Composure and Credibility

I’ve spent over 20 years in the event business. I’ve been a waiter, a coordinator, planner, and provider. I’ve worked events ranging from baby showers to carnivals, corporate meetings, weddings… name it, I probably have done it.

And no matter how many events I work, no matter how diverse the attendees, no matter what the aim of the event is, there is one universal truth: someone is drowning in a glass of water, unable to handle the pressure, and is in a panic.

The first problem with panicking is that it destroys your credibility. I understand the pressure is real. I understand timetables. I know you have a lot of plates spinning. I just don’t care about your little problems because they are manageable.

When you panic, it makes it near impossible for you to focus. If you’re panicking, you’ve lost confidence, so you no longer have confidence in your staff. You’re trying to do their job for them. Now one person is doing the work of the many, and very likely doing it badly, while the many are standing around with nothing to do.

I’ve seen this enough to know that there are usually a few reasons why this happens.

Disorganization. Yes, it’s an obvious one, but a common one. Countless times, I’ve heard everyone from the coordinator to the florist, asking where their whatever is. Of course, things will get misplaced. The important thing is to make sure you brought the thing in the first place. And then try not to misplace it.

Tardiness. Tardiness wrecks credibility. On time is late. Especially when you’re supposed to be in charge. Especially when you know things will go wrong. You owe it to your client, to your crew and to yourself to be early. Like, way early.

I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve waited for a planner to show up only to arrive a few minutes before showtime, in a panic, barking orders at people. As we like to say: A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.

The need for attention. Too often, people want the attention that comes with being in charge. They love being the driving force, even if it means they’re driving everyone crazy. Perhaps they make mountains out of molehills because they think people will be impressed by their boundless energy. They want to give the impression that they are successfully navigating through the tempest they created in their own little teapot. More likely people will be put off by their frenetic display of incompetence. People who act this way in front of clients rarely get rehired.

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe these people just don’t know what the hell they’re doing.

I’ve chosen event planners because they are a familiar example but the same rules apply to any position in any industry. Losing your composure will hurt your career and your standing with your peers. The easiest way to avoid losing it is by being organized and on time. It really is this simple.

Here’s how:

Plan the work and work the plan. There is no excuse to not have a schedule. You can use a paper one. There is a schedule on your phone. GMail provides a schedule. NO EXCUSES. Plan every minute of your day. I understand that there will be unexpected phone calls, client visits, problems, and the like. I understand these hiccups will get you sidetracked. No matter. Put out the fire and get back on schedule. Schedule the time you go to sleep and the time you wake up. Schedule the time you get on the road in the morning. Schedule your mealtimes. Schedule everything. Give it a try. I promise, it’ll be life changing.

Easy tips to not destroy your credibility by drowning in a glass of water:

1. Be on time. Late people suck. You should know that if you’re late, people are talking about you and it ain’t pretty. Being early gives you a chance to assess the situation in real-time and to brief your crew. I recently set up an event at a local country club. Simple affair for about 25 people. We were early. The problem was that the prior event that had used the room wasn’t done yet. Our event was an upscale birthday party for a 14 year-old girl. The event wrapping up was a golf tournament. We had to work around them. So we not only had to set up a party in a short window, we had to work around a bunch of sweaty drunk men who were lying about their golf scores and claiming their silent auction prizes. Had we been disorganized or late, we would have never gotten the room set on time.
2. Prepare in advance. You should be ready for whatever it is by no later than the night before.
3. Write out a plan. Put it on paper and make sure anyone who could conceivably need a copy has a copy. I say paper because it’s reliable. Paper doesn’t need to be charged. Paper doesn’t require wi-fi. Paper will serve you whether you are a Mac or a PC. By all means, rely on your tablet if you must, but please have a paper backup.
4. Be organized. Know what goes where and who should be doing what. You don’t want people standing around doing nothing anymore than you want them running around doing everything… or worse, not knowing what they’re doing.
5. Remain calm. This ain’t rocket surgery or brain science. No one will die if something goes wrong. All you have to do if the train goes off the rails is remain calm, get the train back on the rails, and get the job done.

