At Christmas, All Roads Lead Home.....

Greetings Folks,

Holidays are a time for family, celebration, and giving thanks. 

As we celebrate the end of a year filled with innovative ideas and positive change, I want to say thank you for helping us (re)IMAGINE better ways to work. 

Whether you are already part of the FSO revolution or just pondering the possibility of a future with us, I very much appreciate your time and attention. 

We look forward to contributing to your wealth and success in 2017 and beyond. In the spirit of the season.... CHEERS!

Mitch

Shout-Out Wednesday: Smart, Creative, Passionate and.. Appreciated!

"We truly appreciate your hard work, efforts and dedication to the company and our clients."

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 are what we are hearing about FSO staff:

From One of The World's Largest Advertising Agencies...

Re: Christopher

"Chris always finds a way to uplift his fellow teammates. He leads by example and has really come into his own now that he is leading the closing shift."

Re: Jaclyn

"Jackie is a super star! She is always lending a helping hand. Her help in training our recent new hire, has really shown how much she cares."

Re: Jason

"Jason has acclimated well to our site. He has taken on a lot of responsibility and been a huge asset as the holiday season picks up."

Re: Raven

"Raven has been crucial in keeping our mailroom organized and up to date. We are extremely grateful for the skill sets she has and her willingness to help the team grow. She is a delight and always has a smile on her face. She is always willing to go out of her way for us and I just can’t tell you how much happier I am at work.  It is hard to always work, but then when you work with employees like Raven, you don’t mind having to come in to work."

Re: Demetrius

"Demetrius Pelzer was a huge help a couple of weeks ago in helping us to prepare for our annual event. This day is a huge event with lots of presentations and activities happening simultaneously throughout the day. Demetrius was able to step in and assist with some of the technical difficulty during the set up. His assistance was absolutely essential in having a successful event."

From Our Clients In Property Management

Re: Carlos — Wall Street

"Carlos was a great asset in assisting to make sure that UPS was delivering and picking up packages every day from the client site. The client had previous issues in setting up and confirming this information with UPS and Carlos made sure to follow up with both the client and UPS until this was all settled."

The team at one of our prime luxury buildings celebrates Cindy’s birthday last week with a beautiful cake and a thoughtful gift.

From Our AMLAW 200 Clients

Re: Lisa & Team - Hartford, CT

"The team assisted at very big awards event in Hartford. They helped with greeting guests, checking coats, cleaning up and all the other little things. Guests truly felt welcomed and it was truly appreciate by all. They were also a great help in decorating the office for the holidays. The team was able to make the office looks absolutely amazing."

Re: Blaine — Drinker Biddle

Even though Blaine has only been with the company for a very short time he has already had a positive impact in the operations at the client site. He has acclimated very well and helps out whenever and in whatever is needed. Welcome and thank you!!!

Re: Ryan — Dallas

"Ryan’s great work has been impressive. His customer services and communication skills have been essential in getting projects and requests execute quickly and efficiently. His sense of urgency and importance are appreciated every day."

Christian & Sergio — New York City 

"Special thanks to Christian & Sergio who definitely went above and beyond last week. After the client closed for the long holiday weekend, a rush high profile request came through. Both Sergio and Christian jumped right in staying late into Wednesday night as well as working all day Friday and Sunday to ensure the project was completed for set deadlines."

Re: Andrew

"Andrew is so helpful and efficient. He jumps right in and helps in all things. He responds to request immediately and makes sure that things are followed through to completion."

At a Client in the Healthcare Industry:

Re: Yang — California  (Also our "Site of the Month")

"Yang is hard working, experienced and very knowledgeable and a great asset to us. She has been very cooperative and quite often goes the extra mile to support all project and needs."

From A Large Electronics Manufacturer

Louie & Mailroom Staff —  New Jersey

"HUGE thank you to the team lead by Louie for turning a space at the client into a functioning conference room for a large workshop that was taking place the day after. The teams quick response and efficiently not only allowed the conference to proceed as schedule but it helped avoided other logistic issues had the team not reacted so quickly."

From The World's Largest Professional Services Firm 

Re: Francis & Floor Host Team — Madison Avenue

Kudos to Francis and her team!!! Her great spirit and bright smile make working with her such a job. Her leadership skills are apparent in the way her team pulls together and attends to all who arrive onsite. Her pleasant and professional attitude have definitely rubbed off on her team and it was very apparent during last week’s Thanksgiving event. All guest were attended to with little to no wait which made the event even more enjoyable."

