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Less Is More: People Will Attend Your Meetings When You Make Them Painless

By Jon Bradshaw | Business Tips | No Comments

Workplace meetings often bring to mind the opening scene of John Hughes’s “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.” Like Steve Martin’s character, you’re probably familiar with long, boring meetings that consistently run overtime. Stuck with a boredom-induced headache, you start daydreaming about everything else you could be doing with your day. As the meeting drags on further and further beyond its scheduled endpoint, you watch the clock in growing irritation.

Fortunately, workplace meetings don’t have to be an annoying waste of everyone’s time. The key to productive meetings lies in making them brief, focused, and as considerate of people’s time as possible. No one will object to attending your meetings when you do your best to make them painless.

Do the Needed Prep Work

Before scheduling a meeting, begin by determining whether it is truly necessary. There are many scenarios where the information covered in a meeting could be communicated perfectly well in another, less time-consuming way. We’ve all heard the lament: “This meeting could have been an email.” Some meetings could even be a Slack message or a comment thread in your project management software. Make sure yours isn’t one of them.

If you decide that a meeting is absolutely necessary, the next step is to plan the meeting. Meetings should have a goal and an agenda before the invite goes out.

Without an agenda, a meeting can easily lose focus or run into overtime. Your agenda should state the meeting’s purpose and the topics to be discussed, by whom, and for how long. Attaching the agenda to the meeting invitation will allow attendees to ask questions or propose other subjects for discussion beforehand.

Once you have a written agenda, go ahead and schedule your meeting. While it can be tempting to cram a meeting into any open time block, some slots are more eligible than others. A U.K study found that 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday is the ideal meeting time, but any midweek, midafternoon slot should suffice. Use your team’s calendar app to find a time when all the necessary participants can attend.

Keep It Concise

A general rule of business writing is to use as few and as simple words as possible. The same applies to running a productive meeting. Avoid lengthy statements and steer clear of jargon. And remember that meetings aren’t supposed to be a one-way mode of communication. Open the floor for discussion, asking questions of attendees and inviting them to raise questions of their own.

That said, be mindful of losing focus during the meeting. Confine the conversation to agenda items and table unrelated topics. More narrowly focused subjects can often be handled better in smaller settings.

In a meeting, less is always more. You want to make sure attendees aren’t overwhelmed with information. Meetings should convey enough information to enable a decision on some issue or the setting of action items. If you find yourself citing chapter and verse, you should be sharing a document instead.

Add Some Creative Flair

Meetings can’t be painful when you make them fun. With some creative thinking, you can add aspects to meetings that encourage camaraderie and deter boredom. Brainstorming new ways to run meetings can be a great way to engage participants and add some excitement to the office.

If this sounds frivolous, note that these add-ons can be fun while helping to keep your meetings on track. At Buddytruk, for example, the team has a surefire way of ensuring its meetings end on time. If one runs over schedule, the last person speaking has to do 50 pushups. At Just Fearless, attendees get their chairs taken away when the time’s up.

Not only do these tactics encourage team bonding, they also make it clear to attendees that their time matters. When your meeting participants know you value their time, they will respect you more in turn.

Probe for Pain Points

OK, so you’ve tried to hold a painless meeting. You let your attendees know the meeting’s goal and provided a clear agenda ahead of time. You encouraged a discussion that was free-flowing but on point. You even introduced a few fun — but focusing — elements to the proceedings. How did it go?

Meetings don’t always run perfectly, no matter how hard you try. Instead of striving for perfection, strive for continuous improvement.

As with most things, feedback is the best way of judging the productivity and success of your meeting. You can get a lot of natural and authentic feedback just from gauging attendees’ reactions during the event. If attendees look distracted or bored, it’s probably a sign that the meeting isn’t proving as effective as it could be. If they pull you aside to ask tons of questions afterward, that’s another indication the meeting didn’t convey needed information effectively.

Sending a short survey directly related to what was covered in the meeting is another good strategy for eliciting feedback. It will help you figure out what was clear to attendees and what wasn’t. You might also ask them to rate the meeting or state what aspects they liked and didn’t like. This information will help you make future meetings even more pain-free.

To show meeting participants you appreciate their time and attendance, it’s a good idea to touch base with them afterward. A simple thank-you email can make attendees feel valued and respected — and more willing to turn up at your next meeting.

Avoiding the ‘Black Hole’ of Customer Engagement

By Hunter Meine | Appointment | No Comments

Automated appointment systems make life so much easier for both businesses and their customers. Booking and executing an appointment have never been more efficient. However, you need to be careful about falling into the “black hole” of customer engagement that can form around automation.

Too many automated appointment systems facilitate client interaction during the booking process but end there. There are no response mechanisms or continuing interaction throughout the rest of the customer journey. Make sure you don’t lose people after they click the “Submit” button by following these tips:

Keep an Agent Within Reach

While online appointment software and other digitized features have nearly endless benefits, sometimes customers just need to talk to someone. It gets frustrating when you’re stuck with a chatbot and need to ask a more complicated question that only a human can answer.

One of your employees doesn’t have to be available to help customers 24/7, as chatbots are able to do. Still, make sure your customers know they can speak with a customer service agent during business hours for more complex problems and concerns.

When solving customer problems, your CS representatives have an excellent opportunity to further engage with customers. They can ask leading questions to get customers to provide feedback that, in ordinary situations, they might just keep to themselves. Have your reps record any comments customers make so you can take action on the issues they think need to be addressed.

Send Out Customer Surveys

Customer engagement after the appointment is just as important as engagement before and throughout. The feedback you receive from customers provides valuable information on ways you can improve or practices you should continue using.

After an appointment, send out a short email thanking customers for their business. Include a survey link in each email and ask customers to respond to questions about their experience. Make sure the survey link is easy to locate within your message.

Use Social Media Regularly

If you want to engage with your customers when they’re not at your business, turn to social media. Roughly 70% of Americans have a social media account, most of which are used regularly. There are plenty of opportunities for customer engagement here.

Social media can spur customer engagement in several ways. An ad campaign will gather clicks that can lead to more appointment bookings. Inviting comments on posts provides another platform for customers to voice their comments and mention concerns the company can address.

Track Key Data Metrics

When customer engagement gets placed on the back burner, you have to find new ways to bring it back to the forefront. Set goals to track key metrics using customer data. In order to accomplish these goals, you’ll have to monitor customer engagement via online interactions.

Set up your website to track customer engagement online. You’ll be able to see how long customers spend on your website, what pages they visit, and your landing page bounce rate. This information will help you adjust the layout to place forms and resources where they’ll best be seen.

Data metrics can be drawn from your in-house team as well. Tracking the percentage of customers who accept an upsell will show you how customers are responding to this sales tactic. If percentages are low, you’ll know you need to change your strategy.

Incentivize Engagement

Some customers will purposely place themselves in the black hole of customer engagement because they simply don’t want additional interaction. If something goes wrong, they’ll either grin and bear it or take their business elsewhere without a word.

Customers have the right to keep their thoughts to themselves, but your business benefits from their feedback and engagement. To draw them out of the woodwork, incentivize engagement to get the highest engagement rates possible.

A common business strategy is to take survey responses and use them as raffle tickets. Customers who leave feedback are entered into a drawing to win free services or other perks that are valuable to them. Using this tactic, you’ll receive more feedback than just the occasional review from those with strong opinions.

Be Transparent

Nowadays, customers might associate surveys and unprovoked emails with marketing schemes intended to make a sale. Be transparent about the real reason you’re looking to boost customer engagement so they don’t shy away from your overtures.

