(re) IMAGINE Mondays: Change Is Good If It's Going In The Right Direction

"How many retail clerks are you on a first name basis with? How many retail clerks know what style and color shirts you prefer when you shop? Salemanship is an art and most companies don't have any real salesmen working for them that truly enjoy what they do, go the extra mile for their customers, nor build any genuine relationship with their customers."

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday FSO USA, Clients, Readers and Fans!!

Monday is a day to cause mayhem and havoc for our competitors! Rumors are flying around the country about FSO and our company! AWESOME! Our competitors are getting nervous and they are feeling the pressure.

Here's why:

Change is one of the most guaranteed things in life, but few people want to accept that fact, and fewer can deal with it.

Just look at history and you don't have to go far back to see how fast things can change. Take 250 years ago. That's not very far when you think about it. The United States of America didn't even exist. Look how much this one little band of rebels against the British monarchy accomplished in that time. We took on the most powerful nation in the world at the time and kicked ass and started our own country from scratch.

Go back 500 years ago. What did the United States look like then? There was nothing here but Indian tribes. No buildings. No roads. No corporations. No electricity. No water systems. No airports. No cars. No financial system. No banks. It was better than when the dinosaurs ruled our continent but not by much.

What was life like 5,000 years ago on this planet? Civilization was just starting to take root.

Let's move up in time. When I grew up we had 3 major TV networks and 3 UHF stations. TV was in black and white. There were no cell phones. No personal computers. No video games. No Internet. None of the great stuff like we have today. I remember going to the World's Fair and seeing the World of Tomorrow pavilion and being totally fascinated by what visionaries expected the world to be like in the 21st century and what has come to be was even beyond that vision.

But the bottom line is time changes everything and does it continuously. It is a destroyer and creator both. Change is remarkably efficient at taking out what is not right, what is not healthy, what is not good and productive, and what is no longer needed in a system. In that respect change is positive and it is vital. Change kills things and at the same time change gives birth to brand new things and brand new opportunities.

So to succeed when everything is falling apart you merely have to accept the reality and destructiveness of change and join its side and adapt as things are changed. Don't fight it, because you can never win trying to keep and maintain what needs to be changed. This is when those who know how to do well when life becomes overwhelming and each day brings another unforeseen punch in the face from change, thrive and succeed most.

The key is to make change your partner and look for the brand new opportunities that are being created from the transition of the economy. The new gardens that change is now planting and seeding.

You have to be an optimist and creative, pessimism and doing things the same way will take you down the toilet with everything else going downhill now. 

From a practical perspective, there's a great amount of inefficiency and unproductiveness in many aspects of business these days. You can go to any mall in the US and it all looks the same. You can instantly spot the stores that are well managed, with great staff, great products, great marketing, good value, good prices, etc. and those that are not. The stores going out of business deserve to and need to. They are not being run well or what they are selling is no longer marketable. And that's the bottom line. You can only get away with running a business badly for so long and then change will take you out.

I find it amazing how clueless and bureaucratically most businesses are run. It's a wonder they survive for as long as they do. In today's dynamic world things move and change at a lightning pace. You have to be fast and nimble to adapt and keep up with it each day. The dinosaurs in business are getting killed because they are just that running their businesses like dinosaurs and not able to keep up anymore. Someone is doing a better job. Someone has better trained salesmen. Someone has more innovative products or services. etc. etc. People like FSO!

I recently hired someone who started the interview sharing what he learned from his first job in in Philadelphia: working in a local department store in the men's clothing department. He told me, "I think I was the only one who actually WORKED in my department. Most of the other salesmen would stand around either chatting or pretending to be doing something. When I didn't have a customer to wait on, I would go around and straighten up my area and make sure it looked pristine. When that was done I would pickup the phone and call my customers and tell them about upcoming new styles coming in and sales for the next week. I was the only salesman in the entire store that would ask customers for their first name and phone number to keep in touch with them and build a relationship with them."

