he shifts gears into junior high. I won’t bore you with the details, but it’s safe to say that much has changed since my days in junior high, and probably yours, too.

As the students joined their teacher for a tour of the school, the parents were steered to the gymnasium where the principal stepped us through the school’s expectations for student behavior, taught us the color-coded subject system (blue folders and blue notebooks are for math, the yellow is for science, etc.), and shared an overview of the students’ daily agenda.

One item in particular caught my eye: SST.

SST in its long form is Silent Study Time, a 15-minute block of time when students read. Silently.

Personally, I like seeing this as part of the learning experience for the students. As someone who enjoys reading, and who also enjoys his alone time, I’m particularly fond of co-mingling the two. But, let’s forget about the life of junior high students, and instead focus on you – the very busy business person.

If your day is like most people, it starts off by getting out of email jail, followed by reviewing yesterday’s production reports, takes a brief time-out for a working lunch so you can return voicemails, and ends with meetings and employee coaching sessions. And, in the middle of all of that you probably put out a dozen fires. It’s likely that you don’t have 15 minutes of SST on your Outlook Calendar.

But, you should. And here are three reasons why:

Enhances Capabilities – Through SST you can learn how to perform your job duties better. For example, I just finished reading an article on creating engaging e-learning modules and I picked up nearly a dozen tips that I can implement when building my next course.

Grows Expertise – The more you know, the more valuable you become. In business, you get paid based on the value you add to your company. Similar to enhancing your capabilities, SST can also enhance your expertise. Learn about the industry. The trends. The threats. The opportunities. Then, strategically use that information to become an expert in your department, your company, and your industry.

Accelerates Learning– Email. Voicemail. Instant messages. Text messages. Tweets. Facebook updates. The distractions are endless. Blocking out 15-minutes of silent alone time will help keep those distractions at bay so you can focus on comprehending and retaining what you are reading. Busy professionals generally learn on the fly and often attempt to digest material while multi-tasking. The partial attention results in a fragmented learning experience. It is possible that you can learn twice as much in 15 minutes of SST than you could in 60 minutes of fragmented learning time. (No, I don’t have a case study to back that up; it’s just a gut feeling that I’m sure you can relate to.)

THE CHALLENGE

This week your challenge is to schedule a daily 15-minute chunk of time to grow your knowledge, skills, and abilities. This is your professional SST. The two requirements are that you do it alone and refrain from multitasking.

15 minutes. That’s it. Don’t worry, your Blackberry will still be there when you’re done.

THE REFLECTION

Question: Was it difficult to refrain from checking email, voicemail, or texts during this time? What did you learn about yourself during this week’s challenge?

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor

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

© 2011 collector mentor  All rights reserved.

THE LESSON

This week’s challenge is inspired by an article that was recently forwarded to me by Dennis DeSantis, Chancellor of Pittsburgh University.

The gist of the article, titled “Packing Parachutes,” is this: During a combat mission over North Vietnam, Navy Pilot Charlie Plumb’s plane was shot down. Plumb parachuted into enemy territory, got captured, and was held for nearly six years as a Prisoner Of War. Many years later, Plumb found himself sitting in a restaurant when another patron recognized him and made an introduction. Turns out the man who introduced himself to Plumb was the person responsible for packing his parachute on the day he was shot down. Had that chute been packed incorrectly there is no telling what would have happened, but as you can probably imagine, it would have been a rather rough landing.

At the end of the article Plumb puts a philosophical twist on what it means to pack parachutes when he asks,

… who are the special people in your life who provide you the encouragement you need when the chips are down? Perhaps it’s time right now to give those people a call and thank them for packing your parachute.”

In this video version, Plumb adds a business twist. Take a peek:

Quite an interesting way to look at packing parachutes, if you ask me.

While reading the article I began reflecting on all the great managers, mentors, trainers, and supervisors that have packed my “corporate parachute” over the years. Whether it was advice for dealing with difficult employees or tips for delivering effective training programs, their skilled hands helped me to land safely time and time again. And it’s because of those great people that I found the motivation and inspiration to become a parachute packer myself.

In fact, this week we wrap up the fourth and final session of ARM Summer School. It’s been a great event. I’ve had the pleasure to serve beside some incredible co-facilitators and together we’ve had the honor of packing parachutes for some very dedicated members of the credit and collection industry. I’m quite confident that their parachutes will function correctly every day they jump out of bed and into action on the call center frontline. The parachutes have certainly been packed with care.

You might not realize it, but you, too, are surrounded by parachute packers. Maybe it’s a trainer helping you jump to safely on a collection call or a supervisor offering a few words of encouragement to get you through the day. Just look around and you realize parachute packers can be found everywhere.

THE CHALLENGE

This week your challenge is to honor Captain Plumb’s call to action:

Give those people a call and thank them for packing your parachute.”

