(Ermelito Limsipson – Perugia, Italy) It was around 1 o’clock in the morning when I checked my email and got a message from my bestfriend yesterday. She was asking me to make her a privilege card for her small business, which will be opened next week in the Philippines. Few minutes after reading her message, I just found myself creating 4 kinds of privilege cards for her to choose from. She was very happy when she received my ideas for the cards.
On the Stand
(J.M. – Indiana, USA) Last week, I rolled The Company Cube and it read: ‘Competitors Can Be Friends Too!’ It just so happened that I was testifying that day in a court of law as an expert witness, and the attorney on the opposing side who was going to cross examine my testimony was a very difficult person to like. Over the last several years, he had been exceptionally confrontational on a particular situation, taking every opportunity to make it difficult to like him – personal assaults on character, misrepresenting data, filing claims that had not basis in fact, etc.
So, how do you think ‘Competitors Can Be Friends Too!’ ? All that I could think of was simply – Tell the truth no matter what or how the question is asked, and don’t get upset with his methods. In the end, the cross examination went well, and my portion ended without any incident or confrontation on the witness stand. I realized when it was over that I had given exceptionally good answers to his questions, which were difficult, and that he had made me be a better witness because of his intense scrutiny. So, thank you ‘competitor’ for making me a better professional!
Changing My Attitude
(J.J. – Indianapolis, USA) This week one of my clients asked if I could be on a phone call with a salesperson who was selling a service that I was also suggesting to the client that I could provide. I said OK because I knew my client was a little confused and really just wanted all the facts.
The day before, she called to tell me she wasn’t going to make it, could I just be on the call? I thought – well this salesperson may not be so friendly since we’re both trying to do the same thing. That morning I rolled the cube and got ‘Competitors Can be Friends Too!’
I went into the phone call with a better attitude and the man was very nice, also providing some info that also helped me explain everything to the client.
More than a Book
(from Texas, USA) Yesterday morning the cube said, “Be the first to help others.” I was at an event, selling my children’s books. A hearing-impaired boy and his dad stopped at my table. He wanted books, but his dad had no money on him. I gave him one of my “free gifts”–a bag with a package of animal crackers and a bottle of bubbles–and they moved on. But then, I heard that “little voice.” When I handed him a book, his dad said, “You’d better give her a hug.” That made my day. The next thing his dad said was, “That worked out well, because it’s his birthday.” For me, that reciprocated more than I had given. I’m so glad that I didn’t miss the opportunity to give him a true gift, one that asks for nothing in return.
