Maurilio Amorim

Category: business

  • A Different Approach to Inconvinience

    While the adults at my delayed gate in Atlanta looked around frustrated, tapped their toes, and checked their watches often, a group of small children decided to take a different approach to the inconvenience. I like their approach better.

    children at play inconvinience

    It was a typical scene in most busy airports in America: people trying to get to their final destinations, hoping that their delayed flight would not derail their best laid plans. I had joined the rest of the self-important business travelers whose body language clearly displayed our discontent with the situation. During my time at the gate, I saw a few small children finding each other and impromptuly forming a circle on the floor. Then they began to play games, and by the time we were boarding, they were breaking into song. Our delay became their party.

    As I was boarding I looked at the children and could not help but smile. I noticed a lady next to me smiling as well. The thought then crossed my mind: at what point in my “development” did I lose the ability to find the fun and excitement in the most of mundane, if not, inconvenient, of situations? At what point of maturity did life become a series of tasks and appointments where I lost the opportunity to make new friends and smile?

    Years ago my flight to Rio was diverted to Bogota, Columbia due to engine issues. Our entire 747 was stranded at the airport. We could not even leave the plane due to obscure reasons I do not recall. Word came that we would have to stay at least another 6 hours waiting for the problem to be fixed before we could leave. People were mad, hungry, despondent–the typical traveling reaction to such an ordeal.

    After a make-shift dinner of airport food fare, we found ourselves sitting back at the plane grumbling about our misfortune. During this time I discovered that the young couple sitting next to me was college students like myself, but they were also opera singers and quite accomplished for their age. “Why don’t you sing for us?” I proposed. They looked puzzled at first then shrugged their shoulders and agreed.

    What happened next was pure fun. My new friends broke into an aria right from their seats. They stood up and began to sing from the top of their lungs. It was just beautiful. The whole plane got quiet, and as they finished the first song, the place erupted in spontaneous applause. For the next several minutes they went through most of their repertoire. Once they were done, I stood up and asked if anyone else would like to sing, or “share a talent” with the rest of the plane.

    What started as a terrible delay in an airport where soldiers carried machine guns around the concourse turned out to be one of the most memorable moments of my life. It’s been almost 30 years since then, and I can still remember it vividly.

    What would happen if we were not always so “grown up” and found a way to turn the inconveniences of life into opportunities to engage and enjoy people around us?  I think the airport children were right. They found a party where we found a headache.

     

     

  • Technology: Don’t Underestimate Your Audience

    We underestimate our audience all the time. That’s even more true when it comes to technology. As I type this blog, the lady sitting next to me is reading a book on her second-generation Kindle. She’s well into her 70’s.

    Granny and Kindle understimate your tech audience

     One of the perpetuating myths I run across often is that people do not know how to use technology. Usually it goes in the form of “our people are not very good with technology. They are ten years behind.”

    What we have forgotten is that technology is now ubiquitous. It’s not an end or a statement anymore—perhaps it is for the cutting-edge technophile who’s looking for the latest gismo with an on and off button. But today, communication and technology are synonymous. Technology is  no longer a luxury or even a choice. Even the older generations are now becoming digital users. If they want to be a part of their children and grandchildren’s lives, then they must learn and adapt to a new mode of communication.

    Baby Boomers and seniors are flocking to social media.  A  study from Pew Internet found that between April 2009 and May 2010, social networking site usage grew 88% among Internet users aged 55-64, and the 65 and older group’s social networking presence grew 100% in the same time frame.

    More recent trends show older people are among the fastest-growing demographics online. Social network use among Internet users 50 years old and older has nearly doubled to 42% over the past year. In fact, in the U.S. alone there are nearly 16 million people 55 and older using Facebook.

    So before you dismiss  or grossly underestimate your audience and decide that you don’t need to invest in a strong web or mobile presence for your ministry or business, think again.

    Your people are online.

    Even your old people are online.

    How aggressive is your digital strategy? Are you leading or being left behind?

