EXECUTIVE bOOK REVIEW
Service Inside and Out
Advice for excelling at service to customers and to employees
by Christine umbrell
Senior living is a care-intensive, service-based industry, and this month’s book reviews focus on both internal and external aspects of that service. One title provides grounded, practical advice to help staff members resolve potential
problems and ensure that residents and families are getting the service they deserve. The second offers guidance for leaders and managers who wish to create an
engaging, high-performance environment for their employees.
Brand Building
Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service, Fifth Edition, by Performance Research Associates, Inc., edited by Ann Thomas and Jill
Applegate, AMACOM, October 2011
Originally published 20 years ago, Delivering Knock Your Socks
Off Service is a fast-reading, practical how-to guide geared toward
customer care specialists. Featuring real-world examples from
the service industry, this volume offers suggestions on solving
traditional customer service problems as well as issues arising
through new media such as texting, blogging, and Twitter.
Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service offers helpful advice for senior living
professionals who deal directly with residents as well as the marketing employees
who communicate with prospects and their families. The authors explore winning
customers’ trust in our current climate, taking ownership of service encounters,
delivering culturally sensitive service, and responding positively to negative customer feedback.
Engagement that Sustains
The Enemy of Engagement: Put an End to Workplace Frustration—
and Get the Most From Your Employees by Mark Royal and Tom
Agnew, AMACOM, October 2011
Targeted toward senior-level managers tasked with managing
the day-to-day activities of a group of employees, The Enemy of
Engagement explains the findings of research initially conducted
for a pharmaceutical company regarding employee motivation
and translates that research into recommendations that will be
enlightening for senior living providers.
Authors Mark Royal and Tom Agnew explore the concept of workplace frustration, defined as a highly engaged employee’s inability to succeed in a role due to
organizational barriers or the inability to bring the bulk of his or her talents, skills,
and abilities to the job. According to Royal and Agnew, optimum employee performance can only be achieved if frustration factors are minimized, allowing employees to achieve high levels of engagement. The authors explore the root causes of
particular types of employee frustrations and offer strategies for preventing and
minimizing them. ❏
What’s On Your
Nightstand?
Stephanie Handelson, Chief
Operating Officer
Benchmark Senior Living
Wellesley, Massachusetts
Top CEO consultant
and award-winning television anchor Suzanne Bates’ Speak Like a
CEO is an extremely valuable read for any
leader. What makes this book interesting
and unique is that you do not have to read
the entire book, or start from the beginning;
you can zero in on certain aspects of communication by turning directly to the chapter
of interest.
After intensive research, Bates discovered
that the number-one quality authentic leaders convey is honesty and integrity. Her book
emphasizes the essential skill of communication in any leadership role, with a strong
focus on how to develop your own authentic,
natural style.
Our industry is complex and emotional.
The decision to put a loved one in the hands
of a stranger is extremely difficult, and the
family’s communication with the executive
director and managers can leave them feeling a full range of emotions. Impressions
of integrity, trustworthiness, and sincerity
based on the interaction will be critical factors in their decision.
I have found that the secret to getting
consistent results lies in your ability to communicate authentically as a leader. Executing
on your strategies will only happen after your
team is willing to listen to your ideas, understand your vision, and trust you as a leader.
