2013 is coming to a close, but we are all set to provide dynamic events for your teams next year! Join us for these engaging and insightful classes:

Winning Words One-Day Workshops - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Tuesday, January 21, 2014 – 9:00am - 4:00pm

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 – 9:00am - 4:00pm

Power Up: Ethical Leadership Workshop - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Thursday, January 23, 2014 – 9:00am - 4:00pm

Sustaining Excellence Elite Management Retreats – Wildwood, Georgia at Our Level 10 Retreat & Conference Center

• March 9 - 12, 2014
• June 8 - 11, 2014
• September 14 - 17, 2014
• November 9 - 12, 2014

Call Doug Smith at 800.823.7698 for more information, and sign up today!

Tell us about your role and how long you’ve been with Woople? 

I’ve been with Woople since January 2010. After working one year as a staff accountant, I was tapped to be the CFO, a role that I’ve filled since January 2011.

How did you get involved with this line of work? Is it something you had studied in college?

Upon graduating high school, my first full-time job was a kitchen aide in a nursing home. Eventually I became a cook, and then decided I didn’t really enjoy institutional cooking (meaning scrambled eggs and toast, chicken and mashed potatoes, and more chicken and mashed potatoes) for 130 people on a daily basis. I transferred to the front office of the same nursing home. I’ve worked in accounting ever since, working my way up the ladder from receptionist, secretary, bookkeeper, office manager, internal auditor, staff accountant, to CFO! In addition to the nursing home, I’ve worked in a variety of industries: heavy construction, automotive, manufacturing, and now Woople!

What is a typical workday like for you?

To most people my typical workday probably looks pretty boring since I spend most of my time buried in a computer screen, accounting software, and spreadsheets. I guess I’m a little twisted in that I enjoy creating spreadsheets and comparing data. The more formulas, color, and linked cells I have, the better!

What do you enjoy most about your job?

No thought about it, the most enjoyable aspect of my job is the interaction with my teammates. I’m truly blessed to be surrounded by such talented, knowledgeable, and dynamic personalities. The Woople team is truly my away-from-home family!

What challenges do you face? Do you feel that Woople prepares you to handle these situations?

As a married parent of 4, half of which are grown and on their own, I would suppose I have the same challenges as anyone. There’s not enough time in the day, and it’s hard to be everywhere for everyone all the time. You have to realize what’s most important and prioritize your life accordingly. Attending Woople’s Sustaining Excellence retreat in Wildwood, GA, was an excellent tool, which helped me improve this aspect of my life –not only professionally, but personally as well. I’m very fortunate to have daily access to the learning segments on Woople, which serve as a great reinforcement tool to the lessons I learned at the retreat. I wish I had half the knowledge I’ve gained through working at Woople when I began my work career over 25 years ago!

How would you describe the culture at Woople?

The culture at Woople is very different from your typical place of business or office. We most definitely have our serious “git ‘er done” side, but we also know when to take some time as a team to cultivate the culture that we’ve worked so hard to develop. We encourage dancing, laughing, scaring (as in Boo!), and team-building activities, such as barbeques and chair races. I would never hesitate to ask anyone in our office for help with anything – that is, if I could get the question out of my mouth BEFORE someone jumped in and did it! I’d give them a key to my house, no questions asked, if they needed it and I’d trust any of them with my kids. I think this speaks volumes of the people and culture at Woople!

Tell us one fun fact about you.

I’m a boring accounting person. I used to play in a competition horseshoe league, and in 2010, I received the Rookie of the Year patch for the league (yawn!). I have a small portion of wall in my husband’s man cave (a.k.a. garage) dedicated to my league trophy plaques!

 Copyright 2013 Woople, LLC.

By Stephanie Wharton

For sixteen years now, Fortune and The Great Place to Work Institute have conducted an extensive survey to discover the 100 best companies to work for that year. Each company’s score is based on the answers to questions regarding “management’s capability, job satisfaction, and camaraderie” as well as the details of pay and benefit programs, which includes “hiring processes, methods of internal communication, training, recognition programs, and diversity efforts.”

Here are the Top Ten for 2013 - the link for each company takes you to a blurb on why it’s in the top ten:

1. Google: Top company for the 4^th year in a row
2. SAS: Provides clients high-performance analytics, has been on this Fortune list for 14 years in a row, #1 in 2010 and 2011
3. CHG Healthcare Services: Added two on-site health centers this year
4. The Boston Consulting Group, Inc.: Notifies employees they have worked too many long weeks with a “red flag report”
5. Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.: Employees reward each other with gift cards for good service
6. NetApp: Vice-Chairman calls 10-20 employees every day to thank them
7. Hilcorp Energy Company: First time on the list
8. Edward Jones: Provides a unified culture for employees with regular recreational activities
9. Ultimate Software: Covers healthcare premiums for employees and dependents
10. Camden Property Trust: Founders known to create a humorous culture

Only companies that have 1,000 employees or more and are five years old are eligible for this list. These companies each have a unique way of taking care of their employees and creating a fun, engaging place to work. What sets your company apart? What creative idea can you implement to let your employees know they are valued? It doesn’t have to be a financial perk. I love that the Vice-Chairman of NetApp takes the time to call employees every day just to say “thank you.” Look at your company culture and find ways to make work fun, be creative, and take care of your team members.

