TED Tuesday: Nilofer Merchant: Got a meeting? Take a Walk

"What you’re doing right now, at this very moment, is killing you.”

Good Morning Folks,

Nilofer Merchant suggests a small idea that just might have a big impact on your life and health: Next time you have a one-on-one meeting, make it into a "walking meeting" — and let ideas flow while you walk and talk. 

Her famed TED Talk, titled, “Got A Meeting? Take A Walk” has been seen online by over two and a half million viewers to date. The talk posits that “sitting is the new smoking,” and encourages sedentary office workers to be both healthy and productive by walking, rather than sitting, at meetings.

This is a short, highly insightful, and relevant talk to those who spend hours on end (no pun intended) at the office. Sitting is serious business, and here’s why you need to know about it. Have a look:


CPC Strategy, commenting on the presentation, noted: meetings on the go are good for 4 main reasons:

1) It’s good for your health. Office dwellers, and many of us are, form a habit of being sedentary week in and week out. Yes, this is American, but clearly not conducive to a healthy, active lifestyle.

2) It generates new ideas. Being stuck in your usual surroundings on a daily basis can really hinder your creativity. You start to get tunnel vision and tend to think more inside the box. The same goes for writing. You have to revisit your work after a couple days break to really look at it from a fresh perspective. If you change your surroundings and your context, you can start to look at things differently.

3) It gets you out of the office. Sort of like #2, but an excuse to get out of the office and stretch your legs is always welcome. We started having our marketing brainstorming meetings outside, and quite simply, it’s a revelation.

4) Speaking of backsides, gentleman, don’t sit on your wallets at work. It’s bad for your spine and refraining from doing so will do wonders for your back

The bottom line, which is, walk and talk. Walk the talk. You'll be surprised at how fresh air drives fresh thinking, and in the way that you do, you'll bring into your life an entirely new set of ideas.

Have a GREAT Day! 

Mitch

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“To love without condition, to talk without intention, 
to give without reason and to care without expectation. 
This is the art of true relationship."

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Ideas are not set in stone. When exposed to thoughtful people, they morph and adapt into their most potent form. TED Tuesdays on MitchWeiner.com highlights some of today's most intriguing ideas. Look for more talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more— HERE.  

Shout-Out Wednesday: Eager, Prepared, And Ready to Rise To Any Challenge

"Anthony always provides outstanding customer service. Anthony is friendly, proactive and always willing to help the team wherever possible."

Good Morning Folks,

Our team is committed to hiring quality employees who are trained, incentivized, and motivated. They are passionate about their purpose, excited about what they do, and you will feel like they are truly an extension of your business. We have a proven track record of reshaping our clients’ success by always improving service, controlling cost and taking better care of the people who serve them.

It’s a great joy for me to get to work every day with a team of such smart, creative, and passionate people. Here's what clients are writing to me about them:

From: The World's Largest Professional Services Firm

Re: Randy – NYC

"Randy helped a client recover items missing from one of the personal offices. Randy worked with office services and security to make them aware of the situation. Randy also followed up several days later to confirm when a resolution would be reached. He was persistent and followed up with until the matter was resolved. His valuable assistance is greatly appreciated."

Re: Joel – NYC

"Joel has been a great asset for the 20th floor. He’s been very attentive and proactive to all the floor needs. He handles all requests as urgent matters and completes all tasks in a timely manner. Well done Joel!!!"

From The NYC HQ Of The World's Preeminent Daily Newspaper

"Anthony recently joined the group in August and he has already surpassed our expectations. He always provides outstanding customer service. Anthony is friendly, proactive and always willing to help the  team wherever possible."

From Our AMLAW 200 Clients

Re: Stephen  – Boston

"Stephen has been such an asset constantly going above and beyond. Recently he was able to obtain a much needed file for an urgent matter in minutes amid a sea of files which was essential. He is a team player that can be relied on always. Great job, Stephen!!!!"

