TED Tuesday: Mandy Len Catron— Falling in love is the easy part

"I want the happy ending implied by the title to my article, which is, incidentally, the only part of the article that I didn't actually write."

Good Morning Folks,

Did you know you can fall in love with anyone just by asking them 36 questions? Mandy Len Catron tried this experiment, it worked, and she wrote a viral article about it (that your mom probably sent you). But … is that real love? Did it last? And what’s the difference between falling in love and staying in love?

Talking about reception to her article, she talks about how feedback was largely centred around whether or not she had remained with her partner since penning the post.

“People didn't just want to know if the study worked, they wanted to know if it really worked: that is, if it was capable of producing love that would last,” she says in the video.

“Not just a fling, but real love, sustainable love."

But building real sustainable love is something Catron believes couldn’t be found by simply asking 36 questions.

Instead, her talk asks the audience to consider deeper long term questions to ask oneself when the honeymoon phase has ended.

“I would propose we ask some more difficult questions, questions like: How do you decide who deserves your love and who does not? How do you stay in love when things get difficult," she says.

She concludes: "Falling in love is not the same thing as staying in love. Falling in love is the easy part. So at the end of my article, I wrote, 'Love didn't happen to us. We're in love because we each made the choice to be'."

You can watch Mandy’s full TED talk video below in full.  

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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"It's not what you've got. It's what you use that makes a difference."
~~ Zig Ziglar

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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: What I AM Hearing About FSO Staff...

"I can’t imagine how we could run without you."

Good Morning Folks,

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's what we are hearing about FSO staff:

Front of House Solutions

“I couldn’t be happier with my decision, when I walk in the door and present this building to my customers.”

"She has a very upbeat, can do personality and certainly provided the support that our Chairman needed while visiting the office for meetings."

"Her smiling personality and professionalism is always shining. She is willing to take the extra step to assist greets our guests and our employees.”

"This young lady clearly takes her job seriously and enjoys what she is doing. She greets me and my colleagues every morning with a smile and "how are you today? Can I do anything for you? Do you need anything?" It means so very much to have had you there to help. It just helps me start my day off right.”

Hospitality Solutions

"They have really done a fantastic job managing our concierge experience  at headquarters, and have completely changed the employee experience from day one.”

“They continually strive to go "above and beyond" to provide us with the most enjoyable experience. I've never had this type of great Customer Service and experience from the Office Services department before."

“Her excitement and sweetness is intoxicating. I was so proud to be there and am so proud to have her and her team represent our company.”

IT Solutions

“Whether related to locating and securing a conference room, or providing a GoToMeeting, or simply providing some necessary information, they always go above and beyond in a time crunching matter.”

"The money I save on temporary help alone made switching to FSO worthwhile.”

“Having Kelly represent us the way she does leaves a lasting first impression with our guests. She displays a genuine “brother at your side” commitment!"

“We had less than a month to do what the Chairman had been planning for a year… we had a limited budget…. and a space that can be challenging… and it all didn’t just work … IT ROCKED!”

Legal Solutions

“She is a motivated, self-starter, who is incredibly responsive to our lawyers, staff and clients in a very professional and friendly manner.”

“Anything I’ve needed for my attorneys in the last few weeks, I get an immediate response from the front desk, and a follow up call to make sure everything is taken care off."

“Richard is valuable to the IP group having downloaded and checked over 800 patents.  He keeps the files in order and gets files whenever needed right away.”

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

Financial Solutions

 "We would like to shout out Tyler and Sarah for their consistent “can do” attitude, quick delivery on request and especially with a smile. Thank you for going above and beyond and appreciate everything they do for the two buildings."

"Thanks for helping us become one of the Crain's "Best places to work in Chicago". The impression that we have made on all of our visitors from the Mayor to our Senior Leadership has been fantastic."

Education Solutions

“Thank you so much for your help coordinating our graduation yesterday! You made my job so much easier and really helped the event run smoothly!”

