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Gift Giving & Receiving · Business Roundtable

0:01
Well, welcome back. We're here at the Business Roundtable podcast tonight. We're
0:05
in December. My name is David Carr of Stewart Your Business, one of
0:09
the hosts here. My focus in Stuart Your Business is really organizational health,
0:14
helping team leaders know themselves to lead themselves in their teams and our organizational health.
0:20
We have Charlie Chen with us tonight. Charlie and introduce yourself to the
0:24
audience. Absolutely, thank you so much for having me back. David.
0:27
I'm surprised you haven't kicked me off this podcast yet. So yeah. So
0:33
my name is Charlie Chen, almost like the detective Charlie chan Off by one
0:37
letter for those older folks who know who that is. Anyhow, Hey,
0:43
I am the shadow of security specialists of the group here, and our focus
0:51
and tell us is to deliver a peace of mind with the world class hospitality
0:58
that you would you would expect from you know, companies like Ritz, Carlton,
1:03
et cetera, et cetera. So that basically we want to deliver that
1:07
world class client experience in the technology field so that you can actually sleep at
1:15
night and feel good about reaching out to us rather than worried about getting yelled
1:21
at by by some rude I t guy. So there we go. Awesome
1:25
and Bill, welcome, Hi, thank you. I'm glad to be here.
1:30
I am what I call a leadership guide. I am. I've been
1:34
working one to one well shoot for the last dozen or so years with people,
1:42
and I've been working in leadership for the past thirty years. But I'm
1:49
working right now on on the book and going to be launching a Mastermind here
1:56
in the new year, and and we're we'll be talking about ethical leadership and
2:01
helping each other work through work through problems. I'm also a podcaster. I
2:07
do three podcasts a week, and one called Not Quite After Midnight, where
2:14
we do these fun little roundtables and interviews. And then I also do a
2:20
couple of religious programs with my father and we have a lot of fun doing
2:24
that. Awesome, Bill, so great to have you here, and we
2:29
thought we would pivot a little bit. We're in December, like I mentioned
2:32
earlier, and as I was talking to Charlie and Bill, and you know,
2:37
it's typically a gift giving season, a focused season. We just finished
2:43
up Thanksgiving and that time of holiday being thankful and gratitude. But this is
2:46
an opportunity that another opportunity to give, and so we just thought, you
2:53
know, let's have a conversation tonight about gift giving and what does that look
2:58
like from the business owner perspective, from the recipient, the employee, for
3:02
clients that you work with, and what is your honestly a strategy or thinking
3:08
about that, what are some pitfalls and things you may want to avoid.
3:14
And so this will be a discussion from you know where we're going to be
3:16
able to talk about some wins and some losses in this area and hopefully you'll
3:21
be able to come out of this podcast listening is taking a few minutes out
3:24
of your time to realize like, oh, that's a nugget I could really
3:28
use this in my business or I definitely want to avoid doing that and learn
3:32
from learn from these guys tonight and making a meaningful impact and meaningful gift.