For example, you might be reaching out to customers to inquire about a service package your company provides. Make it known from the get-go that you’re sending the survey to gauge whether you should continue to offer the package (or whatever your reason is). Customers won’t feel like you’re only trying to sell them something and will be more likely to provide honest feedback.

Make Engagement Count

Finally, when you gather feedback, do something about it! Customers will fail to see the need for interaction and engagement if your company isn’t listening or reciprocating.

Let’s say customers consistently mention the long wait times they experience before each appointment with your business. Instead of just nodding in sad agreement, come up with a solution. Do you need to install self-check-in kiosks in the lobby or take measures to stop appointments from running long? Your actions will inspire customers to continue to provide feedback, as they’ll know it is being used to improve their experience.

Learn to spot the signs of a customer engagement black hole so you can steer clear of it. As soon as you feel your business being drawn in, take the necessary steps to adjust your course. By doing so, you will retain more customers and keep your operations running smoothly.

How to Collaborate, Engage, and Influence Others Using the SCARF Model

By John Rampton | Appointment | No Comments

Growing up surrounded by technology, Millennials and Zoomers take for granted how intimidating and overwhelming this can be for different generations. Case in my point, my father. I’m not sneering here — but he’s a Boomer and still has trouble navigating his smartphone — he can barely store new contacts.

Over the years, I have literally sat next to him and given him step-by-instructions — the same ones — over and over. He still misuses his phone. Eventually, he just ignores my feedback and gives me the briefest of cold shoulders.

Initially, I took his actions way too personally. Here I was trying to help him and this was his reaction? Not cool.

The thing is, after some time, I could empathize with my old man. I’ve also been frustrated or standoffish when someone has offered advice or feedback. My guess is that we all have felt a little threatened under the correction and instruction of others.

But don’t just take my word on this. Research has backed this claim up—specifically, the work of neuroscientist Dr. David Rock and his SCARF model.

What is the SCARF model?

Back in 2008, Dr. Rock, who I think has one of the coolest names ever, published the paper “SCARF: A Brain-Based Model for Collaborating With and Influencing Others.” In it, he outlines the five key “domains” that influence our behavior in social situations.

Status — our relative importance to others.
Certainty — our concerns about predicting the future.
Autonomy — a sense of control over events.
Relatedness — how safe we feel when around others.
Fairness — the perception of fairness between people.

Dr. Rock just didn’t grab this out of thin air. He based his research on previous neuroscience research to come to the following themes.

“Firstly, that much of our motivation driving social behavior is governed by an overarching organizing principle of minimizing threat and maximizing reward,” he wrote. “Secondly, that several domains of social experience draw upon the same brain networks to maximize reward and minimize threat as the brain networks used for primary survival needs.”

“In other words, social needs are treated in much the same way in the brain as the need for food and water,” he clarifies. “The SCARF model summarizes these two themes within a framework that captures the common factors that can activate a reward or threat response in social situations.”

Additionally, the SCARF model “can be applied (and tested) in any situation where people collaborate in groups.” Social events, family gatherings, education environments, and all workplace settings are all fair game.

How the SCARF model affects the workplace.

Confused? Don’t be. The main takeaway is that the foundation of this model is all about minimizing threats and maximizing rewards.

For example, you weren’t invited to a team meeting or after-hours event. You might view that as a threat to your status and relatedness. As a result, that might can stimulate the part of the brain where physical pain resides.

When you receive negative feedback, like customer reviews or the mistakes you’ve made, that releases cortisol, aka the “stress hormone.” By responding to this threat, your survival response is triggered. As a consequence, this can:

Speed up your heart rate and increase blood pressure.
You’re tenser and on edge.
Decrease creativity and focus.
Reduce the ability to solve problems.
Make it more difficult to communicate and collaborate.

On the flip side, when you feel rewarded, like being acknowledged and celebrated for your work, your brain releases dopamine, aka the “happy hormone.” In turn, this increases blood flow to the brain. And, when this occurs, you’ll be more creative, focused, and receptive to fresh insights and ideas.

Also, because you’re floating on top of cloud 9, you’ll want to be rewarded again. So, this motivates you to keep putting your best foot forward.

How to use the SCARF model.

Overall, the SCARF model can be used to collaborate, engage, and influence others. But, to make that possible, let’s explore how you can use each domain of the model.

Status

“Status is about relative importance, ‘pecking order’ and seniority,” writes Dr. Rock. “Humans hold a representation of status in relation to others when in conversations, and this affects mental processes in many ways.” For instance, when you win a game, you feel better than your opponents, which in turn increases dopamine levels.

As a leader, you can maximize rewards through regular paise and celebrating wins — regardless of how big or small. You can also give them a chance to voice their opinions and learn new skills.

To eliminate threats, never take credit for their hard work or dismiss their ideas. Furthermore, you may want to skip the performance reviews and let them evaluate their own performance.

Certainty

Since the brain is a “pattern-recognition machine,” it craves certainty. “Without prediction, the brain must use dramatically more resources, involving the more energy-intensive prefrontal cortex, to process moment-to-moment experience,” adds Rock. In fact, even the slightest hint of uncertainty can generate “an ‘error’ response in the orbital frontal cortex.”

Why’s that a problem? When this occurs, it diverts our attention away from our goals. And, we’re more focused on correcting the error.

How leaders provide certainty in an uncertain world? Well, here are some top suggestions;

Establish crystal clear guidelines and expectations.
Break down larger goals or projects into smaller, more manageable chunks.
Agree on desirable deadlines and outcomes with the entire team.
Create an agenda, so that meeting attendees know what to expect.
Be transparent and share relevant information.
Set boundaries by having consistent operating hours.

When change does inevitably happen, you can manage it and reduce threats by;

Declaring your vision change.
Follow the “3 C’s,” which are communicate, collaborate, and commit.
Identify your All-Stars and get them on board.
Keep stress at a minimum and boost morale by celebrating milestones.
Reduce change fatigue by building trust and making sure everyone has a sense of belonging.
Follow through with your plans, but be flexible.
Measure and analyze metrics and KPIs to see if you’ve reached your goals.

Autonomy

“Autonomy is the perception of exerting control over one’s environment; a sensation of having choices,” explains Rock. The less autonomy we have, the more a situation is perceived as a threat. When we feel like we have control, this activates the reward structures of the brain.

In order to minimize threats, encourage ownership among your team. When you do, this will tap into their intrinsic motivation. And, you can accomplish this by;

Encourage your team members to ask questions and express their opinions.
Let your team members chose how they’ll complete a task or solve a problem.
Permit flexible schedules.
Learn how to delegate effectively.
Provide constructive feedback.
Let them show off their strengths and talents.
Make sure that they always have the right tools and resources.
Build trust by not micromanaging your team.
Use mistakes as learning opportunities.

Relatedness

“Relatedness involves deciding whether others are ‘in’ or ‘out’ of a social group,” Rock states. It’s also “a driver of behavior in many types of teams, from sports teams to organizational silos: people naturally like to form ‘tribes’ where they experience a sense of belonging.”

In short, we want to be a part of a group. When we have this sense of belonging, this releases oxytocin. When we don’t, this can block empathy and diminish creativity.

The answer to encouraging relatedness? Creating a connected culture. You can do this through team-building activities, scheduling one-on-ones, or having team lunches. Other recommendations would be making them feel psychologically safe, providing mentorship opportunities, and showing gratitude.

Fairness

Lastly, we prefer a sense of equity and equality in group settings. When we’re faced with an injustice, this sets off a strong threat response. In fact, this might make us feel disgusted.

