At Penzeys Spices, Kindness Rules

Posted on May 17, 2017 by admin

I have never met Bill, yet, I look forward to receiving and reading his frequent emails. He is one person who is changing the world one email at a time.

You see, Bill is the CEO of Penzeys Spices, a purveyor of herbs, spices and all things gastronomic. Not only is he passionate about cooking; he is passionate about being kind to others.

Bill is not your average CEO. He is way above average, a CEO who understands what it means to pay it forward. I wish more company leaders provided an environment of love, support, and kindness. Imagine the level of true prosperity that we could experience as a society.

Being a fan of Penzeys Spices, I – like many smart gourmandes – signed up for the email list for free spices, offers, recipes, and other goodies. What I received in return was a newly-acquired taste for goodness. I’m not talking about just gourmet goodness…I’m talking about simple human goodness.

Bill is a good guy. The goodness he shares comes from his world view, his spirit, and his written word which appears in Penzeys Spices emails.

The one email that got my attention was Bill’s offer to send a free Kind pin (pictured within this article) to anyone who marched in The Women’s March on Saturday, January 21, 2017. As you recall, this national spirited March attracted unprecedented numbers of women, men, and children in Washington, D.C. who had a strong desire to share their voices with the world. And this March happened not just in cities across the United States; it happened globally, in cities around the world. The voices of the masses shared positive messages of hope, compassion, joy, love, understanding, peace, acceptance, and kindness.

In return for the free Kind pin, Bill requested that marchers share their personal stories of why they marched, and any kindness that they experienced or witnessed that day. In an email, Bill said, “I believe history will show just how important The Women’s March was, and just how great of a debt we owe those who Marched. Their humanity, kindness, and strength were just the reminder we needed of what really makes America great, at the very moment we so desperately needed to be reminded.” In total, Penzeys Spices shipped 174,139 free Kind pins to people who participated in The Women’s March.

What Bill – and Penzeys Spices – did through his generosity and act of kindness was to remind us that true change begins with one simple idea that is put into action. Thank you, Bill, for being a positive role model and inspiring others.

What type of change do you want to initiate? Get started today!

Photo credit: Christine Zust

Communicate With Credibility

Posted on May 3, 2017 by admin

Credibility is one of those intangibles in life that can change dramatically from moment to moment. Throughout your life – and your career – you will have many opportunities to compromise your credibility. Never compromise your credibility. The credibility that you enjoy today has taken years to build. Why risk throwing it all away? Protect your credibility. It is one of your greatest assets. Your credibility is built on the foundation of your personal and professional character, and your competence as a professional.

In their seminal book, Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It, authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner in their longitudinal research on leaders asked professionals how they felt when they were in the presence of truly great leaders. The top ten replies were: Capable. Challenged. Enthusiastic. Inspired. Motivated. Powerful. Proud. Repeated. Supported. Valued.

How do you communicate with credibility? These tips will help you to consistently position yourself as a professional.

Align verbal and nonverbal language. Listen to your words and intonation. Be aware of your nonverbal language.

Lead by listening. Practice active listening. Deliver an “SOS” to your brain – Silently Observe, Then Speak.

Make realistic promises and keep them. Think before you speak. Do what you say you will do.

Speak from the heart. Create a mindset of inclusion. Use compassionate, caring language.

Be yourself. Align your values and behavior. Don’t try to mimic someone else’s behavior. Be your most authentic self.

Be an expert. Enhance your knowledge base continuously. Be a resource. Share your knowledge with others.

Be honest. Frame what you’re sharing so it benefits the other person. Know the difference between using kid gloves (being gentle) and boxing gloves (being more assertive).

Be proactive. Ask people their preferred form of communication. Ask clarifying questions to gain understanding. Seek challenging assignments at work, then follow through to get the job done.

Be consistent. Don’t flip-flop. Don’t exhibit unpredictable behavior.

To gain – and maintain – your credibility requires a great deal of behind the scenes strategic thinking. Begin with a simple self-assessment. It’s worth the time and your constant attention.

Baby Boomers Must Be Prepared for a Different Interview Process

Posted on June 1, 2016 by admin

If you are a Baby Boomer looking for a new job, invest the time in updating your mindset about what it takes to land a job in this 21^st Century. Much has changed since you last applied for a job. When you kick into interviewing mode, you need to do more than just update your resume because a lot has changed. Here’s a sampling of what to expect:

Hiring Process. A few years ago, a fellow Baby Boomer shared her experience of interviewing with a government agency. After submitting an online application and resume, she was screened by phone with the hiring manager. About a week later, she received a call from the hiring manager who announced, “Congratulations. You got the job.” My friend was shocked that she was hired without a face-to-face interview.

