We hope you've been enjoying your Monday Morning Motivator. If you've received this issue for the first time - welcome aboard! It only takes a couple of minutes to start your week off right with the MMM! Be encouraged by the success or great ideas of others in your business community.

The Contagious Virtue

Have you ever thought, what's the most important virtue to have to be successful in life and business? Today's message from Brian Parsley will help answer that question

Be Grateful. Gratitude is the most important virtue and the parent of all other virtues. When you think about gratitude you may think of what you appreciate or value in yourself, others, or things. However, gratitude goes beyond appreciation. Gratitude is best reflected in how you act toward and respond to others.

I recently returned from Malaysia and Singapore. I had the distinct pleasure of flying Singapore Airlines, an airline that changed my perception of air travel. Singapore Airlines makes you feel appreciated and valued as a customer and a human being. Even in economy, you’re treated like royalty. I observed how the flight attendants interacted with the passengers and how their gratuitous acts were received. I watched one take a blanket and “tuck in” a passenger who fell asleep and looked cold. I saw another tend to a crying baby.

What’s their secret?

HERE’S A HINT: It’s not just their training. It’s their culture. The Asian culture is rich in service and gratitude. I spoke with a supervisor and he explained they search out people who are willing to put the customer’s needs before their own. He went on to explain they (the flight attendants) are the ambassadors of the airline and the country. When you look at it that way, you can understand the inner pride and outer excellence that the flight attendants display.

Here are a couple of ways you can incorporate gratitude into your business:

CREATE A CULTURE. You might believe it’s not possible to bring that level of gracious service to your customers because of your industry. And you’re correct, if that’s what you believe. But during my trip, I found no matter where I went or whom I met, gratitude was part of every industry.

When I landed in Singapore, I went through customs. I dread this part of travel because sometimes it often has an interrogation feel to it. To my surprise, a friendly customs officer greeted me and gave me a warm welcome to their country. When I grabbed a cab at the airport, my driver was friendly AND refused to allow me to touch my bags. He kept repeating that it was his job and I should “relax.” Think about how you can be gracious with your customers. How can you better answer the phone or handle complaints? Look for ways to make your customer’s experience unique and special. Take the time to write handwritten notes that express gratitude to your customers.

CHANGE FAST TO FANTASTIC. The biggest surprise of my trip was my fast food experience. I must admit I missed McDonald’s and found myself there a couple times. Of course, it was strictly research! And what I found is that it looked like any other fast food restaurant you would find in America, but the service reminded me of what I would expect from a full-service restaurant. They had greeters and hostesses. They didn’t expect anything and were incredibly gracious. My young waitress observed that I was out of ketchup, and before I could get up, she ran over to give me more. We live in a fast paced world where everyone is trying to get to the next transaction. Find time to anticipate your customers’ needs. Look for a small window of opportunity to help. She may have only brought me ketchup, but her attitude while serving was nothing short of remarkable. It’s within the smallest details where you uncover the greatest opportunities.

Gratitude is much more than just saying thanks and appreciating what you have in your life. Gratitude is a state of being. Others can see when you’re grateful. The best part of gratitude is it’s contagious. On my way back to the airport, my cab driver told me his last fare lost his wallet and didn’t have any money to pay. Instead of complaining he lost money, his concern was hoping the man found his wallet. Do you focus on what you lose, or the opportunity of better serving the majority? Don’t worry about bad customers; focus on how your service can positively impact your customer.

I left Singapore with renewed hope. I felt better as a person because of other’s gracious acts. If you want to be remarkable, remember to be grateful. I found a quote from Joe E. Lewis I found so true. “You only live once -- but if you work it right, once is enough.” Gratitude will give you purpose. When you have purpose you’ll find success. My hope is you’ll start that journey today.

Have a great week unless you choose otherwise.

Drago

PS - We have just finished a series of new TV spots for Spa Utopia, to see the first one Click Here!

An Extraoridinary Call

What kind of a work culture do you lead and promote? Our partners at The Extraordinary Leader Program wrap up an exciting month on the topic of Extraordinary Celebration - Creating a Culture of Recognizing, Rewarding, and Celebrating with yet another Extraordinary interview... Don't miss our conversation with Fortune 500 Communication Coach Peggy Klaus, author of the book “BRAG” Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It!

This FREE COMPLIMENTARY CALL will be on Thursday April 30th at 1:00 pm Pacific, 4:00 pm Eastern. Decide to change the way you celebrate yourself...and others!

To sign up for this Extraordinary Call please contact Sharon at support@thecoachingdept.com

We would also like to say a special thank you to Carissa Reiniger for the complimentary seminar she put on this past week. The event was a huge success with our business community. If you missed the event and would like to find out how Carissa and her team at Silver Lining Ltd can help your business you can find out more at www.SilverLiningLimited.com

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Success Profile

Now that it is finally golf weather, this week's success profile is Ken Poirier and his team at Riverside Golf Centres. Ken and his staff have everything you need to get your golf game in order. So if you have been considering a new driver, clubs, putter or just plain need help with your game, give Ken and his team a call at 604 327 - 8077 or check them out online at www.Riversidegolf.ca for all the latest products and selections.

The Adam Advertising Group is proud to play a small role in the on-going success of many of the companies featured in the MMM.

Can The Adam Advertising Group help your business, or do you have a success story we should hear about?
Contact Drago Adam at drago@AdamAdGroup.com
or call 604 937 -8886 or 1 866 923 - 6477

PS : We wanted to say Thank You for sharing your Monday Mornings with us. The MMM started three years ago with 35 subscribers, today's issue is going out to over 19,004 Weekly Subscribers.

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Quote Of THe Week

"The only certain means of success is to render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be."

(Og Mandino)

Word Of The Week

Eidetic (eye-det-ik) : Marked by or involving extraordinarily accurate and vivid recall especially of visual images.

eg : Thanks to her eidetic memory, Kirsten was able to recall every last detail of what happened that night, including what color dress she was wearing.