Forgiveness

When I worked for Domino’s Pizza, I had a steadfast policy: if a customer had a concern, I would fix it and give them 10x the value.  For example, if a customer called and said they had a cold pizza, I would tell them that I would fix the problem and send them a coupon for 10 free pizzas.  My goal in these situations was to “wow” the customer 

This scenario came to mind when I was listening to a podcast episode of No Stupid Questions with Angela Duckworth and Stephen Dubner in which they talked about forgiveness.  To optimize forgiveness in both business and personal relationships, research has shown, your apology needs to hit four factors: 

1. The apology must be sincere.   

2. You must acknowledge that you were wrong.  “I am sorry that I made you mad” is not an admission of fault.  “I am sorry that I was late” might be more appropriate. 

3. You need to commit to be better in the future. 

4. The apology should cost you something.  In the above example, the cost was 10 pizzas.  In a personal relationship, you might say you will do some activity with your friend that they prefer much more than you do. 

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I found at Domino’s that using this approach built strong customer loyalty.  The research reinforced my beliefs, showing that if you used these four steps, you would not only repair your relationships but also strengthen them. 

We all make mistakes.  The challenge is to use them as an opportunity to strengthen your relationships.  You can turn a mistake into a remarkable recovery. 

value of time

In talking with teachers this year, it seems everything they are doing takes longer.  From planning lessons to grading, the virtual world seems to take up more of our time.   

Ashley Whillans, an assistant professor at Harvard Business School, suggests that we tend to underestimate the importance of time to our happiness.  In her new book Time Smart, she argues that we can make smarter decisions that allow us to live happier lives 

Her research has shown people who take time seriously are happier, have better relationships, and are more satisfied in their jobs. 

Here are some of her suggestions:  

• Shut off your electronics for a day and live in the moment. 

• Spend more time enjoying what you’re doing.  Don’t rush through things that bring enjoyment, like a good meal. 

• Think about your future commitments.  Do not think that you are going to have more time in the future then you do now:  Stop saying yes to everything. 

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Like teachers, many of you have time-intensive obligations.  You need to think about how valuable your time is. 

With that in mind, I challenge you to implement one of the three suggestions above.  Let’s value our time and see if that makes life more enjoyable. 

 

Your feedback is always appreciated