“Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success.” Dale Carnegie
This past Saturday I had the pleasure and the privilege of meeting Jack Mitchell, someone who is the embodiment of flaming enthusiasm, common sense (a much nicer term than horse sense) and persistence! Jack is the CEO of Mitchells, Richards, and Marshs, three of the most successful men’s and women’s clothing stores in the world, and the author of “Hug your Customers” and “Hug Your People.”
Jack’s greeting on meeting me was warm and sincere and made me feel that I was a long-time friend that he just hadn’t met before. He very briefly explained their philosophy and invited me to walk around the magnificent Richards store (in Greenwich, Conneticut) and chat freely to his “associates.” I did, and there wasn’t one who wasn’t cheerful, engaged and absolutely committed to their life at Richards.
I chatted to around a dozen or so and every single one said that they enjoyed being there because it was fun and like being part of one big, happy, harmonious family. When I challenged one, a charming lady called Nadia, and said there must be days when she doesn’t enjoy coming to work, she admitted that there had been an occasion recently when she hadn’t, but that was only because “there had been a bad accident on the freeway and it had taken her three and a half hours to get in.” Other than that she couldn’t recall a single instance in 9 years!
Wow! This is the truly an organisaton of the “FAT People” I described in my book, people for whom, in Jack’s words, “work will never, ever seem like work again.” It epitomises everything that the Zealise approach is endeavouring to facilitate and make universal. I recommend Jack’s books as compulsory reading for anyone looking to build and sustain success.
Henry Ford said, “The only foundation of real business is service.” I don’t know whether Jack Mitchell is familiar with that quote, but his business sure lives it. The customer service I witnessed was an experience unlike anything I have ever seen, and it appeared to more like an all day open-house drop-in-when-you-can social occasion. Even more, though it showed that success is rooted in “flaming enthusiasm” and in something that he does say: “You can’t do it alone.”