He continues, "My manager, Jason Bonner, said he'd never seen anyone do the things I did in all his decades of retailing. He'd never seen anyone look so happy to be working. I would even organize all the inventory in the back stock rooms perfectly which wasn't even in my area of responsibility. My sales per hour for the store were 4 times and higher to the norm and higher than anyone else. Customers would come in the men's department and specifically ask for me to shop with them and help select their clothes and suggest what'd look best on them. They obviously loved the fact that someone actually enjoyed and was enthusiastic about waiting on them, and showed a genuine interest in them."

Right in the first moments of the first interview I knew he had the skip, fire, passion and love of hospitality that made him a shoe-in for the job. It's easy to spot, because so few people that we meet with that "X factor"-- that extra smile, the inner happiness, the hunger to serve, all in the name of becoming all they can be.

How many retail clerks are you on a first name basis with? How many retail clerks know what style and color shirts you prefer when you shop? Salemanship is an art and most companies don't have any real salesmen working for them that truly enjoy what they do, go the extra mile for their customers, nor build any genuine relationship with their customers. This is one of the biggest problems and deficiencies in business today. And this permeates into other aspects of businesses as well. Management at most companies is atrocious and incompetent. They don't know what they're doing and most times they are just "coasting" instead of doing what they're supposed to do which is managing and building business.

I could go on and on. The mess, mismanagement, and incompetence out there permeates so much of our lives today. In business, big and small. In government, federal, state, and local. Especially with the incumbents we beat replace every day in the outsourcing world. So many people just don't know how to do things the right way anymore, have no enthusiasm, and aren't productive.

We all have talent and lots of skills. More than most. People in here will do fine because we are used to "dancing" with business challenges every day.

To build your own career - knowledge building is essential. Whether it's in hospitality, mail, copy, records, messenger, security or facilities there are trends, innovations, technology and essential best practices that surround these services.

Do you know what these are? Is your site "keeping up with the times?" Are you and our staff having discussions about things you have seen, read or heard in the market that are cutting edge?

What have you done this year to introduce something NEW, INNOVATIVE or exciting to our clients? Like onsite Concierge Services? Or an iPad Check-in App for guests? These are just a snippet of things that are being introduced by FSO but we are always looking for more ideas, more creative services and solutions we can bring to our prospects and clients.

Now get to work, ignore the negative energy, stay positive, smile, be happy, and energize your mind to its maximum potential to think of new ideas that create, innovate and build a future that makes possible what was never possible before.

Have a great day…make it happen…SMILE…and, thanks for being a part of this amazing journey.

Love Life!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

ABOUT FSO:

• The fastest growing and most successful national onsite outsourcing in the U.S. focused on 1) improving services, 2) reducing costs, and 3) giving employees  an opportunity to grow.
• We outsource functions like: Mail, Copy, Reception, Switchboard, Office Services, Records, Messenger, IT, Concierge, Front & Back Office and much more.
• 1600+ employees, operating in 60+ cities, 225+ operational sites, 98% employee retention & 100% client retention.
• We (re)imagine the ways businesses are run.

ABOUT FSO CEO & FOUNDER – MITCH WEINER:

• Pioneer of the onsite outsourcing business model.
• 20+ years of industry experience.
•  Previous owner of Archer, which he sold to Canon.

VIDEO:
Brief "corporate portrait" video shows who we are and what we can do for you HERE

InspireME Friday: TO REALIZE (.value)

If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more.
If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough. –Oprah Winfrey

Good Morning Folks,

All of our managers from across the country this week to headquarters to share our plans, progress and programs. Juan Sanchez, our Western Regional Manager, reflected, " We are thinking way outside the box, which is something our competition is not doing. We are truly taking Hospitality services to new heights. Everyone plays a part in the success of FSO and we need you to get involved and bring the passion back to providing exceptional service."

Juan wondered, "We all have internal and external customers, so ask yourself when was the last time you truly did all you could to take care of them. We have amazing employees, customers and leaders, so why not show them how much we appreciate them."

To help you learn how to appreciate what you have, what you give, what you contribute, and what you reap, I came across this old wive's tale on social media.

It puts it all in perspective.....

TO REALIZE (.value)

 To realize

The value of a sister

 Ask someone

Who doesn't have one

  > >

To realize

The value of ten years:

Ask a newly

Divorced couple.