3:38
I don't know about you, guys, but there's there's truly for me that
3:42
saying that you know, when you really find the great gift and you get
3:46
so excited to give somebody that gift and to see them open up and get
3:50
excited, that's really almost the best, I mean, one of the best
3:52
feelings that you knew it, you hit it, You're like, DS,
3:55
oh, I know this person and they really received it. Well, that
4:00
is amazing feeling. And because it's it's about it, it's giving to them,
4:04
it's seeing them in that experience. And for those that have children in
4:09
particular, I have a seventeen year old and a fourteen year old now,
4:12
seeing them in the excitement, especially when they're younger, get excited, it's
4:16
just really engages you. So so I'm excited to get in this conversation with
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you guys in this gift giving season and receiving season, and I just kind
4:30
of just to start off in a positive I just gave you an example,
4:33
but I'd love to may you guys give an example of just a great positive
4:36
experience you had in either giving a gift or receiving a gift. And it
4:42
doesn't have to be in business, it could be in any any circumstance really,
4:45
but just to share with everybody, just savoring and remembering that experience,
4:48
to give a gift, to receive it. So we'll start with you,
4:51
Charlie. Yeah, absolutely, yeah. So I think the most memorable I
4:58
can think of Lost Home had was a I remember when I first first Christmas
5:03
with my now wife. At the time we were dating and I was still
5:08
in college, and it was crazy because she had got me a single lens
5:15
reflex like an sl R digital camera and it was a canon and at the
5:21
time, I was studying graphic design, and so it just blew me away
5:26
that she would get something that was that costly. But it was very thoughtful
5:30
because that was super applicable to what I needed, what would empower me to
5:36
do what I was studying and do my best at that, And so that
5:42
really blew me away. So I guess a couple of takeaways there is you
5:46
know, you know, it's not necessarily about the costs, right, I
5:50
mean, obviously that was a wow factor, But it's the thoughtfulness and so
5:56
the opportunity to give gifts. It's an opportunity for you to them straight what
6:00
we call our secret service, meaning things that we take note on when it
6:08
comes to the people that we interact with about their forward. The FORD stands
6:13
for family, occupation, recreation, what they like to do for fun,
6:17
and their dreams, their dreams and goals. And so when you can get
6:21
a thoughtful gift, it demonstrates that you were intentional and that you've been paying
6:28
attention and that you actually care enough to remember that or jot it down,
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and so that's yeah, that was the biggest takeaway for me. That was
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beautiful, Charlie. I love that. Yeah, yeah, so so thoughtful,
6:43
so meaningful, paying attention and the relationship. So that's fantastic. How
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about you, Bill, what's a meaningful time or something you've received or something
6:49
you've given to somebody else? Well, I have one of each, actually,
6:56
the receiving one. This was back off the when I was in college
7:00
the first time. I'm in college once again, this time working on my
7:04
master's. But I was staying with my grandparents in Orange County and going to
7:14
school at cal Poly and Pomona, and I was responsible for cooking my own
7:19
food. So if I wanted to eat something, I had to make it,
7:24
and you know, because my schedule was way different than my grandparents' schedule.
7:30
But one Christmas while I was there, they got me a rice cooker,
7:36
just a little one, not a not a huge thing, but enough
7:40
to enough to make enough for me to have for dinner with whatever else I
7:45
was making. And the reason why this was special, I mean, that's
7:48
it's something you could buy today for like ten to fifteen bucks on Amazon.
7:54
Is that it was the first time they had really thought about what would help
8:01
me in uh. And you know, they knew I cooked the I cooked
8:05
rights because rights was cheap, and that was I mean, you're in college,
8:09
that's what you're gonna eat. And a lot of a lot of rights.
8:13
And so they they actually put it was the first time they'd put some
8:16
thought into the gift and uh, you know, to to relate it to
8:20
me instead of just oh, okay, well here's twenty bucks or whatever,
8:24
right, you know. And uh so I really I really appreciated that and
8:31
and and still obviously to this day consider it when you know the meaning of
8:35
it when when I give gifts, as far as giving gifts that would be
8:43
it was last year or year before, I don't remember. We were still
8:46
in California and I got my uh my cousin Rudy uh and I tickets to
8:52
go and see uh Jesus Christ Superstar at the Secrets From Center. And he
9:00
still talks about it, and it's it was the gift. The gift was
9:05
such that I knew he would be responsive to it, and you know,
9:11
and it makes me glad that I was able to give a gift that touched
9:16
him like that, and you know, so it's it's you know, it's
9:20
just one of those things that like when I give a good gift and people
9:24
keep talking about it, it's like, I'm it makes me happy and you
9:30
know so. So yeah, So those are those are a couple of things
9:33
I look for in in gifts, in both receiving and giving them. I
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love the meat what I heard for you both say is the meaningful component is
9:41
the overriding one. The cost is secondary. But really the meaning of that
9:46
gift that you've given somebody or received, Uh, is is it? And
9:52
are you paying attention to that? And I guess so this is This is
9:56
one that we can go into the thing about when we're giving gifts, and
10:01
I think for businesses, let's use just businesses as an example. There is
10:07
a time when it is appreciated. Now I'll give you an example. I
10:09
just got this one and you can see it here. Biological. They're my
10:11
client. They gave me something of theirs, which I really appreciate because it
10:15
recognizes as it honors me as a business owner. I just received this yesterday.
