Networking Breakfast Featuring Jim Bennett (Basking Ridge, NJ)

Posted on behalf of STAR 99.1 FM. If you have any question please contact Marketing, Star 99.1 FM, marketing@star991.com, 732-469-0991 Ext. 3117

You are invited to a Business Networking Breakfast

Join Star 99.1 for one of our upcoming monthly Networking Breakfast meetings. This is your place to network, socialize and learn from one our our guest speakers on topics that are sure to help you and your business.

Christian Leadership, Grace, and Reconciliation

To be a strong leader, Christian or otherwise, is not just about being in charge. It is not just about asserting your ideas and vision. It is not about granting grace to those who follow you because we want to keep conflict out. Strong Christian Leadership is about being strong enough to tell others what they need to hear, in a way they can understand it. It is also accepting critical feedback we need to hear. It is about reconciling, coming into alignment with those we lead.

Join the Star 99.1 FM staff and business community for another Networking Breakfast. Thursday, August 15th from 8:00 to 10:00 AM at Olde Mill Inn in Basking Ridge.

Click here to register.

Listening To Your Customers

From PPM Blog:

by Tina Del Buono, PMAC

The Magic Kingdom surveys guests on a continual basis.  They have several ways they do this.  They feel that “guests are best heard through many ears.”

Disney has what they call “super greeters” that roam the parks and ask guests to take surveys. Now since they all are trained to “walk the talk” they never have problems with guests not wanting to help out.

The computer program for the survey uses Tinkerbell and other Disney characters to liven up the process.  They have found that guests really enjoy participating in the surveys.

They also use cast members in various positions throughout the park to keep their ears open to what guests are saying and report daily with any issues they may hear.

Such as a popcorn vendor who is asked for a grounds map and does not have them at his stand.  If this request happens more than a few times, Disney will make sure maps are made available at that stand.

Disney also will send follow-up surveys to guests after they have returned home from vacationing at one of their resorts to get the guests feedback, which is very valuable.

It takes listening to your customers and documenting their feedback in order to see what they are looking for in your business.

Lesson 4: Customers are best heard through many ears.

• How can the people in your workplace “put on their ears” to track customer satisfaction?
• How could you make the process of gathering feedback more creative and fun?
• Impact of immediate action is important, how can you quicken your response time to your customers needs?
• What listening posts can you use to hear your customers?
• How can you become more responsive to your customers needs?

Walt Disney had a dream to build a place for people to come and forget about the outside world.  He accomplished that very dream.

We can build businesses for our customers that will make them forget about doing business anywhere else. It just takes the time to listen to your customers and then acting upon what you hear.

“You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.” ~Walt Disney

Walking the Talk at Work

From PPM Blog:

by Tina Del Buono, PMAC

The Magic Kingdom is about fun and magic.  It is every cast member’s job is to make that happen with each guest encounter they have.  The average guest will have approximately 60 opportunities for these encounters with cast members during one day at the Magic Kingdom.

Cast members are trained well to “walk the talk,” which means that they do not just talk about the magic. It was Walt Disney’s idea that every cast member ensures the magical experience happens for each guest when they visit the Kingdom.  Cast members seek out opportunities to create those magical moments with their guests whenever they can.

The culture of the Magic Kingdom is that everyone “Walks the Talk” from accountants, to Tinkerbell.  It is the Magic that connects Disney to it’s guests and keeps them coming back.

Lesson 3: Everyone walks the talk.

• Think about the way people at your place of employment do their jobs.  Could you adapt the “aggressively friendly” concept of Disney to your company’s environment?
• How might you expand customer service from a department to a tradition?
• What does “walking the talk” mean at your place of employment?
• How could you individually do an even better job of “walking the talk” at work?
• How would a customer’s experience be different if everyone at your work “walked the talk”?

The Magic Kingdoms are unique, special places.  Think about your place of work, every time a customer comes in contact with your company there is an opportunity to create value.  Take advantage of each opportunity and you can not help but create magic with your customers.

