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WE FIRE GRUMPY PEOPLE!
 Happy holidays and happy New Year everyone!
As we move into a season of joy and New Year’s resolutions to become nicer and happier, I thought it might be helpful to share with you some of my personal strategies. I know how difficult it is to keep myself on track, so I do all I can to avoid getting off track. What usually gets me off track are mean, grumpy people.
Some companies fire people. In my companies, we call it NEXT-ing. We believe in unconditional love, but we do not believe in unconditional employment.
“So you don’t want to play with us? NEXT!”
Years ago we had a woman working for us who seemed as though she’d been weaned on a pickle. You know the type: sour, bitter, mean—the type of person who quit your company two years ago but hasn’t left yet. I used to think it was my job as a business owner and leader to fix and change my people. I have since learned that in business, and in personal relationships, it is not my job to fix and change others. But back then I thought it was, so I plotted and pleaded and begged and schemed to fix this bitter woman. Five years later, she was still the same. What did I finally do? I fired her. Yep, I finally did it. I NEXT-ed her.
Within two months of me firing this sour lady, three phenomenal, talented, hardworking, passionate individuals came knocking on my door, looking for a job. My response to them was almost, “Where were you three years ago?” But you see, I had not built an environment that would attract talented, hardworking, passionate people. I had built an environment where a mean, nasty, bitter woman could stay employed for five years. Let me ask you something: Was I really doing that nasty woman a favor by allowing her to stay in my company? No way. And the minute I NEXT-ed her, we were able to attract wonderful people.
This month’s newsletter features some great tips for building a lifestyle and culture that acknowledge, support, appreciate, develop, and retain positive, wonderful employees. Build it and they will come!
Thanks for helping me live my fantasy of spreading this BE NICE message and giving nice people a voice.
XOXO, Winn
A BE NICE Story
Do you have a BE NICE story to share? Send it to editor@BeNiceOrElse.com. If it appears in the newsletter, you’ll receive a BE NICE T-shirt and CD!
The BE NICE movement is spreading fast. The following letter shows that one person really can make a difference.
Hello Winn,
 While attending school, I am employed at a Sprint retail store. The customer satisfaction scores for our store had gone down significantly, resulting in a disappointed and upset store and district manager. I thought our upcoming meeting about customer satisfaction would be the perfect opportunity to bring a little of the Be Nice culture into my store. I met with the store manager and explained to her a little about how things work at my school, where the Be Nice culture is practiced every day. She was very agreeable to me taking over the meeting to help bring a little taste of what I get at school into the lives of my store-mates. Within a week, there was a slight shift in the store attitude as a whole, and almost everyone at the store asked where they could get a copy of the book. They all wanted to read it! Since the Be Nice mini class, our customer satisfaction scores have continued to rise. In October we hit an unprecedented 93%! I have also implemented a “caught ya” board in the store, and it’s already a big hit.
A few weeks ago, the new acting CEO of Sprint sent out a companywide e-mail detailing his plan to make some changes. One of the biggest things he wanted to concentrate on was our current customers. He also said he welcomed any suggestions from the employees. I took it upon myself to write him a letter about the Be Nice culture, and I sent him a copy of Be Nice (Or Else!). The next day, I received a very pleasant phone call from the acting CEO himself. He said the ideas were great and he couldn’t wait to read the book, but he wanted to call me right away and thank me.
Thank you so much for giving me the tools and the confidence to get out in the world and try to make a difference.
Warmly,
Katherine Crowley
 Bonus Video: Johnny the Bagger
CLICK HERE for a heartwarming video by Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz. “The Simple Truths of Service: Inspired by Johnny the Bagger” shows how even the simplest kindness can make a real difference.
BE NICE News
Hairdressers Unlocking Hope Brings Families Home for the Holidays
Lacombe, Louisiana—On Sunday, November 4, ten families who lost their homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina received the best holiday gift ever: keys to their brand-new houses. After a year of energy, passion, and commitment, the Hairdressers Unlocking Hope campaign, spearheaded by hair fashion pioneer Vidal Sassoon and behindthechair.com founder Mary Rector Gable, raised over $2 million to build more than 20 homes for Katrina victims.
Future Professionals and staff from Paul Mitchell Schools adopted the campaign as one of three organizations benefiting from their annual fundraising drive. The schools raised enough money to build two homes in St. Tammany Parish, at a cost of $85,000 apiece.
In October, two teams from Paul Mitchell Schools traveled to Louisiana to take part in the build and dedication ceremony. Team members included 20–30 Future Professionals from the Vanguard College – Paul Mitchell Partner Schools in Slidell and Baton Rouge, plus school owners, staff members, and graduates from schools across the country.
