|
Who's in Charge of Your Reputation?
Reputations are very, very important.
You have a good one, right?
But how much time or thought have you given to managing it? Is your reputation improving? Is it declining?
Are you taking it for granted?
(Editor's note: This presentation was part of the ICFA's Annual Convention & Exposition in Orlando, Florida, April 24-27.)
by Darin Drabing, senior vice president, operations, for Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries in Southern California, www.forestlawn.com, where he oversees more than 500 employees.
I think reputation is one of the most important elements people consider in making decisions on who their service provider is going to be. If you think about it, we all do the same thing. Unless you know about some magic casket the rest of us don't, or if your cemetery is just so fundamentally different than the one in the next town, I think reputation is key. What we're going to talk about is how to manage it.
In the dictionary, it says reputation is the overall quality, or character, as seen by people. Coach John Wooden, UCLA, says reputation is what others perceive you to be; character—that's what you are. Well, I know a few characters, and they have reputations. I started thinking, how much of your reputation really is a reflection of your character?
What's in a name? Let's do a little exercise. I'm going to give you a name and I want you to think about the reputation and think about the character. Mother Teresa. Good reputation. Heidi Fleiss. Not such a good reputation. Salvation Army. Good. Enron. Mike Tyson. See how your reputation really can speak to your character?
What about yours? Let's take for granted that you work for So And So Mortuary—and pardon me if someone actually works for So And So Mortuary. Or Insert Pleasant Sounding Name Here Memorial Garden. You work hard at that reputation. You're active in your church; you're active in civic groups; you're active in your community. Why? Because you're a good person, you've got good character. And you're hoping people recognize that in you and translate that into your business, your name, your reputation.
A man named Jan Carlzon was in charge of Scandinavian Airlines System, SAS, and was responsible for a major turnaround in that airline. He wrote this book called "Moments of Truth," in which he talked about how reputations are built and opinions are formed about an organization through these little intimate contacts. Every time you have an opportunity to meet the public, there's a moment of truth. That's how reputations are formed.
Here you sit in Orlando; I'm going to guess you didn't close down shop when you came here. There are hundreds of families being served right now by our firms. How comfortable are you with the words coming out of your employees' mouths? How many moments of truth are happening right now? Who's in charge of your reputation? You, or your employees?
That's what we're going to talk about today: reputation management.
1. Have a Hiring Plan
Where do you find employees who will enhance your company's reputation?
2. Tools to Help You
How to avoid hiring a horse thief, or anyone else who is wrong for the job.
3. The First Day on the Job
Are you making a good impression on your new employees?
4. Do Personnel Issues Make You Sick?
Stop spending so much time with "viruses" and start investing in your good employees.
5. Evaluating & Motivating Employees
Find out who can do it, who "gets it," and how to get the best out of the people who "get it" and can do it.
Darin Drabing can be reached at ddrabing@forestlawn.com; (323) 340-4701.
back to top
Copyright ICFA 2002
|