Re: Yanick  –  Stamford

"Yanick has been extremely helpful stepping in on multiple occasion and being point person at that office since the office currently does not have an office manager. She is a great asset to the office as she is always willing to step in where needed."

Re: Gil & Chris  – Washington, D.C.

"Thank you for understanding the client’s core values of customer service and teamwork and then going above and beyond to ensure that values are met."

To: Joseph – At One Of The Big Four Mobile Communications Companies 

"Joseph has provided excellent on the spot service at the client site. He resolved a need for space quickly, efficiently and with a polite and cheerful attitude. He also volunteered in helping move furniture without being asked to do so. His quick thinking and proactive demeanor was appreciated by the client immediately. Kudos Joseph!!!!"

To: Kevin & Jesse  – At Architectural Association

"Kevin & Jesse exceeded the clients expectations by taking the time to walk over a package to Fedex to ensure that the package went out that same evening even though Fedex has already picked up at the client site. They went the extra mile even after putting in a full day of work. Great job guys!!!!"

From Our Wall Street Clients

Re: Jonathan, Cesar & Andrew 

"They go above and beyond in all they do to find quick and efficient solutions. Their attention to detail and sense of urgency ensures that all request especially last minutes ones are immediately addressed and taken care."

Re: Christopher & Woody 

"Christopher and Woody was a phenomenal help in executing a special event we hosted for a Global Investing Network. They went above and beyond to help make the event so special. Numerous complements were received from the external guests about what a nice event it was, in large part because of the professionalism and welcoming nature of our team."

We get great results when we have the right people in place who have solid relationships with our clients.

To those applauded, today CHEERS to you and THANK YOU for working tirelessly to deliver Service Extraordinaire with a smile. I am so proud of all of you, and to count you among the FSO family. Keep up the great work!!

Have a great day and thanks for being a part of our amazing journey.

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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"Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?" 

~~ Abraham Lincoln

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Shout Out: Cheers To Our Incredible Team

"Each of you calmed my nerves, set up the room and materials perfectly, and made sure that everything ran smoothly. I truly wouldn’t be able to do my job if it weren’t for you and the team.”

Good Morning Folks,

What does it take for a client to send a written kudos to recognize an individual or our teams performance?

When a client takes the time to write about a great job and spends a moment to acknowledge something special that has been done, or from what they may hear from an end user, the individual and or the team have made that impact that differentiates us from any and all of our competitors.

The words used when we receive an amazing kudos include:
-          Proactive
-          Driven
-          Hands on
-          Big Smiles
-          It is obvious they love what they do
-          Went the extra mile
-          Committed
-          Always there for us
-          Putting every minute into their work
-          Amazing job

Our success is all about our clients knowing they can always count on us, we will always be there for them, we care about their success and we would never let them down.

Here are some of the nice things we are hearing in the market:

To: Zachary– At One Of The Big Four Mobile Communications Companies

"Zacharey helps in all he can and takes all the time needed to explain things in detail with much professionalism and patience. He is a team player and works hardtop ensure that all responsibilities are completed."

From The NYC HQ Of The World's Preeminent Daily Newspaper

"LaBrun is responsible for six individual client floors of delivery of mail and courier packages, one of which is the Data Center which received multiple large boxes. LaBrun ensures that all the packages are handles carefully and consistently."

From Two Top 10 Financial Services Industry Clients

"Kudos to the team for assisting with a very sick individual onsite. They were able to assist in administering first aides, calling 911 as well as providing the EMT with detailed account of the situation in a very calm, professional and quick manner. It was their quick thinking and actions that saved this person life as professional assist arrived on the scene. Thank you very much for the excellent emergency actions taken."

"Michael has done a fantastic job of assisting in finding necessary space for everyday business needs like meetings and conference calls. He works tireless to make sure that his finds the correct accommodation for each request."

Erika and Davita work extremely hard and are very dedicated to the client and make sure that they handle all of the client’s needs with care and professionalism.

