At FSO, Perfection is the Expectation – No Excuses!

"One of the biggest errors we can make in the delivery of Hospitality services is to assume that what we are doing is meeting the expectations of our clients. We never assume because we know what's happened when our competitors have: We eat their lunch!"

Good Morning Folks,

One of our most urgent corporate goals is "Perfection is the Expectation – No Excuses!"

We know that we need to deliver Service Extraordinaire. But how do we know we are meeting that expectation?  

Living in New York City in the 1980’s when Ed Koch was the Mayor, he had a very simple formula to find out if he was meeting expectations.  He would simply ask the people, “How Am I Doing?”  It is the simplest question and easiest format to solicit feedback. 

==> As managers, we are asking our staff, “How Am I Doing?”

==> As service providers, we are asking our clients when we deliver services, “How Are We Doing?” 

One of the biggest errors we can make in the delivery of Hospitality services is to assume that what we are doing is meeting the expectations of our clients. We never assume because we know what's happened when our competitors have: We eat their lunch!

So… today I challenge each and every FSO employee in our morning meetings – ASK THE QUESTION, and more importantly, listen for the answer. If the response is “fine” or “ok”, take the opportunity to follow up with another question – “How can I make your answer be ‘Perfect’”? 

In order to improve as a team, we must improve as individuals and constantly strive for perfection in our daily activities. Only through the consistent quest for feedback can we ensure that we are improving every day and inspiring happy clients and happy employees.  

most important thing is taking the feedback we receive and turning it into positive actions. No matter what position we hold within FSO, we have the responsibility to ask the question “How Are We Doing?”

Take the answers that you receive today and share them with management, so we can ensure PERFECTION – NO EXCUSES. This allows us to make it PERSONAL and by making it PERSONAL, we fulfill my vision, and legacy.

The passion, the hard work, the skip step and fire, and the overall communications resulting from this never-ending pursuit of excellence have been well-received.

Prospects we take on site tours leave VERY impressed and I am super proud!! They are BLOWN AWAY actually.

It's such an honor to work with each member of our FSO team, and having these individuals representing us in the field.

The is what differentiates us from our competition and why our great clients made that change from their current service provider to FSO. It's what we do everyday that makes us special and the obvious choice.  

Needless to say I am so pumped up for all of you and the great company we are building. We have the greatest people on earth who love what they do across FSO. 

Our future is bright and we have only just begun. 

FSO = Hospitality = YOU

Join me as we inspire a nation and fulfill dreams!  Lets rock the world together. 

Love Life!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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"Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold."

~~ Maurice Setter
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From Deathbed Confessions Come Five Great New Years Resolutions For A Happier Life

“Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.”

Good Morning Folks,

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season with friends, colleagues and family. For those who continue to work straight through to support our clients - we extend a very heartfelt and appreciative thank you. 

On my time-out last week I was catching up on reading from some of the social bookmarks I save for all of us (please follow me) on my Twitter feed to catch when/if we have time. You will always find a GREAT read among them “a Nurse reveals the top 5 regrets people make on their deathbed.”

She blogs “For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives.”

“People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learnt never to underestimate someone’s capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them. When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

You can read he details behind # 1-4 at the source article HERE. 

With regard to #5, as your Chief Happiness Officer, I must say is a surprisingly common one. 

The Nurse noted, “Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.”

“When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.”

As you make your new year’s resolutions, these 5 commitments would be a great place to start.

Always remember folks, life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness. Look in the mirror, because the only thing stopping from realizing your true human potential to be happy is you.

Thanks to everyone for their great efforts this year - we are blessed to have such dedicated and employees - look out 2015!!! 

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

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

   

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“You only live once-but if you work it right, once is enough.”

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Cheers to You and A Happy Holiday Season

"Our FSO spirit is very contagious. From Fashion to Healthcare to Hospitality to our daily bread in Legal, ITS ALL ABOUT GROWTH.. when we service our clients.. the clients love us, they love the employees and tell their friends."

Good Morning Folks,

Tuesday night we hosted our Headquarters holiday party and wanted to thank you all for coming. 

I hope you enjoyed yourself and the time with our FSO family. I had a ball and our tradition at Sevilla was a huge SUCCESS. Revel in the memories and look forward to next year. 

On my way home from the party, I was reflecting on that we have accomplished a lot in 2014 and it is due to the effort that each and every one of you put in on a daily basis. It's your efforts that led to three new site openings this week.

