Hate

I constantly try to improve and I try to ask myself questions on why I may react the way I do in certain circumstances.

We all know people that are simply not nice- or always have alternative motives.
People that are selfish or mean or treat people wrongly.
People that lie and cheat and will walk over anybody to get ahead.
They exist in all walks of life and always will.

I try not to hate on them but to be honest it is a natural reaction, at least for me.
In most cases it is not even what they may do or say to me but it is the way they treat others.
It bothers me.
I can not change them so I dislike them- which gets me no where except carrying around this hate.
So I self analyze and try to let it go.

I try instead to find a bridge, mind you it is awfully difficult at times and it does NOT come easy but sometimes I actually do break through. Now mind you they are still the same person but I try to understand them more and see why they are the way they are.

Most times I find that they are just not happy with themselves, they may have grown up tough or even abused and it constantly weighs on them. It makes them insecure so they lash out and sometimes without knowing it they push others away and that makes them more angry and more alone. And that just feeds the domino effect of hate.

It is hard and I keep trying to improve but just like a alcoholic the first step is acknowledging the problem and then working on it.

Hate just begets Hate...Let it go

Pride

Pride is a funny thing..it becomes infectious, when you take pride in what you do people around start taking pride in what they do and you feel better about yourself and so do they.

Always remember that people are watching and listening, be positive and it will come back to you , that said if you prefer to take part in the negative and the gossip you will take on that persona too.

Which do you prefer?

Take pride in what you have and what you have become and have faith in where you can go.

Embrace the people in your path along the way, listen and always be willing to learn.

Say thank you more often and remember to smile. Even on the phone people can see your smile.

Forgive those that you may not agree with or even that may have hurt you.

It is not worth carrying that weight.

Take pride in what you do and what you have.....you have earned it !

A PASS

Would you give a person a pass if you knew they were going through something?

What if they are dealing with a loved one going through Cancer?
Or
They have a child with special needs?
They recently had a death in the family?
They have financial struggles or have children going through hardships?

Would you give them a pass?

What if their spouse or child is overseas in harms way?
What if they are being pressured by their co workers or boss?
What if  they suffer with alcoholism or live with someone who does?

Would you give them a pass?

Remember that everybody is going through something.

Give them a Pass

Happy Thanksgiving

We have so much to be Thankful for - your health is number 1

Please remember to take the time to say thank you to someone that has made a difference in your life.

Take in the day, and the moments.

Life is short - live each day like it may be your last..

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

TECHNOLOGY

Drivers and managers don’t need to become experts at every new technology that comes their way. However, now that technology has become such a crucial part of how we live and work it has never been more important for managers to grasp which technologies have the potential to benefit the organization and which new technologies might be coming their way in the near future. A driver or manager must a keep a good pulse on technology.

A LEADER

There has long been a distinction between managers and leaders. Managers were the dictators and leaders were the visionaries. Going forward a manager MUST be a leader, that is, he or she must earn followers and not command respect. Being a manager is something you earn not something you are assigned to do.  A manager cannot be someone placed in a position of power simply because they bring in the most money or are the best at delegating.

Communication

A professional household goods driver has a lot of responsibilities  -

You must keep your logs current and abide by all rules set forth by the Federal Department of Transportation.

You need to inspect your truck and equipment daily and perform your needed preventive maintenance.

A professional mover needs to know how to pack and load and build a tier so that nothing breaks or shifts while in transportation.

You need to always be aware of the customer and what their needs are and the stress that they be going through.

Being the crew chief on every move you need to be able to manage people and your labor for that day and having different labor on mostly every move you need to be able to evaluate talent and show appreciation while dictating how you want things done.

A household goods driver needs to know all the paperwork involved on that particular move and be sure to have all your protections in place both in the house itself, outside the house and with your documents.

And you need to master the art of COMMUNICATION-

Most professional movers are use to taking on responsibilities and making dozens of decisions before noon time and most before they ever even hit the residence.

In today’s world they then need to be sure that they communicate what their intentions are or what they have discussed with the customer with the customer care rep assigned that move as well as their dispatcher.