From Multiple Locations of an AMLAW 200 Firm

To: Records Staff – Newark

"The team has done an extraordinary job in clearing out file space as well as keeping up with their daily responsibilities. They put every effort into making sure that the client files are handled with importance and confidentiality. Great job!!!!!"

To: Antoine, Monica & Laverne – Hartford

Laverne, Antoine and Monica were extremely professional, especially dealing with Hartford attorneys and paralegals coming in and out during the 3 days they were here.  Laverne also provided training on how best to handle documenting all the files and boxes being sent to Iron Mountain. Way to go team!!!!"

To Luis & Daniel: From The World's Largest Advertising Company, NYC

"Great job on assisting the client deliver a sizable charitable donation to St. Francis of Assisi church. The client appreciate the assistance. Nice!!"

To: Daniel – Office Services, FSO-HQ

Congratulations to Daniel  on receiving the Favorite Father Award from the National Partnership for Community Leadership. This award provide him and his son with Yankees tickets where they got the chance to meet Alex Rodriguez. Congratulations Daniel!!!!

To: FSO Team at a Client in the Healthcare Industry:

"They provide a critical component to the science. They are both hardworking, dedicated to clear communication, follow up with customers, and provide high quality in their work. They also provide a collaborative approach to their work, working well together to overlap their skill sets which benefits the customer with cell lines that are of great quality and adhere to the requirements from the customer.

"Annie is a rising star, with the ability to take on difficult tasks, provide clarity from chaos, and show warmth and concern for her team. She is determined to continue to develop her team."

People are our power and our passion. Every day our folks create a positive, lasting impact through kindness, respect and dignity for those we serve. It is that partnership which builds trust and loyalty that fortifies the relationship via great service, innovation, enhancements, cost savings and care.  

To those applauded today, thank for all that you do! The next time you see any of the folks above, please give them a “Shout Out” – for job well done.

We look forward to give YOU your own “Shout Out” coming soon to a Wednesday near you.

Have a GREAT day,

Love Life!

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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"First love yourself. Then give love to others. 

Give love in abundance." ~ Buddhist Wisdom

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Shout-Out: Celebrating Employee Excellence, New Accounts, and Renewals

"It's well-worth the savings in the long run as opposed to having everything else just tagged and stored offsite needlessly."

Good Morning Folks,

We have seen incredible success at FSO this summer, and are proud to share our New Accounts, Renewals and KUDOS:

NEW ACCOUNTS

• We added a prestigious AMLAW 200 firm in Washington, D.C. and in New York  

• We launched services at three offices of an innovative New York-based media agency with 475 full-time employees and offices in five U.S. markets

• We placed a National Director of Facilities at a renowned beverage company

RENEWALS

• We renewed 2 of the world’s Top 10 Advertising Agencies at their New York Headquarters. One of these clients swept the prestigious Cannes Festival of Creativity with 99 Lion Awards. We are proud to support their success

• We filled three separate long-term temp roles with a New York non-profit that touches the lives of over 15,000 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities

• We renewed our long-standing relationship with the world’s #1-ranked professional service firm to provide our innovative Floor Hosts in three cities

• We also renewed 10 additional clients who are leaders in Property Management, Higher Education, Media, Finance, International Banking, Retail and Professional Services
  
  
  KUDOS

  
  

  Recognizing our people and their efforts in delivering outstanding service to our clients is central to our success. Along with the multiple on-the-spot recognition and award programs, our monthly recognition meetings are attended by hundreds of our site staff, and serve to motivate, inspire, and encourage our employees to have FUN and celebrate our success. Here's what we're hearing:

"A BIG kudos for identifying close to 100 people to staff the Awards Show this weekend. We appreciate your tireless efforts in staffing such a huge event!"

"I just wanted to acknowledge the amazing job the Newark records staff and our own FSO staff have done in the past week to make a huge dent in the file space we have to clear out.  We could not have done even a fraction of the work that team did for us on our own. It's well-worth the savings in the long run as opposed to having everything else just tagged and stored offsite needlessly."