You might be tempted to send an email, post an update on their Facebook wall, or send them a text message, but resist the urge to do so. Actually pick up the phone and call. Your thank you will be much more sincere, and appreciated, if you do.

THE REFLECTION

Question: Who has had the biggest impact on your career? How/why?

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor

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

© 2011 collector mentor  All rights reserved.

photo on flickr c/o sheba_also

THE LESSON

This week’s collector mentor Challenge is inspired by a recent piece published on insideARM.com titled, “A Walk Down Memory Lane: A Fascinating Look at the Collection Industry as in was in 1995.”

In the article, Kaulkin Media president and insideARM.com publisher Stephanie Eidelman, encourages readers to download the 1995 Kaulkin Report to see the debt collection industry as it was back then.

This past weekend, I had an opportunity to travel back in time to1974 and read the legendary Chicago Tribune articles on debt collectors. If you are not familiar with the history of the FDCPA, the articles that I am referring to were part of a weeklong series covering the abusive collection practices of Chicago-area collection agencies. Although I have been in the industry for more than a decade, and was familiar with the story of how the FDCPA came about, I never had the opportunity to read the actual articles until I spent a couple of hours searching the online archives. Now, the articles are a prized possession (Hey, what can I say, I am a collections nerd.).

THE CHALLENGE

This week’s challenge is to fire up the DeLorean and travel back in time in order to see the debt collection industry from a different point of view.

You can:

1. Download and review the 1995 Kaulkin Report (it’s totally free).
2. Access the historical “gems” that Eidelman mentions in her article.
3. Talk with seasoned veterans and ask them how things have changed since they first came to the industry. (I personally enjoy talking with people who have worked in the industry pre-FDCPA and pre-computer. The stories are awesome.)
4. Access the Chicago Tribune’s online archive and review the articles that were instrumental in the development of the FDCPA.

THE REFLECTION

In her article, Eidelman encourages her audience to reflect on how the changes of the past 15 years have influenced business, and asks, “What do you think will characterize the next fifteen?”

Question: What do you think the future holds for the collections industry?

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor

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

© 2011 collector mentor  All rights reserved.

THE LESSON

If you’ve followed The collector mentor Challenge for more than a couple of weeks, you know that I love to use quotes. I find quotes to be a great tool for helping readers connect to key points. Quotes enhance the learning experience, increase retention, and lend third-party support to important concepts.

A person can find a supporting quote on just about any topic. For example, here are a few of my favorite quotes on teamwork:

Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” ~Vince Lombardi

None of us is as smart as all of us.”  ~Ken Blanchard

The way a team plays as a whole determines its success.  You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.”  ~Babe Ruth

Teamwork is so important that it is virtually impossible for you to reach the heights of your capabilities or make the money that you want without becoming very good at it.”  ~Brian Tracy

Gettin’ good players is easy.  Gettin’ ‘em to play together is the hard part.”  ~Casey Stengel

The nice thing about teamwork is that you always have others on your side.” ~ Margaret Carty

Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision.  The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives.  It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”  ~Andrew Carnegie

THE CHALLENGE

Last week you were challenged to Rally the Team, and this week’s challenge is to discuss the importance of teamwork with your peers.

To help guide the discussion, you might consider asking each person to share their favorite teamwork quote with the group. Alternatively, you can print the seven quotes listed above and ask team members for their thoughts on what the quotes mean to them (e.g., What does Blanchard mean when he says, “None of us is as smart as all of us?”)

THE REFLECTION

What did you learn about your teammates as a result of the group discussion?

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor

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

© 2011 collector mentor  All rights reserved.

THE LESSON

In 2010, a movie was released honoring the life of Luke Abbate. Luke passed away in 2006 as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident following a high school football team practice. The driver, a fellow student, was speeding along at nearly 90 miles-per-hour when he lost control and sent the car plummeting nearly 70 feet.

The movie The 5th Quarter shares Luke’s story and the impact that it had on the Wake Forest football program.

Luke’s older brother, Jon, played football for Wake Forest and after his brother’s death, changed his number from 40  to his brother’s number 5.

According to the movie’s official website:

A tradition began to evolve during the following Wake Forest games. In paying homage to Luke, Jon would signal his family sitting in the stands (Section 5) by holding up his hand with all 5 fingers outstretched. He did this at the end of the third quarter. Gradually, the rest of his team started to do the same. Within a couple of games, players from both teams, the fans in the stands, and those watching the games on television, would begin the final quarter by raising their hands with all 5 fingers outstretched in honor of Luke’s memory. The final quarter became known as Luke’s Quarter, the 5th Quarter, and this humble signal crystallized the entire team. And, although having lost their starting quarterback, starting running back, and starting defensive end to injuries at the beginning of the season, Wake Forest went on to complete their most successful season in school history, winning 11 games against 2 losses. Coach Grobe was selected the ACC’s Coach-Of-The-Year, and Jon performed brilliantly in the ACC Championship Game with fifteen solo tackles against powerhouse Georgia Tech.”