The customer care rep and dispatch MUST be in on what you have discussed or what your intentions are both so that they can keep others appraised but also to foster communication on what else may be effected.

It is also crucial to communicate with your reps and operations so that you get paid properly and we are able to obtain pre approvals and document conversations in the shipment file.

Drivers do so much more then drive and we all certainly appreciate all that you do every day.

Please take a minute to email or call to keep everybody in on your move- every day- you cannot over communicate.

Leaders

What makes some leaders stand out from the rest?

It has to do with their ability to think decisively. The best leaders evaluate their options, weigh in on the alternatives, connect the dots, and look for potential in order to make informed decisions. -

Open-ended questions, in particular, help you get to the heart of the matter. Start with Why?, How?, What?, and Where?

 Embracing different points of view. As a leader, you need to be able to take advantage of the diversity in your team (and board, if you have one) to help you see things from different perspectives. The best leaders see and make use of the insights that everyone has to offer. They look for different opinions and ideas, because they know those differences lead to better decisions.

 Leading with agility. As the old saying goes, the only constant is change—and the variables are always shifting and adjusting.

 Leading through change requires an open mind that can see opportunity in every situation. Keeping an open mind. In the complex world of business, a leader with an open mind will find potential by sizing up all the answers, holding on to differences of opinion, and taking in all the variables to see clearly. -

Lead From Within: Be the leader who knows that nothing is as it seems. There is always uncertainty; there is always ambiguity. Be clever enough to size things up, connect the dots, see the potential, and act decisively when no one else can. -

More on customer service

There is a difference between service and servitude.- The first you choose; the second you don’t. What choice will you make to deliver superior customer experience?

A sincere apology is the quickest way to repave the road of customer trust.- Waffling, defending, and delay leaves a trail of mistrust.

  Our future is behind every customer. -The customer is the heart of our success. Their pulse is our vital sign. It beats for our future. Maintain heart health!

When we hold resentment in our hearts, we deliver far below our capabilities.- Learn objective caring to prevent taking customers’ criticisms personally.

 Choose to trust until there’s proof to mistrust. -Check all your processes, procedures, and touch points. Do they communicate trust or mistrust of the customer? Then ask yourselves, if you were the customers, would you feel welcome?

Customer service

 Surefire Customer Experience Beliefs-

 Customers cannot observe our intentions.- Treat them well.

 The customer’s voice echoes forever.- Of course they talk about us. What they say is actually up to us.

 Persist when you sense potential; shift and innovate when you see futility.- Never let frustration with a customer stop you from giving great care and finding a solution!

 Make customer experience easy!- Count the number of hoops you ask customers to jump through & you’ll find the places they may jump ship! Leave the hoops for basketball.

 Courtesy and civility do not undo our authenticity.- They allow the customers to easily embrace it.

Authenticity is not an excuse for being blunt or rude to customers. -A smile can change everything.

 A customer’s trust is an invitation for a human bond.- Our actions RSVP the truth about our integrity and foretell the customer’s next choice. -

Motivate

Titles

People are so hung up on titles.. President- Vice President- Manager- Asst manager- Director etc

In the end what difference does it really make?

If you visit the tombstone of a friend or a family member does it say his or her title?

If you work hard and know your product people will naturally follow.
A title does not earn you respect, your work ethic will.
As a matter of fact I think most blur collar workers are weary of a stuffed shirt.
They want to see and hear that you know and care before they fall in line.

A title will allow you to gather people in a room and stand in the front of it and talk but it does not automatically mean they will listen.

Do you CARE? Do you even know what THEY do? Do you LISTEN to them?

Those are the important ingredients of a leader, you do not need a title but you do need show compassion and lead by example. Others are always watching and listening.
Ultimately how you treat others is how you will be treated...title or no title.

Do what others won't

Be prepared to do what others won't.

As the old adage goes, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Great leaders know that for them, failure is not an option. Even if everything seems to be falling apart, a great leader has the self-discipline to stand up to failure or it crumbles the business like a house of cards.

