“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” —Maya Angelou

1: Danny Meyer and his wife were having dinner at Eleven Madison Park.  At the table next to theirs was a young woman and her parents.  “It was very clear that the young woman had just moved to New York from somewhere in the Midwest,” … continue reading

1: When Bobby Herrera was 17, he and his brother were on the team bus headed home after their basketball game.  When the bus stopped at a restaurant for dinner, all the other players departed the bus to have a meal.  Everyone except Bobby and his brother.  “We didn’t have the means to have dinner with the rest of the team.  We stayed back on the bus.”

A few minutes … continue reading

1: “As the sun was setting over the Hudson River on a brisk October day two men stood on the terrace of a luxury apartment building overlooking New York’s Central Park,” writes Carmine Gallo in his powerful book The Storyteller’s Secret: From TED Speakers to Business Legends, Why Some Ideas Catch on and Others Don’t

“One man, a rebellious 26-year old, dressed in a mock turtleneck and blue jeans, stared … continue reading

“An organization’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage,” former GE CEO Jack Welch tells us.

Ultimate.  Competitive.  Advantage.

Spoken by one of the most successful CEO’s in history.

But how does an organization become a learning organization?

At PCI, we focus on two specific strategies.

First, we look outside for new ideas that will make us better.  We are big believers … continue reading

1: What we’ve taught about stress is wrong, Kelly McGonigal argues in her terrific book The Upside of Stress.  Despite what we’ve been taught and told, the latest science shows stress by itself is not harmful.  However, believing stress is harmful to our health is toxic. 

So, how do we transform our view of stress?  Are there actions we can take when we feel overwhelmed to direct our stress?

The … continue reading

1: It was 2008.  The economy was in free fall.  

“The financial industry is a notoriously stressful place to work,” Kelly McGonigal writes in The Upside of Stress.  “One study found that within ten years of entering the industry, 100 percent of investment bankers developed at least one condition associated with burnout, such as insomnia, alcoholism, or depression.”

The 2008 economic collapse ratcheted up the pressure: “Financial workers reported … continue reading

1: What is the effect of showing smokers graphic warnings on cigarette packs?

When doctors are asked this question, “In general, they believe that the images will decrease smokers’ desire for a cigarette and motivate them to quit,” writes Kelly McGonigal in her terrific book The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It.

Actually, studies show the warnings have the … continue reading

Monday through Thursday we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations.  On Friday, I share something we are doing at PCI in our quest to earn a spot on Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For.  In the world.

1: This week in RiseWithDrew we’ve been exploring the mindset and practices of Ritz Carlton, which has elevated the guest experience to the highest level.

At PCI, two … continue reading

At Ritz Carlton, they differentiate between three levels of service.

There is the minimum level, essentially giving the guest what is expected.

There is a second level where the guest has a request and the request is fulfilled.

Then, there is the third level of service where the goal is customer delight.  This isn’t “customer service,” but a “memorable customer experience.”  Something unexpected.  Something that will be remembered.  This … continue reading

“Why do customers leave?” is part of the research conducted by the American Society for Quality.

9 percent choose to go with a competitor.  

10 percent leave for logistical reasons (move, death, etc.).  

Another 14 percent depart because of product or service dissatisfaction.

What is by far the biggest reason that clients leave us, scoring 67 percent?

An attitude of indifference on the part of a company employee or … continue reading