  > >

 To realize

The value of four years:

Ask a graduate.

  > >

To realize

The value of one year:

 Ask a student who

Has failed a final exam.

  > >

To realize

 The value of nine months:

 Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

  > >

To realize

The value of one month:

Ask a mother

who has given birth to

A premature baby.

  > >

To realize

The value of one week:

Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

  > >

To realize

 The value of one minute:

Ask a person

Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

  > >

To realize

The value of one-second:

Ask a person

Who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have. No one is ever guaranteed tomorrow. You will treasure time even more when you can share it with someone special., To realize the value of a friend or family member: LOSE ONE.

The people that we interact with on a daily basis allow us the opportunity to fulfill dreams through growth. Take it Personal and get Passionate with what we do to stay Productive in providing perfect service. Please remember you have internal customers as well that are helping you grow the business, know who they are and take care of them as you would external clients.

“Successful people do what unsuccessful people can’t do”.  No one ever sets out to be average at FSO, we need to be the best at everything we do.

We have amazing employees, customers and leaders, so why not show them how much we appreciate them. Sooner rather than later.

Make the weekend special! 

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

Learn more about what DIFFERENTIATES FSO here

Tour our beautiful offices

Read my latest article in CEO Perspectives  

  

InspireME Friday: Making The Most of Life

"Being yourself is one of the most precious gifts you can give to others, and to your soul."

Good Morning Folks,

So here we are at the end of another banner week for FSO. 

As I wake up this beautiful spring morning, I remind myself how grateful I am to have an amazing family of clients, employees, readers and social network followers. I am inspired by the growing audience contributions and look forward our daily interaction on Linked In. And I am truly moved that this blog, which started as a blank canvass less than a year ago, and is already a popular recurring read in two thirds of the Fortune 500 and AMLAW 200 firms nationwide.

Don't ever forget that you truly are part of something special by bearing witness to this galactic ride. Unlike almost every other company, you not only get to have the experience of being part of our incredible growth, but you get to contribute.

Jonathan Swift wrote, “May you live every day of your life.”  

While it is clearly obvious that we are alive—living and breathing human beings, how much of the time we are spending on Earth are we really living? How can we tell?

An entire lifetime can be spent on searching outward for the true purpose of life. There is no right or wrong scenario in the notion that we embark on this journey of self-realization. However, when we refuse to acknowledge our Being as the ultimate truth, we are indeed living, but solely for the betterment of others.

So… How can we live every day of our lives? 

After over a decade of study there are a few ways Michelle Rosado, professional speaker and best-selling co-author of "Pursuing Your Destiny: How to Overcome Adversity and Achieve Your Dreams", learned to live a mindful and peace life. She advises:

==> Be Present. 
To live in the present means to BE present in all you do. Observe your thoughts as if your mind was a separate entity from self. Take a few moments throughout the day to be still and honor the time you spend with your higher self. Remember, this moment is the most important one of all.

==> Be Compassionate. 
Hardly any effort can be found in expressing compassion for anyone who is in need of guidance. It is our natural instinct as compassionate Beings to offer assistance in times of need. But when the hurtful words of another creates a lasting emotional scar on one’s heart, the ego can be diffused by showing love and compassion for the one inflicting the hurt.

==> Be Grateful. 
The Buddha said, “You have no cause for anything but gratitude and joy.” When you feel as if there is a lost sense of hope in humanity and receive a “reality slap” from your current circumstance, it is the perfect opportunity to look within. There is much to be grateful for when we are present and aware of our gifts.

==> Be Yourself. 
Many of us have experienced conditioning in our childhood that only accommodate others – in our thoughts, actions and speech. It is by fear that we continue living in this mindset throughout our adulthood, and by choosing to unravel the layers of the past can we truly be free. Make this a daily practice, for being yourself is one of the most precious gifts you can give to others, and to your soul.

Abraham Lincoln said, "Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be."

Well, we've made up our minds to be happy, and to make everyone happy through our FSO way of doing things!! In fact we're so happy, the only thing that could possibly bring more happiness to our lives is the lovely box of chocolates (our inspiring Friday mascot pictured above)! 

