| Humor at Work |
ISSUE 590 - July 15, 2015 |
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Great Scott Ideas! |
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Thank you to everyone who offered suggestions for what to see and do while my wife and I tootled around Scotland for a few weeks. As in all my travels, I was reminded of some great business lessons that any business can benefit from.
- Celebrate your heritage, honor your elders, and pay tribute to the epic battles won and lost. One of the highlights of the trip was when we toured Kerr Castle in Jedbergh with the world's leading expert on the history of the Kerrs! Every business has their own origin story and tales of epic battles - keeping your history alive is a great way to strengthen your culture and inspire people to build upon the success of previous generations. And honoring your employees when they hang up their kilts, so to speak, whether it's by recording their stories or creating a "Veterans Wall of Fame," is a fabulous way to honor them and build a legacy.
- Celebrate your uniqueness and remember big isn't always better. We toured the Edradour Whiskey distillery in Pitlochry, which bills itself as the smallest distillery in Scotland. The tour guide boasted about how other whiskey distillers are jealous of their smallness, envying the fact they still run a very hands on, traditional distillery. We often get so wrapped up in trying to be the biggest or the ____est that we forget there's a lot to be said for being small and for focusing on quality over quantity. Celebrate what makes you you and don't worry about chasing everyone else.
- Treat your customers like guests. There's a reason my wife and I opt for B&Bs when we travel - we prefer the individualized treatment and the incredible hospitality we receive that you tend not to experience in a larger hotel property. And those B&Bs that we enjoy the most are the ones that truly made us feel welcome. Most businesses could benefit by adopting a B&B mindset: treat your customers as individuals with personalized attention, look for those small touches that make a big difference, and make your customers feel like you are welcoming them into your own home.
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Mike's Fun at Work Tip |
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Keeping with the Scottish theme, a rather silly idea that I've seen done with great results. Hold a contest during a Friday afternoon, employee retreat, or meeting for whoever can best impersonate the sound of a bagpiper using only their voice.
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Quote of the Week |
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"Today's rain is tomorrow's whiskey." - Old Scottish saying
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It's a Wacky World |
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Glascow, Scotland offers many attractions, including, evidently, a woman named Mary Johnston, who inadvertently signed herself up to TripAdvisor as an attraction rather than a user. The good news is that Mary reached the #87 spot out of 163 possible attractions before she was finally removed (er, from the site that is).
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Contact: mike@mikekerr.com
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