• We are responsible for the Business Operations Management of the mailroom and facilities for fashion-forward brand. 
• We are responsible for the Business Operations Management of the hospital supplies at a major NY healthcare patient facility. 
• We went LIVE today at one of our newest and  prestigious hotel and resort client.  From Tysons Corner in Virginia to Memphis, Tennessee, FSO is the partner of choice to deliver our amazing services, hospitality and a complete (re) imagine across office services for this industry leader among those logos pictured below.  

Our FSO spirit is very contagious. From Fashion to Healthcare to Hospitality to our daily bread in Legal, ITS ALL ABOUT GROWTH.. when we service our clients.. the clients love us, they love the employees and tell their friends at their client events, golf games, their kids soccer games. GREAT WORK TEAM.

Please join me to provide a warm welcome to the new members of the growing FSO family and please congratulate Larry Wallace, Lissette Umpierre and Brittany Weaver who have been a tremendous team to launch our newest client!!!!

2014 is coming to an end, full of accomplishments both at HQ and in the field. Let’s begin 2015 with a stronger sense of accountability, let’s manage our clients business operations with an innovative and cost sensitive mindset. 

We have to continue delivering on the promises we have made to our clients and it is our responsibility to provide the best service with a smile. 

For many others we have our holiday luncheons and gifts starting next week. Our awards ceremony on January 7th. Then our leadership and management meeting to kick off 2015 the week later. And the reintroduction in 2015 of ALL our monthly recognition awards including my CHO club. 

Great stuff ahead in 2015. 

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family Peace, Joy and Happiness during this Holiday Season and throughout the New Year. 

Give to others. 

And help one another.  

Love life and hugs all around.

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

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

   
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"Nothing ever goes away until it teaches you what you need to know."

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2015: It's All About Believing. Attitude And A Strategy. (and btw, We're Hiring!)

"I want you all this Monday morning to look in the mirror and say. I am thankful for what I have in life. I want you to know we care. We love all of you. I am always here for you. I am Always around for you. And I am always thinking of you and how to make FSO the best place too work."

Good Morning Folks,

It is hard to believe for me that 2014 is coming rapidly to a close. 

Daniel Burrus said, "Give your customers the ability to do what they would want to do if only they knew it was possible."

If you think about it, this is what FSO does every day. We do this through a productive combination of people, solutions and technology.

And as the business world around us changes, we evolve too. Yet the one constant that never changes is service and the high bar we set for ourselves, then jump over every day.

I got an email from a customer this weekend which is a case in point. He writes about our folks, you folks, "They go above and beyond when they're doing their job. They are amicable in their approach & the professionalism is excellent. They are the first ones in office and last to leave, and did it all with a smile. I've never had this type of great Customer Service and experience from the Office Services department before."

See, if you’re serious about engaging the customer, you realize that the most valuable moments you have are when the customer is using your product, on the phone with you, actually engaged with you. If we over invest in that, or do what feels like over investing, we are far more likely to lead to the other sorts of interactions that we can’t buy, that we can’t control, but that we need desperately to happen.

The companies that develop a great technology, product or service and execute the right growth strategy, must also hire the right people and then forge a winning chemistry to achieve consistent success. A company that has done these things but starts to hire too many of the wrong people will slow down. Continually identifying, hiring and retaining highly talented and intelligent people is absolutely critical. We need your help to find folks just like you, the FSO DNA that makes us who we are. And we only need a few thousand across the USA. The skip. The fire. The twinkle. Meanwhile..

Love life. Be thankful. Think how blessed you are and more. Your Chief Happiness Officer is here to do all that is possible to ensure happiness including the recent establishment of the happiness team lead by Missy and many others. 

In 2014 we had and continue many messages. But the important message is belief. Believing in FSO. Believing in one another. Caring about one another and being a team. Being grateful for all we have. 

I want all of you, this Monday Morning, to look in the mirror and say: "I am thankful for what I have in life." I want you to know we care. We love all of you. I am always here for you. Always around. And always thinking of you and how to make FSO the best place too work.

Together we hold Hands and find the positive energy to effect our great company today and into the future but being a team that is thankful. Blessed and envisioning the greatness ahead. We have our health. We have our work family and our personal family. We have one another. 

Happy holidays folks. 

Hugs and kisses to your family at this time of year. 

Give to others. 

And help one another.  

Love life and hugs all around.