"Kudos to Dianne for helping with a very urgent request and always being available for any project, big or small. Dianne truly goes the extra mile to ensure that we the best service possible."

Healthcare solutions

"She has quickly learned all of the manual TC protocols, and all of the blood isolation protocols and QC testing. I am impressed with her attention to detail and overall good nature.”

“I had an emergency request to produce oversize copies of posters, which she fulfilled in less than 15 minutes. She was friendly, polite and very understanding of my short notice request." 

“I am a scientist at whom your staff helped with an infographics/slide project for an HIV conference in Boston.  The “WOW” factor was present and well-received.”

Media Solutions

"Our COO's schedule is difficult to manage, but Ardiana went above and beyond to secure a guest office for his visit. It’s a joy to work with her.” 

"She is very charismatic and approachable. She has helped me numerous times with anything I need on the floor. Her periodic check ups help to avoid minor situations turning into bigger ones and brings balance to our floor.  Thank you very much! We appreciate your help!"

"She's quick to respond, efficient and handles the most complex/annoying of requests, she's been absolutely indispensable." 

“From and catered meetings and conference room setups to reception and messengers, FSO does whatever it takes to make sure our end-users are fully satisfied.”

Retail Solutions

"He went the extra mile and in doing so he saved us tens of thousands of dollars in shipping charges."

“Thank you for all of your help and hospitality this past week. You made everything top notch for all of our guests.”

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. Know that you are all APPRECIATED!

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

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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"If the wind will not serve, take to the oars." –Latin Proverb

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Ted Tuesday: Julian Treasure— ‘How to Speak So That People Want to Listen’

"Every human being needs to listen consciously in order to live fully."

Good Morning Folks

At FSO, listening to our clients needs is paramount to (re)IMAGINING their future. Ironically we win because our competitors fail in listening.

With that in mind and 3,591,725 combined Ted and YouTube views that have come before your own…. Julian Treasure's talk, "5 ways to listen better" is sure to enlighten you.

There are seven deadly sins of speaking, according to sound consultant Julian:

• Gossiping
• Judging
• Negativity
• Complaining
• Excuses
• Exaggeration
• Dogmatism

It can be difficult to stay away from these conversation killers, but Treasure says there are plenty of ways to make sure you don’t lose your listener. In this TED Talk, he shares tips to speak powerfully—and with a purpose.

The first step is to hail, an exercise in using honesty, authenticity, integrity and love to give your words meaning. Treasure says these things allow you to be clear in what you’re saying—to be straightforward in a way that establishes trust.

After you’ve nailed down what to say, you have to think about how to say it. That’s where the human voice comes into play. Treasure says using different vocal inflections and rates of speech can add an extra layer of meaning to your words—and really drive a point home.

“You have an amazing toolbox. This instrument is incredible, and yet this is a toolbox that very few people have ever opened,” Treasure says.

Is your voice giving you the presence you need? Here are some of the best tools in the box:

1. Register
“If you want weight, you need to go down here to the chest…. We vote for politicians with lower voices, it's true, because we associate depth with power and with authority. That's register.”

2. Timbre
“It's the way your voice feels. Again, the research shows that we prefer voices which are rich, smooth, warm, like hot chocolate.”

3. Prosody
“People who speak all on one note are really quite hard to listen to if they don't have any prosody at all. That's where the word monotonic comes from, or monotonous, monotone.”

4. Pace and Pitch
“I can get very excited by saying something really quickly, or I can slow right down to emphasize…. Of course, pitch often goes along with pace to indicate arousal."

5. Volume
“I can get really excited by using volume…. Or, I can have you really pay attention by getting very quiet. Some people broadcast the whole time. Try not to do that.”

By teaching the next generation to listen and to be empathetic, they will have a better chance at creating an understanding world, and ultimately a more peaceful world.

“Conscious listening creates a world of connection, of understanding and of peace.”

Watch Julian’s talk here:

Thanks to Success magazine for their insights that contributed to this post, to TED and most of all to you for listening. 

Let's all go make things happen today. I look forward to seeing you soon.