THE CHALLENGE

A scene of Coach Grobe rallying the team with a pep talk inspires this week’s challenge. Take a peek:

As summer sets in and the second quarter draws to a close, it is important for our collection teams to be motivated and inspired so that we can hit our goals and head into the second half of the year with positive momentum.

This week your challenge is to rally your team and encourage each other. And remember coach’s words of wisdom:

Let’s pick each other up and good things will happen. Now get out there play like your hair is on fire!”

THE REFLECTION

What traditions does your team have, and how do those traditions rally the team?

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor

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

© 2011 collector mentor  All rights reserved.

THE LESSON

Negotiating is a part of life. Although we might not realize it, each of us uses negotiating skills many times each day. We negotiate with our spouse when deciding what’s for dinner and with our kids when it is time for chores. Sometimes we even find ourselves negotiating with our neighbor over which lawn her Teacup Yorkie should be using as the bathroom.

Another thing that we might not realize is that we use a certain type of negotiating style based on our concern for the outcome of the conversation and our concern for the relationship with the other party. (I recently wrote about these two concerns in my post Two Reasons You Can’t Afford to Overlook Negotiating Styles.) There are five negotiating styles: Defeat, Withdraw, Accommodate, Compromise, and Collaborate.

As collection professionals, we negotiate more than most. It is what we do. It’s how we get paid. In a given day, we might find ourselves negotiating with dozens of consumers for payment. Sometimes these conversations are easy, sometimes they are downright difficult.

The better we are at negotiating, the more likely a decision will be reached in our favor. The more ineffective we are, the more likely it is that Princess will continue to use our front lawn.

Since we want to collect more money, close more deals, and keep Princess on her own turf, it makes sense that we should focus on increasing our awareness of both good and bad negotiating techniques in order to master the good stuff while weeding out the bad.

THE CHALLENGE

A common mistake that collectors often make is heading into each call thinking it’s a debate. The “survival of the fittest” mindset kicks in and the call becomes a battle of wills. There can only be one winner, and the collector wants to achieve victory at all costs.  There are times when this style (Defeat) might seem like the only option, but chances are a different style (e.g., Collaborate) can produce the same, if not better, result.

This week as you head into each call, remember that it is not a debate. It’s a chance to help a fellow human being overcome a serious financial setback. Instead of thinking you are competing against the consumer, try seeing yourselves as teammates working together to score a touchdown with only thirty seconds left in the championship game.

For more information on unlocking your personal negotiating style, consider joining me for a live 90-minute assessment-based webinar on June 3 or 17. Additional details about the time, costs, and assessment process can be found here.

THE REFLECTION

What do you find most difficult about working with consumers who are not willing to collaborate in order to reach a win-win solution?

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor

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

© 2011 collector mentor  All rights reserved.

THE LESSON

This past month I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone to try a few new things. The experiences and change of perspective have been refreshing and enlightening. It’s amazing what you see when you view things from a different angle.

If you’ve followed “the challenge” for any length of time you’re probably aware that I’m an avid runner and that last year I completed my big goal of running a marathon. This year my goal is to qualify for the Boston Marathon and given the difficulty of that challenge I’m trying to be smarter about my training regimen, including what fuel I put in the tank.

You might think that eating a balanced diet is a part of any runner’s routine. But it isn’t. And it certainly hadn’t been part of mine.  My plan was to eat whatever I wanted and make up for it by logging extra miles to burn the calories. But that changed a few weeks ago when I decided to try something new: Counting calories and being more selective about my food choices. For the most part, I’ve been blessed with great metabolism and counting calories is something that I’ve never worried much about. Don’t get me wrong, I ate healthy, just not strategically.

The shift from not counting to counting has been a real eye-opener, and it’s led to smarter choices about what I put in the shopping cart.  As a result, I’ve shed a few hard-to-lose pounds, set a good example for my children, and feel better when it comes time to check out at the store.

THE CHALLENGE

It can be easy to stick to our routine, but routines can lead to ruts and people get stuck in ruts. This week I challenge you to break your routine, get out of your rut, and try something new.

In his Psychology Today post, Trying New Things, Dr. Alex Lickerman points out the following four benefits of trying something new:

1. Trying something new requires courage.
2. Trying something new opens up the possibility for you to enjoy something new.
3. Trying something new keeps you from becoming bored.
4. Trying something new forces you to grow.

For inspiration, take a peek at the collector mentor Challenge Flexing Your Risk Muscle.

THE REFLECTION

What do you find most difficult when it comes to trying new things?

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor

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

© 2011 collector mentor  All rights reserved.