This means resisting the urge to make excuses and always doing the hard work, even when it seems like sheer agony.

 It all comes back to the need for crystal clear vision: Sometimes picturing the end result and the satisfaction of the challenge being behind you is the only way to make it through the rough spots.

Use your Imagination

Passion

Feel passion for what you do.

If you don't have a deep burning in your belly for success in your job, it will be difficult to maintain the consistency you need to lead your crew.

The bigger the impact you want to have, the greater your influence must be.

 And nothing stirs the pot more than having a passionate leader who's not only committed to the success of the day but also to that of each crew member or employee.

Be Pro Active

Be proactive rather than reactive.

Successful leaders come to the table prepared for a variety of scenarios and know how to behave when situations fall apart or don't go according to plan. Preparedness ensures that you're never in a situation where you can't offer value or assist in problem solving as needed.

This is simply being proactive. If you're in a reactive state, chances are you're not operating from a place of calm; your emotions are leading the charge. The best decisions, however, often result from when your thoughts and emotions work in tandem.

You must always consider not only what's favorable for the company's bottom line and yours but also what's best for the team and the overall morale of the company and/or your own crew and buisness.

Self Reflection

Practice self-reflection.

One of the keys to being a good leader is having the ability to reflect back on decisions made and look at situations, whether good or bad, as lessons.
Once you've done so, you can actively apply what you've learned.

Taking mistakes or failures in stride and moving forward is an essential part of becoming a leader of integrity. Many of these lessons are useful to share with staff and strategic partners. In my case, I've found they often apply even to my children.

More on how to Destroy Trust

Make random, haphazard, unexpected changes for no apparent reason: Keeping employees off balance may sound like an effective approach to creating agility in your organization. But, random change produces the opposite effect.

People get used to their comfortable way of doing things. They get used to the mood the boss characteristically exhibits when she arrives at the office. They expect no consequences when deadlines are missed – because there have never been any in the past.

Any change must be communicated with the rationale behind the change made clear. A starting date for implementation and participation from employees whose jobs are affected by the change will keep you from destroying trust.

A sincere and thoughtful demonstration that the change is well-thought-out and not arbitrary will help employees trust you. An explanation for a change of mood or a different approach goes a long way to prevent the destruction of trust.

More About How to Destroy Trust

These are the top issues that destroy trust between employees and in organizations. If you can avoid these five trust busters, you will have gone a long way toward ensuring that trust is building in your organization.
Lies, lies of omission, failure to walk the talk, failure to do what you say you will do, and subjecting employees to random, haphazard, unexpected change destroy trust. Walk on the better path. Build, don’t destroy trust in your organization.

More on the Five Ways to Destroy Trust

Fail to walk the talk: No matter the work program, cultural expectation, management style, or change initiative, you will destroy trust if you fail to demonstrate the quality or behavioral expectation, if you fail to walk the talk. Words are easy; it is the behavior that demonstrates your expectations in action that helps employees trust you.

You can’t, as an example, state that participative management and employee empowerment are the desired form of leadership in your organization, unless you demonstrate these expectations in your everyday actions. Customer service is a joke if a complaining customer is labeled “wrong” or a jerk.”

Fail to do what you say you are going to do: Few employees expect that every statement, goal and / or projection that you make will come true. Sales will be up 10%. No layoffs are anticipated. We will hire ten new employees this quarter. Working the reception desk alone is a temporary fix until we fill the open position with a second receptionist. My assignment will be complete by the end of the first quarter.

If you make a statement, commitment, or projection, employees expect what you said to happen. You destroy trust if the end result never occurs. You can avoid destroying trust by communicating honestly and frequently about:

--how you set the initial goal,
--what is interfering with the accomplishment of the initial goal,
--how and why your projection has changed,
--what employees can expect going forward, and
--how you will avoid similar miscalls in the future.

Honest communication is key to building employee and coworker trust.

Five Ways to Destroy Trust

For trust to exist in an organization, a certain amount of transparency must pervade the intentions, direction, actions, communication, feedback, and problem solving of particularly, executives and managers, but also of all employees. Consequently, these are ways in which people destroy trust.