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

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

   
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"Thank you is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. 
Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding."
~~ Alice Walker

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A Company That Emphasizes Happiness, And Positively Reinforces Great Service Is One You’ll Want To Know

"Permanent happiness comes from you choosing to be permanently happy. When you choose happiness, then you attract all the happy things as well. The happy things are the icing on the cake, but the cake is happiness" ~~Rhonda Byrne

Good Morning Folks,

Whether it is health, money, a loving relationship, material things, accomplishments, a job, or anything at all, the desire for happiness is the bottom line of all of them. But remember that happiness is a state inside of us, and something on the outside can only bring fleeting happiness, because material things are impermanent.

Regardless of your looks, skills or intelligence, or what struggles you have had in your life --  if you don’t have a good attitude, if you don’t believe that happiness is a “choice”, if you don’t believe you can accomplish great things then you will never achieve success.  

Look around you. You work for a HAPPY company, with a Chief HAPPINESS Officer at the helm - who truly wants you to be happy, who gives you all the tools, opportunities and support to grow and be happy at what you do. You know why? 

Unhappy people, negative people, uncooperative people, complaining people just attract more unhappiness, negativity and difficulty into their lives. Those people can never truly be PERSONAL, PASSIONATE and PRODUCTIVE. 

But... on the FSO side of the coin... happy employees are contagious. Happy employees create a great work environment, and happy employees create more opportunity.

Our Sales, Marketing, and Operations teams are firing on all cylinders! We have the competition on their heels, with more and more of their clients taking a serious look at FSO and deciding that we are the only real choice when it comes to outsourcing.   

The FSO Train is screaming down the track, exceeding our client’s expectations and delivering on our promise to love and nurture our most valuable asset, our employees!  

==>  FSO is the Fastest growing outsourcer in the Industry
==>  FSO is the displacing its competitors every day
==>  FSO is the best place to work in the industry
==>  FSO is providing thousands a chance to reach their goals
==>  FSO is the most sought out company in the industry to work

What a great thing to say about your job!  

I talk to a lot of prospects that have our competitors currently. EVERY time I speak with them I get a bit nauseas because they tell me they are marginally happy, that they do not get any ideas from the current provider, that the staff onsite isn’t happy, that the management from the current company has never been to the site or met with them, that the local manager never provides reports, and the list goes on. UGH! I have seen the great work we do on-site and I am a true believer that (re)Imagine is our differentiator. 

Every time we (re)Imagine we win! Do not underestimate the impact that wiping off finger prints on a glass door can have. Do not underestimate the impact of your smile on a customer. Little things like straightening up an unsightly lobby, helping to set up a conference room when it is not our service agreement, it is the kind words and great attitude and providing ideas and recommendations for improvements. 

Your career and your growth is top of mind for me every single moment of the day. We have excitement in our company and I want you all to be excited. 

YOU are always appreciated for what YOU do, being who YOU are and the role YOU play in the company. Without YOU there could be no FSO. 

Set your goals and expectations high but more importantly, achieve them.  

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

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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“We need to believe in the impossible and remove the improbable” 
~~Oscar Wilde.  
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ABOUT FSO:

Recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest growing companies and ranked among the top 25 of New York's fastest growing privately held companies by Crain's magazine, FSO can proudly boast: 

• 98 % client retention with ZERO displacements 
• 98 % employee retention – twice the industry average 
• 300+ years of industry experience residing in its Senior Leadership Team 
• 120+ corporate support staff supporting our national footprint (HR, IT, Analysts, Subject matter experts etc) 

Led by Mitchell Weiner, the co-founder and pioneer of onsite outsourcing, FSO was created to deliver what the industry has lost sight of – and everything you deserve: 

• An outsourcing experience powered by passionate people. 
• An intimate and personal approach to service. 
• A partnership based on care, trust and mutual success. 
• Involved owners listening to your needs and proposing customized solutions. 

To learn more, please contact our national direct line: 212.204.1193.

VIDEO:

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

Only Great Leaders Create Great Companies

 “Everyone has the right to have a career not just a job at my company. Your job becomes your career the moment you see the possibilities for growth and satisfaction.” ~~ Mitch Weiner

Good Morning Folks,

Welcome to Monday. The dawn of a new day is the light of a new way. There is always a chance, a new opportunity but it starts today. So forget about the past and do not dream too much of the future. Stop searching and start being. Happiness is not a destination. It's HERE.

