First impressions really do impact a person’s opinion.  So if you show up to an interview for a job and your hair is not combed, your teeth are not brushed, you look like you slept in your clothes for a week, then the person conducting the interview may determine that you really didn’t want the job because you didn’t even take the time to shower and clean up for the interview let alone what you might show up like for the job.  It would be very difficult for the interviewer to believe you would show up or put any more effort into doing the job.  

Now if you almost got hit by a bus, then had to run 5 miles to get to the interview on time because now you were terrified to ride the bus, it might explain your current state of being.  In that case, it would show them your perseverance to be there regardless of the circumstances.  They may be impressed or immediately think you’re a liar because who does that anymore?

For us to operate businesses all across this great country and be able to work remotely, we rely heavily on our teams.  Our business model is to create sustainable growth in all the markets we are in.  We do this by empowering other business owners in their communities to be wildly successful.  Sometimes that means helping them have more clear understanding of their role in their communities and how working with us empowers them.  Not everyone has the same understanding and sometimes what can happen is small business owners can just hire employees to do a specific task, but without a better understanding of how it all fits into the bigger puzzle, it can cause kinks in the system.  Kind of like forcing a puzzle piece into the wrong spot, even though it may look like it fits.

If our executive rental business relies on referrals and good reviews, then the first impression our clients get could make or break the business.  You see if we don’t have repeat business or new business, then our cleaning teams don’t stay busy, and we don’t grow to create more jobs. If our cleaning teams don’t stay busy, they lay off workers.  If workers get laid off, they collect unemployment, or welfare.  It is a vicious cycle that impacts many different folks.  So, if our teams don’t understand and take pride in what they are doing as part of our team, then they don’t perform as well as they should, and you get pictures like these.  Now in this particular situation one of our teams was growing too quickly and they had lost their quality control aspect, so things went undone when one team member was pulled in too many jobs and a lead wasn’t paying any attention.

Folks want to do a good job, but sometimes it can be confusing as to how to prioritize doing what is being told now versus communicating that you already have too many tasks to possibly accomplish them all in one day.  Some folks don’t know that it is ok to ask clarifying questions because team members have expressed irritation with being asked questions.  It seems that many of the challenges our teams have can be summed up with two words, BETTER COMMUNICATION.

In reality, can’t all our relationships be quickly summed up to those same 2 words?  If we would slow down and take the time to communicate better with our spouses.  If we didn’t get frustrated with our kid’s constant questions and they felt comfortable asking questions they need to.  If we communicated with our bosses or our teams the big picture so that everyone was on the same page.  If we took the time each day to just be still and sit with the Lord and let Him wash over us and renew us, guide us, and direct our days, how much less stress we would all have, how much better choices we would all make?

Let’s all work better on communicating in all areas of our lives and watch the trickle-down affect!