10:18
I was out there working with them all day on a strategic planning and
10:20
it was great and I really appreciated that recognition that I was a part of
10:24
their team. But there's other times where I feel like as business owners we
10:30
can kind of get a little lazy if we're not careful about it in gift
10:33
giving, and this is oftentimes done when we have like like, again,
10:39
this has received well from me. But if you're giving some swag or something
10:41
with your logo on it, right, thinking that it's more about you than
10:46
the other person that's receiving it, and it just you know, I was
10:50
just curious if you guys have had that experience and maybe share a little bit
10:54
about that, or sometimes even employees, right depending on whether they're at you
10:58
know, it's like it's more self promotion that is thinking about the other person.
11:01
Have you guys ever experienced that? Charlie, maybe start with you first.
11:05
Yeah. I we were definitely very conscious about that whenever we put out
11:13
value add to our clients, whether it be a gift or whether it be
11:20
something that's going to help make their day and their lives easier. And I'll
11:24
give you an example, the slag and the logo that's a great talking point,
11:31
because what we do for our new clients is we create these how to
11:35
contact helped us, like really shiny, silvery sticker that would go on their
11:43
computer and instead of slapping on our logo, that's their computer. So we
11:50
customize it to their computer, I mean, to their company logo. And
11:56
each sticker is unique because it's going to have the specific com this I guess
12:01
the specific computer name on it so that when they call in, it literally
12:05
says your device name whatever it is, you know, So it makes it
12:11
it makes us the big red easy button as opposed to making them jump through
12:16
hoops to try to figure out what's going on with their computer and which computer,
12:20
which computer they're dealing with to begin with. So just being conscious and
12:26
like like you said, keeping top of mind and using the Platinum rule,
12:30
right like, because Golden rule, we all know treat others the way we'd
12:33
like to be treated, but they are not, I mean we are not
12:37
them, they are not us. So the Platinum rule talks about treat others
12:43
the way they would like to be treated. So we always try to put
12:46
ourselves in their shoes and begin with that and in mind and then reverse engineer
12:52
from there. Yeah, No, that's a great example. How about you,
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Belle, You have any experience with that? Oh wow, not not
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really? Yeah, no, no, nothing, nothing too bad. Most
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of the most of the companies I've worked for, the gift they give every
13:11
year is the one that keeps on giving cash. You know, no thought
13:16
needed, no uh, no special effort and uh and nothing like that.
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But but it's funny. The the whole idea of giving gifts with the with
13:28
the logos on him reminds me of LBJ President Johnson UH sixty three to sixty
13:35
whatever after after JFK. He used to give people toothbrushes as gifts because he
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wanted them to see be He wanted to be the first thing they saw in
13:50
the morning and the last thing they saw at night. And so it was
13:54
a completely selfish gift if that's something they really need. So there was a
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really good book that I read the resources, A really good book if you
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guys want to check by John Ruhland called Giftology, and if you haven't heard
14:09
it, I'd recommend checking it out. But this I came across last year.
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It was a really great idea of like what we kind of were saying,
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Charlie you said earlier, it's like, how can you make that give
14:18
Even if you did give a toothbrush or something. He uses actually knives in
14:22
that book, because people use knives all the time, right, But you're
14:26
giving it to them in a way that is about them, like he would
14:30
inscribe their names on it, or their deeds or something about them that's unique
14:35
and that he remembered about something that they came and talked about, or whatever
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that gift might be. And so I just think, like you mentioned,
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Charlie, just kind of paying attention or hearing what they're saying and kind of
14:50
tucking that in your brain because you're paying attention what really is meaningful for them?