A huge thank you thank you to the Training Team for our amazing team building event. We built vision boards and had the best time ever! We had an amazing year with many accomplishments! Cheers to you and we are looking forward to an amazing year ahead!

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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'"Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and start being positive about what could go right"  ~~ Zig Ziglar's New Year's Resolution

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TED Tuesday: (re)IMAGINE— The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers With Adam Grant

"Know that being quick to start but slow to finish can boost your creativity, that you can motivate yourself by doubting your ideas and embracing the fear of failing to try, and that you need a lot of bad ideas in order to get a few good ones."

Good Morning Folks,

Today's speaker is Adam Grant, Wharton’s top-rated teacher. How do creative people come up with great ideas? Adam Grant studies "originals": thinkers who dream up new ideas and take action to put them into the world. In this talk, learn three unexpected habits of originals — including embracing failure. "The greatest originals are the ones who fail the most, because they're the ones who try the most," Grant says. "You need a lot of bad ideas in order to get a few good ones."

Adam has been recognized as one of HR’s most influential international thinkers, BusinessWeek’s favorite professor, one of the world’s 40 best business professors under forty. Grant was tenured at Wharton while still in his twenties and has been honored with the Excellence in Teaching Award for every class he has taught. His first book, Give and Take, was a New York Times bestseller translated into 27 languages and named one of the best books of 2013 by Amazon, the Financial Times, and the Wall Street Journal—as well as one of Oprah’s riveting reads and Harvard Business Review’s ideas that shaped management. His speaking and consulting clients include Google, the NFL, Merck, Goldman Sachs, Disney Pixar, the United Nations, and the U.S. Army and Navy. Grant earned his Ph.D. in organizational psychology from the University of Michigan and his B.A. from Harvard College. 

According to Grant, "Know that being quick to start but slow to finish can boost your creativity, that you can motivate yourself by doubting your ideas and embracing the fear of failing to try, and that you need a lot of bad ideas in order to get a few good ones."

Have a GREAT day!

 Mitch

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

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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.  

About FSO Onsite Outsourcing
Recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest growing companies for the fourth consecutive year, and lead by industry pioneer, Mitch Weiner, FSO's growth and success can be attributed to making a positive and powerful impact on their clients' bottom lines, as well as their employees' careers and lives.

TED Tuesday: How to Overcome Overwhelmed — Terry Brock

"I’m still exploring all the benefits of using LinkedIn. I have taken classes, read books and it’s exciting to decide which aspects I want to explore"

Good Morning Folks,

If you've ever been overwhelmed with technology, you will love this TED Talk. Technology is overwhelming for some people.  They try to learn too many new things at once and they end of giving up the process.  Once we learn how to change “No Way” to “Not Yet” we gain control and give ourselves time to learn new and exciting technologies.  

Terry is a marketing and communication expert who shares ideas on how to use technology to build business relationships. He helps individuals and organizations realize potential they didn't know existed.

Terry Brock is a columnist for Business Journals (43 papers across America), a blogger, and a marketing coach. He has worked with clients like AT&T as Editor in Chief for their award-winning industry blog and with Skype as their Chief Enterprise Blogger.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx


Terry’s approach to his topics are down to earth, entertaining, and easy to grasp. According to Terry, "once we learn that we are in control things calm down. "

We tend to blame others or the circumstances. Asking ourselves…why not?…helps us stop the blame game and look for action and solutions.  Prioritizing which new strategies to learn also helps. " I’m still exploring all the benefits of using LinkedIn. I have taken classes, read books and it’s exciting to decide which aspects I want to explore"…not everything…just the ones that fit for now. 

Embracing technology will drive your future whether in your career or keeping up with your kids. I hope that we shed more light on a topic everyone struggles to keep up with and encourages you to invest in your own growth and development as a way of life, not just a moment in time.

Have a GREAT day!

 Mitch

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“It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didn't.”

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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.  

About FSO Onsite Outsourcing
Recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest growing companies for the fourth consecutive year, and lead by industry pioneer, Mitch Weiner, FSO's growth and success can be attributed to making a positive and powerful impact on their clients' bottom lines, as well as their employees' careers and lives.

Shout-Out Wednesday: Two Clients Honored As Their City's Best Workplaces

"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."

Good Morning Folks,

You need highly skilled and focused people to oversee crucial back office operations.

That’s where onsite outsourcing comes in. Hundreds of the world's best known brands and firms rely on our specialized skills to improve the service levels of their non-core business functions, take care of their people, and drive down costs. By partnering with FSO, outsourcing has become a resource to empower growth through innovation. 

