From James Robbins:
Suzanne asked me to read through all of the entries for the Nine Minutes on Monday give-away contest. There were so many great quotes, and pieces of advice that it was really hard to pick one. The winning entry was from Christine. Here is what she wrote:
My brother once told me (while standing in line waiting for our kids to go on an amusement park ride) that all people really want is respect and to know that what they are doing is important. He was talking about the “carnival ride guy” who was explaining to him that the ride was safe and this guy really took pride in making sure that the ride was indeed safe. His statement has stayed with me ever since and I use this philosophy all the time.
The advice Christine’s brother gave her is in line with many of the principles in the Nine Minutes on Monday. In fact I devote one entire chapter to the importance of respecting and caring for your employees, and another one to helping your staff connect purpose to their paychecks.
The other thing that I really liked about Christine’s entry is that she told a story. I use story extensively in Nine Minutes on Monday because stories stick with us and are an effective way to pass along wisdom. So congratulations to Christine, and thank you to everyone else who took the time to enter the contest. As I’ve already said, the advice offered was fantastic, and I’m honored that all of you shared your stories.
–James Robbins