Tag Archives: inspirational speaker

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September 11th: A Celebration on a Solemn Day

9 11 Tribute Final

Today is September 11th and our home reflects a dichotomy of emotions.

A woman on the television solemnly reads the names of those who lost their lives ten years ago at the World Trade Center.

…our house is decorated with balloons and streamers.

Airports are on heightened security due to unconfirmed reports of terrorist movement.

…we will eat cake and sing.

Our leaders hold their breath.

…we celebrate my daughter’s birthday.

Today is September 11th.

It’s not easy celebrating anything on such a solemn day, but I cannot allow my daughter to be robbed the joy of celebrating her life. Still, my mind drifts elsewhere. I think about the lives lost, and I briefly question the wisdom of going to a cinema or a shopping mall in fear of some act of revenge on the anniversary of perhaps the darkest day in our history. We proceed. Perhaps our decisions are weighed a little move heavily. Perhaps I am a bit more conscious. I privately and publicly mourn those who died, honor the heroes, and carry on being a father.

That’s what Americans do best; we carry on. March forward. Advance.

We do not forget.

My daughter gets it; the day is no longer hers. An unfortunate lesson. A sad coincidence. A lesson in service, honor,  perspective and gratitude. Families were robbed of loved ones, our country defiled of its innocence and safety, and her day is overshadowed by the remembrance of a tragedy.  In truth, she would have it no other way.  I believe she feels honored to celebrate her life today as a tribute to so many who gave up theirs. At times it seems odd, and at times, perfect.

Yes, today is September 11th. It’s okay to celebrate birthdays, cheer for your football teams, drive your child to soccer, and laugh at a movie. If we didn’t, the act of terror would have succeeded and continued, and the so many who gave their lives so willingly, truly would have died in vain. We must carry on, march forward, advance, yet never forget.

At church this morning we were reminded to forgive, and I know that cannot be easy. I celebrate my daughter’s life while another father marks the anniversary of his daughter’s death, and yet, I know forgiveness indeed takes place. How do you do that? I am amazed. I have much to learn.

September 11, 2001 was an incredibly humbling day for me. It was as if Death itself had given me a glimpse of my own mortality, a reminder of life’s frailty, and an understanding of the horrors man can conceive and act out.  Yet within that shadowy bush of thorns, a blossom of hope and courage emerged like a single red rose, as I was also given a glimpse of the courageousness of mankind, witnessing selfless acts of every day people, stepping forward like the heroes in the comic books I read as a child. I saw giving, sacrifice, compassion, and the complete erasure of nearly every dividing characteristic. On that dark hour we were not aligned to political parties, economic classes, or members of a race. We stood together.

From the ashes of destruction fueled by misguided hate rose a nation united, determined, to advance against a common cause, to make an impact.

On our country’s darkest hour, I was reminded what it means for me to be an American, a Christian, a father, and a neighbor.

Today is September 11th and our home reflects a dichotomy of emotions.

Carry on. March forward. Advance. Never forget.

Happy Birthday Allyson.

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation

including corporations, schools, churches, conferences,

and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825

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Reward Commitment: Invent a buy-back program

I picked up my daughter’s basketball sitting

Deflated basketball

where she practices at home.  It was as smooth as an apple.  Useless.  All the bounce was gone, and it was becoming threadbare in some areas. I was about to toss it in the trashcan and get her a new one when my daughter stopped me.  She told me she was taking it to practice with her that day and that her coach would give her a new basketball. In fact, she elaborated, her coach would give her a new basketball for every one she wore out.  Wow! What a fabulous idea!

My daughter’s coach did in fact give her a basketball for every one she wore out, but more amazing than that is that her coach instilled in her a desire to practice, gave her a visual goal, and reinforced the successful habits of a committed athlete. Well done.

I incorporated that idea into my own life. I have been wanting a new laptop for some time. Not just any laptop, but the new MacBook Air from Apple. I have saved my money and all I need to do is place the order, but I made a commitment to myself to wait until I have finished the book I have been working on for the past two years. My current laptop used for writing will be replaced with the new one when the book is finished and query letters mailed.

It’s easy to become distracted, but there are techniques we can employ to counter them and become more productive, and I believe creating your own buy-back program is an excellent idea to meet your goals.

Discipline, focus, commitment, and training are the keys to success in any area in life, whether it be writing, sports, art, or anything else. The distractions become less influential when we have a clear measurable goal in front of us.

I hope you can find an area in your life that you can set-up a similar buy-back reward program. Perhaps you can use it with a friend or family member, or perhaps even with yourself.