Love Life!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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: Teamwork, Creativity, And Work Ethic

"They have really done a fantastic job managing our concierge experience at headquarters, and have completely changed the employee experience from day one.”

Good Morning Folks,

Hearing feedback about some of the AWESOME ways our motivated, team oriented, passionate people support them is one of the joys of being in my position.

Front of House Solutions

"Kudos to Darryl for jumping right in and assisting during a medical emergency at site. Darryl immediately engaged and assisted until the person was taken to the hospital. We appreciate his patience, time and assistance during this incident."

"Kudos to Kimberly for diligently and promptly helping with an urgent request. Her dedication to the request and efficiency in completing the task is much appreciated. Her hospitality in all that she does brightens the day of those around her."

Legal Solutions

"Last week our office moved to a brand new home. In true company spirit some of our manager rolled up their sleeves and helped in the move. It was definitely an ‘All Hands In’ event."

"Kudos to Anderson for doing a tremendous job in regards to a huge task involving discovery materials. He went above and beyond and even showed some shortcuts for getting the task accomplished quicker. He is also very professional and helpful in all task that are assigned to him."

"Lisa took the initiative last week and assisted the client set up a presentation from an IT perspective. She was able to help in getting the conference call and PowerPoint presentation working. She truly stepped up and exemplified the “All Hands”  philosophy."

"Justine, Michael and Ryan have been praised on the great work they do every day. As a team they work together to ensure great quality service to the client."

Financial Solutions

"Great job to the team for assisting in pulling together an onsite event to celebrate the Super Bowl early. Their efforts and hard work are always appreciated and the event was enjoyed by all."

"He has been super helpful and always readily available to assist with any project necessary. He maintains a great attitude and work ethic on a daily basis.
These attributes are greatly appreciated, especially during times of extreme pressure. It has been a lot easier for me to handle my day to day responsibilities with his assistance, and he plays a huge part in making our days a lot more seamless." 

Education Solutions

"Gloria & Daniel elevated their service during the busiest time for the college when it was short staffed. They sorted, delivered and processed mail and packages seamlessly and without disruption to services to the customer. They worked great together to keep operations running smoothly."

Media Solutions

"A huge thank you to Jennifer, Marc and Alan for all their hard work which resulted in a successful opening of a second floor. Their teamwork, creativity and work ethic has allowed FSO to be successful in the midst of change and increased workload."

"Kudos to Jose for his dedication, hard work and perfect attendance. His consistency has helped FSO deliver high service level and execution on all fronts to the client. We appreciate his efforts and dedication."

Retail Solutions

"Rosie was able to jump right in last week and cover at our luxury brand. She is a quick learner and handled every task expertly. She also assist with a huge project which allowed it to be completed on time. She has a fantastic work ethic and is a wonderful asset to the team. "

Employees Enjoy National Bagel Day

To all of those applauded, 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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"There is nothing wrong with you that isn't made worse by being unhappy. Make yourself better, by making the best of everything."

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Ted Tuesday: Alan Iny— Reigniting Creativity In Business

"True creativity requires you and your company to constantly doubt your current boxes and eventually replace them with new ones. In an ever-changing environment, no idea is good forever."

Good Morning Folks,

The face of business is changing and whether an individual or corporation, the pressure is on to innovate. Employment in America is increasingly operating in a new reality. The constancy of change requires today's career employee to think and act differently, because the path to the American Dream is no longer a guaranteed right of passage.

Creative disruption is shaking every industry. Global competition for jobs is fierce. The employer-employee pact is over and traditional job security is a thing of the past.

CREATIVITY is key to surviving and thriving against all odds. Alan Iny's Ted talk is very much aligned to our way of thinking.

That's why FSO's core strength is to (re)IMAGINE new and better ways of doing business. To give our clients the people, solutions, technology, and cost efficiencies to ensure a fundamental transformation from the back office as we know it today

It’s a paradox. Creativity has never been more essential to competitiveness in the business world, but the critical approach to practical creativity in organizations is often lacking. Alan Iny offers a key to the well-meaning exhortation to “think outside the box:” Apply doubt to the very models and philosophies that make up the box itself.

