5:15 AM – It’s dark outside, and peaceful. I have a two-hour drive ahead for an early meeting with a client, so I decide to grab coffee for the trip. I pull the door open at the local Starbucks. I’m barely inside when I hear the shouting from across the room: “GOOD MORNING, SIR! GREAT […]
communication
How to Talk to a Real Person
“Welcome to our hotel,” the desk clerk said. I’ve heard those words thousands of times over the years. Most of the time, they’re spoken by a smiling employee who wants my first encounter with the hotel to be positive. “We have your payment information on file . . . breakfast starts at 6:00 . . […]
The One Problem with Mockingbirds
It’s June in Southern California. That means it’s mockingbird time. As we sat on the patio for dinner tonight, a mockingbird serenaded us. I’m always amazed, because they have so many different songs in their repertoire. They’ve been created with the ability to “mock” other birds, duplicating up to 200 different calls – clearly and […]