Today we can be the best father, the best mother, the best son and daughter. Today is the day to be the best brother and sister. Today we can be the best informtionalist. The best trainer. The best sales person. The best receivables collector. The best analyst. The best marketing director. The best manager.

==> Because Only Great Leaders Create Great Companies. 
Great leaders will challenge and inspire their people in their quest for excellence. People will only experience a feeling of pride when they worked hard for their success. If success comes easily, overnight, without too much effort, pride will not enter the equation.

The quest for excellence never stops and is all around. In every piece of packaging. Every swipe of the finger. Every "How can I help you?" Everything.

And it doesn't matter just some of the time. It matters all of the time. A great leader must be able to light that spark of continuous improvement within each and every employee. One cannot become motivated just because the boss says so. Only intrinsically motivated people are able to amaze themselves and as a result amaze the world.

Whether you're making a product or offering a service, it all starts with the passion you have for whatever you do and the ability you have to focus your energy to become successful. A great leader creates a clear and compelling vision that makes people passionate.

That is our special sauce, a personal, passionate and productive culture that can't be failed or duplicated.

Over the years what I have found is the true personality of the leader becomes the personality of the business. If a leader truly has respect and trust built into their DNA then ultimately it flows through to the business. It may start by hiring like minded people. Typically when an entrepreneur starts out he or she will need support staff and the leader will hire based on skills and expertise. But there is a quiet voice from within the leader that says they want people to join their team that have similar values, traits and some form of commonality to their character..

==> A New Breed of Worker is About to Attack Everything You Hold Sacred.
In 2008, the renowned TV news program, 60 Minutes ran a story about Gen Y in the workplace and proclaimed that a "new breed of American worker is about to attack everything you hold sacred." The program described millennials as cynical, unaccustomed to hard work and having fragile egos because their childhoods filled with trophies and adulation didn't prepare them for the cold realities of work.

Gen Y sees what is known as the American Dream or middle class dream as less about money and more about living a fulfilling, meaningful life. So a couple of things are clear. First, Gen Y has a significantly different attitude toward work and life in general than the current dominant Baby Boom generation; and second, the current ongoing difficult economic times are placing the economic and social welfare of Gen Y in jeopardy, something that is not of their doing. We can only hope Gen Y will not be recorded in history as another “Lost Generation.”

As I wake up in wonderful New York City, the epicenter of world business- I can't help but think how awesome it is that we have so many cities and teams across FSO USA - how amazing are the opportunities for every single person in our great company - what a time in everyones careers to know that your future is so bright

Many of our competitors have fulfilled their declaration. In the meantime, they are maintaining status quo. Unless corporations create new declarations, their future will continue to experience results which resemble the past, with the addition of more, better or different. Quantum leaps require bold declarations and a clear committed mindset to navigate though change.

==> How Extraordinary Leaders Separate Themselves from Ordinary Leaders
Leaders do not have the luxury of falling back into their comfort zone. In some cases, creating a problem is designed to transform an existing problem. In other cases, it is designed to create a new and empowering future.

For example, when Jack Welch became the CEO of GE, there was nothing wrong with the enterprise. It was not in distress or in need of a turn around. Yet, he was committed to building an extraordinary corporation. So, he created a problem. He declared that every business unit had to be number one or number two in its respective industry. If they were not, the unit would be sold. If your unit were ranked number six in its industry, you would have had a problem.

At the same time, Welch stood for his people. Instead of micro managing them, he ensured they had the appropriate training and development to fulfil his declaration.

Is it possible for a CEO to create a new future for their organization? A big part of the CEO’s job is to do just that. Yet, many companies don’t invent the future. They maintain status quo. As a result, they become casualties of the economy or worse, the competition? Inventing the future requires one to rock the boat. Doing so, results in innovative products and services or significant cost cutting initiatives.

Nevertheless, many organizations choose to protect status quo because they are too vested in the existing infrastructure. On the other hand, when you look at extraordinary leaders, you find a complete disruption of status quo.

That's not about to happen here, Nevertheless, once a future is distinguished as is ours, it helps a person clearly distinguish the future as well as the necessary actions to fulfill it.

That's why on a day when the big news in business is that Nasdaq’s computers were hacked and Shakira Has hit 100 Million Fans on Facebook, we are a growing company, and with growth comes opportunity, inspiration, and of course some speed bumps along the way.