Generational Differences. You may find that the person interviewing and hiring you is 20 or 30 years younger than you. Don’t treat the person like a child. Rather, treat the interviewer like every professional you meet, with respect and as an equal.

Language. Whether on the phone or face-to-face, keep your language current. For instance, “employee orientation” has been replaced with “on-boarding.” News flash: Don’t appear to be hip or cool when a Millennial is doing the interviewing by saying, “Whazzuuppp?” You’ll just look (and sound) stupid.

Questions. If it’s been a long time since you have interviewed for a job, you will notice the types of questions asked have changed. Beyond Old School questions like “Where do you see yourself in five years?,” be prepared for more challenging questions like, “How would you establish your credibility quickly with the team?” Here are a few helpful links to prepare you for the interview: The 100 Top Interview Questions from Monster.com, the Top 14 Interview Questions from CareerBuilder, and the 10 Most Common Interview Questions from U.S. News & World Report.

Transparency. Headhunters and Human Resources professionals can verify information about you with a simple click of the mouse, reviewing your LinkedIn profile, Facebook page, Twitter account, and conducting a Google Search just using your name. Position yourself appropriately on all of your social media platforms. Everything that hiring professionals need to know about you appears online. If you have been featured in a news article, it’s there. If you spoke at a national conference, it’s there. If you received a community award, it’s there.

Skills. Computer literacy is no longer an option; it is a must-have skill in today’s workplace. Beyond knowing Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and how to navigate the Internet, understand newer time-saving software or applications. Many companies require employees (for certain positions) to have expertise in social media, like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest, to name a few.

Professional Image. Your outward appearance is one way to demonstrate your level of professionalism. As you mature, remain current in your wardrobe choices so that you look vibrant, vital and stylish.What are you doing to enhance your professional look? What simple, inexpensive changes are you making that will help you look more current and in style?

Trends. Beyond keeping up to date on industry trends, know what’s happening in the workplace. Thought leader Dan Schawbel, founder of workplacetrends.com, provides an annual workplace trends prediction as a contributor to Forbes.

When you remain current with a fresh perspective and open mindset, and you also possess an extensive knowledge base, your chance of landing that job increases!

How to Work Your LinkedIn Network

Posted on April 20, 2016 by admin

Part One in a series.

LinkedIn remains the preferred social network of business professionals around the globe, with more than 400 million users worldwide, and more than 110 million users in the U.S. To get the most out of LinkedIn as a professional, you have to work it.

I remember when I received my first LinkedIn invitation from a longtime friend and colleague more than a decade ago. I was skeptical. I asked, “What is this?” “How does it work?” What I didn’t know or understand at the time when I joined LinkedIn was that it would become the power source for networking with other professionals. Once I got started, I set my goal to connect with 500+ professionals. It was easier than I thought. With focus, the goal became a reality.

The first way to work your LinkedIn network is to: Invest time in reviewing “Who’s Who” in your network by asking four important questions:

What skills do your contacts possess? One of the greatest advantages of LinkedIn is that it allows you to examine the people you are connected to and the types of skills they possess. It helps you to understand if your network is well rounded (diverse skills represented) or lopsided (too many connections in one skill area only).
How well do you know your contacts? It helps to know the people you are connected to. This may sound trite. It’s important to know your LinkedIn connections because they occupy a valuable spot within your network. Occasionally invitations will come from people who you don’t know. Qualify the connection if you need to by sending an email. It’s perfectly fine to vet a request from someone you don’t know. Look to see if you have any connections in common. That will help you to decide whether or not to connect with them.
What’s new with your contacts? Because LinkedIn messaging arrives in your email inbox, it’s easy to track when contacts have changed jobs, added new skills or made an announcement. Visit people’s profiles occasionally to see what’s new.
How are you keeping in touch? Every time you open your LinkedIn account, you will see a series of “congratulations” boxes appear, announcing contacts who are celebrating work anniversaries. You have the option to send a message. It’s a great way to keep in touch. When you review your LinkedIn contacts list, ask yourself how you can keep in touch outside of LinkedIn communication. How often do you see that person face-to-face? Are you sending them your articles or blog posts? Is it time to chat by phone or grab a cup of coffee?

What’s the point of being connected with fellow professionals if you are not truly connected?

Announced this week, LinkedIn now offers a LinkedIn Students app that is compatible with iOS and Android. The app helps new graduates find job matches based on their major, locate companies that usually hire from their college, and learn about career choices of recent graduates with similar degrees. If you have college students in your family, suggest the LinkedIn Students app to them. It could help their job search.