  • Reverse Mentoring

    When was the last time you learned something from someone younger than you…much younger? The idea of youth learning from the aged and wiser has been around forever, but I often think of the lessons that those who are younger than I can teach me.

    reverse mentoring

    Besides helping the elderly figure out technology, young people have something to offer that is uniquely theirs: perspective. As a communicator and someone who leads a team into the uncharted waters of tomorrow, I need perspective. I often seek council of those whose knowledge base is broader and deeper than my own. And more times than not, these individuals are accomplished professionals on the top of their careers–men and women whose life experience and knowledge have grown with their age.

    But when my job is to communicate across cultures, demographics, and psychographics, my focus must turn to those in my target audience. In times like these, I need those in their 20’s to mentor me. I call that reverse mentoring. Understanding the world through the eyes of a younger generation takes time, effort, and honest conversations that can only happen in the context of a relationship.

    I have always said that I am a life-long learner. But a while back, I found myself surrounded by those who looked, thought, and acted like me. My personal bubble seemed to be getting smaller every day.  I didn’t call it reverse mentoring at the time, but I decided to reach out to younger people. I didn’t want to necessarily mentor them, just become a friend.

    In the process, they became mentors to me. They have helped me see a different world. They have walked me through their thinking patterns and they have challenged my own biases. I don’t have to agree to understand, but I have gotten a deeper appreciation for their worldview.

    What do you think about the concept of reverse mentoring?

  • Every Dr.’s Office Should Run Like This

    Yesterday I need to see an eye doctor. By the time I made that decision my left eye was in bad shape. It had been swelling since Saturday and by Tuesday the swelling had grown to Quasimodo proportions. At 3:30 in the afternoon I finally decided that I needed to see a doctor. A quick Google search brought up a clinic not far from my office: Primary Eye Care Group . I was prepared for the typical response “we are booked up but might have something available tomorrow afternoon.” That’s not at all what happened.

    primary eye care group

    Gwen answered the phone and got my sad story of how bad my eye was doing. “Well, then we need to see you right away. Let’s make sure that eye doesn’t get any worse,” she said with southern charm and care in her voice. “Can you be here in 15 minutes?” And just like that I was off to see the doctor.

    The front staff was friendly and accommodating. I did not feel I was at a medical office. The counter was low and open and the atmosphere was much more engaging than your typical sterile, high counter with a window type of exchange. I expected to wait for a while since I didn’t have an appointment and the waiting room was busy. However, I was in within 10 minutes of arrival.

    Once the nurse got the history of my growing eye stye, she did a quick reading examination before offering me a cold bottle of water.  Dr. Young was in in not time, diagnosed the infected stye, wrote me a prescription, and told me he was concerned that the infection could spread so he would like to see me in a couple of days.

    I was in and out in less than 45 minutes. Amazing. I could tell everyone there was not only friendly, but they were trained to maximize their impact. In my short time in the waiting room I saw how each Dr. in the practice walked their patients back to the front desk personally before shaking their hands and telling them goodbye. I noticed how the front desk team as well as the nursing staff always ended an exchange with “is there anything else I can do for you?” This is obviously an intentional strategy to make people feel valued and cared for. And it worked!

    I posted a review on Google after my visit. I’m writing this post because of such positive impact. And, if you know me at all, I’m not an easy person to please. These guys could teach a thing or two to medical professionals, or any service organization for that matter. I wish they would.

    What kind of experience did you have during your last visit to a doctor?

  • The Perception Paradox: Losing the Battle to Win the War

    Sometimes you have to lose a battle before you can win the war. There’s nothing appealing to me about losing anything–not a battle, not my keys, not even weight these days. But in business, as in life, we must pick our battles carefully even to the point of letting go of what we are certain of in order to accomplish the bigger goal. perceptionREALITY

     

    I was reminded of such dynamic as I saw a large Interstate billboard featuring a campaign The A Group has developed. There’s nothing wrong with the billboard. It’s well designed, legible, and its message clear. The main problem is that it’s not the most effective way to market the product. The return on investment (ROI) on the expensive billboard is not proven. So why do it in the first place?