14:54
So cash definitely bills one. But if somebody said, you know,
14:58
I really like help being because I volunteered with the Community Action Partnership of Orange
15:03
County. They're a nonprofit. They help people, and they're like, I
15:07
volunteer, I really help there, and that's that's a meaningful organization to me.
15:11
And so if you made a donation in the name of that company or
15:13
individual saying rather than giving them cash, saying, look, I know and
15:18
they've expressed as they've really told you, I put my money there, I
15:20
support them, I go there. So it's like you're paying attention. You're
15:24
supporting an organization that I invested in. You know, that is super powerful
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and a great way to get back. Ay Bill. So if i'm if
15:37
I may, if I'm rudely interrupted, No, I was. I was
15:43
doing a recording earlier with for for my podcast, for one of my podcasts,
15:48
and uh, and I'm going to plug him. The gentleman's name was
15:52
Richard Blank. He's the CEO of the Costa Rica call center and uh,
15:56
and we were discussing. Uh we were actually just us in gift giving for
16:02
for a little bit of our time, and uh, what he emphasized is
16:07
the effort in the gift. And uh, you know that that just an
16:15
easy gift is nothing. It's it's really not much of anything, but you
16:19
know, not necessarily uh making something yourself. But because we don't all have
16:26
those kinds of talents, but if that gift has some kind of effort behind
16:32
it, like the effort to know a person, to to remember their name
16:36
of you know when when really they're probably thinking, oh he'd never remember my
16:40
name, you know, and uh, and those kinds of things to uh
16:45
but yeah, the the effort is into it. And it reminds me of
16:48
a story of of a of a child out in uh out in uh,
16:52
you know, some place like Africa, And and he wanted to give a
16:55
gift to to the missionary who'd meant so much to him, and uh and
17:00
he gave he gave her a seashell. Well they were known near where near
17:04
the sea. He had had to walk two days back and forth to go
17:10
to the ocean, find the shell and come back and give it to her.
17:14
And it was the and the effort really then becomes the gift. Yes,
17:18
And you know, the the gift itself is is almost nothing. It's
17:22
a it's a memento of the gift, of the true gift. Yes,
17:27
a thought of that, Well, that's a great that's a great example.
17:30
I mean, honestly, built this time of year when people have to travel
17:33
far right, that's a gift in of itself, getting to the see the
17:37
people, the destination. Not that he even have to bring something. Literally,
17:41
the time it takes right to get there to organize it is. I
17:47
mean, our time is our most valuable asset, right, we don't know
17:49
we're not making more time, We're not making more time. So that that
17:53
is and what you just said, his example is his time what he just
17:56
spent, and that an investment because he believed in it so much much that
18:00
he wanted her to have this experience. And so that that is a great
18:06
way to think about it. And again it goes to the thoughtfulness that you
18:11
were talking about earlier, Bill, Like, it's easy to give cash or
18:14
get a gift card and just something, but to think a little bit more
18:18
strategically in a good way, you know, like Okay, what would they
18:22
really like? And when Also you know, I think you know there's times
18:29
too where we can give gifts that make more of an impact in the season
18:33
or the time. Uh, And there's ways that we can encourage others to
18:40
give. So for example, one of the things we did this isn't having
18:42
to do with Christmas, but we would as a gift at one of my
18:45
former companies, we would recognize folks, remember talking about values, people that
18:49
live the values. We would want to recognize and give back to them if
18:52
they were living a company value, So we would give them a gift card
18:56
or they would get they could say save up money if they wanted to,
19:00
or certain thing but even to double up on that. If they received that,
19:03
they also gave an opportunity of the company at the time would match that
19:07
if they wanted to donate that to a particular charity. So number it's like
19:11
a double give. So they got it and then they could keep it,
19:12
and there's nothing wrong with that. But then they could take it in turn
19:15
and say, you know what, actually want to donate that and the company
19:18
is going to match it again to give to somebody else. So I love
19:23
that model of just figuring out ways we can help encourage each other to give,
19:27
so we receive and and and and give and think about thinking about others.