Here’s a quick task for you to complete in the next week: Take just 20 minutes this week to visit two LinkedIn profiles within your network. Continue doing this for the next four weeks. At the end of this brief exercise, ask yourself what you have learned about those contacts in your network. It may provide you with some fresh insights on how you are working your LinkedIn network.

Next week: Part Two.

And the Winner is…Chris Rock

Posted on March 2, 2016 by admin

Oscars Host Chris Rock Gave Diversity a Platform. Credit: variety.com

With all of the tension surrounding the 88th Annual Academy Awards ceremony, which aired on February 28, 2016, there was no one better qualified to handle it than comedian and Master of Ceremonies Chris Rock. And handle it he did. In his opening monologue, he put diversity front and center, and it remained there throughout the entire program. The result: He made everyone in the audience feel comfortable, laugh, and of course exhale.

Some African-American celebrities chose to boycott this year’s Awards ceremony because of the absence of African-American nominees. Those who chose to attend, like Whoopi Goldberg, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Hart, John Legend and Common, were there to support their fellow actors no matter what race or creed.

Chris Rock looked sharp – elegant in fact – in a white tuxedo jacket with black pants, a perfect rhetorical nod to the controversy at hand. His comments were fair and balanced. He was able to poke fun at the issue without offending people.

The chain of events that led up to the Awards ceremony provided fodder for Chris Rock’s raw comic talent. His example showed others how to handle adversity. Rock and writers worked diligently to create several on-topic, hilarious parody videos. My favorite was Saturday Night Live alumnus Tracy Morgan’s comic portrayal of The Danish Girl.

What can we – as professionals – learn from this historic event? For one thing, it’s a reminder that life gives you choices. You can either choose to be for or against something; sometimes you lead the charge and other times you follow other people’s leads. You also have to pick your battles because there are many in life. When making those decisions, you must ask some critical questions: What do I gain from taking this stance? How am I positioning myself? Will it help or hurt my reputation?

The game changer statement that Chris Rock made was when he said that in 1962 there were no African-Americans nominated for any Oscars, and there were no boycotts then. Instead, he said, black people at that time were demonstrating against important social issues (like being raped or lynched) rather than who won best cinematographer. And he said it in his own inimitable Chris Rock way, funny and cutting to the core of truth. Were some of his words hard to hear or even admit to be true? Yes. Therein lies the power of the moment.

From my perspective, Chris Rock solidified his image as a brilliant, talented, quick-witted comedian who chose to be collaborative rather than combative.

Another big winner at the Oscars was the Girl Scouts, thanks to Chris Rock’s plug and plea to the audience to buy Girl Scouts cookies. That product placement is sure to result in a spike in U.S. cookie sales.

The action of the boycott itself and the response of Chris Rock and the Oscars producers has encouraged conversation around diversity and will hopefully spark some positive changes on the Academy board and within the voting process.

Are You Giving It Your All?

Posted on February 16, 2016 by admin

Aretha Franklin at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors

When was the last time you asked yourself if you were giving your all to your job or your personal life? It’s easy to skim along life’s surface without going deep. What would it take for you to go above and beyond the norm? To feel the satisfaction of knowing that you have done your absolute best?

One of my favorite annual traditions watching the Kennedy Center Honors, a program that salutes a select group of talented individuals in the arts who have reached the pinnacle of their careers and who inspire us to achieve great things. The last week of 2015, the Kennedy Center honored filmmaker George Lucas, actress Cicely Tyson, conductor Seiji Ozawa, actress/singer/dancer Rita Moreno, and singer-songwriter Carole King. One of the stars to pay tribute to Carole King was none other than the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. She brought down the house as she gave it her all. Here’s what every professional can learn from Aretha’s amazing performance:

Own your professional presence. Dressed in a stunning gown and full-length mink coat, Aretha commanded attention as she stepped onto the stage. With confidence and ease, she sat down at a Baby Grand piano, and the applause and gasps got even louder. (I had never seen Aretha seated at a piano; in fact, I didn’t even know she played the piano). She began playing – and singing – (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, co-written by Carole King and Jerry Goffin, one of the most soulful, intimate songs to reach the Top Ten charts ever.

Put everything you have into it. A woman half her age could not put the same spin on A Natural Woman like Aretha because she was singing her lived experience into the song. There is a reason she’s still called the Queen of Soul; no one else owns the title.

A bold move: Dropping the mink coat

Do something bold and memorable. Aretha had the audience in the palm of her hand. Three minutes and 45 minutes into the video clip, she did something surprising that brought the audience to its feet: She stood center stage and dropped the mink coat on the floor, with complete abandon, showing her raw talent and vulnerability as a performer.