To promote fairness, always be transparent when making decisions. For example, a team member was promoted because they have exceeded expectations, like surpassing a sales quota or obtaining a certificate. Moreover, you must practice diversity and inclusion.

Autonomy, celebrating accomplishments, and having a culture built on shared values all can achieve this as well. And, always treat everyone with the same level of respect. For example, if you planned to meet an employee for lunch at noon, don’t arrive at 12:30.

How to Build Accountable Work from Home Teams

By John Rampton | Appointment | No Comments

Even though technology has made working remotely possible, it was still a luxury for most employees. In fact, under 5 million worked at home before 2020. And, as you know, a global pandemic changed all that. Since then, 62% of employed Americans have reported that they have worked from home during the crisis. And, no matter what happens, a majority of them would prefer to do so.

Because of this, leaders have had to step up their game. They’ve had to get used to communicating and collaborating virtually. And, even more challenging, they’ve had to learn to trust their team members.

How to Build Accountable Work from Home Teams

Unlike being in an office where you would expect to see your people working, you’ve had to believe that they’re doing the same thing at home. You’ve also had to learn that they need flexibility in order to meet both their professional and personal demands.

The good news? You can still build an accountable work from home team. When you do, you’ll still meet deadlines, while earning the trust of your team members.

Create a team-facing work-from-home policy.

“You need a solid work-from-home policy that plainly lays out how your remote team operates,” writes Jeremy Elder for Hubstaff.” It should also cover “what you ask of your teams when they’re working away from the office.”

Why? That’s easy. “Employees can’t deliver what you want unless they understand what you expect of them,” explains Elder.

When developing this policy, however, make sure that’s just not a list of procedural steps. It should be something that “inspires and educates on why your strong remote work culture is a reflection of the larger mission and values of your business.”

Elder adds that a solid remote work policy will answer the following questions:

Who can work from home?
When and how often can they work from home?
Who approves remote work requests?
What equipment and amenities are required?
What security and privacy measures must be taken?
Is remote work completed on a flexible schedule, or must the team member complete work during specific hours?
What meeting standards must be met while working from home?

You may also want to address things like dress codes and meeting availability. And, you may also want to be flexible with deadlines. Even though your team is working remotely, they will still have to deal handle personal issues that may pop-up.

Not only will this keep your current team members productive, but you can also use this to attract talent. Why? Because 72% of talent professionals have stated that “flexible working and remote options are very important” when attracting new workers.

Get to know your team members.

Not everyone is cut out for remote work. Knowing this, you would bring on those who are. Unfortunately, that’s not how the cookie crumbles — just look at how the coronavirus made WFH a necessity.

As such, you should spend time with each of your team members. Find out where they’re struggling so that you can mentor or help them. For example, maybe they never had a proper workspace at home. If not, you could send them a standing desk or share resources on how to create a home office.

Additionally, this lets you know when they’re most productive. Let’s say you a team member who is a morning bird. You should anticipate that they need the AM to focus on work, so you might want to have a one-on-one with them in the afternoon. Also, you shouldn’t be frustrated if they’re not available at night.

And, this can also help you know the challenges that they’re facing. If bandwidth is an issue at a certain time, you may want to recommend other locations where they can work. Or, you could be flexible with their availability.

Don’t complicate communication and collaboration.

Try to streamline your communication and collaboration by limiting the number of tools that you use. It can get confusing switching back and forth with platforms. Even worse, your team members may misplace a piece of information because it was located in an Outlook email when Gmail is preferred.

At the minimum, you should create and manage a shared team calendar. It’s a simple way to remind everyone of due dates, map out projects, track progress, and schedule meetings. Other suggestions are:

Messaging platforms like Slack. Create both channels for work and non-work topics.
Project management software like Basecamp, Trello, or Monday.com. These can help you assign tasks, share files, and track progress.
Google Apps like Gmail and Docs for easier communication and collaboration.
Web conferencing tools like Zoom or Go2Meeting. These can aid in brainstorming, check-ins, and combat the loneliness of remote working. Just be aware of Zoom fatigue so that you and your team don’t get exhausted.

Set hard deadlines, but trust they’ll be met.

You don’t want to be a nuisance. However, you should frequently check-in with your team members to see how they’re progressing. Some leaders prefer a daily check-in, while others are cool with doing this weekly.

The reason? Just to make sure that there aren’t any hiccups. If so, you can either jump in and lend a hand or push back a deadline.

At the same time, if you’re set goals with hard deadlines, you won’t have to communicate with them as often. Why? Because deadlines make us feel the pressure of accountability and can counter procrastination.

Focus on output, not time-in-seat.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced more people to work from home. While some thrived, others had to adjust — particularly employers and managers. “One of the biggest holdbacks of remote work is trust — managers simply don’t trust their people to work untethered,” said Kate Lister, president of Global Workplace Analytics. “They’re used to managing by counting butts in seats rather than by results. ”

As a consequence, employers embraced tools to monitor and track everything from keystrokes, email, app usage, and file transfers. They also used time tracking tools and screenshots.

The thing is, working remotely doesn’t mean you’re sticking to a traditional 8-hour workday. You might put in an hour or two, but then do laundry or homeschool your kids. Or, you may be more of a night owl and get most of your work done in the evening.

“I think there’s an opportunity here to learn how to be a manager that values output, not time-in-seat,” Natalie Nagele, cofounder of Wildbit, told Fast Company. “To me, the value of remote work is that trust and that ability to empower every person to manage their time, to manage their days and their responsibilities around an output.”

“We make a promise to each other,” adds Natalie. “I’m gonna deliver on this thing, and if I can’t deliver it to you, I’m going to communicate why.”

Provide (and solicit) feedback.

What happens if a project has been delivered and it’s not exactly what you wanted? Don’t belittle the person responsible. Instead, go over with them what they did wrong and how to improve.

On the flip side, ask them where you can improve. Maybe your instructions weren’t crystal clear. Now that you’re aware of this, you’ll set clear project expectations and guidelines going forward.

Know when it’s time to micromanage.

Make no mistake about it. Micromanagement drives employees crazy. That’s why you should grant autonomy and let them do their thing.

However, there will be times when this is necessary. Examples include:

Employee engagement has become stagnant.
Your company is going through a period of uncertainty.
Your business is changing direction.
You want to unleash the full potential of a team member.
The results have been disappointing.
There’s a new leader, employee, or unit.
You want to build a culture of collaboration.
Your business is venturing into new territory.
A project requires very specific results.
Your team is struggling with time management.

Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean you should interrupt your team when you know that they’re working or off-the-clock. Instead, it’s al about balancing micro and macro-management.

How to Develop New Forms of Leadership

By John Rampton | Business Tips | No Comments

What do all successful leaders have in common? They’re on a constant quest for knowledge. Whether through books, workshops, or shadowing peers, it’s an essential leadership trait.

Why is this the case? Because it keeps them up-to-speed on the latest trends and sparks creativity. And, most importantly, it ensures that they can grow into an inspiring and productive leader.

With Gen Z entering the workforce, this is more important than ever. After all, how boomers and millennials were lead are completely different than what Gen Z would expect. One area that you shouldn’t overlook is developing new forms of leadership so that you can connect with this demographic.

Increase your leadership capacity.

“Developing leadership skills is one of the most powerful moves you can make to transform your professional and personal life,” states Team Tony. “It’s an empowering process of harnessing your natural talents to inspire others.” During this journey, you’ll also “become more attuned to your strengths and weaknesses, which creates self-awareness and the ability to relate to others.”