19:33
And so that was that was a great model. But you know,
19:37
now that we're going into the season, I would love to hear you guys
19:40
just give some ideas or thoughts if you have specific examples that would be great
19:45
of like where did the where did the company do it right? An example,
19:48
so we talked about cash is an easy one or a gift card,
19:52
but where is an example of a particular company if you if you have one
19:56
where they really got that gift right, either their employees or clients, either
20:02
one. If you have an example, Charlie I'll just throw it to you
20:04
first if you've got an example for either client or an employee. Yeah,
20:11
So for our clients these past years, you know, my boss is pretty
20:18
proactive about making sure that we're giving appropriate and meaningful gifts. And one particular
20:26
example, one of our clients is very growth minded. They're an accounting firm,
20:33
and so we've been using this workbook internally for our leadership team called living
20:40
Your Best Year Ever. It's programmed by Darren Hardy, the author of The
20:45
Compound Effect, and also he was an editor of Success magazine for a decade
20:51
and so so he actually gave gifted that to a copy of that to the
20:57
owner of the particular client. And because similar like us, he's very growth
21:04
minded, always looking at different ways to innovate and and work smarter, not
21:11
harder. And so that's probably one area where we did it right and one
21:19
area that I could have started through a little bit more is we last year
21:25
at our leadership retreat, we had invited one of our partners. So we
21:30
have two companies. Our second company we serve our peers like other managed service
21:36
providers like ourselves, so we had invited a partner to join us for the
21:42
leadership retreat, and I mean, this guy's flying in from Texas, and
21:48
I didn't think about like whether he had checking luggage or not, and even
21:52
if he did, like how it would work because I gifted him a bottle
21:56
of wine and the unbeknownst to me, the room, like the resort provides
22:03
a complimentary bottle of wine. So like it's just like, wasn't a very
22:10
thought out gift and even if he didn't finish, you can't really efficiently bring
22:15
it home. And so that's just that's where I passed up and I dropped
22:19
the ball like thinking it through on something that would be more lasting and meaningful.
22:25
Right, Yeah, it's you know, we we can learn and this
22:27
is this is why we're having this podcast is a breaton brainstorm to learn to
22:30
think about those things. I've been that too, where yeah, if you're
22:34
flying, you can't take any any any clothes, liquids, it's not gonna
22:38
work, right, So great it before you get on the plane, right
22:44
yeah, exactly. Something something to be simple or it's not necessarily a full
22:48
on gift. It's just also just being considered of needs. So for example,
22:52
this is something I mean, this isn't really a gift. It's just
22:55
a way of like preparing people. So I was doing a round table group
22:57
like a strategic session early and I just brought extra pins, pads of paper,
23:04
presented it and prepared it in the room for them because I thought,
23:07
well, you know, maybe they're gonna have it, maybe they won't.
23:11
These are minor little things, but these are things you can show consideration of
23:14
a name, a simple name badge. If somebody is coming in right,
23:17
they're identified who who they are, and you're coming into organization, it's just
23:21
showing that a little bit of forethought and consideration. It sounds like a full
23:26
on gift, but these are just little little considerations that can really add up.
