As many of you know I am not the most creative guy, but one thing I do pride myself on is learning from others. I am a great observer and good at executing on others ideas.
When I travel around or walk around a retail store I am always looking for ideas that others are doing, and when I travel I love to fly Southwest Airlines. They are one of the only companies to consistently make a profit in a patently unfortunate industry.
Marriott hotels is another great model for me.
Attached is a letter Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest Airlines issued recently. As you will see it is the people first attitude at Southwest that makes them great.
At Signature Community we put people before real estate and it shows. Residents stay longer and are happier in a Signature Community property.
We also have the best Customer Service Ambassadors in the country.
Thanks for making it happen!
Nick
http://www.spiritmag.com/gary_kelly/
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The Optomist Quotent
I am currently reading three books. One theme that is interlaced into all three books is the requirement of optimism. The books are as different as can be, one is about an actor with Parkinson's disease, another is about a climber attempting to climb the 13 highest peaks in the world and lastly a research book on what it takes to survive major catastrophes.
The Army's Field Guide to Survival summarizes it best for me;
A person will die in-
3 seconds without HOPE,
3 mins without air,
3 hrs without shelter in the cold,
3 days without water,
3 weeks without food,
3 months without companionship.
Hope and optimism are one in the same. If you don't think you have any chance of an outcome you will not succeed.
One book projects (with some scientific basis) that 87% of success in cancer patient cure rates is based on the patients optimistic outlook on life. Another book speaks about a baseball team and a country who although they don't have the best of records or living conditions, they are considered the happiest fans and citizens. The reason is that they are optimistic in their outlooks whether it means that this year will be the world series for us or that the crops this season will be abundant it is the optimistic that creates happiness.
One book reports that there is now DNA evidence to predict whether you have an natural predisposition towards optimistic or pessimistic. The world was created by both. The optimists like Columbus and the great explorers went out to prove their unusual opinions while the pessimism where the protectors, planners who told them to bring along supplies just in case.
In a business optimists and pessimism's are a required symmetry. The sales team is typically full of optimists and the operations group is much more pragmatic (pessimistic). In the latest economic crisis the optimists have started to turn pessimistic and I have even seen some pessimism's turn much more optimistic. Strange how paradigm changes like this recession can change peoples mind sets so significantly.
Now is the time to bring pragmatic optimism into the world. We need to see the opportunities as they present themselves, but need to be pragmatic in our future expectations. Too many decisions in the recent past were made with such an optimistic outlook that the correction we are experiencing was inevitable.
There is obviously a big place and need for optimism in these times and aligned with pragmatic expectations can make for some great opportunities in these times.
The best is yet to come.
Thanks for making it happen.
Nick
The Army's Field Guide to Survival summarizes it best for me;
A person will die in-
3 seconds without HOPE,
3 mins without air,
3 hrs without shelter in the cold,
3 days without water,
3 weeks without food,
3 months without companionship.
Hope and optimism are one in the same. If you don't think you have any chance of an outcome you will not succeed.
One book projects (with some scientific basis) that 87% of success in cancer patient cure rates is based on the patients optimistic outlook on life. Another book speaks about a baseball team and a country who although they don't have the best of records or living conditions, they are considered the happiest fans and citizens. The reason is that they are optimistic in their outlooks whether it means that this year will be the world series for us or that the crops this season will be abundant it is the optimistic that creates happiness.
One book reports that there is now DNA evidence to predict whether you have an natural predisposition towards optimistic or pessimistic. The world was created by both. The optimists like Columbus and the great explorers went out to prove their unusual opinions while the pessimism where the protectors, planners who told them to bring along supplies just in case.
In a business optimists and pessimism's are a required symmetry. The sales team is typically full of optimists and the operations group is much more pragmatic (pessimistic). In the latest economic crisis the optimists have started to turn pessimistic and I have even seen some pessimism's turn much more optimistic. Strange how paradigm changes like this recession can change peoples mind sets so significantly.
Now is the time to bring pragmatic optimism into the world. We need to see the opportunities as they present themselves, but need to be pragmatic in our future expectations. Too many decisions in the recent past were made with such an optimistic outlook that the correction we are experiencing was inevitable.
There is obviously a big place and need for optimism in these times and aligned with pragmatic expectations can make for some great opportunities in these times.
The best is yet to come.
Thanks for making it happen.
Nick
Monday, June 8, 2009
Good or Bad Economic News? What does it matter?
Never Waste a Good Recession: The Best Is Yet to Come.
As I have discussed before in my blog, the US economy is going through a period of significant change. What had worked for us in a good economy, good stock market, good housing market are exactly the trends that are detrimental in a bad market. People are now re-adjusting. Businesses are re-assessing and the government is re-tooling too. What happens over the next 18 months is going to be life changing for us and our children.