Thanks to Michelle Rosado for sharing her inspirational thoughts and to you for listening.

Make the weekend special! 

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

Learn more about what DIFFERENTIATES FSO here

Tour our beautiful offices

Read my latest article in CEO Perspectives

Throwback Thursday: Look He's Back!!! It's Mitch From Archer!

"We're well practiced in the art of hospitality, and there's this sense that we've all been friends for a very long time. It's because we have, all the way back to those 'Mitch from Archer' days."

Good Morning Folks,

It's amazing how many times I walk into a trade show or conference or accompany one of my reps to meet a prospective client and the person sees my face and says "Hey I know you. You're Mitch from Archer!

In most cases that's enough to seal a deal. Because the concept of outsourcing that I co-founded at Archer was so strong, so well-received, so effective, that's it's never been forgotten and largely unduplicated until I came back to show the market what it had had lost sight of.

And that's precisely why I came back in 2010, with a blank canvas, to deliver what the industry has forgotten- "The Mitch from Archer Brand."  And so it is we stand as I write this today the fastest growing company in all of outsourcing.

With operations in 57 major US cities and a clear focus on concierge service, our goal remains the same - to help firms improve operations & SAVE MONEY.

Specializing in transforming front of house and back office operations, we are excited to share with you how our clients are leading changes in their firms that are driving cost savings, increasing profitability, creating operational synergies and efficiencies, attracting top talent and taking better care of people - all with FSO!

We're well practiced in the art of hospitality, and there's this sense that we've all been friends for a very long time. It's because we have, all the way back to those Mitch fem Archer days.

All of the positive associations with Archer I hear about as I travel nationwide got me into the cellar and looking through my scrapbook of those times. We were just starting out and looking at the pictures you too will agree it was much simpler then. In fact there were no cell phones, no Internet, and maybe if you were lucky you had Word Perfect and a fast fingered typist / file clerk as your document management system.

A lot has changed but what hasn't changed is the Mitch brand. My pursuit of service excellence, my passion to make our company the happiest place on earth to work and my ambition to build a nation of better business professionals and leaders. 

Have a throw back as we look at outsourcing circa 1990.

As you can imagine, since the Archer days, we've successfully transitioned and managed thousands of operations in our combined experience in the outsourcing discipline and continue to lead the charge in the industry. We pride ourselves on providing our clients the solutions and that addresses not just their tactical day to day expertise but the knowledge and subject matter expertise to achieve their long term strategic goals and objectives



At FSO, our goal in providing onsite outsourcing remains simple – to deliver phenomenal solutions that promise to take better care of the people, improve service and reduce costs. Our strategy to achieve this goal is straightforward - we are backed by highly trained, motivated, team oriented, passionate people who care about doing a great job for YOU.

As one of the founders of this unique business model over 25 years ago, builder of some of the largest outsourcing companies in the world, and as the pioneer and inventor of mail and office services outsourcing, I am a leader who is committed to identifying and driving change to provide the very best for our clients and employees.

Isn't there something we can be doing for you? (call me at 212-204-1193 for a FREE assessment)

Have a GREAT day and a BETTER weekend!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

Learn more about what DIFFERENTIATES FSO here

Innovate or Capitulate: In The Struggle For Survival, The Fittest Win

"Change is Good. You Go First, Because somebody's gotta win. It might as well be you."

Good Morning Folks,

"Innovation" is one of those buzzwords you hear all the time. People are always talking about being a "leader in innovation" or "taking innovation into the twenty-first century". It can look like some kind of innovation nation out there it's hard to tell who is devoted to innovation and who is simply paying lip service to It. We at FSO are serious about innovation. So serious that we use the word (re) IMAGINE to define who we are: a partner dedicated to always finding new and better ways to improve service, lower costs and take better care of people.

I believe complacency is when innovation ends. The advantage every business has, but few in our industry leverage to the advantage that we do, is the ability to innovate and reinvent. So many great companies lose their edge and end up playing catch-up until they're obsolete. That’s not going to happen here.