    The billboard was an important piece for the client. The ability to see their marketing campaign on a major thoroughfare created a psychological well being in the entire organization, validating in the mind of many the efficacy of the entire campaign. So how much is the client’s perception of a project worth? A whole lot. Trust me.

    It took me a while before I realized that certain things which were important to a client were not necessarily tied to success but to the perception of success. The billboard is a reminder of it for me. Sometimes it’s an app, because every organization must have an app to be legitimate, of course. Ultimate we cannot lose too many battles or we will most definitely lose the war, but we must understand what’s important to our clients and figure out a way to win on the perception side while delivering the bottom-line results we were hired to do in the first place.

    When was the last time you lost a battle to win the war?

     

  • Leadership and Your Workplace Culture

    Every organization has a culture that sets not only the vision, mission, and goals, but also pace and tone. These dynamics define not only the bottom line of productivity, but also the interpersonal dynamics across the entire organization. And the organizational culture is set by its leader.

    bullie at work leadership culture

    The tyrant creates a fear-based work environment where he keeps everyone on their tiptoes and worried about their job security. Most people try to avoid the wrath of the leader by keeping their heads down and doing what they are told. It stifles creativity and initiative. High capacity individuals don’t last long in this environment.

    The arrogant leader creates a non-learning organization. Enough success in one area becomes a reason to become the expert in every area. In this setting people talk more than they  listen. Disaster is just around the corner, however.

    The passive leader creates chaos. Leaders who avoid confrontation usually allow those with the strongest personalities within the organization to bully and intimidate others into getting their agenda accomplished. This leads to a culture where you have to be able to fight your way into getting things done. The survival-of-the-fittest work place eats and spits out those who enjoy collaboration and team work. It’s a jungle there and you better strike first and hard or else you are done.

    What other types of cultures have you seen?

     

  • The Two Greatest Enemies of Vision

    “The two greatest enemies of vision: being sedated slowly and being seduced by momentum.” Those were the words of my Pastor, Pete Wilson this past Sunday. As I thought about that statement for the past day, it still resonates with me and my experience in both growing my business as well as consulting with organizations world wide.

    enemy of business vision

    When you are a new business or brand new non-profit you cannot help but be laser focused if you are going to succeed. After all, the competition has more resources, and both broader knowledge and bandwidth to get things done. Start ups cannot compete on the broader spectrum, they have to go deep in one area, a niche, if you will. But the larger and more “stable” any organization gets, it becomes easier to start going wide and to lose focus in order to pursue other fun and interesting options that most likely are not in the very core of what brought you this far. You lose your focus and passion, and soon settle for maintenance. The day you pat yourself in the back and say “we have made it” is the day you’ll begin the slow slide to irrelevance and ultimately death.

    Momentum is a wonderful thing. It helps us move forward without a lot of effort and once it’s rolling, it can roll us past a speed bump without a lot of trouble. However, momentum also gives organizations a sense of pride and arrogance that can be its undoing. Just because you are doing well, doesn’t mean you know everything and that your expertise then applies to anything you touch. This type of arrogance can bring organizations down when it comes to finances, to major capital investments in real estate, or starting business units without knowing their true costs. Xerox used to own the copy machine industry. They decided that since they were in most offices around the world that they could then be a computer company. They spent millions trying to launch a business unit that eventually failed. Their momentum gave them a false sense of security that eventually cost them not only the new computer division, but market share in the copier business as well.

    Have you seen or experienced the sedated-slowly and seduced-by-momentum dynamics?

  • The Law of Expectation

    When does a luxury stop being something special and become part of the expected? Well, sooner than you think.

    Only  a few months ago Wi-Fi was not available in airplanes.  It was one of the last places on earth, 30,000 feet above the earth, where one could truly unplug. But then someone figured out how to connect a moving plane to the web and suddenly such luxury became available on selected flights.

    law of expectation

    I just boarded a plane that does not have Wi-Fi. I was disappointed, even a bit upset because I now expect to get my email and text messages wherever I am, and fast.