Connect to the emotion. No matter what line of work you are in, when you connect to people’s emotions, your message becomes much clearer and stronger. Everyone felt the emotion of the song. Carole King’s reactions were priceless.

When you’ve still got it, flaunt it. Every word Aretha sang, every movement she made was wrapped in graceful elegance. When you are a professional who performs your best, people respond well to you, no matter what your age.

When you stand front and center, with an audience of ten or 2,000, how do you present yourself to others? Take a few pointers from Aretha and give it your all.

A Handwritten Note? What a Concept!

Posted on January 20, 2016 by admin

Celebrate National Handwriting Day – January 23 – by creating several handwritten notes and sending them to people who matter most in your life or who deserve recognition. Sending an email or text doesn’t carry the same power as a handwritten note. When you take the time to express yourself through writing, the recipient appreciates the gesture. Here are some ideas:

Send a letter to your parent(s). I will be sending a short letter to my 95-year-old mother who lives about 70 miles away from me. She enjoys receiving mail, so I like to surprise her occasionally with a handwritten letter. Since she gave me life, she is #1 on my list!

Show appreciation to your main squeeze. My husband, Mark, does so much for me. I will write him a note of thanks and place it on his computer so he finds it in the morning. (I know there is some irony in placing the note on his computer).

Write comments to staff or co-workers. Seeing your handwritten words “Great job” or “I love this idea” on a report or memo, or in a special note or card expressing your thanks means so much to the people who work with you.

Surprise a friend with a card. You may be so caught up in your own life that you may have forgotten the impact that a kind gesture can have on someone else. The sentiment in your card may provide a bright spot in someone else’s otherwise gray day.

Write yourself a note. I’m not talking about a reminder note like “Buy milk”…I’m talking about writing yourself a meaningful note. It can be personal or inspirational. Consider a brief mantra that will keep you focused, like “Share your voice” or “Live joyfully.” Pose a thought-provoking question, like “What positive change are you creating today?” This Japanese proverb sits on my desk:

“One kind word can warm

three winter months.”

National Handwriting Day was created in 1977 by the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association (WIMA), designed to promote the use of writing instruments like pens, pencils and markers. January 23 was selected for National Handwriting Day because it is the birth date of John Hancock, the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. Hancock never could have imagined that reference to his famous signature would be used in everyday conversation when people often say, “Put your John Hancock on this.”

If you want to learn more about the handwritten note, read Margaret Shepherd’s book, The Art of the Handwritten Note: A Guide to Reclaiming Civilized Communication.

In recognition of National Handwriting Day, who will you be recognizing? Appreciating? Praising? Something that seems so simple – a handwritten note – will position you as thoughtful and appreciative.

Resolve to Share Your Knowledge

Posted on January 6, 2016 by admin

This year, rise above the standard resolutions that make you feel better about yourself (lose weight, drink more water, exercise) and do something that will make others feel good about you: Resolve to share your knowledge with co-workers, colleagues, family and friends.

It begins with a simple statement: “I resolve…to share more of my knowledge…with others.” The end result: When you give more, you get more in return.

You have been living in the Information Age for more than two decades now, and yes, people can find information on the Internet with a quick click of the mouse. However, the most meaningful information that you can give (and receive) comes through human contact, old-fashioned face-to-face interpersonal communication.

In your profession, you glean valuable information through your lived experience. That’s something that you cannot find on a spreadsheet or in a PowerPoint presentation. You share that information by telling your story. “When I started at this company ten years ago, we didn’t have a marketing director. Now we are shipping our products to 39 countries worldwide.” It’s that personal information that puts things into perspective for the listener.

Today, there are still some people who choose not to share their knowledge with others because they fear that someone else may assume their position. It sounds something like this: “It took me 25 years to get to where I am in this company. If anyone thinks I’m going to simply share all of my knowledge, well, they’re wrong!” This type of scarcity thinking holds those people back from greater achievement in their career and in life. Imagine the kind of work environment they could create if they became more inclusive and collaborative in their thinking and sharing of information. It positions them as true leaders who want others to succeed. They invest their time sharing their knowledge so that others can perform better on the job. What a concept.

Sharing your knowledge with others positions you as:

*Inclusive
*Caring about the success of others
*Collaborative
*Unselfish
*Giving
*Professional

As you think about the tremendous knowledge that you possess, think specifically about the kind of knowledge that you can (and will) share with the people around you. They will appreciate it for two reasons: 1) You have shortened their learning curve or 2) You have given them a critical piece of information that allows them to do their job.