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation

including corporations, schools, churches, conferences,

and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825

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Five Ways to Improve Your Customer Service

UnknownI just went through an uncomfortable customer service experience with The Ford Motor Company and the handling of their recall of my vehicle. While I understand recalls happen and improve safety, I believe corporations should recognize some very basic principles in the handling of their customer service. Customer Service is paramount.

Here is my advice about how you can improve your customer service:

1) Care. Customer service is truly that simple. Show the customer that you genuinely care about them, and that you’re not just trying to cover your butt. Recognize the importance of the customer’s time, and acknowledge its value. Show the customer you care about them, not the problem, not the product, not who’s right, but the individual customer. Care.

2) Answer the Customer’s Question. Don’t answer questions so guardedly and evasively that the consumer is confused. Don’t make the customer go through a series of handlers before getting someone that can actually answer the question. Respond to the customer’s questions timely. Unanswered questions makes the customer feel unimportant. Ultimately the customer just wants to know if someone is doing something.

3) Ask The Customer The Magic Question: What can I do to make this better? You don’t necessarily have to give what they ask, but if it is the right thing to do, I hope you consider it. The customer will at least feel as if they were heard. Perhaps the customer doesn’t even know what they want, and this line of questioning will lead to a solution. Listen to the customer. Keeping records does not make good customer service. Just because you took notes about our conversation does not prove to me anything is being done, nor that you even listened.

4) Offer Something The Customer Cannot Obtain or Achieve on Her Own Personalize the experience. Offer to do something the customer cannot do on their own. Ford offered to call the local dealer for me and the car rental place and make an inquiry. I had already done that. Living in a small town I asked them not to bother the dealer because the recall wasn’t his fault. I even asked them to document that request. It was overlooked and made me uncomfortable in my community. Again, listen to the customer. Don’t offer to do something I can do on my own, provide me with something beyond my ability.

5) If your Company has a slogan or motto, Live up to it! On Ford’s website it says: Ford: Drive one. Yet during the three months I was without my vehicle I was never offered one, even after I requested one. Ford hired Enterprise to provide me with a rental vehicle. Their slogan is “Enterprise: We’ll Pick You Up.” Yet, when I called them to schedule to pick up, they told me I was out of their delivery range. What!? If you have a slogan, live up to it.

I wish Ford well, in fact I own stock in the company, and I applaud the workers that build their amazing vehicles. However, Ford’s future success, and that of any company is not solely in their product, but their customer service. Sadly, my next vehicle will not be a Ford simply because they had me test drive a competitor’s vehicle for the three months of recall repair. (I share this post in hopes it helps Ford improve. I reached out to Ford through their toll free number, Facebook, and Twitter during my unpleasant Ford experience.) Recalls and repairs happen, but take care of the customer. For better or for worse, the experience will be memorable.

My local Ford Dealer was awesome! Each and every member understood and delivered excellent customer service. They followed each of the five suggestions for Great Customer Service above. The Ford Corporation however, didn’t deliver a good customer service experience at all.

A couple of my followers on Twitter shared these customer service suggestions:

@jcorppio on Twitter says : @kellycroy Best cust service concept: “I will handle that” and then doing it on time, with no negative nonverbal cues, even if you hate it

@grocer0123 on Twitter says: @kellycroy Well, don’t tell me I’ll get it tomorrow and it still not be here the day after tomorrow.


www.kellycroy.com

Click to email Kelly questions about presenting at your event!

1-800-831-4825

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event

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The Lost Art of Letter Writing: Part Four of How Leaders Respond Timely

Mailbox iStock 000001202894XSmall5 I have embraced the power of technology and social networking but I have not been so foolish as to have abandoned the single most influential and personal form of communication available — letter writing. It still amazes me that I can send my words to someone thousands of miles across the country in such a short amount of time, and make an impact in their life, and perhaps even mine. Letter writing is indeed a lost art, and one leaders need to embrace and master.

Can’t afford to give your hard working employee a raise?Reward them with hand-written praise. Even a post-it note with a couple of well chosen words hand-written will go farther than your most skillfully worded email or text, because you’ve made it personal. You took time out of your day for them. You created something tactile. It’s art.

Letter writing isn’t just a skill, when it’s done correctly it elevates itself to an art form. Its power is only increased by the fact that so few others participate in its creation. Think about it. Nothing is more cherished in the mail than a hand-written card or a well worded letter. People receive hundreds of impersonal emails a week but perhaps only one personalized letter. (If even that.)

If you want to stand out and make an impact: practice, master and utilize the lost art of letter writing. People remember those who remember them.

