The following contains excerpts from the book, The People Principle (Jess Spiller).
At our music school in Odessa, Texas we believe that music is more than sound, it is relationships. At the core of understanding relationships is the foundational awareness of interaction with people through Leadership skills.
Jess Spiller was the founder of T.C.A. Companies, which raises Belted Galloway cattle, and he was the Vice President of Store Operations for the Kroger Company. The main thesis of his book is centered on the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Lk. 6:31), and “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:25)
The principles he set out in the book were given by way of a parable. Robert, the cynical employee is taken on a journey back in time where things are simpler, guided by Bob the Magnificent. They go into numerous retail establishments and encounter various ‘customer experiences’ and afterwards discuss what happened, good or bad, with each other. From these experiences, Bob shares wisdom about the value of customer service with Robert. Robert eventually comes around to embrace the lessons given by Bob.
The author encourages the reader to “relate to your customers just as people, without putting labels on them, and, for the time being, not worrying about where the business is headed and where it will end up.”
The author contrasts Capitalism and Communism, “In the communist system service in every aspect of the trade- I can’t call it retail trade, but the trade- is terrible. Why? Because that counter person is not going to be fired. Even if they wish they were. No, they’re going to keep that job for life…It’s not hard to figure out that this negligence of the human instinct to excel is taken away from them. Life will remain the same no matter what kind of service they render to the public.”
“Good customer service is a way of life that improves quality of life, for the customer, and for you.”
Following are the key points of the book:
- People thrive or die on service given or received. It is not a theory that people want to learn but they can do so by broadening their minds.
- Service is the antithesis or servitude, and service is positive while servitude is negative. Attitude determines whether you enjoy or disdain life.
- Service is natural. By nature one wants to serve and be served and by so doing promotes self-worth and appreciation in others.
- Creativity and flexibility are necessities in determining the level and intensity of service given and received.
- Without a doubt, service for service’s sake promotes feelings and emotions in people that are both needed and desired.
“In the final analysis, service is part of an organization’s culture. It works to the advantage of a company or organization whenever everyone truly dedicates themselves to superior service. Any organization- whether it be business, fraternal, school, religious or anything else- that achieves a natural service culture will thrive and grow, as will the individuals who comprise the organization. The benefits that will accrue to such organizations and to such people should by now be evident.”
We help students in our music school in Odessa, Texas aspire to a servant-mentality in how they approach using their talents and art to better their communities.
“You could say that service is like planting seeds in a garden. It will grow good things that will beget more good things and everyone will share in the bounty.”
“The People Principle states that people want to learn. Even those who think they know it all. People learn by opening their minds, observing and modeling their beliefs and strategies…The People Principle deals with service not servitude. There is a world of difference between serving willingly because you want to do a good job and servitude, which is the service you are forced to give, or give only to receive a salary…The People Principle teaches that service is natural. By nature people want to serve and be served…Think of the good feeling you get when you deliver something valuable to someone, or something even not valuable but desirable…it could be anything worthwhile.”
We hope to help students in our music school in Odessa, Texas discover their unique strengths and apply them in making other people’s lives more beautiful.
“Remember that people perceive your attitude before you speak a word. And when you do speak, you only have five seconds to make a good impression. Creativity and flexibility. Here is where we have to think a little deeper than usual…Service for service’s sake. Here we have learned that everyone is better served when service is given for its own sake rather than because it was demanded or required.”
“Detachment and compassion is probably the toughest part of the People Principle to deal with because it involves dealing with difficult people…Here’s the positive way to look at it: if you can deal with this person, then without a doubt you can deal with anybody.”
“We also learned about service as an invaluable and unmistakable facet of an organization’s culture…The guiding principle here is that while the customer is not always right, the idea that he is the customer and vital to our success is indispensable.”
“Abundance and the impact of service. This is an important part of the People Principle that the service we give to every entity either enhances or destroys both giver and receiver. The service rendered either good or bad will have an effect on the giver and receiver but mostly on the giver. Plant good seeds and your garden will grow and you will reap the benefits.”
“Every action creates an ever increasing reaction.”
The author suggests the following daily ‘People Principle’ activities:
- Start every day with at least 5 minutes of quiet time to reflect and make a plan to cause every person you come in contact with to have a better day because of that contact. (Stand alone in front of a mirror and ask yourself, ‘Would I like communicating with me today?’)
- Always look for good things. We get what we expect of people, so expect good. It’s the self-fulfilling prophesy ‘We attract to us what we expect.’
- Perception is everything. If people perceive you to be interested in them, to them you are! If people perceive you are self-interested, to them you are! It is far better to give too much service than too little!
- Attitude, attitude, attitude like location, location, location in real estate is your personal motivator! Take ownership of the services, products and personal interactions you deliver in every encounter.
At our music school in Odessa, Texas we value each student and believe whole-heartedly in their unique potential. Our attitude is that they have a wide and bright future ahead of them, and we want them to feel empowered to pursue a myriad of possibilities.
- Creativity and flexibility are the structure of good interpersonal interactions! At every lunch break, pause and review how you have impacted those with whom you have interacted so far today.
- Time, use it wisely! We all have the same amount of time; how we use it makes the difference. We always find time to do the things we truly want to do.
One of the greatest benefits we can give students in our music school in Odessa, Texas is helping them strategize their use of quality time in preparation for events. Strategic thinking about how to pace their use of time, through daily practice and patience when mastering their skill, also has life-application in many other ways.
- Our actions, the things we do for and to others expecting nothing in return, always come back to us at a minimum of sevenfold.
- Know that you can never give too much good service and any bad service is always too much.
- ‘Self Talk’ is a powerful personal motivator. Make sure your self talk is positive and use it regularly and often.
- Plan you actions. Schedule time at the end of each day and review how your impact on other people affected their and your feeling of self-worth. Looking in your personal mirror again, ask yourself ‘Would I have enjoyed meeting me today? And plan tomorrow’s activity.
Ultimately, music is about relationships with others, and we endeavor to instill into the hearts and minds of the students in our music school in Odessa, Texas the value of serving others in our communities by enriching their perception of beauty and well-being through the relationships that are best fostered through the arts.