Rick's Business of Audiology Blog

Sometimes you’re the windshield ……

Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug.

I do not know who first said this, but it certainly illustrates a concept. Some days it just seems the world is out to get me!

Fortunately those days are actually no longer than the other days. 1440 minutes long.

One of the things that makes sports enjoyable is the ability to put the past behind, and start again. In golf if you post a high score on a hole, it is in the past. You may still post a low score on the next. In basketball if you lose one game, it is behind you. Learn from it, practice how to make it different the next time, and then on to the next game. If the NCAA basketball season teaches us anything it is that most any team can win on most any day. And even the best teams "lay an egg" a couple of times a year.

It isn't that you have days like this that is important, you will have them. It is how you handle them that is important.

For me:

1. I realize that people aren't really out to get me, most of the time I am not that significant to them. They are struggling with their own problems, ineptitudes, and insecurities and I am just accidently in the way. Like the windshield isn't out to get the bug, it just happens.
2. I realize that each has a little lesson about how to make the future better. But often the lesson is: "When fecal material flies my way don't catch it, retain it, or hold onto it closely, but flush it!"
3. Be thankful that in my game of life I have another day.

Rick

Employee Handbooks: Crux or Curse?

Advance for Audiologist Article is worth a read.  

http://audiology.advanceweb.com/Editorial/Content/Editorial.aspx?CC=218069 

In particular his comment about ensuring it doesn't become a contract, or conflict with applicable laws, or be outdated.

A handbook is a way to record for easy reference things already agreed upon and communicated to all.

His suggestion of a written signed disclaimer would be something to have whenever a policy manual, or employee handbook, is present.

Missed Business Opportunity

A little free goes a long way.

The little light came on. You know the one; the little light on my dashboard that says check engine. I am not a mechanic. I don't want to check my engine. I know where the engine is, I shouldn't need to check it. I didn't lose it.

Act Before You Think to WIN!

Think before you act. We have all been told to think before we act. We probably all have told someone else to think before they act. I tell my son most days to think before he acts. He tells me he will; next time for sure.

Act before you think is not something we often hear. I have never heard anyone, other than myself, tell professional people to act before they think. To act without thinking seems foolhardy. Yet it is absolutely necessary. Taking the time to develop appropriate routines and habits is the key.

E-Mail or SPAM?

SPAM is a term used to describe unwanted e-mail. Sort of like junk mail is used for the unwanted paper mail.

When you communicate with your patients, clients, referral sources, and potential patients e-mail can be a very cost effective method of communication. However at some point we know desirable e-mail becomes SPAM which seems to really annoy certain people. So when does e-mail become SPAM?

Git to or Got to? It does make a difference!

I’ve got to go to work; bummer.

I get to go to work; better!

It does make a difference how you say it!  Because how you say it impacts how you think and feel, and perhaps more importantly how those around you think and feel.  Think about how it sounds to your kids.  I’ve got to go to work.   Now is that is a way to have them enthusiastic about going to school so they can get a job like you have?  Is that anyway to have them proud of what you do, knowing how important it is to you, them, and society?

I’ve got to go to work.  Do you think your patients and customers want you to be saying and thinking about them?  You are communicating:  I’ve got to tolerate these employees.  I’ve got to tolerate these patients.   I’ve got to tolerate you.

Tomorrow morning stand in front of the mirror and say; “I’ve got to go to work.”  Does your face end up in a smile?  Or a frown.  Or a who-knows-what expression.

Then stand in front of the mirror and say: “I get to go to work!”  How does your face end up?  Admit it, it does feel better.  It always does.    

Every minute of each day we have a chance to improve our attitude or lower our attitude.  I get to go to work improves not only our attitude, but that attitude of those around us.

If you want your kids to look forward to a profession, then make sure they know you do also.

If you want to look forward to each day, knowing each day is filled with opportunities to help people, then tell yourself so!

Rick

Church

An elderly couple are attending church services. About halfway through she writes a note and hands it to her husband.

The note said; "I just let out a silent fart. What do you think I should do?"

He writes back; "Put a new battery in your hearing aid."

Contributed by Pamela

A Helpful Nurse - OOPS!

A male patient is lying in a bed in the hospital still somewhat sedated from his surgical procedure.  

A nurse enters the room to give him a partial sponge bath. 

"Nurse," he says; "are my testicles black?"

A bit embarrassed, the nurse replies; "I don't know sir. I am only here to wash your upper body."

He repeats himself, obviously concerned: "Nurse, are my testicles black?"

Wanting to do her job well she overcomes her embarrassment and sheepishly pulls back the covers, raises his gown, and holding his penis in one hand and his testicles in the other moves them around carefully to check them out thoroughly.  After a careful and full examination she returns them to their previous position.

Feeling somewhat proud of herself for overcoming her embarrassment she tells him there is nothing wrong with his testicles.   While she notices a surprising smile on the man's face. 

"Thank you very much." he says,  "That was wonderful."  

But I still need to know. "ARE MY TEST RESULTS BACK?"

Contributed by Peanut

Your Attitude: No one can take it from you.

They can steal your money, take away your car, steal your job, damage your integrity, and take away your house.  They can even take your life and the life of those you love.

No one can ever take your attitude; except you.   

No one can give you a poor, bad, disgusting, harmful, middling, good, great, excellent, or triumphant, attitude; other than you.

Your attitude is yours and yours alone.  You control it completely.  

Think about it; is there anything else you are completely in control of.  Not your finances, not your health, friends can let you down, family can become a burden, you don’t even control the length of your life.    Your heart could stop beating right now, and you could do nothing about it.

You can however control your attitude.  You and you alone are in complete control.  Absolute control!

If you aren’t confident you are in complete and absolute control then practice, or give me a call.

Rick

1440 Minutes: Use them or Loose them!

In each day we are given 1440 minutes on a use them or lose them basis.

Minutes are the ultimate perishable item. Once a minute is gone it can never be retrieved. If one is wasted it can never be regained.  

Those minutes are given to us for free. We aren't charged for our minutes. The President of the United States gets the same number as the homeless unemployed person sitting under the bridge. The teacher the same number as the student. They are the ultimate equalizer. Everyone gets the same daily 1440 minute allotment.

Free advice is ............

We know there is no free lunch. As professionals we know free is never actually free.

Recently an Audiologist asked my why she should pay for my business assistance when her vendor provides it for "free". She asked it sort of apologetically. I didn't mind the question. If I cannot answer it I ought to find another line of business. But it shows me a basic lack of understanding on her part.

No Problem: Is the Problem

We ask for something, or say thank you to someone and they answer: "No problem". We all hear it. Most of us have probably said it.  However we ought not to hear it in customer service situations, in particular where a problem does not exist.

Today I thanked the person for making my sandwich. "No problem", he said. How would this be a problem? What else would he be doing? It is a sandwich shop. Sandwiches are all they do. It never occurred to me my ordering a sandwich in a sandwich shop would be a problem. Perhaps I should have gone to the fish and chips place next door.

4 Keys to Employee Loyalty and Productivity

1. Purpose:

Clearly state your purpose: Why are you here?   And how will you know you are successful.  People like to win, enable them to win.

Clearly state what their role in achieving that purpose is.  If you want them to be a productive member of the team, they must know what they are to do, and how it helps the team achieve success.

Purpose: Do what is important!

It is often better to do something worthwhile poorly, than something of no value perfectly.

I find often we tend to drift to doing things we enjoy, or feel comfortable with, and avoid things that we are less confident in doing.   I think this is a part of human nature.  We tend to feel better when doing something we are comfortable with.   When we aren’t confident, we tend to shy away.