==> The True Personality Of The Leader Becomes The Personality of The Business
Almost most of our major competitors have all the mentioned ingredients in place but still most fail to get extra mile / advantage. 

The company culture takes on the trust, respect, inspirations and other positive traits that one looks for in a leader and manifests itself into a language that also encompasses action which the company fulfills in the marketplace. The brand will embrace those actions in your services and methods of communication.

At the end of the day, we need to stay in-tune and continue to communicate those positive attributes we all strive for. We emulate them, we learn from them, we teach them and finally we simply share them. Living a positive life that helps others to grow. And so it continues....deeds will speak for themselves and build the trust and respect we all yearn for.

My commitment to you is that we will do all that we can and then some to meet and exceed your needs and expectations of FSO.

Be sincere, believe in why you do it & listen to people & bring people on board who have good character. Then you will truly lead to make a difference.

And most of all while growing, building and ensuring profitable galactic growth, we are inspiring our staff, our clients, our readers and that everyone is having some fun along with all the hard 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 problem, if you love it, is as beautiful as the sunset" 

~~Jiddu Krishnamurti"

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ABOUT FSO:

Recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest growing companies and ranked among the top 25 of New York's fastest growing privately held companies by Crain's magazine, FSO can proudly boast: 

• 98 % client retention with ZERO displacements 
• 98 % employee retention – twice the industry average 
• 300+ years of industry experience residing in its Senior Leadership Team 
• 120+ corporate support staff supporting our national footprint (HR, IT, Analysts, Subject matter experts etc) 

Led by Mitchell Weiner, the co-founder and pioneer of onsite outsourcing, FSO was created to deliver what the industry has lost sight of – and everything you deserve: 

• An outsourcing experience powered by passionate people. 
• An intimate and personal approach to service. 
• A partnership based on care, trust and mutual success. 
• Involved owners listening to your needs and proposing customized solutions. 

To learn more, please contact our national direct line: 212.204.1193.

VIDEO:

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

FSO Onsite Outsourcing: "Some Things Never Change" .... except HERE

And all of this, in and of itself, is radical CHANGE from business as usual. FSO has a culture that breeds success, overcomes challenges and exceeds expectations. 

Good Morning Folks,

Welcome to Monday and I trust you all had a fantastic weekend. Wherever you are across the USA you probably spent time this weekend split between mothers and basketball (except for MVP Kevin Durant who found a way to brilliantly combine the two J). The playoffs are coming to the wire and just like in our business, you always have to watch out for those underdogs.  

In the world of Onsite Outsourcing, that is exactly what FSO has been, that underdog who has always found the way to win.  So that is my message to start out this week. We can never forget – ever – what got us here as the underdogs to win, and what we need to continue to do to get us to the next level.

People want to work with people they like— people they trust— people who have their back and have fun. They know what it takes to hold onto what they have and cherish the wins by doing exactly what they say they are going to do. It's because clients want hospitality, energy, happiness and stability. 

Our brand has always been synonymous with the best service and best people ever.  
So our clients look forward to coming to work every day and a peaceful sleep when they don't have to take worries home.

Consistent through all my pursuits has been a “Happiness-Centric” perspective. The model delivers on three key differentiators. First, customers receive service they’ve never before come to expect. In a world of behemoth organizations that seeks to instill into employees their dogmatic, formulaic and unyielding protocols for customer engagement, we instead hire for attitude. Attitude can have a tremendous impact. Everybody. Everyday. 


I call it hiring for “the twinkle in their eye, a skip in their step, the fire in their belly.” Any manager can train off the company manual, but you cannot train for the right attitude, one where an employee means it when she says, “How are you doing today?”


Second, we are returning a personal touch to business that has been lost in the customer service experience. Consumers – whether business or personal – have come to accept, even expect, a lackadaisical – even lousy - interaction with their vendors. So when an organization like FSO delivers outstanding, over-the-top customer engagement, it’s like some golden nugget delivered each day to those customers by a partner – not a vendor – who connects culturally, strategically and who truly cares about their success. 

Therefore one of our biggest competitive advantages is our commitment to training and developing our employees. We strive to have the most inspired, motivated, and best trained employees in the industry!

Our clients love FSO because of our ENERGY, PASSION and SMARTS. 

It is a job expectation that we are coming to the table proactively and providing solutions and creative ideas to our clients and their issues. It doesn’t matter what level our employees are at— from associate, to supervisor or manager— they are on the ground and are closer to what happens every day in their operation and can provide insight, observations and ideas that positively affect our awesome clients.