So get out there and do the job without the drama. You can. Drop me a line if I can help or to share your insights. You can always find me at adolfo@adolfojimenez.com

Adolfo Jimenez lives in Hollywood, Florida, and is a Certified Speaker, Trainer, and Coach with the John Maxwell Company.  He consults with entrepreneurs and businesses, primarily in the areas of customer service and sales. 

He is the Director of Someone To Laugh At, a stand up comedy workshop; HostAnOpenMic.com, and CruisingWithComedians.com; Adolfo is the co-owner of Abdaliz Custom Bakery, which you can visit at www.abdaliz.com.

He can be reached at adolfo@adolfojimenez.com

  

Nicky and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Manager

It was our first night out of the year. We went somewhere we'd never been before. Kid's choice. They wanted to go to a Mexican restaurant.

I complied. They had me at guacamole.

Our server, a young man named Nicky, came by and explained how all the food was made to order from scratch. He boasted about the amazing, hand-crafted margaritas. I should note that unless you are on a cruise ship, I don't know of any beverages that are not hand-crafted... but I digress. It all sounded wonderful. We ordered drinks, nothing hand-crafted, just sodas and water. A few minutes later, we had our drinks and placed our orders. Easy!

A fairly long time passed before our hand-crafted food arrived. We weren't offered refills, hot sauces, additional napkins, or anything else. I was sure this would be handled shortly... It wasn't.

We finished our meals and we waited. And we waited... Nicky shows up. I ask for drinks,,, and we waited

Nicky returns and asks is there is anything else we needed. I asked for drinks again. Not because we were especially thirsty, but because we had never received them. He proceeded to tell me someone was supposed to have brought them. I knew that. I told him, but no one had.

Nicky is a young man, but he's not too young to understand the concept of responsibility. Your table, your fault. It's that simple.

Another twenty minutes go by before we get our water. Yes. Twenty more minutes for water. Another fifteen for the check. You see where this is going. He took my credit card and vanished. I wouldn't have minded so much if he'd literally vanished. This would be a better story. I got up and went looking for him. Never good for you as a waiter if your customer has to come looking for you. He was outside. Not having a smoke break or anything. He was assigned tables outside. What kind of station covers this much real estate? An ill-conceived one.

I was angry. No tip for Nicky. Altogether, I spent over ninety minutes in a fairly empty restaurant. I wanted to complain to the boss, but he was nowhere to be found.

Nicky was punished for his inefficiency, sure. But he was also punished because he works for a crappy manager. To explain:

The manager led us to a table and informed us the server would be with us shortly. He then apologized to the people in the next booth. This proves the problems started long before I developed my hankering for guacamole! I find four pretty obvious lessons in this situation:

Lesson 1: Don't just apologize, fix the problem. Take ownership. Just because you're the shift boss, or the G.M. or the CEO, doesn't mean you're above carrying drinks or wiping down tables. Or bringing me my guacamole, for that matter. If you are the waiter and your team fails, don't blame them; apologize the customer, fix the problem, and then address it with your team. Leadership is relevant at every level.

Lesson 2: Logistics matter in every business. Nicky's tables were hundreds of feet apart but the booth immediately next to ours was handled by a different server. Why? It's hard to explain the way this restaurant was laid out but there was so much empty space that the sections occurred naturally. Why complicate it by giving poor Nicky one table here in Florida and another in Canada?

Lesson 3: Use your resources. Staffing was not a problem. There were at least 8 servers on staff for four occupied tables in our section. There were maybe three or four more occupied tables outside. That's it. Because the manager did a lousy job of directing his staff, service suffered.  I am never going back to this restaurant. I have told my friends, plus thousands of people on TripAdvisor and other social media, that this restaurant should be avoided. This will negatively impact the owner of the business and the people who rely on the restaurant for their livelihoods.

Lesson 4: Everything is your job! Stop trying to act like your above the menial work of a waiter. You're not. No one is. Walt Disney walked around his parks picking up scraps of paper. Michael Eisner did the same. Marcus Lemonis can clean toilets. You can bring me my salsa! You can refill my water and bring me a fresh napkin. You can be more than a piece of living modern art.


