I’m really excited! The book release party for the new edition of The Compassionate Geek is going to be at Lucid Lounge in the University District. This is the same Lucid Lounge that is host to Nerd Nites and frequent author readings (and they have fabulous cocktails, too). I can’t think of a better place […]
Book Release: Hobnob with the Elite Geeks of Seattle Read More »
I’m going to conduct a five-session workshop in September and October on compassion in cooperation with First United Methodist Church of Seattle. The workshops will explore compassion from various points of view including religious and non-religious traditions, scientific research, and personal experience.
New 5-Week Compassion Workshop in Seattle (Free) Read More »
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Ernest Tubb is a well-known name to anyone familiar with country music stars of the 1930s through the 1980s. During his recording and performing career, he achieved many milestones including headlining the first Grand Ole Opry performance at New York City’s Carnegie Hall along with a long string of hit records including Waltz Across Texas, Thanks a Lot, and Walking the Floor Over You.
What Can IT Customer Care Learn from a Country Music Hall of Famer? Read More »
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You may have heard the Latin phrase, Primum non nocere, which means “first, do no harm.” Although it’s often associated with the physician’s Hippocratic Oath, the original oath does not include the precise phrase. It is, however, taught in medical schools as part of medical ethics classes and it has an important connotation for those of us who serve end-users and other customers.
Customer Care Training Rule Number One: First, Do No Harm Read More »
I recently had a conversation with a client who told me he sometimes hears complaints from his end-users that he’s being rude. He told me that he didn’t feel like he was being rude at all.
I doubt he was being rude, but I suspect he maintains a “strictly-business” demeanor around the office. I’ve noticed in our email exchanges and phone calls that his responses to me are terse and strictly-business with no trace of humanness. He’s really beyond formal, in that his emails don’t even include a greeting (“Hi Don” or “Dear Don”), a complimentary close (“Kind regards” or “Sincerely”), or even an email signature. I noticed in our phone conversations that he didn’t initiate any sort of attempt to connect with me as one person to another. Of course, I’m seen as a vendor and sometimes treated differently from, say, co-workers. Still, I wonder if a clue to his problem with end-users might be found in the way he interacted with me.
When our work involves serving others, it’s important for us to be good listeners. Being a good listener can be difficult at times. I’ve created a video to accompany this blog post with the ten tips to help us all become better listeners, whether at work with our customers, end-users, and colleagues or at home with our spouse, children, and friends.
How to be a Better Listener: Active Listening Read More »
There is a lot of anecdotal evidence to suggest that living a life filled with positive emotions can have a positive physiological effect on our bodies. Like most people, I enjoy hearing stories that reinforce my pre-conceived notions about how the world is. I also recognize that anecdotes are great stories, but they’re lousy science and can often lead to poor decision-making.
What is Compassion? Five Ways to Become More Compassionate Read More »