Deliberately holding back information out of fear is so outdated. Share your knowledge with others and see how positively people will respond to you. Your giving will come back to you ten-fold.

Begin with the question: What knowledge can I share with others?

What Jon Stewart Teaches Us About Power Positioning

Posted on December 9, 2015 by admin

Jon Stewart, Comedy Central

When Jon Stewart left Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, people were wondering what he was going to do. The answer is simple: He is doing good. Listen up, professionals, and learn from Stewart, who is using his positioning power to give others a voice.

On the December 7, 2015 Daily Show, host Trevor Noah welcomed back Stewart, who is bravely tackling a serious issue before Congress right now: the fight to continue funding for first responders of the 9/11 tragedy through the James Zadroga Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act. H.R. 1786 “amends the Public Health Service Act to extend the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program Fund. Watch the full episode here.

Stewart and a video crew accompanied first responders to Capitol Hill, visiting the offices of senators, most of whom were (conveniently) out, unavailable or in meetings. With every rejection from Senate staff, Stewart pushed on, heading to the next senator’s office, determined to let first responders’ voices be heard. There were no altercations, no harsh words, just a message that needed to be heard. The only leader who took the time to talk with Stewart and first responders was Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), who later signed the act.

For two decades, I have coached professionals on the importance of power positioning. I define power positioning as “The art of putting yourself in a place that you want to be, that maximizes your talents, skills and contacts.” Stewart demonstrated power positioning in action on Capitol Hill. In his Daily Show appearance, he reached millions of loyal Daily Show viewers, encouraging them to contact their senators and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). He asked them to Tweet using #worstresponders. He recognized that he had the clout and power to raise his voice and raise the collective consciousness of Americans. Political leaders across the country can take pointers from Jon Stewart’s integrity and high level of professionalism. It comes at a time when lives have been shattered and communities are still rebuilding from devastation. It’s time to do the right thing.

All too often, you can easily become passive, detached or uninvolved in the issues of your community, your workplace and the world. The next time you rationalize why you shouldn’t get involved, think again. Your voice could make a difference in someone else’s quality of life.

Thank you, Jon Stewart, for elevating our awareness about this important issue. You continue to be a positive role model for other leaders. You inspire and motivate us all to do a better job of putting other people’s needs ahead of our own.

Lessons to Learn From Hungary

Posted on September 16, 2015 by admin

The actions taken by Hungary in recent weeks to shut out or move refugees through its country clearly demonstrates how Hungary positioned itself within Europe and in the world. I imagine a conversation with Hungary may sound something like this:

Hungary: “What are you doing here? Go away. Leave me alone. Can’t you see I’m busy building this wall to keep you out?”

Germany, however, got it right. Chancellor Angela Merkel set a positive example, one for the world to see and other European countries to follow. That conversation would be a very different one, full of hope and possibility. Germany: “I can only imagine what you are going through. You have travelled so far. You must be tired. Come. Eat. Rest. We are here to help you.” A news reporter asked a woman in Germany why she came to help the refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq who were migrating across Europe, searching for a safe and secure new life. Her response was, “I did it because I am a human being. The refugees are human beings. They deserve to be treated as human beings.” To enlighten your thinking about war and refugees, read World at War, a global trends report on refugees published by the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR).

Building a wall is a short-term – not a long-term – solution. A long-term solution comes through compassion and understanding.

How often have you ignored the needs of another person, put your needs ahead of someone else because you felt you were more entitled, or passed judgment on someone just because of who she was or where she came from? A few examples: You deliberately don’t promote a person because you don’t want to go through the laborious task of finding a replacement. You assume the quiet person sitting across the table from you in the meeting has nothing to offer, so you dominate the conversation and don’t invite that person to share anything. You choose not to listen to another person’s story because you don’t want to get involved. Every day, you choose how to behave in the world.

I attended a program recently. A woman with light olive brown skin shared that people often mistake her for being Hispanic and they begin speaking Spanish because they make an assumption about who they think she is. As it turns out, she is of African descent. She has to explain to people several times a week who she really is. She would feel more positive if people simply asked, “Where are you from originally?”

Too often, we jump to conclusions and make assumptions about people based on our perceptions rather than reality. There is much to learn from the debacle in Hungary. It reminds us to: Stop. Reflect on the situation. Imagine what these people’s lives are really like. Talk to them. Show compassion. You will learn something. We are all human beings. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, no matter what the color of their skin, ethnic origin, or religious beliefs or values. Accept that person into the fold. Give that person a voice, a chance. Place value on that person. Isn’t that every person’s basic human right?

Christine Zust

The Communication Queen

Tag Archives: positioning