These things aren't complicated. The difference between a happy customer and one who writes an article like this, is simple. It's as simple as stopping by the table and asking if everything is okay. It's as simple as refilling a water glass. It's as simple as knowing that even though you are a leader, the most important part of your job is to serve.



Adolfo Jimenez is an Independent Certified Speaker, Trainer, and Coach with The John Maxwell Company. He is also the Director of The Comedy Shack Standup Comedy Workshop. 

If you'd like to learn more about Adolfo, you may visit his website at www.adolfojimenez.com or follow him on Twitter: @adolfojimenez .

Being an Expo Expert

I attended a business expo yesterday for the first time in several years. (Full disclosure: I went to a Food Expo last year with my wife who is an F&B professional but I spent more time eating than networking. As soon as I walked into the room, I felt the rush of familiar feelings: the too-loud music, the din of conversation, the occasional outburst of laughter. The smell of opportunity in the air!

Then it hit me: I should’ve brought some business cards.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m usually hyper-prepared for these things, but it was a last minute invitation and I had no idea I’d end up here. Still, I failed. No excuses.

So I walked the room I didn’t work the room, I walked, and I said “hello” to lots of people. This is not the behavior of an entrepreneur; it is the behavior of a puppy. I did get a nifty grocery bag and some goodies, most of which are now in the recycle bin. Look, I’m nothing if not honest.

I was proud of my colleague. She walked from booth to booth with purpose. She went in with a plan and made what may prove to be meaningful connections. It helps that she’s a lot more attractive than I am… just kidding. I mean, she is, but that’s not what gave her the edge. The key for her was preparation.

I want you to be like her, not me. So here is a list to help you prepare for your next Excursion into Expo territory:

• Business cards. Have them, lots of them. They’re cheap and expected in such all situations. I like to keep them in my left pocket so my right hand is free for pressing the flesh. Hand them to people. Drop them in fishbowls. Enter every drawing. Oh, and realize that they will probably not get you a whole lot of business.
• Have an elevator speech prepared. I realize you will probably not be attending an expo in an elevator but you will be competing with a million other people who will talk to everyone you meet so be concise. It shows you are prepared, it demonstrates your confidence and competence and shows you are respectful of people’s time.
• Brush your teeth. Seriously. Especially if you’re a close-talker.
• Don’t eat and greet. By all means, take advantage of the snacks, but take a brief timeout to chow down and then return to the expo.
• If you do eat, please, please, PLEASE, stop by the facilities and wash your hands, face, rinse your mouth, and chew a little gum or something. Please.
• Apply the 80/20 rule. Listen 80% of the time. You know what to do with the rest.
• Fight the urge to speak to everyone in the room. It’s always better to make one or two meaningful connections than to collect a stack of business cards and make ZERO impression on the people you meet.
• Have fun.

It really is that simple. Don’t be like me. Learn from me. See you at the next expo!

Adolfo Jimenez lives in Hollywood, Florida, and is a Certified Speaker, Trainer, and Coach with the John Maxwell Company.  He consults with entrepreneurs and businesses, primarily in the areas of customer service and sales. 

He is the Director of Someone To Laugh At, a stand up comedy workshop; HostAnOpenMic.com, and CruisingWithComedians.com; Adolfo is the co-owner of Abdaliz Custom Bakery, which you can visit at www.abdaliz.com.

He can be reached at adolfo@adolfojimenez.com

Slow Down! You’ll Get There Quicker

In this hurry-up world we’re living in, it’s easy to lose focus on the things we shouldn’t be rushing through. Too often, we make quick decisions when we should be deliberate and we spend inordinate amounts of time on the things that don’t matter. Two recent experiences inspired this observation: a pizza run and shopping for books.

Yesterday, we did a little clean-up project at home. At least twice a year, we deep clean the house and make a run to Goodwill. My daughters are tasked with going through their closets and finding things they no longer need or want that could put a smile on another kid’s face.

A few hours into the purge, I went out for lunch. I stood in line behind a young lady who was really struggling with her pizza order. As I observed the tattoos on her shoulders and arms, I wondered if she put as much thought into her ink as she did into her pizza order. I would guess the ink was a more emotional decision than the lunch was, but somehow I don’t think so.