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Copyright 2013 P.D.C.W.W.E. Inc. 

What We’re Reading

By Stephanie Wharton

Last month, we discussed the fifth habit in Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which is Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood. These last four habits are focused on building relationships and producing interdependence. Today, we will wrap our series by taking a brief look at Habits 6 and 7.

Habit #6: Synergize 

Once you have truly sought to understand the other person and also to communicate your ideas and needs, you have opened the door for synergy. Synergy is defined as “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts…One plus one equals three or more.”

Covey says the key to synergy is to “value differences – to respect them, to build on strengths, to compensate for weaknesses.” Rather than responding to someone who has a different opinion with defensiveness, two people or organizations create synergy when they see things differently and then create a better solution. In order for this to take place, both parties have to be willing to be open and secure enough to set their original idea aside. The more trust there is between people, the higher the level of communication that can occur. Low trust situations result in the lowest level of communication, full of defensiveness and self-protection. The next level of communication is respectful because there is a decent amount of trust. Both people are willing to compromise, but not to find the best possible solution. Lastly, in high trust situations true synergy can occur through solutions, far better than either party originally thought. Synergy is about not being threatened by someone else’s ideas, but valuing others’ differences to create something greater than you previously imagined.

Habit #7: Sharpen the Saw

Covey explains this habit makes all the other habits possible. Sharpening the saw is all about taking the time for self-renewal so you can be at your best. You may have heard Paul Cummings refer to it as managing your state. There are four dimensions: physical, mental, spiritual, and social/emotional. We often neglect to take care of the physical dimension and find ourselves sleep deprived, dehydrated, and inactive. Taking the time to get enough rest, drink enough water, eat properly, and exercise has a profound impact on the other dimensions and on our ability to incorporate the seven habits Covey discusses. Each aspect of self-renewal is vital and influences the rest. Take the time to renew yourself spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. These activities empower you to be an independent person who is secure enough to pursue interdependence, win/win solutions, and synergy. 

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Copyright 2013 P.D.C.W.W.E. Inc.

Tell us about your role and how long you’ve been with Woople? 

I am the Director of the Community Collaborative Education Center in Liberty, Missouri. I have worked for Paul Cummings since 2006. When I began my career with Paul, I was involved in sales. The rapid change in the dynamics of our company allowed me to become heavily involved in building our exceptional Customer Care team. Our mission at Woople Customer Care has always been to WOW every customer by providing an extraordinary and distinct customer service experience. I am proud to say that we have built an outstanding team. The growth of our team necessitated expansion. I am proud to promote our amazing facility in Liberty. We are an education company, so we found it fitting to repurpose a vacant school that was built in 1958. I love to see the reaction of our guests when they visit the Community Collaborative Education for the first time.

How did you get involved with this line of work?

I was fortunate enough to meet Paul Cummings on a personal level and immediately knew that I wanted to be a part of his amazing team. It is a great feeling to have a career that actually provides stimulation and fulfillment in every aspect of your life. 

Is it something you had studied in college? 

My area of study in college was actually History. Don’t get me wrong, I love History, but this career has helped me realize my different strengths and encouraged me to grow. 

What is a typical workday like for you? 

In one word, “FUN!” I love coming to work and meeting so many new people. I am so proud of all of our facilities and what we do. I really enjoy getting out in our community and showcasing our products. Every day is different.   

What do you enjoy most about your job? 

I enjoy the culture of our organization. We live what we teach. It doesn’t get better than that!

What challenges do you face? Do you feel that Woople prepares you to handle these situations?

Let’s admit it…selling is always a challenge. Woople has armed me with an amazing facility that is unique and affordable. I am proud to walk potential clients through every part our building and let them see all we have to offer. Our top-notch staff and technology makes my job easy. 

How would you describe the culture at Woople?

Our culture at Woople is unique. I get the craziest looks from other professionals when I explain that our company shuts down for an entire week once a year for our annual “Bounce” meeting. Friday afternoon dancing in the hall is a tradition. Surprise team building activities are the norm. We truly are “ONE.”

Tell us one fun fact about you:

Exercise is my stress relief! I often stay at work to utilize our amazing gym. Who on earth stays at work to relieve stress? 

Copyright 2013 Woople, LLC

What We’re Reading

By Stephanie Wharton

 Last month, we discussed the fourth habit in Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which is Think Win/Win. These last four habits are focused on building relationships and producing interdependence. 

