New Workshop: How to Think Like a Futurist

Date: Tuesday, June 23rd

Time: 8am-10am

Location: sparkspace in the Arena District

Cost: FREE, but registration is required

REGISTER ONLINE

"Chance favors the prepared mind." -- Louis Pasteur

So, how do we prepare our minds?

We are all born with the ability to imagine the future, to think about "what's next." But futurists have especially well-honed abilities to see and imagine possibilities.

The more possibilities we can see, the more paths we have to choose from. Wouldn't you like to have more choices in life and in business?

This workshop is not about specific techniques used by futurists, but will be a series of everyday exercises you can use to develop the habits of a mind of a futurist.

Who should attend:

• CEOs and other leaders who set the vision for their companies and organizations.
• Anyone involved in strategic planning or visioning
• Entrepreneurs and innovators

What will you get out of this workshop?

• You'll learn basic exercises and habits of mind for developing your "future sense," your ability to think ahead and imagine possibilities.
• You'll network with other thought leaders & innovators.
• You'll experience a fresh look at the future, YOUR future.

About the presenter:

David J. Staley, PhD, is Principal of The DStaley Group.

He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor of History and Director of the Harvey Goldberg Center for Excellence in Teaching at the Ohio State University. Prior to coming to Ohio State, Staley was a professor of history at Heidelberg University and at Marietta College. In addition to numerous publications on futuring, he has written two books, History and Future: Using Historical Thinking to Imagine the Future (Lexington Books, 2007); and Computers, Visualization, and History: How New Technologies Will Transform Our Understanding of the Past. (Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 2003). A creative and "outside of the box" thinker, Staley is also an encyclopedist, artist, and curator. In addition to his work with The DStaley Group, he is a principal with Futuring Associates, and is president of Columbus Futurists, the local chapter of the World Future Society.

A Dynamic Duo of Workshops!

sparkspace announces a dynamic duo of workshops that will renew your hope in the future and supercharge your service to the world. Both sessions are full of practical ideas and hand-on activities, and combined they become extremely powerful. That's why we're offering these workshops at $40 each or only $60 for both. (typically each $125pp).

These workshops are on Saturdays so you can easily work them into your schedule without missing work.

Creating a Positive Charge
Date: THIS SATURDAY, May 30th
Time: 10am-Noon
Location: sparkspace in the Arena District
Cost: $40pp

Spend 2 hours with us and get your business and your life back on track by shedding the fear, pride, and preconceptions that are holding you back from the future you really want. You'll learn just how powerful you can be and exactly what you will gain by discharging the negative mojo and creating a positive charge in your life. Read the Full Description

Register Online


The Five Sparks of Super Service
Date: Saturday, June 27th
Time: 10am-Noon
Location: sparkspace in the Arena District
Cost: $40pp

Learn the five "sparks" that we employ at sparkspace that will help you, your team, and your entire organization S-E-R-V-E your customers in a truly world-class fashion (the acronym holds the secrets: 5 letters, 5 sparks). Read the Full Description

Register Online

Massage Your Customers!

Can I brag about my massage therapist for a minute?

I get a massage every month. Now before you start thinking I'm some sort of spoiled rotten fruitcake who frivolously spends his money on spa treatments, just listen for a minute.

Natalie, the owner of Relaxation Station, is hands down the best massage therapist in America, maybe even on the whole planet (I haven't had massages on every continent, so I can't make that claim...yet. Although, I'm pretty sure it's true).

I used to think massages were a fun, relaxing thing to do on vacation or a special occasion. Then I lucked out and found Natalie. She convinced me to come back a few months in a row just to see how I felt. Needless to say, I felt great. I've been going once a month now for about two years. Along with eating right and exercising, I consider massage an integral part of my wellness efforts.

But Natalie does more than work the kinks out of my muscles, she also massages me in four very powerful ways that keep me coming back as a customer:

1. She always asks me if I'm having any trouble spots. If I am, she focuses on those areas without neglecting everything else. In other words, she listens to me.

2. She knows what works for me because she's paid attention in the past. She knows how much pressure to use, where my typical problem areas are, and how much (or little) I like to chat during a session.

3. She gives me more than I pay for. I lose total track of time during a massage, but when I put my watch back on I notice that she has often given me more time than I scheduled. She doesn't give me 2 hours for the price of one, she simply goes a little past the time I've paid for. I once asked her why she did that and she said she was just giving me what I needed. Hmmm, she worries about what I need instead watching the clock. That's pretty rare.