I don’t mean to be critical, but I don’t know… something about the grammar on the tattoos struck me as, shall we say, hasty.

The second incident involved a little online book shopping. I was looking for personal development books and found where a website was offering a way to read 52 books in 52 weeks! What do you really learn at such a pace? How much are you absorbing? Granted, some of us pick up more than others. I pride myself on being a fast reader (thanks to speed-reading classes I took as a child) and I am also an avid reader. Not a day goes by without me cracking a book… even on vacation. I was at a doctor’s appointment this morning and I read until they called my name. So while I am a fairly efficient reader, I also devote time to reading. Advantage: Jimenez.

Too often, we feel like we have to do everything right now! We want the minute rice, the instant coffee, the microwave popcorn. We don’t want to wait. We complain about long lines for voting. Think of how long people in Cuba have waited for what we get to do every other year.

I am not trying to convince you that patience is a virtue. I am the least patient person I know. I am telling you that some things shouldn’t be rushed. You know… things like learning or choosing a tattoo. 

Adolfo Jimenez is a Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with The John Maxwell Company. He is also the co-owner of Abdaliz Custom Cakes. He lives in Hollywood, Florida with his wife, two of his children, and his dog Baxter.

  

Say NO to No!

There are a lot of fears people deal with. Many of them seem irrational to those of us who don't suffer from these fears. I'm afraid of heights, but I feel perfectly at ease in an airplane. Doesn't make sense, does it? I realize they are two different fears, but why does either exist? How can I have one fear and not the other when they seem so similar? (Both involve falling to my death... bummer)

There is one fear many people suffer from that we can all agree is irrational. No, not the fear of squirrels, that makes perfect sense! I mean the fear of a tiny little thing that cannot hurt you, but can ruin your life. I'm talking about the fear of No. If you're in sales, you've heard No. In fact, I'll bet you've heard NO more than you've heard YES.

But if you've heard No, and you're reading this... you survived! No did not kill you! You must have some kind of special power! Are you from another planet? Are you some kind of a freak? Of course not! You just know that No can't hurt you. Although, it is possible to take that No someone gives you and hurt yourself with it. Eleanor Roosevelt said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." When you allow a No to derail your day or to bum you out to the point where you don't want to make the next call or knock on the next door, you've taken the No someone handed to you and used it to smash your dreams.

No means No. It doesn't mean give up on everything. If a prospect says No, you say, thanks! (and try to set up a follow-up appointment or call back, of course) and move on to the next prospect. Every No gets you closer to yes - unless you let it stop you. Think of it as a trip. You don't reach your destination in one step, you take hundreds or thousands of steps. The important thing is that the steps are in the right direction. Each NO is a step. YES is your destination.





Adolfo Jimenez is a John Maxwell Certified Coach, Speaker, and Trainer based in Hollywood, FL. He can be contacted at www.adolfojimenez.com

Standing Out Can Be Easy

I recently updated my LinkedIn profile and was inundated with the “Congrats on the new role!” messages from all my contacts who were kind enough to click on my picture or whatever you have to do to send the note.

Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate the sentiment, but it’s like when everyone sings
“Happy Birthday.” Are they doing it because they want to wish you a happy birthday or are they just there because everyone else is there? Or is it all about the cake?

I like that LinkedIn tells me about milestones and gives me a chance to acknowledge them. I just don’t see any reason not to personalize the message. How hard is it to take a moment and write a personal note? Even if you copy and paste it and make small adjustments, it’ll stand out. Of the dozens of messages I received, one stood out. It included my name and specifically referred to the event. I was very impressed. I’ll be contacting this individual soon.

I know it didn’t take a lot for this individual to send me this personalized note. In fact, I’d bet it didn’t take more than a minute or two. He wants my business. He stood out in the crowd and now his chances of getting it have greatly increased

To paraphrase NFL coach Bill Walsh: "Nothing is more than sincere, accurate praise (or well-wishes) and nothing is more lame than a cookie-cutter compliment."

Take a moment to personalize your notes. You don't want to be lame or cookie-cutter in anything you do, especially when it comes to connecting with people.