Habit #5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

This habit seems straightforward, but I found this chapter extremely insightful. The principles and techniques Covey presents here are valuable for us as humans, friends, spouses, moms, dads, business associates – everyone. Covey says this principle of seeking first to understand, then to be understood is “the single most important principle” he has learned in interpersonal relations. The reason? He writes, “Communication is the most important skill in life,” and he believes listening is the most important skill in communication.

Empathic Listening is the act of seeking first to understand, to actually see things from the other person’s perspective rather than your own. Instead of listening and thinking about your reply or what you want, you listen to understand the entire person, the meaning behind what’s being said. 

Covey explains that most of us listen “autobiographically” by using one or more of the following responses:

• Evaluate: we listen to see if we agree or disagree
• Probe: we ask questions from our own frame of reference
• Advise: we give counsel based on our own experience
• Interpret: we try to figure people out, to explain their motives, their behavior, based on our own motives and behavior

In order to listen empathically, we must set our desires aside and truly grasp what the other person is saying. To demonstrate this to others, Covey says the essential skill is to rephrase the content and reflect the feeling. When the person we are listening to gives a logical response, then we can ask questions and give counsel. As soon as the person responds with emotion, that’s when empathic listening is needed. 

I’ll conclude with my favorite quote from this chapter, “The more deeply you understand people, the more you will appreciate them, the more reverent you will feel about them. To touch the soul of another human being is to walk on holy ground.”

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Copyright 2013 P.D.C.W.W.E. Inc. 

By Sue Rice

Paul writes in his creed, “I will be the prisoner of nothing. I am someone special.” In order to live a Level 10 life, you need to believe in yourself and your ability to live with true joy. Joy can take place at any time or place and can be as simple as seeing an amazing sunset, or even celebrating as you watch someone else receive a gift. Experiencing joy is not only fun, it’s also healthy. Don’t be afraid to show others your enthusiasm for life. You only live once, so enjoy every second. 

I had a friend who taught others how to embrace the magical moments of life. She made a lasting memory as she showed us that simple celebrations could be turned into a picture that would not only be fun for those directly involved, but also for others who witness the moment. They experience joy with us – and remember it!

One lasting memory was my birthday – a big one you know – and my friends took me on a weeklong trip. Little did I know we would stop to sing and dance at every place we visited, especially places supposedly too small for a dance floor. Everyone would get in the spirit and move tables and chairs to join us in our craziness because the joy was contagious! We now call it the Birthday Season. As we look back on this occasion and others like it, we remember our courage to step out and enjoy the moment, no matter what people thought of us. Six months later, my friends revisited the area, and people recognized them as “celebrities” – from YouTube, of course.

My question to you is: are you going to live life to its fullest or let others deny you the joy of having memorable moments? Don’t be a prisoner of other people’s thoughts. You alone can make this attitude happen, but it helps to have friends who get it.   

When was the last time you took a risk - whether it was traveling to a place you have never been, dancing in the street just because you felt like it, or simply trusting your gut? Living your life at Level 10 gives you the courage to exceed your own expectations. It gives you the courage to go after the life you dream about. Believe in yourself first, believe in others, and spread your joy. 

Trust in yourself – be BOLD with energy. Take the first step to dream your dream, and don’t be shy to tell others. You will soon see that your courage will empower others to share your zeal for a more fulfilled life. 

Get up and dance to life!

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Copyright 2013 P.D.C.W.W.E. Inc. 

By Summer Smart

If your business relies on incoming calls as your primary interface mechanism between you and customers, it is crucial to have the right person answering phones. Whether you have a designated receptionist or the task is shared between your office personnel, the key is to make sure your team is always treating those potential and existing customers like gold.

Additionally, your telephone interactions are the front door to your business. For many, phone calls are the primary source of new sales leads for people to verify service offerings, compare pricing, and schedule appointments. If your telephone etiquette and, more importantly, people skills are not on point, this is most certainly negatively affecting your business. 

I recently called to make an appointment at a local business, but the interaction I had with the receptionist was so bad that I changed my mind about going there and made an appointment somewhere else. My reasoning behind this was simple; I couldn’t justify spending my hard-earned money at a place that was going to treat me poorly out of the gate. The organization with the bad receptionist lost my business before they ever had it. I never had the chance to see if they had a great product because the receptionist closed the door on me.  

If you are a business owner or manager, I encourage you to examine this aspect of your business. If you have other personnel in your midst warning you of receptionist issues, consider that feedback and investigate it for yourself. The scary truth is this: if you have a negative, uninspired, unmotivated, unhappy person greeting customers day in and day out, you are losing business. The phone is the gateway to your business; make sure the door remains open with an inviting and responsive atmosphere at all times.

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Copyright 2013 P.D.C.W.W.E. Inc.