How can you achieve this? By asking yourself the following three questions;

Do I know what my leadership style is? “Understanding your leadership style opens the door for building managerial skills in harmony with your true nature,” the authors add. “Is your leadership approach democratic, visionary, coaching, affiliative, pacesetting, or commanding?” Knowing “where you fall in these categories, you’re better equipped to develop leadership skills.”
What are my weak spots? Be honest with yourself here. It’s the most effective way to pinpoint what skills or form of leadership you need to address.
How can I take action? Now that you’re aware of your strengths and weaknesses, you can take steps to develop leadership skills. For example, if you want to become more of a coach, then you’ll want to focus on areas like becoming more self-aware and how to ask guided questions. And, you also have to practice offering guidance as opposed to micromanaging others.

Get in the trenches.

Do what separates a boss and leader? Bosses believe that they’re above the team. True leaders, however, are a part of the team.

Instead of hiding out in your office or distancing yourself from your team, spend time with them. You can do this by eating lunch with, scheduling one-on-ones, and working next to them. Besides giving you the chance to get to know them better, which you can use to motivate them, you can also learn new forms of leadership from them.

For instance, maybe it’s difficult for you to give up control. That’s understandable as a business owner. But, encouraging ownership is one of the most effective ways to motivate your team.

But, after spending time with a team member, you realize that they possess more of laissez-faire or hands-off style. You can then pick their brain or shadow them to see how you can delegate more effectively, promote a more autonomous work environment, and how to let go of control.

Embrace 360-degree feedback.

A 360-degree feedback approach is when leaders use a full circle of viewpoints to evaluate their performance. Examples include feedback from subordinates, colleagues, customers, and their own self-assessment. When done correctly, this can increase self-awareness, clarify behavior, and encourages personal development.

The biggest hurdle to jump is being willing to listen to negative feedback. Don’t take it personally. Use it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and make changes.

Learn from a coach, mentor, or consultant.

Whether it’s hiring a coach, catching up with your mentor, or bringing in outside consultants, these types of relationships are priceless. They can share with you how they achieved past victories, as well as setbacks.

Moreover, they can challenge you to try out new forms of leadership. Or, you can be inspired by them and put your own twist on their style.

For example, you may look up to Steve Jobs or Elon Musk for being innovative, decisive, or encouraging teamwork. But, you don’t have to romanticize their bad behavior. As such, you could blend those styles with empathy.

Work outside your organization.

“One of the simplest and most powerful sources of learning is simply to have worked within different organizations,” writes Ben Brearley BSc. BCM MBA. “Leaders who have spent much of their time within a single organization tend to become accustomed to the status quo.”

To prevent this, spend time in other work environments. When you do, you become exposed “to new ideas, new people and new organizational models,” adds Brearley. “It also provides you access to more diverse leadership approaches, because you’ll have had many different bosses to report to.”

“If you are somebody who has worked at the same organization for a long time, you need to ensure that you continue to learn from as many different external sources as possible,” he suggests. Hopefully, this will “provide you with diverse outside information that you can bring into your current role.”

How can you work with other organizations? You could find a part-time job, volunteer, or collaborate with partner companies. Some ideas for the latter would be co-sponsoring an event, co-branding a product/service, or publishing research together.

If the above is too overwhelming, seek opportunities to take on new roles and responsibilities within your organization. Maybe you could spend a day working for your sales department manager to see how they lead.

Share what you know.

“If you want to learn — teach,” advises Sally Fox, Ph.D. “Those of us who teach leadership professionally know this secret: We have to develop ourselves, keep learning, and model what we believe.”

“No matter where you are in your career, you can mentor others, offer what you know, share your questions, exchange insights, and keep learning,” Dr. Fox adds. “By so doing, you’ll further your own education.”

In addition to mentoring, write blog boats, host a podcast, or start an online course. I also think that speaking opportunities are clutch since you can also mingle and network. Overall, there’s no shortage of ways for you to pass along your knowledge.

Schedule “me” time.

Most of us avoid spending time alone. After all, we’re social creatures. And, loneliness can be detrimental to our mental and physical health.

However, there’s nothing wrong with indulging in some solitude occasionally. In fact, this can be beneficial as this can reduce stress, encourage gratitude, and build mental strength.

Moreover, spending time by yourself allows you to plan and develop compassion. Most importantly? It gives you a chance to reflect and learn more about yourself so that you’re comfortable in your own skin.

Introduce yourself to new and disruptive ideas — as often as possible.

As a leader, I’m positive that you’re surrounded by your favorite books, podcasts, and websites. And, there’s nothing wrong with that. After all, these resources are proven ways to keep learning and growing.

But, you should also expand your horizons. Ask your network what book you should read next. Listen to a brand-new podcast while you commute or exercise.

You can also subscribe to innovation blogs like Innovation Management or Both Sides of the Table. Another idea would be following influencers on social media or stay updated with hashtags. And, you should become a TED Member and dig into leadership reports from organizations like Criterion.

Appointment Deals Your Business Should Consider

By Jon Bradshaw | Appointment | No Comments

Every business, even appointment-based businesses, runs a deal at some point to bring in new customers and to give back to their loyal following. Special events renew interest in your brand and can tip the scales in your favor when customers are on the fence.

Appointment-based businesses will approach deals differently than other industries. While promotions will have to be implemented in different ways, they can still be just as effective at building your customer base and giving revenue a short-term boost. Here are some ideas you can use for your next appointment deal:

Online Booking Promotions

If you’re trying to move toward online appointment booking software, run a promotion that rewards the first customers to adopt it. Even if you explain all the benefits of online appointment booking, you’ll have some customers who don’t like change and will be hesitant to make the switch. Offer them extra reward points, discounts, and flexibility during the first weeks of implementing the new software, and they’ll be more willing to jump on board.

The real benefits will be enjoyed by your business. Online appointment booking is faster and more reliable than traditional booking. You can easily keep track of appointments, quickly make adjustments, and conveniently access customer information. Your customers can book appointments whenever they please and can even prepay online.

Loyalty Punch Card

When extending deals to your customers, your primary goal should be to incentivize them to return as often as possible. While new faces are great, it costs five times as much to acquire customers as it does to keep them around. For that reason, many businesses across a variety of industries provide loyalty punch cards to their current fans.

The concept of a punch card is simple. Each time a customer leaves an appointment, they get a punch or a mark on their card indicating they’ve completed a visit. After a certain number of appointments — 10 is typically the magic number — they qualify for a reward. This could be a free appointment or any other incentive that would get customers to pursue the end goal. After their punch card is used up, they can start a new cycle.

First-Time Bonus

Just because getting new customers is more expensive than retaining existing ones doesn’t mean you should stop trying. A healthy business continues to gain new customers as others fade away and need to be replaced. To incentivize new customers to commit to their first appointment, offer them a small bonus.

A first-time appointment bonus should be big enough that it lures in new customers, but not so large that it devalues future appointments they would potentially book. A $10 cut in price or a free additional service will work just fine. A free service — an eyebrow wax with a haircut, say — will also give new customers a taste of what they can enjoy at future appointments. This will act as another incentive to get them to return.

Bulk Discounts

Another technique to keep customers coming back again and again is to offer a discount for bookings made in bulk. Let’s say you run a chiropractic office, and a regular adjustment costs $60. Over the course of 10 appointments, the bill would run to $600. With a bulk discount, customers can pay for all 10 appointments up front, lowering their total cost by a set amount. A 10% bulk discount, for example, would result in a cost of only $540.

This program benefits your regular customers who were already prepared to pay the full fee for all their appointments. Additionally, it may sway some new customers in your direction as they weigh their options before committing to a business. The promise of a substantial discount on future services when compared to the competition will win over many.