    I call this phenomenon the law of expectation. Globalization has accelerated the way new technologies and products reach us. Unwittingly it has accelerated the expectation of consumers as well. That is a tough proposition for those of us in the service industry, including churches and non-profits. The idea of going beyond the call of duty for your customer base becomes an ever-moving target–and a fast one at that.

    Yesterday’s “wow” experience becomes today’s “ho-hum” and tomorrow’s “disappointing.”  How can we ever keep up?

    I don’t think the expectation race can be won by better technology or products alone. These are now commodities and you better have the latest and best or you will not be competitive for long. But I think the ultimate advantage in the law of expectation lies in the most basic of all business principles: great customer service from friendly and well-trained people.

    Think about it. I will go out of my way to do business with people I like, visit stores that understand customer service like the Mac store or Nordstrom while driving by stores that offer the same products.

    Where have you found exceptional customer service?

  • We All Need a Perspective Folder

    In business, as in life, things don’t always go the way we plan. Some days are disappointing: the account you have worked so long and hard to land decides at the last minute to go with your competitor;  the relationship you have worked so diligently to preserve goes south anyway; the promotion you know you deserve falls to someone else; someone you thought was a friend turns out to be a foe. You get the picture. In those moments, it’s easy for us to “lose it,” to fall apart. In these times, more than ever, we need a radical change of perspective or else negative thoughts and disappointment find a way to cloud our thinking and drag us into a dark place.

    Thank you note

    Decades ago IBM sales executives were trained in what the company used to call “gratitude course.” These were the brightest and most tenacious recruits selling multimillion dollar systems for the world’s most successful business technology provider of their time. During the training, the executives were asked to create a “happy folder.” There they would put anything that made them happy: a poem, a note from a satisfied customer, a picture of their kids, whatever. IBM knew that disappointment is inevitable in business, specially for those in sales. By focusing on the things that make us happy, they hoped it would help those in need of encouragement to change their perspective. Instead of focusing on the negative outcome of the moment, people would focus on the long-term things that made them happy, giving them purpose and reminding them of a bigger picture.

    I like that approach. I have started what I call my “perspective folder.” It’s not a manila folder that I keep in my office drawer, but a digital folder stored in my DropBox account I can access from anywhere on any device including my phone. In it I keep digitized copies of notes from friends and family, pictures of my boys, my personal and career goals, and even Scripture that speaks to my heart.

    My perspective folder, much like my life, is growing and becoming rich with content that attest to the blessed and great life I have. During the times I lose that perspective and turn my heart towards what has been lost and what is not working, I make my way back to it. In a matter of minutes, I find myself resetting my internal compass and leaving behind the shadows.

    If you were to start your own perspective folder, what would be in it from the beginning?

     

  • We Must Pull The Band-Aid Before We Can Heal

    Often the anticipation of the pain is far greater than going ahead and “pulling” the proverbial band-aid. We all have been there…the sense of dread, the knot in the pit of the stomach, the worry about the fall-out.

    ripping band aids

    I have seen organizations and individuals go through a season of angst due to an impending decision that keeps getting postpone time and time again because the decision maker fears the confrontation and whatever consequence that might come from it.

    Years ago I remember postponing letting a team member go because of the knowledge base that person had on a lot of different projects within our company. The longer I delayed, the inevitable the worst things got with clients and the rest of the team.

    In the same way, I remember being in angst for weeks over a difficult conversation I knew I had to have with someone close but didn’t want to deal with the potential pain associated with it. The conversation was difficult but it began the healing process. The days getting there were torturous.

    And much like a child who doesn’t want his wounds dressed for fear of feeling even more pain, I lived in discomfort, worry, and anxiety every postponed moment–every wasted opportunity I had to make things right—to speak my heart…to right a wrong.

    Perhaps there’s a band-aid in your life that’s long overdue to be removed, and you have postponed it for way too long.

    What would it take for you to finally do it?