Blog Spot - Julie Cross

Is it time to shift the focus?

Now I know things have been tough over the last couple of years and we are still negotiating the ongoing aftershocks of Covid.

However, I think it is time we shifted our focus. I am still seeing signs up in business’s saying things like, “Be kind to our staff” etc. Now I understand why these signs came about.

I understand that through that panic and fear during Covid, people weren’t always showing their best side and they were taking out their panic and frustration on front line staff, and I am not saying this was ok, and perhaps we did all need that reminder. But now we are here, and I think it is time for the signs to come down, or perhaps replaced with a different focus, time to change the conversation and energy.

Let me explain…

You see, what we focus on expands and if we are putting up signs about being kind, we are indicating that we think most people aren’t kind, and as a kind customer I am already feeling a little disgruntled that you are making an assumption that I won’t be kind to you? And maybe as a customer, I should be walking in with a sign that says, “I am your customer, please be kind to me and give me great service today” You get my thinking here?

So, if what we focus on expands, imagine the first business that changed that sign to something like, “Welcome to our lovely, kind customers, we love looking after you!” … now as I walk in, I am smiling and feeling very appreciated and ready to spend my money with you!

You are invited to be bold and dare to be the first to say, we are moving forward with positive expectation and an energy that will attract great customers, clients and team members. Oh, and I know you need more of those, so let’s also talk about that. it is a harsh reality of where we are at after Covid, “We can’t get any staff”.

Again, I am not disputing that it is hard to get staff everywhere now, and for everyone. And yes, that too affects the service we give, and I get, because there isn’t always enough staff to give the standard of service we have come to expect (and deserve), and so we then ask customers to be kind again, because we can’t get staff, so it’s not our fault you had to wait so long etc. And so, it goes on.

Again, I know I keep going on about this, but what we focus on expands, so is it really of benefit to us to keep saying and focussing on this repeatedly? Constantly saying, “We can’t get any staff” over and over again during the day in no way solves the problem, and it contributes to the heavy, low energy, depressed feeling around it and that is not an energy space that attracts and finds solutions, staff, or customers. Well, what is the alternative you ask?

I am glad you asked! What if instead of affirming the problem and putting all our negative energy into that space we focussed our energy on what we can control? We can control how we look after the staff we have. When was the last time we thanked them for the great job they do?

When was the last time we trained and inspired them to own their stage and bring the best of themselves to that stage because right now they have a lead role. When was the last time we had a team meeting and we pulled them into a creating a positive culture space, where we are excited about what we do, how we do it and who we do it with? They are the things in our control, and when we shift our focus to the negativity or what is out of our control to the positivity of what is in our control … well magic happens.

Suddenly you are creating a vibe and an energy that will attract people that will want to work with you and be part of something great. Yes, you will attract the kind and happy client’s and the motivated and inspired team members. You won’t be a part of that same low energy conversation any more that is happening around you.

I recently was out for breakfast and then lunch, same day and in an area where there are lots of restaurant’s side by side. The restaurant for breakfast was the “Be kind to our staff”, “You can’t find any staff”, low energy kind of place. The service was terrible, and we left feeling … well, like we certainly didn’t get value for money.

The lunch restaurant was totally opposite, there was a fabulous vibe, they were glad to see us, there were plenty of staff giving exceptional service and food. Oh, we’ll go back there! So, I guess somebody found the staff? I know which restaurant I would rather work for and eat at!

Finding the positive in the tough times doesn’t mean we are denying the problem, it simply means we are being selective about the reality we accept and finding the energy space that is conducive to finding a solution rather than focussing on the problem.

We can’t change what has happened, but we sure can decide from here how we are going to grow through it.

You decide, and remember you deserve the best!