You might be wondering whether this large of a discount will hack away at your revenue. After all, a 10% price reduction can add up over time, especially if multiple customers take advantage of it. What you need to consider is the fact that you’re filling up several appointments in advance. Appointments at a 10% discount still pay more than an empty appointment slot.

Referral Bonus

Referrals are a powerful asset for your business. A Neilsen study found that more than 80% of U.S. consumers actively seek recommendations before making a purchase. They’ll ask friends and family or poll their social media following to get insight on the brands and businesses those individuals prefer before making a decision for themselves.

With so many potential customers already looking for recommendations, your task is to get your current loyalists to bring those customers to you. A referral program will incentivize your fans to be more vocal about their decision to do business with you. They’ll talk with their friends and family and guide them to you, receiving a bonus for their efforts.

What should your customers receive for making referrals? For many, additional perks at their own appointments will be a welcome reward. Otherwise, gift cards, lottery tickets, and other prizes may do the trick. You can even hold a referral contest where the winner gets their next five appointments for free or dinner at the hot new restaurant in town.

Offering the right deals to your customers will help your business grow and flourish — it will also make your customers happy. Don’t be afraid to cycle through these types of deals every once in a while to keep things fresh. New deals and promotions will continue to pique interest in your company year-round.

Still Working From Home? Here are 10 Must-Read Books

By John Hall | Appointment | No Comments

Even before COVID-19, remote work was having a minute. Global Workplace Analytics estimates “that 56% of the U.S. workforce holds a job that is compatible (at least partially) with remote work.” Moreover, “25-30% of the workforce will be working-from-home multiple days a week by the end of 2021.”

Regardless if we ever actually return to a pre-COVID world, it does appear the working from home isn’t going anywhere. And, that’s both a blessing and curse.

For years, remote workers have proclaimed that they’re more productive and happier. Numerous research has backed this up. As for business owners, they have more productive teams — and are saving money like scaling back on the size of a physical workplace.

The thing is, it appears that we’ve hit a wall. Between Zoom meetings, social distancing, and yearning to finally get back to normalcy, we’re flat-out exhausted. Additionally, there are unique WFH distractions, knowing when to disconnect, and overcoming isolation.

Still Working From Home? Here are 10 Must-Read Books

In short, the honeymoon with remote work is over.

If you’re in this position — here are 10 books that we should read to help you fall back in love with working from home.

1. The New Corner Office: How the Most Successful People Work from Home by Laura Vanderkam

For my money, Laura Vanderkam is one of the best sources to turn to if you need advice regarding productivity and time management. During her career, Vanderkam authored some of the best books in this area, such as I Know How She Does It, What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast, and168 Hours.

In 2020, she released this timely book that shares the following hacks;

Managing tasks, as opposed to time. For example, only setting 3-5 ambitious goals per day.
Getting into a rhythm by allocating time for work, breaks, and downtime.
Constructing broader and more effective networks

2. Remote: Office Not Required by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson

Although written in 2013, Remote did an excellent job convincing people of the perks of working remotely. In the wake of COVID, though, the book has seen a resurgence. And, it definitely deserves that.

Authored by the founders of Basecamp, the book has timeless lessons for both employees and leaders. These include;

Building trust and collaboration through messaging tools, virtual water coolers, and focusing on outcomes instead of “time in the chair.”
Being aware of “dragons.” To avoid pitfalls, make sure that you have the right equipment, ergonomic furniture, maintaining healthy habits, and socializing.
To effectively manage remote teams, use asynchronous communication, don’t overwork them, and schedule one-on-ones.

3. Working From Home: Making the New Normal Work for You by Karen Mangia

Written by Karen Mangia, Vice President of Customer and Market Insights at Salesforce, Working From Home is another timely book as it was released in August 2020. And, like Remote, it covers tried and true advice for those working remotely.

Key takeaways include;

How to build an inspiring and budget-friendly workspace in your home.
The importance of establishing routines, rituals, and boundaries.
How to break boulders into smaller pieces.
Igniting innovation by creating new processes.
Tips on sprucing up your virtual meetings.
Advice on how to handle burnout and Zoom fatigue.
Redefining success by focusing on what you can control.

4. Work-from-Home Hacks 500+ Easy Ways to Get Organized, Stay Productive, and Maintain a Work-Life Balance While Working from Home! by Aja Frost

Aja Frost, Head of Content SEO at Hubspot, put together over 500 quick and easy solutions in one handy book. It’s quick and to the point.

It contains popular advice ranging from setting up your workspace to overcoming distractions. There are also tips on how to stay organized so that you can be productive.

This book is more geared to WFH newbies. Those who are seasoned at working remotely are probably familiar with the hacks in this book. For example, putting on real clothes and establishing boundaries. Still, if you’re still struggling with this new normal, it wouldn’t hurt to go back to basics.

5. Surviving Remote Work by Sharon Koifman

Sharon Koifman, DistantJob’s President and Founder, wrote Surviving Remote Work in the wake of COVID-19. In the book, Koifman shares insights on his remote management. After all, he has more than 15-years of experience in this arena.

Going beyond obvious and common-sense advice, Surviving Remote Work provides strategies for onboarding employees and building a connected culture remotely. Koifman also has tips on managing extroverts and introverts and what tools should be in your arsenal. And, how to protect yourself from cyber-threats.

6. Work from Home Superstar: How to Stay Focused and Rock Your Day by Jack Wilson

Released in the good, old days of 2017, Jack Wilson offers a crisp guide into working from home based on his own hilarious experiences. Through his experiments, he discovered what the biggest distractions are when working from home — I’m looking at you Netflix — and how he structured his day for productivity.

Wilson also has recommendations on how to get into the right mindset and develop self-discipline. And, Work from Home Superstar also stresses the importance of prioritizing your health and occasionally getting out of the house.

7. The Remote Facilitator’s Pocket Guide by Kirsten Clacey and Jay-Allen Morris

According to one review over at Goodreads, “Everyone who does online meetings should read this book.” And, I couldn’t agree more.

Clacey and Morris begin The Remote Facilitator’s Pocket Guide by going over the challenges of virtual meetings, such as;

Virtual events often feel more intimidating than in-person events.
It’s harder to focus and encourage engagement as 8 in 10 participants are multitasking.
These events are more dependent on the mood and style of the facilitator.

To overcome these pitfalls? The authors provide strategies like how to create equal opportunity, enable flow, and nurture connection. They also recommend using visuals to your advantage and encouraging playful learning.

8. The Long-Distance Leader: Rules for Remarkable Remote Leadership by Kevin Eikenberry and Wayne Turmel

Published in 2018, The Long-Distance Leader can actually be a resource for anyone in a leadership position. However, as founders of the Remote Leadership Institute, Eikenberry and Turmel have essentially written the book on remote leadership.

The book covers all the basics like using technology as a tool, focusing on outcomes, and building trust. There are also tips on how to set goals, seek feedback, and avoid burnout. To companion the book, there are also online tools and resources, such as a team goal clarity assessment and pre-conference checklist, to help you become a stronger remote leader.

9. How to Declutter Your Home or Work Office to Improve Productivity by Sarah Adams

Clutter may not be on the top of your mind. However, it can interfere with your productivity. It can also increase stress, sleep problems, and make it difficult to relax.

With that in mind, it’s crucial that you keep your home and work area tidy. To assist you in that department is How to Declutter Your Home or Work Office to Improve Productivity. Although it’s a short read, it’s still packed with inspiring and practical tips on how to keep get, and remain, organized.