"I wanted to send a brief note stating what a great FSO Messenger Center team. They are always courteous and reliable. Leroy and Carlos goes above and beyond their job responsibilities as well as pleasure to work with."

"Jonathan leads a fantastic energetic team. He is laser focused on the team’s success. The team is focused on not just fulfilling the client’s needs but anticipating them!!"

FSO loves to recognize birthdays and special occasions when it comes to our people. Seeing the recognition posted on LinkedIn our client noted, “awww.. Happy Birthday guys!!! I love this team!!! They make my life easier by what they do!!!!" Happy Birthday Jeremy & Gustavo.  Thanks for everything you all do for our client. 

Let’s enjoy the post Labor Day cool down, and take the time to truly appreciate everything we have to be thankful for. I look forward to seeing all of you soon.



Cordially,


Mitch

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“Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.”
― Dale Carnegie
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TED Tuesday: Meaghan Ramsey— Why Thinking You're Ugly Is Bad For You

“Let's show our kids the truth. Let's show them that the way you look is just one part of your identity and that the truth is we love them for who they are and what they do and how they make us feel”

Good Morning Folks,

About 10,000 people a month Google the phrase, “Am I ugly?” Meaghan Ramsey of the Dove Self-Esteem Project has a feeling that many of them are young girls. So it's no surprise that today's TED selection has been viewed over 3 million times!

In this deeply unsettling talk, Meaghan walks us through the surprising impacts of low body and image confidence—from lower grade point averages to greater risk-taking with drugs and alcohol. And then shares the key things all of us can do to disrupt this reality.

For you, your kids, or someone you or they may know ... I present:


We strive to have the most inspired, motivated, and best trained employees in the industry! I hope these TED Tuesday presentations keep you well informed and enrich your life both personally and professionally.

Have a GREAT Day! 

Mitch

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“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” ~~Epicurus

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Ideas are not set in stone. When exposed to thoughtful people, they morph and adapt into their most potent form. TED Tuesdays on MitchWeiner.com highlights some of today's most intriguing ideas. Look for more talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more— HERE.  

TED Tuesday: Lidia Yuknavitch— The beauty of being a misfit

"Even at the moment of your failure, you are beautiful. You don't know it yet, but you have the ability to reinvent yourself endlessly. That's your beauty."

Good Morning Folks,

According to IBM, "Every company, every industry, every occupation is undergoing massive change in a global, information economy. To succeed—even survive—in this modern workforce, workers must be adept in more than one subject and keep up with an ever expanding knowledge base that never seems to stop moving. Workers need to be lifelong learners who are comfortable with learning “just in time” rather than “just one time” in life."

At FSO we are constantly learning new things and inspired to want to do more. This is why we cull through hundreds of TED talks each week in order to bring you a valuable and inspirational lesson on Tuesday.

Today's speaker is a self-proclaimed, card-carrying, misfit. In her acclaimed novels and memoir, author Lidia Yuknavitch navigates the intersection of tragedy and violence to draw new roadmaps for self­-discovery.

To those who feel like they don't belong: there is beauty in being a misfit. Author Lidia Yuknavitch shares her own wayward journey in an intimate recollection of patchwork stories about loss, shame and the slow process of self-acceptance. "Even at the moment of your failure, you are beautiful," she says. "You don't know it yet, but you have the ability to reinvent yourself endlessly. That's your beauty."

Lidia discovered her calling after an interrupted journey as a would­-be Olympic swimmer. Her prose erases the boundaries between memoir and fiction, explodes gender binaries and focuses on the visceral minutiae of the body.

Says Lidia, "You can be standing dead center in the middle of your failure and still, I'm only here to tell you, you are so beautiful. Your story deserves to be heard, because you, you rare and phenomenal misfit, you new species, are the only one in the room who can tell the story the way only you would. And I'd be listening."

Have a look:

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Have a GREAT Day! 

Mitch

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“If a Plant's Roots Are Too Tight, Repot.”