I advise our employees to ignore negative energy, to stay positive, smile, be happy, and to think of new ideas that create, innovate and build a future that makes possible what was never possible before.

In just about any business environment the only thing you can really count on is that everything will change. So, it’s best to be prepared for it and if you outsource with FSO you will be. Everything we do, every way we behave, respond, greet, secure and (re) imagine the future, is radical CHANGE from business as usual. FSO has a culture that breeds success, overcomes challenges and exceeds expectations. 

Crafting this morning’s message to kick off the week, I can’t wait to see all the happy, inspired people in our corporate office who do a great job supporting us in the field every day.  

Your energy, enthusiasm and professionalism are always greatly appreciated and looking forward to a great week! 

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

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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"Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footsteps on the moon"

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7 Skills of Change Masters: Making Everyone a Hero

"In just about any business environment the only thing you can really count on is that everything will change. So, it’s best to be prepared for it"

Good Morning Folks

The following managerial theory I’m about to dish out which came directly from Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter, a recognized expert in the field of change management.

In her book e-Volve, Dr. Kanter laid out the following characteristics of true change masters. She argues that if we all study and emulate the processes followed by change artists, we will become better managers of change ourselves.

And who needs that? We all do! In just about any business environment the only thing you can really count on is that everything will change. So, it’s best to be prepared for it and if you follow this list – you will be.

==>  Tuning in to the Environment

• Encourage Organizational curiosity. Let everyone look for change opportunities. Look outside your own area as well.
• Measure not only against past performance but potential performance as well. (i.e.- what’s the opportunity cost?)

==>  Kaleidoscope Thinking: Stimulating Breakthrough Ideas

• Challenge and question current assumptions.
• Encourage “out-of-the-box” thinking.

==>  Setting the Theme: Communicating Inspiring Visions

• Charisma factor is critical
• “If you can dream it, you can do it” is not necessarily true. “If you can dream it AND make others dream it, you can do it”

==> Enlisting Backers and Supporters: Getting Buy-in, Building Coalitions

• What is the minimum support system required?
• Where are you going to get everything you need to be successful?
• Make sure everything is in place before undertaking the change initiative.
• Plant some seeds before the change announcements. See who shows initial support, then bring them in.

==> Developing the Dream: Nurturing the Working Team

• A new team, doing new things, needs a leader who can fend off the rest of the organization to keep them doing what they need to do.

==>  Mastering the Difficult Middles: Persisting and Persevering

• After the project has gained some momentum and is underway, the completion of the project is the most difficult phase.
• Time and resource shortages often pop up and can be very difficult.
• Everything can look terrible in the middle.
• Unexpected obstacles pop up.
• Momentum slows because morale sags.
• Critics seem to (re)surface at this phase.
• Leaders must be resolved to see it through.

==>  Celebrating Accomplishments: Making Everyone a Hero

• Once the project is complete, make sure to take time to celebrate the accomplishment with team members who made it happen.
• Organizational change is a perpetual process, so after celebration begin tuning into the environment again to see what next steps are needed and begin right away.

A new team, doing new things, needs a combination of amazing strategy, planning, training and having great players who are committed – 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 won and continue to win because we make everything PERSONAL – this is what attracts great talent to FSO, and why brands have chosen FSO and stick with us.

Personal is about that phone call at 11pm at night or 6am in the morning when a prospect, client or someone on our team needs us and we are there to answer that question, support in any way possible and to make the person on the other line or in person feel our passion and urgency in solving their problem or just showing our commitment.  

And all of this, in and of itself, is radical CHANGE from business as usual. FSO has a culture that breeds success, overcomes challenges and exceeds expectations. 

Every site employee, YOU, are masters of CHANGE and are the FSO difference! Your commitment to service, to exceed the client expectations, to do just that little bit more, to be more professional, to have that better idea, to notice that detail, to take action when no one is watching is what makes this company the best outsourcing provider in the business.

Currently I am holding on my desk 94 letters of commendation for various employees and teams from clients for the CHANGE they helped orchestrate in their organizations.

I look forward to hearing stories from all of you on how we have made an impact in the lives of our employees and customers by being a change master  and not just a cheerleader of the status quo.

Have a GREAT day, love life and I look forward to seeing you soon.

 

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

Learn more about what DIFFERENTIATES FSO here