Dramatic paradigm sights are occurring in every industry, YOUR industry because traditional barriers to entry don't exist anymore. If you don't think a new era of change and creative destruction isn't headed to your door step, you are sadly mistaken. If you want to be on top, you have to look at innovation in a new, interactive way. You have to believe it is worth coin, its worth doing wrong. You have to be willing to try your model, test it, innovate around it, get out, screw up, and then do it right. You have to understand that speed is everything in an electronic realm because you can fix mistakes before anyone realizes that mistakes were made.

We are facing the biggest transformation the way business is conducted since the industrial revolution. If you are willing to innovate, you are taking steps towards crashing your competition.

The problem according to ANTHONY IANNARIN of there sales blog is change, He writes:

==> Change is more difficult than you believe. Having an intellectual understanding the reason something needs to change isn’t enough. An emotional need to change is necessary and more powerful. 

 ==> Change is psychological. You first have to have a shift in your mindset, your personal philosophy, your personal psychology. Without that shift, there will be no change.

Why something is being changed is more important than how that change is accomplished.

==> Change takes longer than you believe.  It takes longer to sell, longer to build consensus, and longer to execute before results are seen. It is mistake to believe the results of change will be realized quickly, even though change happens in a second 

==> Change comes with built-in enemies. The very fact that you are trying to make change will cause some to oppose you. Resistance is your enemy when you try to change yourself. 

Most change initiatives die not because the idea isn’t good or necessary but because it was poorly executed. The change is usually poorly executed because it lacks executive engagement. People are exceptionally gifted at waiting out change initiatives. 

We overestimate what we can accomplish in a short period of time and underestimate what we accomplish over a longer period. When results don’t come fast, change initiatives are often abandoned. The better results were only a little bit further.

==> Sometimes change initiatives fail because too many variables are changed at once. One major change might have been enough to produce a result, but because so much was attempted, nothing really changed. When too much is changed, you can’t easily figure out what is working and what isn’t.

Radical change very quickly becomes the new status quo. It soon develops its own defenders who protect it from future change.

As an owner and CEO, I am keenly aware that rapid change in business and technology is the “new normal.”  The only way for our company to survive, let alone thrive, is to continuously reinvent and redefine— everything.

This means we can’t go backward, and we can’t stand still. We can’t rest on our laurels and we can’t keep doing what we’ve always done — even if we are doing our best, we need to keep doing it better.

Because at FSO, we never stop rethinking, refreshing and (re)IMAGINING a better future for our clients. 

We strive to give our customers the ability to do what they can’t currently do but would want to if they only knew it was possible.

The love running throughout this company is infectious and it’s impossible to not share it with everyone I come in contact with.

To our team: You have been given the opportunity to show what you’re made of, to be so much stronger and better than you were just the day before and to show the world of business a better way.  

So as you get ready to start your day take a second to think; how am I contributing to the FSO competitive difference? How can I be better?

How can I get to infinity and beyond? 

How can I be that star, that hero that brings to our clients all the positive change, wealth and success they deserve?

IT IS YOU that makes FSO who we are. Love Life!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

...................................................................................................................

"In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their environment." ~~ Charles Darwin

......................................................................................................................

S. ANTHONY IANNARIN is the President and Chief Sales officer for SOLUTIONS Staffing, a best-in-class regional staffing service based in Columbus, OhioHe is also the Managing Director of B2B Sales Coach & Consultancy, a boutique sales coaching and consulting company where he works to help salespeople and sales organizations improve and reach their full potential. And he works ass an adjunct faculty member at Capital University’s School of Management and Leadership. Anthony teaches Personal Selling in the undergraduate program, and I teach Persuasive Marketing and Social Media Marketing in the MBA program.

Encourage, Recognize & Empower: Together We CAN Do It!

"I lift thee and thee lift me and we ascend together."

Good Morning Folks,

WOW!!!! 2014 let it Shine, let it Shine.

FSO has taken the industry by storm! With operations in 57 major US cities and a clear focus on concierge service, our goal remains the same - to help firms improve operations & SAVE MONEY.