Employees tell lies of commission: They fail to tell the truth, often with the intention to deceive or confuse. This powerfully impacts a whole organization when the lie is perceived from leaders, but even coworker relationships are destroyed by lies of commission. A lie is a lie is a lie.

If it's not the whole truth, if it requires preparation and wordsmithing, if you need to remember the details to ensure you don't change your story in the retelling, you are probably telling a lie. Or, at the very least, part of your story is a lie. People who are untrustworthy derail their careers. Can you imagine the impact of lies on an organization when the liar is a senior manager?

Employees tell lies by omission: A lie of omission is a deliberate attempt to deceive another person by omitting portions of the truth. Lies of omission are particularly egregious as they give people false impressions and attempt to influence behavior by omitting important details.

Once again, the more powerful the perpetrator of the lie in the organization, the more significantly trust is affected. But, an individual can derail their career by using this deception ploy, when caught.

More tomorrow

Trust

Trust is the foundation of all positive relationships you seek to create in your organization. Trust is one of the strongest bonds that can exist between people and customers; trust is also one of the most fragile.

Once you destroy trust, break the bond of trust, trust is the most difficult facet of your culture to rebuild. You can build a culture of trust in your organization if you steer clear of actions that destroy trust. Avoid these trust busters to build a trust culture.

The amount of trust you experience is dependent upon the degree to which you can respond affirmatively to experiencing each of these three components of trust:

The capacity for trusting means that your total life experiences have developed your current capacity and willingness to risk trusting others. You believe in trust. You have experienced trust and believe that trust is possible.

The perception of competence is made up of your perception of your ability and the ability of others with whom you work to perform competently at whatever is needed in your current situation.

The perception of intentions, as defined by Tway, is your perception that the actions, words, direction, mission, or decisions are motivated by mutually-serving rather than self-serving motives.

Trust is dependent on the interaction of and your experience of these three components. Trust is tough to maintain and easy to destroy.

The World Before Social Media

Good Feedback

Team Members: Make the Most of It

Getting good feedback is easy, but getting constructive feedback is golden! It’s a growth opportunity not an indictment, so focus on applying it rather than dissecting history. At a minimum, you’ve just learned what your manager (or customer) thinks — that’s invaluable!

 Distinguish the real message from the messenger or the messenger’s style; getting bogged down on how the message was delivered robs us of its benefit. And rather than refute the feedback, listen and look at it clinically for what can be learned.

 While it may not be completely accurate, harvest the wheat from the chaff to advance your skills and effectiveness.

Feedback

Managers: Get Over It

If you lead a team, regular feedback is a part of the job; giving no feedback is far worse than critical feedback. Unfortunately 50% of managers fail to drive accountability and give constructive feedback for fear of being the “bad guy.” Instead put your team member’s success in front of the need to be liked — 57% of employees prefer corrective feedback. They want to know how they can improve and where they’re not meeting your expectations or their potential. It’s a disservice to withhold that information, particularly when it informs your view of their performance.

It shouldn't be...

How many times do you think it should not be like this?
Rather it is at work , on the job or in our personnel life you may get caught up with what YOU think it should be like- rather than dealing with what it IS.

Life is not always fair......get over it.

People around you will get hurt or not respond the way YOU would like- but that is called LIFE.

Too much time is spent worried about - What should be- or shouldn't be.
Work with what you have, try to change what you can but remember the only person that you can truly change is YOU.

Getting angry or trying to get revenge is a total waste of your energy.  You only have so much oxygen in the course of a day - use it wisely.

More form the book- " The Baby Boom "

More excerpts from The Baby Boom Book-

“So we grew up in a good and happy place. And we were good. Or we were as good as kids were expected to be. We didn’t suffer from childhood obesity, dyslexia, lactose intolerance, or behavioral disorders. We were husky, a little slow at reading, farted a lot, and were pains in the neck. Anyway, we were happy.”

