Posts by Laurie Guest
Reflecting on National Nurses Week
As May comes to a close, I’m reflecting on the work I did last month with the nurses at the Rutgers Cancer Center. It was an honor to speak at the Elizabeth Gibby Osborne Excellence in Oncology Nursing Awards in New Jersey, and I got to hear a story I really wanted to share with you.…
Read MoreOnboarding: Put Everyone on the Same Page
Onboarding is the current buzzword for new employee orientation. No matter what you name it, please tell me you do it. Why? Onboarding is a must because the success of a new employee depends on not only learning how to do the tasks required in a job but also learning all the rules and regulations…
Read MoreYou’re Hired! (Part 2)
Finding and hiring the right people is one of the toughest tasks we do in business. It can cost thousands of dollars to recruit, interview, hire, and orient a new employee. Start with the best possible tactics to find the right people to join your team. In the first part of this article, I shared…
Read MoreYou’re Hired! (Part 1)
Finding and hiring the right people is one of the toughest tasks we do in business. It can cost thousands of dollars to recruit, interview, hire, and orient a new employee. Start with the best possible tactics to find the right people to join your team. Although I’m not a human resources expert, I do…
Read MoreEnergy Levels in Communication: Find Your E-Zone
What is the E-Zone? A subtle change you can make to your communication skills is to evaluate your energy level. I call it the E-Zone. Think about energy kind of like a heart monitor. There’s a range that’s acceptable, and you go up and down inside that range. The Susie Sunshines come to work and…
Read MoreReframing Issues
Reframing issues, a specialized topic in communication, assists in restructuring thinking and addressing problems. Because mindsets are powerful and influence future choices and behaviors, successful reframing puts your organization in a favorable position through accurate communication. When should you consider reframing your issues? When the public perception of a situation is skewed or when false…
Read MoreScripting for Superior Communication
Scripting for superior communication means using the right words at the right time for a desired result. Avoid the robotic “Do you want fries with that?” Instead, put words together in a professional, classy way that communicates great service. Here’s an excerpt from my article on just how to do this. Scripting, an often-overlooked technique…
Read MorePackaging That Gets Noticed
How do you name and market your business? How do you package your products, services, and specials? What will set you apart in the marketplace? Here’s an excerpt from an article I wrote about those important questions: For years, I had a program called Superior Customer Service. Clients rarely chose this program for their events…
Read MoreWhen Did “Thank You” Become Hard Work?
“Thank you.” Somewhere along the line, these two easy words have become hard for people to say. I don’t mean the robotic phrase used at the end of a transaction: “Thank you. Have a nice day.” I mean the sincere appreciation that should follow every contract signed or every referral delivered. I am surprised how…
Read MoreIt’s Showtime
Great customer service doesn’t just happen. The health care organization where I worked for eighteen years was renowned for customer service. Patients for miles around said what a great health care experience it was. Referring physicians frequently asked me, “How did you find such great staff?” Want the full article as a PDF? Get it…
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