by Steve Black
If we’re going to win the holidays in our business, we must have a team full of difference-makers. As we know, December is our busiest month of the year. And this year is one of the shortest time frames – 27 days – between Thanksgiving and Christmas that we’ve had since pre-COVID-19.
With all the craziness and rush of the holidays, my advice during this time of the year is simple: Just take care of each customer – one at a time. And just the one that’s in front us. We must blur out all the other noise that would keep us from just focusing on that one person.
I promise that every customer on whom we focus will appreciate it and be a feather in our loyalty cap.
A difference-maker is someone who stands out and positively impacts the lives of others. I’ve always loved John Maxwell’s teachings in “The Difference Maker,” and here are some key qualities that he uses to define one:
- Positive attitude: A difference-maker sees opportunities rather than obstacles and maintains a positive outlook, even in challenging situations.
- Resilience: They bounce back from setbacks and failures, learning from each experience to grow stronger and wiser.
- Empathy: They care about others and strive to understand their feelings and perspectives.
- Integrity: Honesty and strong moral principles are at the core of their actions and decisions.
- Commitment: They are dedicated to their goals and persist in the face of difficulties.
- Vision: Difference-makers have a clear sense of direction and purpose, inspiring others with their vision.
- Influence: They have the ability to positively influence and inspire others through their actions and words.
- Problem-solving skills: They can think critically and creatively to find effective solutions to problems.
- Collaboration: They work well with others, fostering teamwork and a sense of community.
- Lifelong learning: They are always seeking to grow and improve, staying open to new ideas and experiences.
[RELATED: Industry Veteran Releases First Book On Leadership, ‘The 5 Rules’]
In my book, “The 5 Rules,” I highlight the qualities of my son, Jared Stephen Black, that make him the quintessential difference-maker. We’ve all heard about those people who light up a room when they come in. Well, he can light up a city.
Here are what I’ve called the “5 C’s of a Difference Maker” and Jared’s qualities that make him one:
1. Charisma – I think of this as mojo. It’s something about a personality that draws people like a magnet. It makes us want to listen to them, makes us feel connected to them and makes us want to follow them. This is one of the qualities that I believe every member of management needs to have – and at a high level. If we’re going to be responsible for leading people – they must want to follow us. And without charisma and presence (presence defined as the ability to be fully engaged and make others feel valued and important), it will be difficult to do. I like to think of this quality as getting a good head start on leading people.
2. Curious – Always asking questions. Learning is a lifetime quest, and we want to know all we can about as many things as we can for as long as we can. Jared is the person that my wife, Melanie, and I always go to for the answers to any questions we have on just about anything. He’s definitely our family Google. And we need people on our teams who always seem to have the answers. And that comes from a lifetime of learning and always wanting to learn more.
3. Caring – Truly care about people. It’s the core of who difference-makers are. They are more interested in the person than what the person can do for them. This quality is the one that connects hearts. When people know difference-makers care about them and how they are doing, what they have going on in their lives and that they’ll do anything to help them, they’ll follow leaders forever – and into the hottest battles. When people don’t believe they are cared for, their work likely won’t last long and we’ll never have the culture needed to be successful long term.
4. Comedic – Jared has an amazing sense of humor. That trait alone can relax everyone in a room and make them feel part of the conversation. Due to all the pressures of running a business today and the continual challenges coming at everyone from all directions, this is one of those qualities that seems to have disappeared. That’s why this one is a game-changer for sure. A good laugh can alleviate stress and anxiety, making the workplace more enjoyable and less tense. Lighthearted moments can increase employee satisfaction and morale, leading to a more motivated and productive team. Humor can break down barriers and make communication more effective, helping to convey messages in a relatable and memorable way. A humorous environment encourages creative thinking and problem-solving by promoting a relaxed and open-minded atmosphere.
5. Character – It’s the part of a personality that’s defining. It’s how we act when nobody is looking. It’s a high bar, regardless of those around us. If we’re going to make a difference, this is a core quality that will never make people question judgment or advice. When they know difference-makers have integrity and character, they’ll never question their leadership, and they’ll want to mirror that behavior. And that’s what leading people is all about – leaders creating other leaders. High character also is a sign of reliability. People will always follow a leader they can rely on.
Now, to tie it all together and keeping the holidays in perspective: If shoppers were polled during this time of the year, they’d tell us most food retailers add to their stress because they don’t have what they need, they’re shorthanded, the lines are long and they’re in a giant hurry to complete their food needs. As a result of this combination, they must go to multiple places to get everything.
So, the way we win the holiday is that we’re ahead of knowing this is going to happen, and we need to do everything we can to make sure we’re at the top of our game. Christmas has been happening for more than 2,000 years, so we can’t be surprised by all the elements around it!
The retailers and leaders that know this will always be the calm voice needed during the holidays. And as mentioned at the beginning of this column, we do that by taking care of the customer in front of us. They have our full attention, and we make sure their shopping experience subtracts from their stress instead of adding to it.
We spend millions of dollars a year in marketing, advertising and loyalty programs during the holidays, yet nothing will have a better ROI than a team that’s full of difference-makers taking care of customers and, ultimately, changing the outcome of the game.
Over the coming days, I challenge everyone out on the sales floor to just walk around and remind the team: “One at a time, one at a time, one at a time.”
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone.
Steve Black is CEO and founder of abrighterday.life, a business and leadership coaching organization devoted to helping people and companies with personal growth and implementing simple leadership principles. A 47-year-veteran of the retail grocery arena, Black is the author of “The 5 Rules” and offers an online Masterclass.
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