Specializing in transforming front of house and back office operations, we are excited to share with you how our clients are leading changes in their firms that are driving cost savings, increasing profitability, creating operational synergies and efficiencies, attracting top talent and taking better care of people - all with FSO!

We're well practiced in the art of hospitality, and there's this sense that we've all been friends for a very long time.

To help our people help you make this happen, FSO is bringing to life amazing and exciting new awards & recognitions. I think every day, regardless of your job title or gravitas, you need only to ask yourself and those around you - how can I help YOU do better things, in better ways?

How do we overachieve our competitors? It's always been a simple formula for me: "Love your people and let them know it" -- the simple recognition that what they do matters.

It all about "putting yourself in others shoes"; empathy is one of the key qualities to flourish and blossom the talent. Showing and truly believing in what someone can achieve always helps them get there.

Everyone is talented at something. We help them discover their talents. Talent will come out if there are opportunity, reasons, and incentives to do so. I find this enables and encourages talented people to do what they really want to be doing - more.

We create an environment that focuses on developing the strengths and unique talents of the individual. We open their eyes to the endless possibilities of believing in themselves. 

Passion is the energy that keeps us going, that keeps us filled with meaning, and happiness, and excitement, and anticipation. Passion is a powerful force in accomplishing anything you set your mind to, and in experiencing work and life the fullest extent possible.

Talent often resounds with passion. Whether as a co-worker, manager or non business relationship, if you can help people identify their passions and identify what it takes incorporate their passions into daily life and short and long term goals, then you will have a chance to see people thrive and be producers and leaders not just cheerleaders and followers.

Ultimately, passion is the driving force behind success and happiness that allows us all to live better lives.

Our people are endlessly unique in our abilities, needs, attitudes and beliefs. We are a blessed team and we have been lighting up the nation.

To our team I ask: "Rock it and make a difference everywhere today. Front of house sites. Put on that extra smile and share a positive FSO smile and attitude to everyone that comes to our front desks. Security. Meet and greet and more. Make today, FREE smiles day." They will smile bigger.

So go out of your way to smile to everyone. Or to nod. Or to introduce yourself.

And when someone does something that helps you, even in the smallest way and even if it's their job, go out of your way to say thanks. Make it your mission to recognize the people behind the tasks: the people that support, that assist, that make everything possible.

To our leaders I ask you to: "Encourage. Compliment on things that your team does well-- Be authentic and a role model and not a judge; be enthusiastic as a model." Show people they matter--especially to you. By recognizing people--especially those who have been conditioned to not expect to be recognized--we add a little extra meaning and dignity to their lives.

At every level at FSO, I encourage you to teach... to share with others. I’ve seen this reignite passion and provide a sense of purpose beyond their daily work load.

Acknowledgement and enthusiasm of another’s talents breeds confidence. Celebrate one another regardless of age or circumstance. Offer genuine praise, support and encouragement. Believe in others even when they can’t believe in themselves. Create a safe and fertile environment for the birth of new ideas.

Most importantly we have to understand that as an individual you can only go thus far, but as a team you can achieve greater success....  When you have your teams fullest dedication and passion and that's when they are connected to a common goal..... Nothing can stop them from achieving it.

As I moved forward and up in my own career, I realized that it's important to pay it forward and give it back. Always. I want to be known as someone that shares knowledge, not hoards it. If I can inspire a person, their talents will blossom.

Because at the end of the day, the most important resource in the entire universe is YOU. Products, services, innovation, ideas, breakthroughs – they all exist in your head, your heart and your hands. The output of your thinking, the engaging of your heart and the enlistment of your hands create profound results.

For me, it is a dynamic life and I never miss an opportunity to put 'smiles on the heart' of colleagues. The heart is the most important measure of the employee; if he/she is truly involved in the moment and working from the heart then good fortune happens. 

Yes we want to be the happiest place to work but we also want to build a nation of better business professionals and leaders.

Together, "yes we can" do it. We are pumped super excited and ready to rock.

Have a GREAT day and a BETTER week!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

Learn more about what DIFFERENTIATES FSO here

==> InspireME Friday: 8 Ways To Keep The Boss Happy

"The secret fear of every boss is that employees are screwing up but are not saying anything about it. So even if you're afraid some bad news might upset your boss, make sure he's informed."