At NWJ/Signature, we have taken the opportunity to reinvent, re-tool, reposition and reinvest in ourselves. We have re-positioned our brand, to that of a value proposition for residents that are no longer interested in paying top dollar for amenities they never used or apartments they can no longer afford. As for our team we have reorganized to make our organization a lean one. We no longer have 4 steps of bureaucracy to make something happen. Instead of getting monthly updates on problems we get daily updates with solutions shared by the entire team, not just directives from above.
On the reinvents front we are now presented with opportunities to grow the brand that haven't been available in more than a decade. We currently have offers out on more than 60,000 apartments units. We are not going to do every one of these deals but even if we hit on 10% of these that will represent a 150% growth rate for our company. Again that is an opportunity we haven't seen available since the late '90s.Politicians can argue back and forth about the jobless rates and economists can keep predicting. As for us we need to take advantage of this opportunity and reinvent, re-position and reap future rewards. With times like these it is very easy to make one prediction "The best is yet to come."
Thanks for making it happen.
Nick
As I have discussed before in my blog, the US economy is going through a period of significant change. What had worked for us in a good economy, good stock market, good housing market are exactly the trends that are detrimental in a bad market. People are now re-adjusting. Businesses are re-assessing and the government is re-tooling too. What happens over the next 18 months is going to be life changing for us and our children.
At NWJ/Signature, we have taken the opportunity to reinvent, re-tool, reposition and reinvest in ourselves. We have re-positioned our brand, to that of a value proposition for residents that are no longer interested in paying top dollar for amenities they never used or apartments they can no longer afford. As for our team we have reorganized to make our organization a lean one. We no longer have 4 steps of bureaucracy to make something happen. Instead of getting monthly updates on problems we get daily updates with solutions shared by the entire team, not just directives from above.
On the reinvents front we are now presented with opportunities to grow the brand that haven't been available in more than a decade. We currently have offers out on more than 60,000 apartments units. We are not going to do every one of these deals but even if we hit on 10% of these that will represent a 150% growth rate for our company. Again that is an opportunity we haven't seen available since the late '90s.Politicians can argue back and forth about the jobless rates and economists can keep predicting. As for us we need to take advantage of this opportunity and reinvent, re-position and reap future rewards. With times like these it is very easy to make one prediction "The best is yet to come."
Thanks for making it happen.
Nick
Monday, June 1, 2009
Champions
I hope you all had a chance to listen to Jim Fannin on last Wednesday's Signature Call. If you didn't please check out the Signature Customer Service Blog for a link to the recording. For those of you that did listen, I am sure you will agree with me that Fannin builds champions. His job is to bring out the best in people to make them champions.
His methods are pretty simple and something I have tried in my own life. I check my S.C.O.R.E level fairly often during the day to make sure I am performing at my best.
SCORE is his method of keeping your head in the game or operating in the zone.
Self discipline;
Concentration;
Optimism;
Relaxation,
Enjoyment
SELF DISCIPLINE:
Self discipline is the ability to properly allocate 2000 thoughts into the arenas of life that matter. If you focus 2000 thoughts on work alone you will not be a champion.
All arenas of concern must be allocated thoughts in order to perform at a champion level. Use Jim's daily thought allocation method to check yourself on this.
Take out a piece of paper and draw circles to represent your major life arenas. Now take the paper and stand about 3 feet above it. Look into the circles and mentally assess how much thought time you are giving to each arena. Now think how much thought you should be giving and reallocate going forward. Note that these allocations will change from day to day.
The other key exercise Jim emphasized was visualizing success and more importantly doing it at the end of the night (30 minutes before sleep). Fannin as well as many others are now showing through science that our subconscious is a powerful force that can be utilized if we visualize success in our life's arenas just before falling asleep. Try this it will change your life.
CONCENTRATION:
The cheetah - picks the best prey in the pack and then attacks. Passes many weaker prey on the way but doesn't stop until he gets his target. Laser like concentration.
Framing - start strong, continue and end strong. Say hello like a champion, look him in the eye until you know his eye color, state his name, say goodbye with energy.
Concentration is focusing all of your mental and physical energy.
90 seconds - the first 90 seconds is undivided attention when doing anything. Check out Jim's video on this -- www.90secondrule.com.
Get in the now.
OPTIMISM
The true champion wins first in his mind then walks into the arena.
Never drop your head. You can't keep a bad thought in your head if it is raised high.
Self talk - change is made by affirmations. Try this 5 second rule - within 5 seconds after mistake visualize and verbalize a positive affirmation.
Another thing I learned from Jim is that every time I have talked to him his greeting is always the same - when asked how are you his response - AWESOME. Try this.
