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Strategic Competence! Damn It!
Written by: Tom PetersArticle Overview: In What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful, Marshall Goldsmith proclaims: "I regard apologizing as the most magical, healing, restorative gesture human beings can make. It is the centerpiece of my work with executives who want to get better."
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Free Download - I Hate MBAs/Redux By Tom Peters |
Strategic Competence! Damn It!
In What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful, Marshall Goldsmith proclaims: "I regard apologizing as the most magical, healing, restorative gesture human beings can make. It is the centerpiece of my work with executives who want to get better."
All I can add is:
Amen!
I believe that skill at Apologizing is nothing short of a "strategic competence"!
"Strategic competence"? Absolutely! Customers lost for want of a timely and sincere "I'm sorry. My fault" number in the billions, from restaurant diners to aircraft engine purchasers.
And now there's an entire book on the topic arriving May 1, Effective Apology: Mending Fences, Building Bridges, and Restoring Trust, by John Kador.
Read a whole book on the topic?
Yes!
Damn it!
Stra-te-gic-com-pe-tence!
In addition to being an excellent "how to" guide, the book also captures hard evidence. For example, with a new policy on apologies, Toro, the lawn mower folks, reduced the average cost of a claim from $115,000 in 1991 to $35,000 in 2008—and the company hasn't been to trial since 1994. The VA hospital in Lexington, Massachusetts, developed an astonishing approach to apologizing for errors (forthcoming—even when no patient request or claim was made). In 2000, the overall mean VA system malpractice settlement was $413,000. The Lexington VA hospital settlement # was $36,000—and there were far fewer per patient claims to begin with.
Not only does a sincere apology make you feel much better about yourself (top marks on the "ability-to-look-in-the-mirror" test), but it fattens your wallet in the process (or, rather, keeps said wallet from getting skinny).
While visiting Amazon to get John Kador's formal pub date (Kindle on May 1, too!), I came across a reference to another apparent gem on the topic, On Apology, by psychiatrist Aaron Lazare. Here are excerpts from a couple reviews: "This unique book is sure to set a reader thinking on many levels, but its ultimate message is the meaning and the magically transformative power of what would seem on the surface to be a simple apology. No one who becomes familiar with Dr. Lazare's perceptive interpretations will forget his sensitivity and wisdom."—Sherwin B. Nuland, MD, author of How We Die [TP: Nuland is fabulous]. "This jewel of a book reveals the many facets of the seemingly simple act of apology. ... Drawing on a vast array of literary and real-life examples, from Agamemnon to George Patton to Arnold Schwarzenegger, from the current pope to the machinist who approached him after a lecture, Lazare lucidly dissects the process of apology. ... Everybody on earth could benefit from this small but essential book."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Read two whole books on the topic?
Yes!
Damn it!
Stra-te-gic-com-pe-tence!
Any comments on your experience with apologies?
NB: Tom mounts his Preakness winning hobby horse again! Women are far far far far far far far far better-instinctive at this than we guys! [One of many reasons that women are better salespeople than men.] [Preakness? I was born in Baltimore; we barely acknowledge Kentucky's preliminary race.]
[Above: My notion of hotel room "windows that open wide"—Amsterdam, canal view; not that there are many non-canal views!]
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Article Tags: aircraft engine, amazon, apology, building bridges, centerpiece, fault number, gesture, hard evidence, john kador, lawn mower, lazare, lexington massachusetts, marshall goldsmith, mending fences, mirror test, patient claims, psychiatrist, restaurant diners, strategic competence, tence
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About the Author: Tom Peters RSS for Tom's articles - Visit Tom's website  Click here to visit Tom's website   The Little BIG Things On the Attack 100 Ways to Succeed 84 Cheeky Rebelliousness Dealing with Recessionary Times |
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How much does it cost to get a licence and where sis you do it. I can see this as a conveinient mode of transportation too - Damn $5 to fill a tank! How many miles/KM do you get?
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Great topic Kevin!!
Jude
Re: Franchising Brokers vs Franchising Consultants
- Thanks Mike... great points and well taken. One suggestion: because of the length of your post, I would suggest going into the post and 'edit' (you'll need to log in, then you'll see the edit option), then add some space between each paragraph... this will make it easier on our eyes and more readers will appreciate your well written post.
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Re: Scooter
- [quote="jvprosperity":3tgpn8yz]Evan what is the model your scooter?
How much does it cost to get a licence and where sis you do it. I can see this as a conveinient mode of transportation too - Damn $5 to fill a tank! How many miles/KM do you get?[/quote:3tgpn8yz]
And why a scooter instead of a motorcycle????
I took a three-week course in motorcycle riding many years ago... passed the course... but never did anything with it. I would have liked to go "off-road" but I simply didn't trust the drivers in Minneapolis not to run over me. And the traffic here in York County, VA is even worse!
But to ride a scooter... I would feel even less comfortable on that, I would think. Unless you've got a souped up engine in it?
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