Page 33 - The Voice of Authority

charges are in line with our previously stated expectations
for the quarter, we met those expectations with a lower tax
rate for the quarter.” He never used the word losses. Sinis-
ter spinning becomes habit-forming, I suppose, consider-
ing Mr. Kozlowski’s later prison sentence.
Your challenge as a communicator is to regain trust in
a culture “spinning” out of control.

The Causes

Customer Promises and “All Best Wishes”

I walked into my neighborhood sports shop a few months
back to buy some jogging shorts. I knew what I wanted—
but not where to locate the item. The first clerk greeted me
robotically as I entered his department. “May I help you?”
I told him what I wanted. “That’s not our department. Try
across the aisle.” He pointed.
I walked across the aisle. After a moment, I walked back
into his department. “It seems there’s no one in that de-
partment. Could you help me locate those running
shorts?”
He sighed and followed me across the aisle. “I don’t
work over here. Let me find someone.”
He brought a manager in tow. “Yes?” she said, “May I
help you?”
I told her the type and style number of the shorts I
wanted.
“All we have are over there on that rack.”
She turned back to her inventory counting. I gave it a
cursory look, walked out, and went home to order on the
Internet from a different company.
“May I help you?” has become an insincere offer in far
too many organizations. Customers smell it.

Is It Correct? 21