Write letters. Write thank-you cards. Send a note of congratulations. Leave someone a personalized message of appreciation.

There are few things as exciting as seeing a personalized letter in your mail. Not a form letter or junk mail, but a real letter written by someone, just to you. You know someone took the time to pen this note. You stare at the envelope and wonder what is inside.

It’s Unique. No one else is doing it. Letters stand out. Wow! You took the time to do this for me!?!

Compliment: Corporations and organizations receive a lot of negative feedback. It is rare indeed when someone writes a letter to offer thanks or recognition. Sometimes they like to reward that. I actually received a phone call from the CEO of OGIO bags once because I wrote a letter telling them how awesome I thought their bags were. They loved it. I was invited to assist with a creation a triathlon sports bag. The product never got off the ground, but it all started with a letter.

To Thank & Congratulate: I am always mentioning my Moleskin journal in my posts because I know of its incredible value in my life. I always keep a couple of thank-you cards in the built-in folder in the back. I like being first to thank someone for their help or congratulate them on a success. I strive to be first and I strive to be memorable. Always write thank-you notes and send congratulation cards. It’s never too late. There is never a bad time to send a get well or sympathy card. Be on top of this!

Postcards: The power of a written letter is that it is personal. When you remove that personal touch and create a form letter that you mail to a hundred or more people, it is now reduced to junk mail. People just don’t have time for these. (Yes, I know there are exceptions.) My postcards are a little different because on the reverse side I have my art and that, at least for some, makes it a keeper and more importantly a reader. It is also very easy to personalize a postcard with one sentence and your signature. “I am looking forward to meeting you at this conference! ~ Kelly” A powerful one liner. Keep it short.

I recommend writing a letter a week to those you admire. Ask nothing in return. Just let them know you exist and you appreciate what they do. Practice your craft well. One day a door will open, and you will be remembered.

Be sincere. Be authentic. Don’t say what you don’t really mean. Keep your word.

You need to read well written letters. Study them. Practice. Enjoy the process. Find ways to make personal letter writing a part of your leadership practice.

www.kellycroy.com

Click to email Kelly questions about presenting at your event!

1-800-831-4825

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

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Tenacity: Leadership Series Part Four of Seven

Part Four of Seven on Leadership: The Seven Commitments to Answering the Call to Lead

Tenacity! What an unusual word! But I love saying it out loud, and I love it even more when it is used to describe someone. (Especially me!)

You want respect? Develop tenacity, the ability to never give up, be discouraged, or quit. I can think of few greater qualities in a person. Seek the thrill of a challenge.

Tenacity is within every person who has ever accomplished something great. It’s the most important quality of any hero in a book or in the movies. You must enjoy the thrill of a good challenge.

Leaders finish what they start. They finish it even when doing so is no longer convenient and requires some incredible effort.

I found out long, long ago that I simply cannot always be right.  I will make mistakes. I have decided, however, that the mistakes I do make, will always be made in attempt to make a positive difference in the world.  I will never make the mistake of inaction. There is no such thing as failure.  There is succeeding and there is not trying. Each failed attempt is a step toward success. Maybe a tiny step, but a step none the less.

The secret to his success?  Keep trying.  Seek the thrill of a challenge.

The word leader comes from the concept of being out in the front. In fact, one of the oldest leadership principles is: Lead from the the front!  As obvious as this principle is, sadly it is in fact one of the most ignored.

Throughout history the leaders were the ones who led their men in battle from the front, exposing themselves to great danger in the process. Seeing their leader out in the front inspired the soldiers to give their best, extinguish their fears, make sacrifices, and most importantly become a leader themselves.  When one leader would fall, he would be remembered fondly as a legend, and another would rise up in his place.

Typically war is long with many a battle lost. Leaders need tenacity to fuel themselves and those they lead to fulfill the vision, achieve the goal, secure the reward, complete the quest.

Tenacity is the fuel in the belly of leaders.

Tenacity is gained by a true belief in the vision you are leading everyone toward.  You can’t fake that. It’s assisted certainly by confidence and courage, but it also has much to do with personal pride.

Commitment and loyalty are two fading qualities in the modern world.  I think that is why we find tenacity in so few leaders.  We see many qualified men and women give up in the face of adversity because it got hard, it became unpopular, or it was going to take too long.

Tenacity is built with every decision no matter how small.  You discipline yourself into having high levels of tenacity. It’s partly physical; you need to work out. It’s part mental; train your mental endurance. Don’t stop short of any goal no matter how small and you will build your tenacity.