10. Unhackable: The Elixir for Creating Flawless Ideas, Leveraging Superhuman Focus, and Achieving Optimal Human Performance by Kary Oberbrunner

While not specifically written about working from home, Unhackable is a must-read as we navigate through the “Attention Economy.”

Written by coach and author Kary Oberbrunner, this compelling book presents 30 daily missions that will help you develop superhuman focus and organize your life around your “flow.” As a result, you’ll get more done in less time and live the life you truly want.

15 Time Management Games and Activities

By John Hall | Appointment | No Comments

At Calendar, we have defined time management as “the ability to plan, organize, and control your time.” Another big definition we use is, “save time, be more productive, and focus on the things that matter.” That’s it, not too complicated, right?

Manage Your Time

The reason why we’ve put such an emphasis on time management is that time is your most valuable resource. Moreover, it’s so meaningful to our daily lives as it;

Ensures that you make the most of this finite source.
Encourages self-discipline.
Helps you get more done in less time.
Reduces stress and anxiety.
Makes you feel more fulfilled.
Prevents you from being that person. In other words, you’ll earn a reputation of being dependable.
Manages your energy.
Prevents indecisiveness and procrastination.
Allows you to take advantage of new opportunities.
Helps you reach your goals.
Identifies your priorities.
Improves every facet of your life, ranging from your career to personal relationships.

Improving your time management should definitely be something that you improve upon. And, while tried and true techniques like tracking how you spend your time, delegation, and blocking out distractions work, they’re not always exciting.

Instead, you can use gamification. Implementing gaming techniques can increase motivation, engagement, and problem-solving skills. It also improves resource management, speaks creativity, and enhances teamwork abilities.

Also, games and activities are just a fun way to learn. And, they can be something that you do during your downtime or as a team-building activity.

With that in mind, here are 15 time management games activities you can play if you want to manage your time more effectively.

1. How Long is a Minute?

Overall, we’re fairly decent at estimating time. However, there are a number of external and internal factors that can alter our perception of time.

For example, when we have something to look forward to, time dilutes. And, when you’re having fun, time does literally fly.

More interesting was a study involving a group of people who had to sit in a room for seven-and-a-half minutes without anything to do. Some felt that it was only two-and-a-half minutes. Others proclaimed that it felt like 20-minutes.

So, if you’re working with others, a simple activity you can do together is the minute challenge. Here, everyone closes their eyes and stands up. They sit down when they believe a minute has passed.

One person, or a timer, keeps track of the time so that they know when to open their eyes. It’s an effective way to demonstrate how everyone’s perception of time is different. And, if we over-or-underestimate time, that could throw off everyone’s schedules.

Of course, you can also do this on your own if you want a better idea of what the actual passage of time really is.

2. The Big Picture Challenge

Inspired by Orangeworks, here’s how this activity works;

Divide your team into small groups,” each responsible for painting a small segment of The Big Picture.”
Without knowing what the final image will be, the “teams must work together to ensure that all lines meet and colors match up.”
“The painted image can be a representation of a company’s brand, conference theme, values, goals or even a recreation of a famous work of art.”
After its completion and unveiling, the final masterpiece “can be proudly displayed back in the office as a constant reminder of what can be achieved through teamwork.”

The idea behind this is to encourage faster decision-making and prioritizing. More importantly, it fosters communication and collaboration.

3. The Mayo Jar

The mayo jar activity is straightforward. It’s an excellent way to visually highlight the importance of doing the most important tasks first.

Start with an empty jar. You’ll need materials like large rocks, smaller rocks, gravel, sand, and water. Next, try to get all of these items into the jar.

The only way this is possible is by starting with the big rocks and working your way. The biggest rocks are meant to represent your MITs. So, that’s why you always focus on them from the get-go.

4. Finding the Ace of Spades

Do you have multiple decks of cards? If yes, then this is a simple time management activity that you can do with at least one other person.

Like any other card game, you’ll need to shuffle one pack so that it’s random. The other deck, however, will be organized in ascending order.
Each player then gets a pack.
Participants must then quickly find the Ace of Spades.
As you might surmise, the player with the organized pack might find this to be less taxing than the individual with the mixed deck.

What does this accomplish? It highlights why the organization is so important to time management.

5. $86,400

With this time management activity, you would imagine that yourself or group members would have s $86,400 to spend. You can spend this fictional amount however you want.

There are two restrictions, though. First, you aren’t allowed to increase the amount of money. Second, you have to spend everything in one day, or you’ll lose it.

Once you’ve come up with a list of ideas, go over why and how you spent your $86,400. If playing with others, then everyone will discuss how they spent their money.

While it’s nice to occasionally pipe dream, this activity isn’t about money. It’s how you should spend your time more wisely. After all, there are only 86,400 seconds in a day so spend it on what’s most important. Because once it’s gone, you can’t reclaim your most valuable asset.

6. Blind Polygon

For larger groups, you might want to consider this classic team-building activity. It’s effective in encouraging communication and problem-solving skills, as well as working under a deadline.

Here’s how it works;

Everyone must put on a blindfold and are given a 15-30 meter rope.
The groups must then form a perfect square/triangle while blindfolded in a specific timeframe.
Players must be connected to the rope at all times.
You can do this in rounds or replay the game so that you can figure out how to accomplish this task more efficiently and quickly.

7. Desert Island

We’ve all been asked, “If you were marooned on a desert island and you could only take three things with you, what would you bring?”

While, here’s a game that puts a spin on that question.

Either by yourself or with a group, envision that you’re stranded on a desert island. Next, write down everything that you would take with you. The catch is that you only have two minutes to do this.

You’ll earn points for essential items, but none for nonessential. Hopefully, this will show the difference between what’s a priority and what’s not. And, knowing this will help you become more mindful of what you assign to your time blocks.

8. Circadian Rhythm

“Circadian Rhythm, “circadian” comes from the Latin and means, roughly, around (circa) the day (dian from diam which means day) and it’s a pretty special quality,” explains Tom Williams for Peak. “It helps your body understand what time of day it is and controls not just sleep but also your body temperature,” hunger, metabolic rate, “and the release of various hormones.”

“To put it more bluntly, it’s your body’s to-do-list,” states Abby Miller in a previous Calendar article. And, ideally, you should be working with your circadian rhythm by scheduling tasks accordingly.

For example, you wouldn’t work on a priority when you’re tired or drained of energy. Instead, you would do this when you’re most alert, energetic, and focused.

To help you, and even your colleagues, figure this out, write down your daily routine in hourly blocks of time. Next to each activity, take note of how you feel;

‘at 70%’
‘cruise control’
‘distracted’
‘hungry’
‘on fire’
‘slowing down’
‘tired’
‘vibrant’

After compiling this information, you should have a better understanding of your natural energy levels. When you do, you’ll be able to schedule the right activities at the right time. Eventually, you’ll be able to get more done in less time.

9. Time Squared

Here’s another activity that can be used to see how you’re spending each day. Of course, you can also do this with others.

Print 3 pages containing 24 squares — these will represent the 24 hours of a day.
On the first page, fill out the squares with routine activities. For example, if you sleep for 7 hours that would equal 7 squares.
On the second page, list how non-working time is spent at work, such as checking email or water cooler chats.
Summarize the data from these two pages on the third page. You can use different colors to tell the pages apart.
The empty or uncolored squares? That’s”‘productive time.”

Thanks to visualization, you can see how you’re spending your time. That should make it easier to reduce or eliminate certain activities so that you’ll have more productive blocks of time.