Quote - "I was number one and my ranking just hadn't caught up to me yet"
John McEnroe, pro tennis player
RELAXATION:
Its hard for me to push this one but it is important. You need to learn to do what makes you relax. For some peoples its fishing, golf, movies for others its sky diving, mountain climbing, running marathons. Find your relaxation and try to incorporate that feeling into your daily life. When things get tough visualize being back that in that river fishing or on the mountain climbing. Calm down and then focus back to the job at hand.
"If I had 4 hrs to chop down a tree I would spend 2 sharpening my ax.". - Abraham Lincoln, US President
One visualization I use for this is Michael Jordan running down the court with his tongue hanging out. He is relaxed and in the zone.
ENJOYMENT
I have spoken about this one many times in the past. If you don't like what you are doing stop and do something else. It is impossible to be a champion without enjoying it.
One thing I have done since meeting Jim is I started checking my SCORE before any event ( phone call, meeting, seeing my kids, etc). I ask myself. 1 am I self disciplined, yes/no?, concentrating on the task at hand, yes/no?, Optimistic - do I believe I can make it happen, yes/no?, Relaxed- how is my heart rate low/high?, Enjoying this, yes/no? I use my fingers to click through these five questions. 5 yeses and I am ready to go. If I hit a NO than I mentally work on a solution to turn it to a yes. Try this and please share your results with us.
All great accomplishments have a price. Its the price of thinking differently then everyone else.
Thanks for Making It Happen.
Nick Jekogian.
His methods are pretty simple and something I have tried in my own life. I check my S.C.O.R.E level fairly often during the day to make sure I am performing at my best.
SCORE is his method of keeping your head in the game or operating in the zone.
Self discipline;
Concentration;
Optimism;
Relaxation,
Enjoyment
SELF DISCIPLINE:
Self discipline is the ability to properly allocate 2000 thoughts into the arenas of life that matter. If you focus 2000 thoughts on work alone you will not be a champion.
All arenas of concern must be allocated thoughts in order to perform at a champion level. Use Jim's daily thought allocation method to check yourself on this.
Take out a piece of paper and draw circles to represent your major life arenas. Now take the paper and stand about 3 feet above it. Look into the circles and mentally assess how much thought time you are giving to each arena. Now think how much thought you should be giving and reallocate going forward. Note that these allocations will change from day to day.
The other key exercise Jim emphasized was visualizing success and more importantly doing it at the end of the night (30 minutes before sleep). Fannin as well as many others are now showing through science that our subconscious is a powerful force that can be utilized if we visualize success in our life's arenas just before falling asleep. Try this it will change your life.
CONCENTRATION:
The cheetah - picks the best prey in the pack and then attacks. Passes many weaker prey on the way but doesn't stop until he gets his target. Laser like concentration.
Framing - start strong, continue and end strong. Say hello like a champion, look him in the eye until you know his eye color, state his name, say goodbye with energy.
Concentration is focusing all of your mental and physical energy.
90 seconds - the first 90 seconds is undivided attention when doing anything. Check out Jim's video on this -- www.90secondrule.com.
Get in the now.
OPTIMISM
The true champion wins first in his mind then walks into the arena.
Never drop your head. You can't keep a bad thought in your head if it is raised high.
Self talk - change is made by affirmations. Try this 5 second rule - within 5 seconds after mistake visualize and verbalize a positive affirmation.
Another thing I learned from Jim is that every time I have talked to him his greeting is always the same - when asked how are you his response - AWESOME. Try this.
Quote - "I was number one and my ranking just hadn't caught up to me yet"
John McEnroe, pro tennis player
RELAXATION:
Its hard for me to push this one but it is important. You need to learn to do what makes you relax. For some peoples its fishing, golf, movies for others its sky diving, mountain climbing, running marathons. Find your relaxation and try to incorporate that feeling into your daily life. When things get tough visualize being back that in that river fishing or on the mountain climbing. Calm down and then focus back to the job at hand.
"If I had 4 hrs to chop down a tree I would spend 2 sharpening my ax.". - Abraham Lincoln, US President
One visualization I use for this is Michael Jordan running down the court with his tongue hanging out. He is relaxed and in the zone.
ENJOYMENT
I have spoken about this one many times in the past. If you don't like what you are doing stop and do something else. It is impossible to be a champion without enjoying it.
One thing I have done since meeting Jim is I started checking my SCORE before any event ( phone call, meeting, seeing my kids, etc). I ask myself. 1 am I self disciplined, yes/no?, concentrating on the task at hand, yes/no?, Optimistic - do I believe I can make it happen, yes/no?, Relaxed- how is my heart rate low/high?, Enjoying this, yes/no? I use my fingers to click through these five questions. 5 yeses and I am ready to go. If I hit a NO than I mentally work on a solution to turn it to a yes. Try this and please share your results with us.
All great accomplishments have a price. Its the price of thinking differently then everyone else.
Thanks for Making It Happen.
Nick Jekogian.
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