The greatest attribute of tenacity in a leader is that it spreads!

You remember the game Simon Says: everyone does what Simon says to do.  Well, a lot of people think that is leadership.  There is this mentality that whatever the boss says everyone will do.  In reality, everyone does what the boss does.   If the boss comes in early, everyone is a little more willing to do so.  Same thing if the boss stays late, picks paper off the floor, and rewards people for their efforts.  This is also true if the boss comes in late, goes home early, and ridicules.  People do what their leaders do. Don’t quit, and neither will your team.

Develop your tenacity each and every day.

Kelly is an inspirational speaker, author, and artist.

www.kellycroy.com

Click to email Kelly questions about presenting at your event!

1-800-831-4825

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker. He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.


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Wisdom: Leadership Series Part Three of Seven

Part Three of Seven on Leadership: The Seven Commitments to Answering the Call to Lead

You hear the word ‘wisdom’ and I’ll bet many of you picture an old guy with a long white beard. Right? Quit it. A great definition of wisdom is simple: the ability to see the future consequences of the decisions you are making right now.

How do you obtain wisdom? Well, that question has been bouncing around for thousands of years.  For a start, try surrounding yourself with great people, great books, quality experiences, travel, and most importantly spend time each day in reflection. Wisdom is a journey, not a destination. Are you on it?

While this is a very simple definition, the process combines all of your talents, experiences, and resources to put it into action.  Intelligence would be just one small part of wisdom. Intelligence serves you right now.  Wisdom serves others long after you are gone.

I believe wisdom is journey, not a destination.  A great leader is always pursuing wisdom, and the sad truth is that its attainment is never recognizable, but that is also the essence of wisdom’s brilliance.  If you are constantly on the journey toward wisdom and filling yourself on its fruits along the way, never knowing how close you are to the prize,  you will never stop developing this essential leadership skill.  You will be constantly seeking it, and therefore constantly obtaining incredible growth.

Seek Wisdom. Some people confuse wisdom with age.  This unfortunately is too common and incorrect. There are many who over time acquire a great deal of wisdom, but just because someone is young does not mean they are not capable of obtaining wisdom. Just because someone has lived for many years does not necessarily mean they are wise.

So where do we begin in our quest for wisdom? Well, it certainly starts with education, but that is far too limiting. Wisdom is the sum of the intelligence you gain educating yourself, the experiences of traveling, the life experiences and insight from friends, as well as the discipline and awareness gained from private reflection.

Have you ever noticed that successful leaders seem to do many things well? It is by no accident that this occurs.  Successful leaders are committed to excellence and possess a desire to be at the top of their game and make an impact in the world.  They hold themselves to a higher standard than anyone else does.  They seek self improvement.  This drive to make a difference in their lives and in others is the foundation of the wisdom I mention.

The measure of wisdom can be determined by four factors: 1) The books you read  2) The people with whom you surround yourself 3) The time you spend in contemplation  4) Your combined experiences.

1) Read great books.  Read books that will change your life.

2) Surround yourself with people who you admire, hold you to a higher standard, challenge you to become a better person, that are  steadfast in the morality and ideals.

3) Spend time each day in reflection.  This can be accomplished through journaling, contemplation, silence, or prayer.  (Not napping.) This can be a time for formulating the questions that guide us, or a quiet time to work on a virtue.

4) Continuously add new experiences to your life.  Travel. Meet new people. Take on new challenges.

Kelly is an inspirational speaker, author, and artist.

www.kellycroy.com

Click to email Kelly questions about presenting at your event!

1-800-831-4825

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker. He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

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Communication: Leadership Series Part Two of Seven

Part Two of Seven on Leadership:The Seven Commitments to Answering the Call to Lead

You are always communicating. Always!

Leadership is most often described as having the ability to influence others. It’s no surprise that most of our influence stems from how we communicate. Most problems come from poor communication, and most success from great communication.  Seize the power of praise and encouragement. Learn to say, “No.” Master how you communicate with yourself and others.

A leader is someone who says, “Follow me,” not just with their words, but with every action they take and every decision they make. Leaders are constantly communicating.

How do leaders communicate? With every step and word. They communicate with their body language, what they wear, and the activities they involve themselves with and what time they show up at the job.  Leaders communicate from the first handshake to the last pat on the back, and every email, thank-you card, and phone call in between.  Leaders are constantly communicating, even when they think they aren’t.

Fair or not, we make opinions about people the moment we see them, and the same is true of leaders.  A leader must be authentic and true to himself, but simultaneously cautious of the messages he is sending, both literally in a world of constant contact and communications, and symbolically through appearances. Communication is important.