Even the greatest minds know the frustration of trying to come up with a brilliant idea but constantly ending up with boring thoughts and a trash can filled with wasted paper. Alan Iny suggests a new perspective for reviving creativity in your business. Believe it or not, says Iny, the key to creativity is doubt. Watch this fascinating talk that encourages viewers to adopt a new approach to thinking “outside the box.”

As the senior specialist for creativity and scenarios, Alan Iny has trained thousands of executives and BCG consultants on how to think creatively. A member of the firm’s strategy leadership team, he has vast experience in advising companies worldwide in innovation, scenarios, transformation, organization design and change management across industries. In 2013, Alan launched “Thinking in New Boxes: A New Paradigm for Business Creativity,” written with Luc de Brabandere, and published by Random House.

Here is an excerpt that was originally published in The Economist Group’s Lean back marketing blog.

Seeking new insights into who your markets and customers are, what they really want, and how best to reach and engage them requires thinking in new boxes. A “box,” in our definition, is a belief, concept, working hypothesis, or other mental model you use to interpret the world in front of you. 

True creativity requires you and your company to constantly doubt your current boxes and eventually replace them with new ones. In an ever-changing environment, no idea is good forever. 

The brain’s hardwiring will tend to lead you and your organization to hold on to tired assumptions and constraints. You’re likely to be seduced by a natural bias toward ideas that confirm, rather than contradict, your current way of seeing things.

Henry Ford famously failed to heed even obvious market signals (and insistent colleagues) suggesting that customers were evolving to want different styles and colors after the phenomenal success of his simple all-black Model T. In the 1970s and 1980s, executives at Hindustan Lever Limited assumed that customers for laundry detergent in India were primarily affluent individuals willing to pay for Surf; they didn’t notice that Nirma, a low-cost competitor, appealed to a growing segment of lower-income customers who hadn’t used any detergent before. 

As you seek to understand your organization’s customers and market, stay open to multiple interpretations of the data you collect. There are different plausible segmentations of any customer group, many legitimate ways to break down the market, and multiple ways of perceiving the underlying desires of your customers. 

Consider listing and then challenging your most fundamental beliefs about your customers and markets. Who do you currently think of as your most loyal customers? Ask bold questions that take you and your colleagues outside of your comfort zone. If you are one of the world’s largest designers and retailers of lingerie, what if 10 years from now, 95 percent of your customers were men? If you lead the world’s most popular online search engine—think Google—what if, just 10 years from now, most of your customers were looking to you instead for driverless cars? 

The first step to practical creativity is challenging some of your existing boxes. If you manage this, then you can arrive at a very successful new box simply by changing the way you think about your customers, your competitors, or your own company.

Watch Video: Have a look at Alan's short 8-minute talk, which is accessible by this link which will take you directly to the Ted site.

TED@BCG was an event produced by TED in conjunction with their partner, the Boston Consulting Group.

At FSO all of us strive to be remarkable, not average. FSO provides an environment that rewards innovation, is rich in resources, and respects the incredibly talented team we’ve built over the last six years. Personal, Passionate and Productive, we get the job done to perfection every moment and every day.

Have a GREAT day as I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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 Our FSO Rockstars

"Her smiling personality and professionalism is always shining. She is willing to take the extra step to assist greets our guests and our employees.”

Good Morning Folks,

Hearing feedback about some of the AWESOME ways our motivated, team oriented, passionate people support our clients is one of the joys of my position.

I'd like to share some of my favorite kudos received in letters and emails so far this year:

From The World's Largest Advertising Companies, NYC
Re: Manny & Nicolle 
"Great job to Manny and Nicolle for doing such a great job in helping during the Creative Boot Camp event. They were both very involved, engaged and delivered exceptional services and assistance."