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” ~ Walt Disney

Recovering From Setbacks

From PPM Blog:

Recovering From Setbacks by Tina DelBuono

“How you rebound from a setback speaks volumes about who you are.” ~ Unknown

Setbacks are just part of life.  They come in all sizes and varying levels of impact. It is important when we encounter small setbacks to get ourselves on the road to recovering from them quickly.

There are three key steps to get the process of recovery headed in the right direction;

1. Express how you feel:  You need to be able to express, at least to yourself, how you feel about the setback.  You can do this verbally or by writing it down.  I like self-talk.  This allows you to speak your mind as much as you want about how you feel.  Usually, the more you talk to yourself about the setback the better you get at expressing what you really feel and to the core of the hurt or disappointment.

2. What positive steps can I take:  Where do you go from here?  Each day find a positive step that you can take to move yourself ahead.  Do not look back, just move forward.

3.What can you learn:  Did the setback enlighten you in some way?  What was the lesson learned from the experience?  This will also develop more the further out from the setback that you get.  Reflection is always good after a setback.

Setbacks are bound to happen.  If you are not experiencing one now, don’t worry you will be some day and probably soon.

Just remember when a setback happens, don’t just sit on the bench, get back out into the game as soon as possible.

Move forward, don’t look back.  What is it that you want to accomplish?  Get it in your mind and then do it!

4 reasons you NEED to have co-workers as close friends

Recently, I shared an article with you titled “Reasons NOT to have co-workers as close friends“, and now today is a rebuttal from the same source site. I guess the jury’s still out on this topic, and it can be pretty complicated.

Please share your thoughts and experiences about having friends as co-workers. Leave a comment below.

4 reasons you NEED to have co-workers as close friends So, you and Simon got tickets together to see The Psychedelic Furs in concert. Great!

Related article: Questions to Ask Before Family and Friends Become Business Partners

Who made an impact on you?

Reblooged from Tina Del Buono’s PPM Blog:

A friend recently passed this quiz along to me.  It made me think about people who have helped me that I have not thought about in a long time.  When I thought about these people I realized that they helped mold the person that I am.

The interesting and sad thing is that I don’t know where many of these people are today.  They made their impact when I was much younger, but that impact stuck.

We have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on those we encounter each day at work and in our personal lives.  What opportunities are we missing?  Let’s make sure we advantage of every one.

The Thirty-Second Quiz

Don’t bother getting a pen and paper… just read… if you can’t
answer them, just keep going.
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last five Academy Award winners for Best Actor and Actress.

How did you do?

The point is none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They’re the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Now here’s another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. Name three teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Was the second quiz easier?

The lesson learned?

The people who make a difference in your life aren’t the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They’re the ones who care.

Social Media Guidelines and Attention Grabbing Posts

Some good articles from Ragan Communications

SOCIAL MEDIA 17 essential social media guidelines to follow The author shared the rules that guide her social media journey. Consider adopting some of them, or call them bunk in the comments section.

WRITING & EDITING 4 attention-grabbing ways to open a blog post Your first few sentences are critical to capturing readers’ attention. Use these methods to turn heads and keep people reading.

Today’s topics: (1) Tattoos in the Workplace; (2) Appreciation at work; (3) Bad online reviews

Recent articles from Ragan Communications which may be of interest to you.

‘Personal branding’: Tattoos in the workplace – Many millennials have tattoos, but some executives and hiring managers might find them unseemly for communications professionals, regardless of age or the changing times.

NOTE– I recently spoke to a group of college students during a career week event, and this, as well as body piercings, was a hot topic! I’d love to hear your thoughts on this matter, either as a job candidate, or as a hiring manager. Please leave your comments below.

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Infographic: Only 12 percent of people receive frequent appreciation at work – Yet 56 percent of managers think their companies do a good job of showing appreciation. This graphic explains the disconnect.

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Bad online review: How should you respond? – A business owner in Washington, D.C., was so angry about negative notices on Yelp and Angie’s List that he sued the reviewer. Reputation experts say having a conversation is the better approach.