Five Stars: The Communication Secrets to Get From Good to Great by Carmine Gallo peaked my interest because we work very hard to get 5 stars from our clients. Sometimes they even say how happy they are, but never give us a review. As a small company we rely on good reviews to build our business and attract the types of clients we want.
The book starts with talking about Alexander Hamilton. You ask Siri or Alexi, who was Alexander Hamilton? Their answer is "an American statesman and one of the Founding Father's of our country." You ask Lin-Manuel Miranda, who was Alexander Hamilton and the response is "a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot in the Caribbean by providence, impoverished, in squalor..." Miranda is of course the mastermind behind the Broadway musical Hamilton. It took him 7 years to create this Hip Hop inspired historical musical that has won numerous awards and continues to inspire those who dare to dream big.
Gallo states that "Mastering the art of persuasion- combining words and ideas to move people to action is no longer a soft skill. It is the fundamental skill to get from good to great in the age of ideas." The book is divided into 3 parts: 1) Why great communicators are irreplaceable 2)Who's earned 5 stars 3) How to get from good to great.
Communication is more important than you think. "There are no bad teams, only bad leaders. Leadership is the single greatest factor in any teams performance." Gallo goes into stories of hell week and the Navy Seals to illustrate this point. Studies have shown that in the hospitality industry emotional resonance is the most important factor to stand out. The five star hotels are different. They push boundaries and make connections with their guests. Employees are taught: 1) Get the customer's name right. 2)Beat the Greet. They need to be the first to interact. 3)Anticipate needs. 4) Daily storytelling. This are stories that showcase helping guests that go above and beyond. At this point, I think of Disney. If you have ever been to Disneyworld you see the outstanding customer service and attention to detail. This is a company that works hard to impress guests and over delivers on communication. Richard Branson says " I believe communication is the most important skill any entrepreneur can possess. Communication makes the world go round. It facilitates human connections, and allows us to learn, grow, and progress. UCLA developed a program that is called CICARE. It is one of the most effective communication techniques ever devised to train employees. C -Connect. Make a great 1st impression. I -Introduce yourself. C -Communicate. Explain what you are going to do. A -Ask questions. May I come in? R -Respond to a person's needs or requests. E -End with excellence. Communicate the next steps and set up the next meeting.
The next section of the book is who has earned 5 stars. Here we learn more about Steve Jobs and Apple, the history of Nike, Google, McKinsey, and others. We then learn about TED Talks. Chris Anderson is TED Talks owner and states "As a leader, or an advocate- public speaking is the key to unlocking empathy, stirring excitement, sharing knowledge and insights, and promoting a shared dream." TED speakers who make memorable connections follow basic guidelines to deliver their message. They 1) Replace bullet points with pictures. 2)Make the audience laugh 3)Share personal stories 4)Make presentations easy to follow. 5) Promise your audience that they will learn something new. TED talks are viewed more that three million times a day!
Getting from good to great seems like a big hurdle but Gallo states that you want to tell 3 types of stories to move people to action. Stories about personal experiences, stories about real customers or clients, and stories about signature events in the history of the brand or company. Neuroscientists who study first impressions say we form first impressions quickly, in as little as 5-15 seconds. Some of the greatest speeches in history were short. For example Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address was 2 minutes long and Martin Luther King's I have a dream speech was 17 minutes. Keep presentations short and stay with simple and direct sentences. Another idea that Gallo includes is that good ideas come from being in an unfamiliar place or on vacation. This is true for Lin-Manuel Miranda when he came up with Hamilton. He was on vacation in Mexico. Putting yourself in another environment can radically change your source of creativity. Gallo also states that we need to continue to read. "Reading books will keep your mind young and your communication skills sharp." The greatest and most successful entrepreneurs read every day. I liked this book and it had some good points about how important public speaking is and how to give a great presentation. It gave me good ideas to improve communication to our clients and in our company. Great communicators are made, not born. It takes reading, learning, and repetition to inspire your ideas and live a meaningful life. The five stars will come after that.
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