10. What I Did Yesterday

With this game, your team members can identify patterns in their workday. Just have them jot down 10 things that they did at work yesterday. On another piece of paper, ask them to record 5 items they expect will be discussed at their next performance review or one-on-one.

They should then look at the two lists together. Why? Because you want them to see which activities they did yesterday will impact the second list.

A variation of this would be putting the 10 things that they did yesterday on an “Importance/Urgency” grid.

In either case, this should encourage your team members to focus on their priorities.

11. Delegation Skill Practice

Here’s a fun time management activity where players imagine that they have a new assistant. That means they can finally offload some of the fewer critical tasks that were noticed in the previous activity.

Divide participants into groups of 3; a delegator, an employee, and an observer. The delegator should define an unpleasant task and assign it to the employee. The observer will then record how well this was explained and share their feedback.

Rotate these positions so that everyone has a turn. By the end, this should help everyone sharpen their delegating skills.

12. Dealing With Distractions

When it comes to productivity, distractions can be lethal. Thankfully, this activity can help you identify your most common distractions so that you can eradicate them.

An easy way to do this would be to track your time over several days. Write down everything you’ve been doing. You may notice that you’re spending too much time on social media or multitasking.

Since you’re aware of this, you can come up with solutions to stop letting distractions eat-up your valuable time.

13. Colored Blocks

As long as you have a set of colored blocks, you’re good to go. Just beware that you’ll need more blocks if doing this with others.

With that out of the way, here’s how this works;

Place the blocks on a table. You then have one minute to pick up as many blocks as you can during that timeframe.
You’re only permitted to use your non-dominant hand. As such, you may be able to only pick up one at a time.
When the 60-seconds are up, write down or reflect on the results.
Do this again, but this time, assign a point value to each color.
Now, you’ll have to think about the number of blocks you can grab, as well as the points associated with them.

The idea behind this activity is to demonstrate the importance of doing the most important tasks first, organization and planning.

14. Ribbon of Life

Want to know how much time you have at your disposal? Well, this activity will certainly help achieve that goal.

All you need to get started are a pair of scissors and a ribbon that’s 100cm long. Next, ask what the estimated lifespan is of an individual. On average, that’s 79 years old, which means you’ll want to cut-off 21 cm from the ribbon so that you’ll have 79 left.

You’ll then want to cut off how old you currently are or the average of your team. So, if that would be 40, then you’ll need to cut off 40cm more. With the remaining 59 cm, you’ll subtract the average time you spend commuting, eating, and sleeping. Don’t forget about time off from work as well, such as weekends, public holidays, and vacation time.

The remaining amount of ribbon left is what you have to make or break your life! So, squeeze as much out of it as possible.

Related: 25 Best Habits to Have in Life

15. Overcooked!

Finally, there’s this video game where you manage a restaurant. The premise is that you must prepare and serve food to customers in stressful situations. It’s a fun and interactive way to help you make more rapid decisions on how to put out fires.

You can purchase the game at Team 17.

What the Best Appointment-Based Businesses Have in Common

By Jason Barnes | Appointment | No Comments

No matter what type of business you run, you can learn a lot from industry leaders in your field. Small grocery stores can take a page out of Walmart’s book, and up-and-coming tech companies can look to Apple and Microsoft for inspiration. The same can be said for your appointment-based business.

Whether you offer haircuts or oil changes, there are some things that all of the best appointment-based businesses have in common. Implement them into your business model, and you’ll have happier customers and a schedule packed to capacity. Use this checklist to add the features you need to be among the best of the best:

User-Friendly Online Appointment Software

The best of the best in appointment-based business use online appointment software to make life easier for themselves and for their customers. With online appointment software, customers can create bookings from any device at any time of day. Appointment slots are automatically updated to notify businesses at opening time.

The key to capitalizing on this convenience is to make your online appointment software as user-friendly as possible. Start with your website. Add an easily visible call to action that directs visitors to your booking software. Next, improve your loading times so customers don’t get discouraged and ditch the process altogether.

Clear Policies for Late Arrivals and Cancellations

Try as you might, late arrivals and cancellations will happen even to the best appointment-based businesses. What sets the leaders apart from the rest is how they handle these situations when they arise. They establish clear late and cancellation policies in advance and stick by them.

How do you plan to handle customers who show up late or cancel? In the former case, having to cede their place in line to other customers is a fair way to discourage tardiness and reward on-time arrival. For the latter, consider adding a surcharge to appointments cancelled without 24 hours’ notice. Display these policies clearly on your website and make sure whatever actions you take are well understood and equitable for everyone.

No-shows can fall under the cancellation category. If a customer commits to an appointment time and fails to arrive without notifying you, there should be a policy in place that covers that. You might consider charging a portion of the appointment fee to make up for lost revenue and wasted time. But remember that life gets in the way at times, and some changes will be unavoidable. Above all, strive to be fair.

Short Wait Times

No one wants to get to their scheduled appointment only to be kept waiting for 30 minutes. Appointments should begin promptly. When customers are on time, businesses should do their best to uphold their end of the bargain.

Of course things will happen that will push appointments back, but good businesses take precautionary measures to keep wait times to a minimum even when something goes wrong. To enable this, make a note of when appointments run long. Does this happen at particular times, with particular services, or with particular clients? Identifying the root causes can help you make scheduling adjustments. You could add buffer times between appointments or find ways to improve workflows through automation to help your business run more smoothly.

A Safe and Comfortable Waiting Room

Even when wait times are short, you’ll want to make those waiting customers as comfortable as possible. This adds to the experience and will put customers in a better mood come appointment time. Shoving all your patrons into a crowded room with limited seating options won’t reflect well on your business, especially as the Covid-19 pandemic persists.

Do what you can with the space you have. Even in a small waiting room, a complimentary coffee machine or a television set can really add to the space. Also be sure to keep health guidelines in mind as long as the coronavirus presents a threat to your employees and customers. Stay up to date with local ordinances, making sure chairs are spaced apart and masks are readily available as necessary.

Top-Notch Customer Service

You can nail all the logistics of appointment setting and still have customers walking away leaving a one-star review. Why does that happen? Because customer service skills aren’t up to par. Running a successful appointment-based business is just as much about the love and care you put into your craft as it is how efficiently you deliver it.

Provide your employees with continual customer service training. Emphasize building relationships with each visitor so they become more than a name that pops up on your online appointment software. Sincerely attentive customer service will enhance the appointment experience, boosting your retention rates.

Data Analytics

One of the most helpful benefits of implementing online appointment software is the constant access to data. This information will prove to be invaluable to your business, giving you the insight you need to make decisions that will improve your appointment experience from beginning to end.

For example, data analytics will show you the average length of appointments, the ratio of no-shows to made appointments, and key demographics you can target with your next marketing campaign. Without these numbers, your decision making is based on little more than guesswork. With data at your fingertips, your plans will have direction and purpose. This data will also show you how your numbers improve after implementing the tips mentioned above.

Note the changes you make and how they impact your business. Soon enough, you’ll be the best appointment-based business in town, and fellow establishments will start emulating your recipe for success.

Coping and Channeling Frustration

By John Rampton | Appointment | No Comments

Dale Carnegie put it best. “Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration, and resentment.”

We all experience frustration; it is a natural response to stress, after all. Your internet goes out during a virtual meeting. Getting stuck in a line. Having construction on your street while working from home. And stress causes fatigue.

These are certainly frustrating examples. But, they’re also temporary. The internet will come back on, the line will move, and at some point, the construction will cease.

However, there are also long-term stressors. Examples include being dissatisfied with work, dealing with a manipulative family member, or failing to reach a life goal like starting your own business.