 Anjanay Lindsey and her children Marcel and Joshlyn will be moving into one of the Paul Mitchell School homes. They lost their house the day Katrina struck and spent more than two years living with friends and relatives, and in hotels and trailers. ”When the hurricane hit,” Anjanay remembers, “a tree fell on our house and it filled with eight feet of water. We moved into a trailer and it was so cold. My daughter is blind—it was such a hard winter. But this house is beautiful! My daughter is going to love it!”
School owner Tina Black said, “When the tragedy happened in Louisiana last year I felt helpless. When I walked into that subdivision and saw 18 homes built, one of which Paul Mitchell Schools were responsible for, I was full of incredible happiness.”
Monthly Audio Message
Paul DiGrigoli
 With more than two decades of experience as a business leader and educator in the cosmetology industry, Paul DiGrigoli (www.digrigoli.com) is a highly skilled and innovative entrepreneur. A visionary whose passion and persistence have helped him achieve significant goals, Paul is the owner and president of DiGrigoli Salons, Inc., DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology, and DiGrigoli Academy.
Paul has translated his wealth of business knowledge into a series of seminars and training workshops on topics such as building a giant clientele, attracting and retaining motivated staff, and marketing smart in a competitive economy. His articles on education and business leadership have been published in Salon Today, American Salon, and Modern Salon magazines.
Paul’s passion for education is evidenced by his willingness to donate his time to speak at area schools and colleges to help ignite the entrepreneurial spirit in future business professionals. He is an active Advisory Board member at Springfield Technical Community College, the University of Massachusetts, and Bay Path College.
 CLICK HERE to listen to Paul’s success tips on “How to Have Your Best Year Ever.” Learn how to prevent burnout; how to have more effective staff meetings and communication; and the value of becoming a leader, coach, and servant rather than a “boss.”
If you enjoyed this month’s audio message, you’ll love our MASTERS Audio Club. CLICK HERE for more information.
People Profile
Tina Black
 Tina Black quickly rose through the ranks of her profession. She graduated from cosmetology school in 2001 and immediately purchased her own salon. In six short years, she became a partner in a second salon, director of a Paul Mitchell corporate school, and owner of a Paul Mitchell Partner School. A brilliant motivational speaker, this dynamic woman has a well-earned reputation as a take-charge person who gets things done and makes things happen. And she does it all while being nice.
When Tina bought her salon in 2001, the previous owner remained on staff. Unfortunately, she did some “not so nice things” and Tina had to fire her. The previous owner then opened her own salon just a mile away and hired most of Tina’s staff.
Not long ago, the woman’s new salon was destroyed by flooding from a storm. Tina opened her heart and the doors of her school to the owner and her staff, allowing them to use her school as their place of operation while the salon was repaired. Tina viewed it as a win-win situation. Her students had the opportunity to see great stylists in action, and the salon team had the chance to be part of a Be Nice culture for a while.
Tina says, “I once heard Winn Claybaugh say that it takes one person to fix a relationship: Me! That message stuck with me, and I have been speaking about it to my stylists and schools since that day.”
Corporate Corner
By David Wagner
Author of My Life as a Daymaker
www.daymakermovement.org
 During an interview for a small business segment on National Public Radio, I was once asked, “What do you do when people are late for work or just don’t fit your culture?” Without hesitation, I replied, “We fire grumpy people!”
The interviewer seemed somewhat startled that the founder of the Daymaker movement was willing to fire someone. After all, being a Daymaker is about changing the world by making someone’s day. But you truly can be a Daymaker, even if you have to fire someone. In an organization of 400 people, if we fire one person for not being a Daymaker, we’ve just made 399 other people’s day.
Since the three core values of our $30 million company are creativity, love, and passion, if we have to fire someone we do it with love. Long before the situation becomes drastic, we sit down with the person to talk about why they’re grumpy or why their work habits need to improve. If they choose not to improve, getting fired is their choice, not ours.
Some people are highly talented but lack passion for their work. When you’re talented and don’t have passion, that’s called a job. When you’re passionate but not talented, that’s a hobby. When you’re both talented and passionate about the work you do, that’s a calling. We try to hire people who see their work as a calling, and if it occasionally becomes necessary to fire someone, they’re usually not surprised. It’s amazing how many thank you notes we get from people we’ve counseled out of a position. For those people, it’s like independence day. So go ahead and fire grumpy people, but do it the Daymaker way: with lots of love and understanding.
Do Something!
Support The Troops
Due to concerns about military safety and security, the U.S. Postal Service no longer accepts letters, postcards, or packages addressed to “Any Service Member,” “Any Wounded Soldier,” or “A Recovering Soldier.” Fortunately, you can still support the troops during the holidays, as long as the mail is addressed directly to a service member or goes through authorized channels.