All of our folks in out in the field and have the power to make an incredible impact and a difference in the wealth and success of others. For example, a client (the largest accounting firm in the world), was recently named Chicago's Best Place to Work. Then, last week, an AMLAW 200 client was named a Top Workplace by the Dallas Morning News. I want to thank our team for supporting this success. As one of the honored executives told me "we can't imagine how we'd run without you." Here's more client feedback on the difference we are making:

From Our AMLAW 200 Clients

Re: Dianne – Boston

"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."

Re: Licinio – Boston

"Licinio goes above and beyond what it  takes to facilitate the needs of the client, and is a very positive influence on the team. Recently, he rolled up his sleeves and helped with a leak. He made sure that the water was turned off and that the supplies in the area were removed to avoid further damage. He quick thinking and actions prevent greater inconvenience."

Re: Rachel – At One Of The Big Four Mobile Communications Companies

"Rachel has been praised multiple times for not only doing what is asked of her but also always looking for additional ways to lend a hand at the site. Her attention to detail is truly appreciated."

From The World's Largest Professional Services Firm 

Re: Office Services – Boston, MA

"The team did an extraordinary job last week during the leadership meeting, IT was truly all hand on deck and the team came together to ensure that everything from early morning catering to late night visitor greetings was done with efficiency."

Re: Michael – New York City

"Michael is patient and very attentive to his responsibilities and duties. He is a values asset to the team."

Re: Ezra – New York City

"Ezra has been a great addition to the team. He checks with the client several times a time to see if they need any assistance. When he is asked to do something it is done almost immediately and always with a smile. He is very pleasant to work with every day."

From One of The World's Largest Advertising Agencies...

Re: Clayton– Security

"Clayton has impressed with his hands on leadership and through communications. We are lucky to have him as part of the family."

Re: Front of House Team

"We want to thank the front of house team for all their hard work every day. They ensure that everything runs smoothly and in a seamless manner. Their energy and positive attitude is felt by all on site."

From Our Clients In Property Management 

Re: Wally– New York City

"Wally continues to support the team whenever he is needed, He is always willing to step in and put the needs of the site first. He has covered shifts at the last minute and has taken on the responsibility of running the site when the lead concierge is out. Wally is a true asset to the company."

Re: George – New Jersey

"A Big thank you to George for assisting in making the HVAC/AC project a success. Everything ran smoothly and the client was very impressed and happy with the outcome."

Re: Janet – Englewood, New Jersey

"Janet has done a great job of stepping up into the role of Lead Concierge and has showcased her leadership skills by taking initiatives. She helps out in all aspects from covering shifts when needed to her excellent customer services skills and even taking ownership of training new hires at the site."

At FSO, we take over all non-revenue generating areas of a business by delivering a five-star, White Glove experience, through a full range of outsourced people, solutions, and technology deployed in front and back offices. 

Isn't there something we could be doing for you?

Love Life!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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'Never mistake talking for conversation'

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TED Tuesday: Robert Waldinger— What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness

"There isn't time, so brief is life, for bickerings, apologies, heartburnings, callings to account. There is only time for loving, and but an instant, so to speak, for that."

Good Morning Folks,

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. The food, family, the stories... always remind me that I have much to be grateful for. Each morning, I'm eager to jump out of bed and get to the office. I'm incredibly fortunate in that I love what I do. My team and I work hard every day to deliver the best opportunities to help you achieve your dreams and ambitions, whatever they may be.

But what else keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it's fame and money, you're not alone – but, according to psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, you're mistaken. As the director of a 75-year-old study on adult development, Waldinger has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and satisfaction. In this talk, he shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life.

Join 11 million others to experience my selection for this TED Tuesday, Robert's brilliant TED talk: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness




As we usher in the "happiest time of the year," I wish you all the health, wealth and happiness that you deserve.

Have a GREAT day, be happy and…

Love Life!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

*TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with two annual conferences -- the TED Conference on the West Coast each spring, and the TEDGlobal conference in Edinburgh UK each summer -- TED includes the award-winning TED Talks video site, the Open Translation Project and TED Conversations, the inspiring TED Fellows and TEDx programs, and the annual TED Prize.  More at TED.com

Ted Tuesday: Diana Nyad- "Never Give Up"

"Everyday of our lives is epic....Never ever give up...You can chase your dreams at any age...It looks like the most solitary endeavor in the world and in many ways it is, and in other ways and the most important ways it's a team...When you achieve your dreams, it is not so much what you get, but who you have become..."