How important is communication? Consider this, when something goes wrong and a complaint is filed within an organization or team, nine times out of ten the problem is one of communication. Furthermore, when a company or organization receives praise, the praise is better than 50% based on how well someone with that group communicated with someone outside.

Master communication and you will become a great leader.

Unfortunately, the majority of communication in our lives is complaints. A leader cannot be part of that.  I have always lived by the saying, “those who gossip with you, gossip about you.”  I make no room in my life for gossip. It’s not a part of me or my plan. Gossip is too small for me and so is complaining.  I leapfrog it and go directly to work on repairing the problem. Instead of saying, “You know what’s wrong…” work on “you know what would make it even better? Let me share my idea.”

Communication is either 95% of your problem or 95% of your success.

The one thing you must know about communication as a leader!

Many people falsely believe they can avoid a problem by not talking about it. Know this, leaders that do not communicate, create more problems than leaders that communicate poorly. You want to communicate even if the message isn’t popular, even if you know the message will not be well received.  It is your duty to communicate that message to your team and it will create more forward moving momentum than no message at all.  Why is this so? In the absence of communication, people will create their own story of why things are happening.  If your lack of communication is creating gaps, please know that people are going to fill those gaps in with whatever information they choose, and quite often it is inaccurate gossip that will be more damaging to morale and the overall vision of the team. In short, absence of communication is still communication, and it is the worst type of communication a leader can issue.

Remember, you are always communicating.

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Why ‘On My Honor…’ Still Matters: The Importance of Keeping High Standards


This week’s news of Brigham Young University’s suspension of basketball phenom, Brandon Davies has surprised and shocked the nation. Many were upset by the decision to suspend the leader of the nation’s number 3 basketball team just days before March Madness begins, but not me. I am proud of BYU’s enforcement of such high standards. I applaud their action.  It is an example that will serve us all well.

Bad behavior among athletes at both collegiate and professional levels has become accepted.  Hollywood bad boys and girls like Charlie Sheen and Lindsey Lohan dominate television, press, and the internet.  No one wants to be anyone’s role model any more. People don’t want consequences, they just want left alone. It’s a private matter. I’m not hurting anyone but myself. I’m special. I’m the exception to the rule. Move along.

I beg to differ. We have an obligation to our families, friends, colleagues, and communities to maintain high standards. We owe it to those who came before us, and to those who will follow after us. We should always give our best, live by a creed, and draw lines in the sand that we will not cross. Ever. But if we do, we need to accept the consequences and atone. It’s not easy when mainstream television reality shows sell the concept to win at any cost.

We begin with high standards but allow them to dissipate over time. With each success and failure we lose sight of the standards we hold ourselves and others to. In Scouting we recited our Oath and Motto aloud.  It was a commitment we made in front of each other verbally each week. It was stitched into our uniforms, embossed on the covers of our books, and displayed in posters on the walls of our meeting rooms. It was a regular part of our routine and life. I can still recite the Oath, Points, and Motto. More importantly, I still follow them.  I know they make a difference.

Davies’s actions, however, were not criminal and would not be seen by the majority of the country even as wrong. (He had premarital sex with his girlfriend.) Brigham Young enforced its honor code this week that forbids it. They chose not to turn a blind eye to a breach in their policy, which in this case may very well cost them placement in the NCAA Tournament.   I cannot even think of another college that would enforce this rule.  Still, it is their rule. Their incredibly high standard.

What happens when you set and keep incredibly high standards? You achieve incredible accomplishments.

Do you have an honor code? Does your family have standards? Do you know your company’s policies on misconduct? What rules have slipped into that gray area of indifference?

Renew, refresh, restore, and reinitiate your personal high standards. Surround yourself with people who hold you to a higher standard. The Marines and others known for their incredibly high standards incorporate them into their emblems and logos. They follow them, enforce them, and reward them. Do you?

I hope BYU and the hard working athletes on the team that kept to the rules do well. I hope Davies returns and becomes one of the great, memorable players of the game. I hope BYU’s high standards become the example of class for universities across the nation to follow. And I hope everyone looks at this news story as a personal opportunity to set or renew high standards for themselves.

We need to become better men and women, not lower our standards. Applaud and recognize those who maintain high standards. Call out those who do not, and ask them to renew their commitment or exit.

What an amazing example of leadership!

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker. His presentations have entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and wherever people come together to be entertained and improve their lives. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

Please visit Kelly’s website to book him  for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

info@kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825