Re: Marcos
"A huge thank you to Marcos for springing into action during an emergency situation at the client site. Someone fell and was injured on site and Marcos immediately assisted, bandaging the person’s knee and even staying with them until the ambulance arrived. HE is truly an example of the “All Hands In” philosophy."

From Our AMLAW 200 Clients
Re: Clemencia, Stephen & Demetrius  –Boston
"These three awesome employees go above and beyond the call of duty for me when there is a request or issue while always being professional, efficient and friendly."

Re: Lisa & Team – Hartford
"Great job to the team for their support and great job in support of a meeting at the client site. The team's efficiency allowed for the training session to run very smoothly."

Re: Office Services – Boston
"Just wanted to send along a belated but sincere thank you for helping me last week with my VERY last minute request to create spiral bound presentations for a meeting 'in 15 minutes'. I apologize for the urgency of the request but appreciate the team getting this done -- with a smile no less. Great job team!!!"

Re: Marcus – Dallas
"Kudos to Marcus for taking the initiative and assisting in unpacking and setting someone’s new Varidesk. Marcus is always upbeat and shows a 
wonderful demeanor while delivering services."

Re: Pat – Boston)
Congratulations to Pat Murphy for winning the Site Manager of the Year 2016.

At One Of The Big Four Mobile Communications Companies 
To: Mariel, Musa, Terence & Ashton – Bellevue
"Great job to the team for going above and beyond on a high visibility project at the client site. Not only did they stay late the day before to set up but also step in the day of the event and ensured everything went off without a hitch."

To: Terence – Bellevue
"Kudos to Terence for his great communication skills to the customer and he tireless work in making the impossible almost always possible."

 

From A Healthcare Leader
To: Martin – California Laboratory 
"Marty does a wonderful job and goes above and beyond. Last week, there were a few times where shipments came in late, and he focused on getting the job done before going on his lunch. He ended up taking lunch almost 2 hours late! He told me didn’t mind, he just wanted to do a good job! He is very committed to his job and I am very grateful to have him as a part of my team!"

To: Claire – California Laboratory 
"Claire works hard to complete all tasks assigned to her! She has the skip, fire, and twinkle that FSO looks for! Since moving up to this position, she has been amazing, and I don’t know what I would do without her!"

To: Yang  & Li Y – California Laboratory 
"Yang & Li work hard every day to fulfil the demands for end users. Even with little notice, they are able to prepare plates everyone. They do the best that they can to uphold the level of customer service that FSO is proud of!"

 From Our Wall Street / Financial Services Clients

To: Orelbi – International Bank
"Orelbi consistently provides great service to the client, exemplifying our company standards and qualities."

To: Janessa –  Big 8 Accounting Firm, Chicago
"Awesome job to Danielle for her attention to detail and noticing a duplicate lunch order. Her great customer service and quick response is truly appreciated."

To: Jonathan & The Team –  Financial Services
"Great job to Jonathan and his team for being so efficient during a client event. They all went above and being as always and the success of the event could not have been possible with them."

To: Kelly – Financial Services
"Extremely grateful to Kelly for all she does every day. From ordering food to coordinating with facilities to booking rooms, she has been a true asset to the operations."

To: Sharifa – Financial Services
"Sharifa has become the client's right hand woman. She goes above and beyond with booking rooms, printing names tags, welcoming candidates and overall logistics."

  To: Rossi – Big 8 Accounting Firm, Chicago
Congratulations from our clients to Rossi for being named Associate of the Year.

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

To: Louis – Times Square

"Kudos to Louis for making an urgent hand delivery. His efficiency and quick action is appreciated and shows his impact in such a short time with the organization."

There are no unimportant positions in a firm, and any person (like those commended above) that is interacting with clients is contributing to the overall impression of the client's firm. All of our employees that interact with clients are carefully selected and trained. So I'd like to commend Shalaine for her incredible patience in all her comprehensive orientations and training. She is always supportive, encouraging, compassionate to her training team and students.

To all of those applauded, 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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"There is nothing wrong with you that isn't made worse by being unhappy. Make yourself better, by making the best of everything."

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