After the September 11 tragedy, Christine Del Vecchio, owner of All American Screen Printing and Embroidery in Sterling Heights, Michigan, wanted to honor the troops serving overseas. She printed and sold several thousand “I love New York” T-shirts, donating the $120,000 proceeds to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. She then made 300 patriotic T-shirts and delivered them to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, where they were distributed to service men and women. Soon after, she created a field trip program for local schools and scout troops. After touring her facility and seeing the production of T-shirts designed especially for their group, each child is invited to write a colorful card or letter. “We have the field trips throughout the year,” Christine explains. “They’re rewarded with printing their own shirts but the purpose for having them here is to pay tribute to the men and women in the service.”
Each letter goes into a gift package for a deployed service member, along with a patriotic T-shirt from All American. Christine has no idea how many care packages she has sent. “We stopped counting at 25,000, about three years ago,” she says.
 Jessica Winowski visited All American Screen Printing with her Girl Scout troop several years ago. When her 15-year-old sister received an English assignment to “pay it forward” by helping the organization of her choice, Jessica remembered All American. “Jessica contacted me at the perfect time because a soldier had just sent me a letter wanting to boost the morale of 500 soldiers with him,” Christine says.
“When my sister said they wanted her to get 500 letters, I told her I could get at least 150 through my school, Paul Mitchell The School – Sterling Heights,” Jessica says. She e-mailed all of the Paul Mitchell Schools and quickly received over 900 letters. “They came in from all over the country,” Jessica says. “It was very touching and made me realize how many people care about our troops.”
Here are five easy ways you can support the troops:
- Visit “America Supports You” and donate to one of the more than 300 nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping U.S. troops and their families. Sponsored by the Department of Defense, this Web site includes tips for sending messages, care packages, and much more. www.americasupportsyou.mil
- See the U.S. Postal Service Web site for their list of ways to support the troops. www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/otherways.htm
- Donate a USO care package. www.usocares.org
- Contact your local military base, National Guard, or military reserve unit to find out how you can support your local military men and women.
- Send holiday cards (no packages) to wounded service personnel at military hospitals around the country. Red Cross volunteers receive and bundle the cards, which are shipped by Pitney Bowes Government Solutions. Red Cross volunteers at the medical facilities distribute the cards throughout the holiday season. Cards must be received by December 27 and must contain adequate postage. Address your holiday cards to:
We Support You During Your Recovery!
c/o American Red Cross
P. O. Box 419
Savage, MD 20763-0419
BE NICE Holiday Special
The holiday season is the perfect time to share a little Be Nice (Or Else!) with family, friends, and staff!
E-mail Special: ONLY AVAILABLE HERE!
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Ben Franklin Awards - 2005
Best New Voice (Non-Fiction)
Now In Its Third Printing!
or CALL 800-459-4007 for 4 or more
"Winn Claybaugh is a remarkable guy and one of the best motivational speakers in the country. In this terrific work, he brings the reader easy-to-use concepts that could bring interesting rewards. So, follow carefully Winn’s adept advice. Use the book in your daily life and you’ll find life just keeps on getting better. You better do this or I’ll kill you."
— Larry King
"I thoroughly enjoyed it. What a brilliant approach to this topic: multilayered and excellent take-home value. As a consumer of this topic, I learned a lot. I think this book is so right on target—and I’m not just being nice!"
— Leeza Gibbons
TV and Radio Personality
Founder of the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation
"I’m certainly someone who believes in the importance of being nice. Winn’s book Be Nice (Or Else!) brilliantly addresses both personal and work issues, with a special sensitivity toward women’s concerns. I highly recommend it to anyone who’d like to make this world a little nicer."
— Marie Osmond
"Full of accessible and down-to-earth advice, Be Nice (Or Else!) could well be the instruction manual for the growing kindness movement."
— Catherine Ryan Hyde
Author of Pay It Forward and Walter’s Purple Heart
President of the Pay It Forward Foundation
"Be Nice (Or Else!) brought a smile to my face and more happiness to my day. I highly recommend it!"
— Marianne Williamson
Author, A Return to Love and The Gift of Change
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Making your list and checking it twice?
Give Be Nice (Or Else!) to the naughty and the nice! Help spread the BE NICE message this holiday season and give everyone on your team the gift of nice!
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Quote of the Month
“Tolerating a problem employee is like walking around with a sliver in your foot—highly irritating, but you can kind of get used to it. Then, when you finally pull it out, you can’t believe the relief!”
— Business Coach Anne Alexander
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