Good Morning Folks.

A record-setting long-distance swimmer, Diana Nyad writes and thinks deeply about motivation. If you have a dream, and you have obstacles in front of you, believe in perseverance and find a way!

In the pitch-black night, stung by jellyfish, choking on salt water, singing to herself, hallucinating … Diana Nyad just kept on swimming. And that's how she finally achieved her lifetime goal as an athlete: an extreme 100-mile swim from Cuba to Florida — at age 64. Hear her story.

For ten years (1969-1979), Diana Nyad was known as the greatest long-distance swimmer in the world. In 1979, she stroked the then-longest swim in history, making the 102.5-mile journey from the island of Bimini (Bahamas) to Florida. She also broke numerous world records, including what had been a 50-year mark for circling Manhattan Island, setting the new time of 7 hrs 57 min. She is a member of the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

At age 60, having not swum a stroke in decades, she began planning for her white whale of distance swims: the 110-mile ocean crossing between Cuba and Florida. She'd tried it once, in her 20s, and severe jellyfish attacks had defeated her then. But now, with a strong team and a new commitment to her vision, she stepped back into the salt. She spoke about this second attempt at TEDMED 2011. And at TEDWomen 2013, in December, she talks about how it feels to have finally done it.

“It's the fifth time I stand on this shore, the Cuban shore, looking out at that distant horizon, believing, again, that I'm going to make it all the way across that vast, dangerous wilderness of an ocean. Not only have I tried four times, but the greatest swimmers in the world have been trying since 1950, and it's still never been done.”

Within the first few seconds, and with these few words, Diana Nyad has painted a picture and set a mood about her challenge; to swim from Cuba to Florida. She has also established herself as someone you want to listen to, to trust that she is telling the truth, and to find out what happened. What a powerful start.
Motivation aside, so what can you learn and apply about presentations from Diana Nyad’s TED talk?

==> Show passion.
You can instantly hear the passion in Diane’s voice. As you listen, look away from the screen and just listen for a few moments. You can clearly hear the passion in her cadence, and in her vocal inflections. Notice that she is telling you a story, not reciting a stream of facts or numbers. You hear how meaningful and emotional this journey was. Now think of your own presentations; are you focused on the story, the meaning, or the facts and figures? What would happen if you let a little more passion into these talks?

==> Make it real.
Did you see the sharks? Did you feel the frigid water and experience the solitude of the pitch dark? Did you hear her singing John Lennon's "Imagine" – 200 times? These are not mere details. This is the concrete description that makes her story so tangible. You can't fake this, at least most of us can't. What you can do is go to that place where what you are talking about is real and immediate, and then describe what you are seeing and feeling. (If this is difficult for you, contact me about learning the skills of being in the moment and completely focused.)

==> It's not about your slides.
Did you miss seeing bullet points, charts and graphs, or photos? I don't think you did. In fact, I didn't notice until the end that there nothing but Diana and the world she created verbally. Slides would have been so distracting and even irritating as you wanted to hear this story from her lips. Now, if you don’t want to go completely without slides, at least try to cut back and see what happens. Then cut back some more. Use fewer slides, and put less and less on each one. Or start and end you next talk without slides, using them only as needed.

==> Keep it short.
This talk is about fifteen minutes. She could surely have talked for an hour, or many hours, but she told her story in a compelling way in a fairly short timeframe. Your audience is probably too polite to tell you, but they wish you would be a little more concise. Take out unnecessary "padding." Strip the story down to its basics. Tell enough to make your point. Then end it well.

Make it into a story. Note that Diana takes you from standing on the shore ready to set forth at the beginning, and ends with the crowd cheering and her speaking with reporters at the end. This is classic story style. As a bonus, she added three big takeaways as the final thoughts. Use storytelling structure to make your talks more memorable. And make sure you don't blow off your beginning and endings; these are key targets you must hit.

Take a few pointers from Diana Nyad. Never ever give up. Keep working to make your presentations, speeches and informal talks more concise, compelling and genuine. And, once you get to TED.com, look around. There are many speeches you can learn from, and I will be continuing to write about the ones I think have lessons for us all.

Thanks to Applause Inc for leading me to this which delivered it to you.

Thanks to you for listening.

Have a GREAT Day,



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.  

About FSO Onsite Outsourcing
Recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest growing companies for the third consecutive year, and lead by industry pioneer, Mitch Weiner, FSO's growth and success can be attributed to making a positive and powerful impact on their clients' bottom lines, as well as their employees' careers and lives.