4. She's very humble. In fact, she's almost too humble. I have to fight her to give her a tip. She acts like refusing my tip is a reward for being such a loyal client, but I think it's pure humility. She has charged me what she feels is fair for her service and she doesn't believe I should pay her more. That's an old school service attitude. It's refreshing to run across somebody like that. I still tip her whenever she'll let me.

By the way, she's so humble that she'll likely kill me for writing an article about her. She could do it, too. She's strong.

Do you want more repeat business? Start massaging your customers! And if you really want to take it to the next level, you could hire Natalie to massage them for you (she'll travel)!

Don't Miss The Easy Opportunities!

This is a short article, but it may just be the most important one I've ever written.

My kids and I recently stopped at a donut shop on our way to church. We stepped up to the counter and placed our order. As I reached for my wallet, I discovered it wasn't there. If you've ever done that, you know how I felt. Now multiply that feeling times ten for the "I'm sorry kids you, can't have your donuts because dad was a bonehead" factor.

I sheepishly told the cashier (a manager, no less) that I had left my wallet at home. His response? "Oh, I've done that, too." I thought for a second that my newfound kindred spirit might pull through for me. Nope. Wishful thinking.

"I'm sorry, we'll have to come back."

"Well, you could order for the kids, run home, and come back."

"That won't work. We live 20 minutes away."

"Oh, ok."

Forget for a minute that this guy just asked me to leave my kids unattended at a donut shop. What really amazed me was that he completely failed to capture a customer for life for the cost of a double chocolate donut.

What would I have done? I would have sprung for the breakfast in a heartbeat. It would have cost less than ten bucks. Where I come from, that's pretty cheap karma.

Opportunity doesn't always knock. Sometimes it loses its wallet. Don't ever miss an easy opportunity like this.

What Hat are You Wearing?

Today started out kind of sad (great way to start an article, huh?). You see, I hauled our swing set to the dump this morning. It was the final step in a multi-day process of taking apart the swing set my kids have played on since birth.

Every kid in our neighborhood had jumped from its swings, traversed its monkey bars, and hung out in its little treehouse fort. Our dogs had even climbed up the slide (with a little help from the kids) only to wonder just how the heck they were going to get down. I think I actually heard my dogs whisper a human swear word as they stood at the top of that short, but terrifying yellow slide.

The act of dis-assembling the structure was easy. Dealing with the transition that it represents has been a little more difficult. My kids are only 7 & 9, but without the swing set to keep them here, I fear they'll be leaving for college any day now.

As I drove to the dump I was also driving down memory lane, revisiting the many hours the kids spent playing and laughing -- and occasionally fighting -- on what was now just a pile of junk in the back of my van.

Then I pulled up to the cashier's window at the dump and I couldn't help but smile. At the window was a very rough-looking landfill worker, complete with leathery skin and a very long, scraggly, ZZ Top kind of beard. I'd be willing to bet this guy has a Harley Davidson tattoo somewhere on his body.

He also had a fuzzy squirrel hat on. Not a real squirrel, a stuffed animal squirrel. The kind of hat you might buy at the souvenir shop at the zoo. He also had a personality that matched his hat: fun, friendly, and a little spunky.

He works at the dump. He deals with trash collectors, truck drivers, and tired, dirty people all day long. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this isn't the most desirable job in the world. But, you'd never know it by interacting with this guy.

As I drove away, I kept smiling about that hat. Who does that? What kind of person wears a silly hat to greet some of the most gruff, irritable people you can imagine?

Somebody who knows they make a difference.

Squirrel hat guy made my sad little trip a completely different experience. I'm sure he changes the mood of many people throughout the day. In fact, the regular trash haulers probably look forward to pulling up to that window.

So, what kind of hat are you wearing? No, you don't have to wear Mickey Mouse ears to make a difference. In case you haven't picked up on it yet, it's the attitude that makes the difference not the headwear. But, hey, if wearing a conehead or a princess crown helps you express a fun, friendly attitude, go for it!

You have the ability to make a difference every day. Sometimes the difference is blatantly obvious, like my huge smile as I saw the man in the funny hat. Sometimes it's more subtle, like the feeling a genuine compliment or sincere thanks to a customer or teammate leaves behind.

Consider this: your customers NEED you to make a difference right now. Forget for a moment that you'll probably build more loyalty, sell more stuff, and make more money. When you make a difference, even a small one, in somebody's day-to-day life, you've changed the world a little bit for the better. I can't think of a time in recent history when we've needed that attitude more than right now.

Your assignment: make a difference the very next chance you get. It might be two minutes from now or later this evening, but you'll have at least one chance to make someone's day by the end of the day. Take that chance! Then do it again tomorrow.