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Ideas are not set in stone. When exposed to thoughtful people, they morph and adapt into their most potent form. TED Tuesdays on MitchWeiner.com highlights some of today's most intriguing ideas. Look for more talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more— HERE.  

Shout-Out: Cheers To The Lifeblood Of Our Organization— Talented People

"Your presence provides a welcoming, friendly and helping environment. Thank you team for all you do!" (To: Food/Beverage / Commercial Real Estate, Chicago)

Good Morning Folks,

The most important commodity at any work environment is the people. Without a motivated, well trained and talented team behind it, even the best solutions and technology will falter and fail.

In delivering our onsite outsourcing services, our people are the driving force in making the difference. We take care of our people and, in turn, they take care of you, our client. We stand out from the crowd through providing the most comprehensive training, awards and recognition programs in the industry. FSO’s people have that “twinkle in the eye, skip in the step, fire in the belly,” which ultimately results in exceptional service delivery. Here's what clients are saying:

From The NYC HQ Of The World's Preeminent Daily Newspaper

Joseph: "Joseph has impressed management, his co-workers and our clients with his outstanding work ethic! He is consistent and very organized with his daily duties in rendering great customer service. He took on additional responsibility without being asked and has committed himself to completing those tasks daily!"

Sequan: "Sequan is a rising star within the team. He previously held a role exclusively for a very demanding newsroom floor and he excelled. Management recently gave him a new responsibility that required reporting to work earlier and the use of heavy machinery (additional training was given). Sequan is not only just doing a great job to us, but we have already received complimentary client emails regarding such! Keep up the great work!"

From A Client In The Financial Services Industry

Jose: "Jose went above and beyond his own job description and is a stand out amongst the already stellar team. Sending a thank you out is the very least we can do."

Andrew: "Andrew is one of those rare guys that always goes above and beyond, to the point where it flows through and helps our business. Thank you for all you do!" (note from a partner after Andrew came in before working hours to get proposals printed and delivered).

From Multi-City AMLAW 200 Firms

Michael: "Michael Thompson won FSO Associate of the Month for his hard work and dedication over the past few weeks as we got through our staffing challenge. Mike worked double shifts for several weeks to support the operation. "

Nakisha: "Nakesha won FSO Client Relations Manager of the Month award for her strong start as Manager, leading through some tough employee issues, and supporting the operation short staffed."

Dallas Team: "Shout out to the team for going above and beyond for our employees. Thanks to you all for the awesome jobs each of you do regarding your professional efforts to always helping the staff shine to meet the goals of their teams! Keep up the good work!"

From The World's Largest Advertising Company, NYC

Myles: "As always, well done. Thank you for making sure your team is always informed and leading by example!!"

Jackie: "Jackie's outstanding work this week has proven what both the client and management have known about Jackie since she started here, Jackie is a great leader. We truly appreciate everything she does."

Raven: "In the short time Raven has been here, she has grown immensely. Her attention to detail and willingness to always go the extra mile have not gone unnoticed.  We are proud to have Raven as a team member."

Chris: "We are extremely impressed with the work Chris has done. His positive attitude and willingness to work, make him a pleasure to work with."

From A Leading Higher Educational Institution

Gloria: "Thank you for shipping the medication that was sent to the college for my daughter and re-routing it to her current address. You went above and beyond by paying for the shipping cost of this package to ensure that her medication was expedited to her. Thank you for helping us with this critical package! Thank you for owning this Gloria!" (note from a parent)

Kudos like these exemplify the true culture perspective of our company. It's what we do. It's these things that separate us from everyone else. It's in our DNA!  We get great results when we have the right people in place who have solid relationships with our clients.

To those applauded today, CHEERS to you and THANK YOU for working tirelessly to deliver Service Extraordinaire with a smile. I am so proud of all of you, and to count you among the FSO family. Keep up the great work!!

Have a great day and thanks for being a part of our amazing journey.

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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“The best way to knock the chip off your neighbor's shoulder is to pat him on the back.”

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