As a consequence, this can lead to other negative emotions like anger, anxiety, depression, irritability, loss of confidence, and stress. When not addressed, this can impact your health and wellbeing. It can even put a strain on your relationships if you’re constantly losing your temper.

Moreover, this can cause you to give up and fall prey to negative self-talk. The latter can cause you to make poor and aggressive decisions. And, frustration can even lead to nightmares.

In some cases, though, frustration can be helpful. Sometimes it’s letting you know that you’re ready to move on to the stage of your life or career. It can also remind you what your passions are and how to solve problems in a more productive and better way.

Regardless of how you use the frustration, you still need to find ways to cope and channel it. If not, it can interfere with all facets of your life. Thankfully, you can give these ten methods a try.

1. Build frustration tolerance.

“Frustration tolerance can be learned,” states Amy Morin, LCSW. “With practice and consistent dedication, you can decrease the intensity of your frustration, and you can learn to express your feelings in socially appropriate ways,” Morin suggests using the following strategies to make this possible;

Accept tough situations. “When you catch yourself dwelling on the unfairness of life, consider whether it’s a situation you can change or whether you need to change the way you respond to it,” she says. “If the situation is outside of your control, then focus on acceptance.”
Give yourself a pep talk. “Remind yourself that you can cope with distressing feelings,” Morin recommends. Try taking a deep breath or counting to 10 whenever you feel upset.
Learn how to calm your body. Experiment with breathing exercises, meditation, or progressive muscle relation to lower your heart rate and blood pressure.
Practice tolerating frustration. “Purposely do something that is mildly frustrating, like working on a tough puzzle or waiting in a long line,” advises Morin. “Manage your self-talk, and use healthy coping skills to deal with your feelings.”

2. Make a date with me, myself, and I.

Is everyone around you getting on your last nerve? You might be experiencing a “human hangover.” And, the best cure is going on a solitude-detox.

Spending time alone isn’t for everyone. But, having a little me time lets you reflect, find your voice, and chill out. It can also spark creativity, gives you a chance to plan your life, and it’s good for your mental wellbeing.

Best of all? You don’t have to disappear and hide out in the cabin for a week. Sometimes just going for a 30-minute walk will suffice. Other times you might just need an evening to yourself.

3. Distract yourself.

Have you ever been a child who gets ticked off when they can’t do something? One of the best ways to stop their feat of rage is to divert their attention to something else. And, that’s also a technique that you can still use.

Let’s say that you’re procrastinating on a task and it’s really starting to make your blood boil. Just stop working on it. Instead, do something else from your to-do-list.

If you’re in a really foul mode, you might want to do something that’s relaxing, like exercising or reading. These are healthy ways to blow off some steam and keep your mind focused on something else.

4. Change the tone of your thoughts.

Techniques like positive visualization can be another way to distract yourself in a healthy way. Mainly because this encourages you to shift your focus to something more pleasant. However, positivity won’t always cure you of your frustration.

It can, however, “help you transition your thought process to a new path,” Rachel Sharpe writes for Declutter The Mind.

“Have you ever found yourself thinking a negative thought and going down a rabbit hole?” Sharpe aks. “And somehow, this one thought magnifies into something so big you can’t control it?” Recite all the positive mantras you want; you aren’t going to be able to climb out of this frustrating spiral.

“When a negative thought enters your mind, think of a piece of evidence that counters it,” suggests Sharpe. For example, you forgot to buy eggs at the grocery store. Don’t tell yourself that you’re a forgetful person because this “is a permanent way to describe yourself for making a tiny mistake.”

“Instead, think to yourself, ‘I forgot to buy eggs because I didn’t include it on the grocery list due to being busier than usual today. I can pick some up tomorrow,’” she adds. “That way, you include a reason for not buying eggs, and you also include a solution proving that the problem is fixable.”

5. Forget the timeframe.

There are times when deadlines can come in handy. For instance, if you had to leave at 11:30 am to meet a friend for lunch, that you could use that to motivate you to get your most important work done first.

On the flipside, unrealistic deadlines also put us under a lot of pressure. And, when we fail to meet them, we beat ourselves up.

Sometimes, you might be better off easing-up on rigid timeframes. Instead, focus on your progress.

Let’s say that you wanted to lose 20-pounds in a month. That might be a tad industrious. But, if you lost 10-pounds during that period, give yourself props for still losing weight — even if you didn’t reach your ultimate goal.

6. Be more attractive.

No, this isn’t about succumbing to your vanity. Rather, it’s about making you happier and strengthening your relationships.

The first place to start? Decide to live in a beautiful state. Tony Robbins says this is possible by saying, “I’m not going to give up my happiness over little stuff.”

You should also remind yourself not to obsess over the “things I can’t control.” Rather, “focus on what I can control and what I can do.”

“And when people are generous, when they’re playful,” adds Robbins. They’re also more warm, sincere, and loving. In turn, “people love to be around them. There’s nothing more attractive.”

But, what does it really take to be more attractive? It’s all about is appreciating your life.

“Most people, their upsets are because their expectations aren’t met,” states Robbins. “You expect people to be a certain way.” Additionally, you expect yourself and the government to be a certain way, “and it isn’t.” So, he advises to “Trade your expectations for appreciation, and your whole life changes like that.”

“If you can just start appreciating the people around you,” this moment, and the “things that you’re not noticing, you’ll live in a beautiful state, and other people will find being around you an attractive or an enjoyable experience,” he says. “It’s that simple.”

7. Use frustration as a catalyst.

Have you ever been told that you couldn’t do something? I doubt that you just shrugged and said, “Whatever.” Instead, that might have pushed you to take action.

“One fascinating aspect of frustration is that it is a kind of tool that can help us to identify our needs or goals (which are blocked), of which we might not even have been aware,” states Dr. Bertus Jeronimus. “Frustration is therefore not necessarily bad, as it helps to identify problems, and propelled by discomfort, can act as a motivator to change towards different ways or truer answers.”

“When people are frustrated, they make greater efforts and strive in other directions,” adds Dr. Jeronimus. As Thomas Edison perfectly put it, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

8. Think about your hero.

I remember the one time I got an in-school suspension. My mom was furious. But, what really cut through me like a knife was when she said, “Your grandfather wouldn’t have done that.”

I admired my grandfather. And, I wanted to be just like him. So, those words not only stung, but they also put things in perspective.

To this day, whenever I get worked up or in a precarious situation, I still ask myself what my grandpop would do. I know that if he gets frustrated — he won’t scream or take his anger out on others. He would take a couple of deep breaths, close his eyes, and then respond to the problem calmly.

9. Stop listening to Gandalf.

If you’ve watched Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies, you might agree one of the most memorable scenes involved Gandalf. Standing before the Balrog, he proclaims, “You shall not pass.”

What does that have to do with frustration? Well, hold on to that ball of negative emotions exacerbate anxiety and stress and increase the risk of coronary heart disease. Besides, learning how to get let go can lift you up and make your relationships stronger.

10. Think big but stay specific.

As opposed to steering clear of goals or plans that are intimidating, Adam Grant, Ph.D., a psychology professor at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Originals, suggests we embrace them. Why? Because it turns out that we’re actually more motivated by ambitious goals.

“Decades of research show that extremely difficult, specific goals motivate us to work harder and smarter,” he writes in The New York Times. “Most of us prefer a task with a 50-50 shot of success over an easier one.”

To ensure that you don’t fall off the tracks, remind yourself that the steps you’re taking are bringing your closer to your goals. The obvious way to do this is by breaking down large goals into small, more manageable ones.