“There were some rules. Everybody outdoors on nice days, no crossing busy streets, no hitting girls, no firecrackers in your mouth, come when you’re called for dinner, and everybody indoors when the streetlights go on. These rules, like the definition of a “nice day,” were broadly construed. They were enforced by the general committee of grown-ups with the inefficiency for which committees are famous. All eyes were upon us in the neighborhood but not looking too closely. And so we ran wild—in a rather tame manner.”

The Paul Arpin Award

Below is the speech given at this year's Arpin convention by Paul Arpin's granddaughter- Abby Arpin- She presented our most prestigious award The Paul Arpin Award-
Congratulations to Diana and Peter at Bristol Plymouth Moving and Storage in Massachusetts !
BRAVO !

As many of you all know, my grandfather’s philosophy was that we need to treat the driver’s with the utmost respect and care, as he believed that they are the backbone and lifeblood of this industry. This agent has taken this to heart, and shows the care and respect for them just as my grandfather wished.

Just like my grandfather and father after him, one of the owners was and still is a driver. He is still working on the trucks and is very hands on. He knows how essential it is to treat the drivers right and what is most important to them, such as assisting them in loading and offloading their shipments in a timely manner. This agent knows that it is all the little things they do to help out the drivers that mean the most. The other owner is a current member of the AAB and is a very active member of the Van Lines. This agent is active in the community as well, and volunteered their time and equipment during the 2013 Philippines Relief Drive.

We receive nothing but positive feedback about the labor and treatment that this agent gives to our drivers. Drivers look forward to going there and being shown the greatest respect. They are always there to help out the drivers and their fellow agents. My grandfather’s philosophy is embedded in this company’s mindset.

This agent has been in the Arpin Agency family since the late 1980s, and the current owners have owned the agency since the early 2000s. This agent is the September 2014 Agent of the Month and has won the Gold Quality award every year since its inception, a very impressive achievement.

I am very proud to announce that the winner of the 2014 Paul Arpin award is… Bristol-Plymouth Moving & Storage, Peter and Diana Mosher

The Baby Boom

Some excerpts from the book- " The Baby Boom"-

For those of us born in the 50's - remember-

 When people spoke face to face sixty years ago they weren’t also fiddling with their smartphones, facing other people’s faces on Facebook when they were supposed to be facing you. And you weren’t checking your e-mail and replying to your text messages when you were facing them. People had to speak directly to each other, paying attention to what they were saying and to what was being said. How they withstood the tedium I can’t imagine.

 

More tomorrow-

Envy

Envy...it takes down most people.

Some people can never enjoy what THEY have or be appreciative.

They are busy looking at what their friends have or their co worker gets paid or the size truck that someone else owns.
What a gigantic waste of time and energy.

Why?

Now that is a interesting question and I am sure each has a different answer as to why people are envious.
Insecurity has to rank up there.
Fear.
Jealousy- ( But that lends it to the question of why are they jealous ?)

The sad thing is they are always chasing something and while they are worried, chasing and gossiping Life is passing them by.

I know people that are well off and have a nice home and toys and cars with healthy kids and they are just not happy. They are chasing something that is not REAL...not tangible.

Envy is the tool of the devil

Walk Around

 – You not only “manage by walking around,”

 You show up to meetings on time to signal that you value the work your employees or labor are doing.
 When you’re meeting with an employee or crew, you shut off or totally ignore your email, IM, texts and any other interruptions to give your full attention to the person in front of you.
 If they need your support be there , you need to lend your visible presence and direct support.

It Takes Two to Tango

It takes Two to Tango...

Now I cannot dance but I get the meaning, if just one person is twirling around out on the dance floor it would look really silly. You need a partner.

The same goes in business, to succeed you need partners. The more the better.

Those that think they can continue to be the tough guy and thumb their noses up to people around them will always have a up hill battle.

If one part cares and the other does not it will make for a hell of a long day.

The most important ingredient is to Care- at least if both parties genuinely Care then they should be able to work out even the bigger issues...and their WILL be issues...that is life.

Work together and enjoy the day.