Good Morning Everyone and Welcome to Your Weekend!

Thanks God it’s Friday and THANK GOD IT’S FSO!

Thank you for another great week. 

Lots of amazing stuff happening. From the Eexecutive Leadership Team to each and every employee, THANKS for the effort, passion and hard work. 

Well done! That's why...

Hope springs eternal on this delicious Friday morning.

To set your head in high spirits before sending you off to all this glorious planet offers on a Spring weekend, I share a piece by Geoffrey James— author the world's most visited sales-oriented blog 

Geoff's recent column, "8 Core Beliefs of Extraordinary Bosses," drew a flood of responses.

But there's one thing he didn't mention: An extraordinary boss communicates his expectations clearly to his team. That way, everyone understands what it will take to make your company succeed.

With that in mind: If you are the boss, you'll want to share this column with your team, because it will make your job a heck of a lot easier. And if by chance you're not the boss, memorize this column-because it contains the key to long-term success.

==> 8 Ways To Keep Your Boss (or investor) Happy By Geoffrey James

Here are the rules for keeping your boss happy:

1. Be true to your word.
Your boss wants to trust you. Really.  Therefore, whenever you accept an assignment, follow through religiously, even fanatically. Do what you say you're going to do. Never over commit, and avoid hedging your bets with vague statements like "I'll try" and "maybe." Instead, make your word carry real weight.

2. No surprises, ever.
The secret fear of every boss is that employees are screwing up but are not saying anything about it.  So even if you're afraid some bad news might upset your boss, make sure he's informed. Note: If your boss consistently "shoots the messenger," you can ignore this rule-because his behavior shows he doesn't really want to be in the know.

3. Be prepared on the details.
Your boss wants to believe you're competent and on top of things.  That's why she sometimes picks an aspect of your job and begins randomly asking penetrating questions. Therefore, whenever you're meeting with the boss, have the details ready so you can answer these queries with grace and aplomb.

4. Take your job seriously.
Bosses appreciate individuals who truly care about what they do and willing to take the time to achieve a deep understanding of their craft. Bosses need people who have unique expertise. You don't have to be a pro at everything, but you should definitely have a specific area of knowledge that your boss values.

5. Have your boss's back.
When you see your boss about to make a foolish decision, it's your responsibility to attempt to convince him to make a different one. Make your best case, and express yourself clearly. However, once the decision is actually made, do your best to make it work-regardless of whether you think it was the right one.

6. Provide solutions, not complaints.
Complainers are the bane of your boss's existence. Nothing is more irritating or more boring than listening to somebody kvetch about things that they're not willing to change.  So never bring up a problem unless you've got a solution to propose-or are willing to take the advice the boss gives you.

7. Communicate in plain language.
Bosses are busy people and have neither the time nor the inclination to wade through piles of biz-blab, jargon and weasel words. When dealing with your boss, speak and write in short sentences, use the fewest words possible to make a point, and make that point clear and easily understandable.

8. Know your real job.
Regardless of what it says on your job description, your real job is to make your boss successful. There are no exceptions to this rule. None.

And, by the way: Your boss's real job is to make you more successful. The reversal of these priorities is the source of almost all organizational problems.

When it comes to making the boss happy, all of us at FSO are fortunate to work for a company with hands-on leaders who work tirelessly to ensure we provide a warm and highly inspirational environment for YOU (our employees) and our clients.

Everyone on the team knows their position and role and they work in harmony to execute greatness. That is what FSO is all about – a perfect harmony of perfection and greatness.

We have a great company! Great focus on the people! Great management! Great rewards and recognition programs! Great references! 

I cannot tell you how much I care about you, our employees. How much our employees care about our customers, and how our teamwork across the great USA is paying off.

Know that you very much inspire me and I rely on you, the FSO team, to make a difference.

With that said, be smart… be clever… be personable …and most of all make the most of this glorious spring weekend.

Have a GREAT day and a BETTER weekend!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

Learn more about what DIFFERENTIATES FSO here