23:30
So how about you build You have an example of either really a company
23:36
you are, a company you've worked for or know you company that's really done
23:38
well on a client gift or or one for their employees. Well, one
23:45
one company that that I worked with, I don't remember who it was,
23:52
but instead of giving a standard gift kind of a thing, they created a
24:00
an experience. We had we had a party and insteadstead of instead of blowing
24:07
you know, blowing the ball. The lot on on on individual gifts they
24:12
created an environment of uh, you know where we all got to have a
24:17
lot of fun. Yes, there was some drinking, there was definitely eating,
24:21
but there were games to play and uh and things to do and and
24:27
it just became more of the experience that that we were being gifted instead of
24:33
instead of just some thing that you know that maybe we'll use once and and
24:38
then never again. You know, the you know, the toothbrush will wear
24:42
out and you'll throw it away eventually. But U but this was this was
24:48
something that was just it was a lot of fun and uh, you know,
24:52
it wasn't just the standard Christmas party where everybody gets wasted and and uh
24:56
and over stuffed or anything like that. It was you know, it was
25:02
it was just a lot of a lot of fun. And I really think
25:06
it worked well. I really like hearing that idea, Bill, because I
25:11
just I went to a holiday party recently with another client of mine, and
25:15
I think that's really valid. Is yes, we can easily get caught into
25:21
physical things, but if you can actually create a meaningful experience, like you're
25:23
saying, Bill, and it could be different times of the year. You
25:27
know, some people, let's take them to a baseball game, let's go
25:30
to a game whatever that is. It's an experience and then there's real building
25:34
camaraderie and connection as well. One of the things that I saw in the
25:40
recent client they didn't have a gift for everybody, but they made it an
25:44
experience or a game where they had. One of them was like a bingo
25:45
game where you had to ask different questions. You're talking to different folks,
25:48
so everyone has everybody has a chance to win. Right. There is a
25:52
certain amount of prizes and some things in there, and you can actually get
25:56
maybe a little bit more expensive things because you're not getting something for everybody,
26:00
so you know, so it's still fun and you have an opportunity there.
26:03
So I I really like that idea bill of the experience and then what did
26:10
that mean for those individuals? So some people could care less maybe about a
26:14
sports event, but maybe going to like say Dave and Busters or a game
26:18
situation like where they're playing games and be more active. That might be more
26:22
meaningful. Well, if you promise not to tell them what I got for
26:26
my parents, Well, one of the things I got from my parents this
26:30
year, I found a card game that is designed to be an icebreaker between
26:37
parents grandparents and their kids or grandkids, and so you you just go through
26:42
and you play the play the game. Some of the grandkids are a little
26:45
young for this yet, but but you know, and it's like it's questions
26:49
about the parents or about the kids or grandkids and and and all to help
26:55
them get to know each other better and in ways they might not have thought,
27:00
you know, and I thought that would be a nice experience for them,
27:04
you know. And uh, yeah, ever since, ever since I
27:07
learned the that that experiential gifts are are better, you know, it's like
27:15
I've tried really hard to give people experiences instead of just gifts. I mean,
27:19
sometimes I'll make something like I got into knitting a few years ago,
27:23
and so I was making scars for everybody. But yeah, but yeah,
27:30
but yeah, trying to trying to because experience, an experience laughs a lot
27:34
longer than a thing, right, yeah, Charlie, Yeah, what thoughts
27:38
on experiences? Yeah, when you mentioned the different examples that we may remember,
27:47
either as with clients or with employees. Actually, as an employee a
27:53
couple of jobs ago, I was working for a telecom telecommunications company and our
28:00
department manager, he's a big star Wars fan just like me and you and
28:04
Bill too. I'm guessing awesome. Awesome. Uh So anyhow, at the
28:11
time, uh the episode eight was coming out, and so it was around
28:19
Christmas times, what like mid December ish, and he took our whole department,
28:26
whoever obviously opted in to the Irvine Spectrum, which is a local kind
28:33
of like three D type of like just really coffee theater and and so it
28:37
was just great team bonding and then also just being able to fill our emotional
28:42
cups in terms of our passions outside of outside of work, and so that
28:48
was pretty cool. Yeah, that's cool. I'll throw out one that you
28:52
probably all done. We just did it recently with one of our Actually it
28:57
wasn't through work, but we have a life to our church. We had
29:00
to gather gathering and literally I went through and gathered some odds and ends around
29:07
our house just for fun. But the classic white Elephant gift exchange. I
29:11
think it's actually really fun because if you know people and you know that they're
29:15
coming, you can create those little gifts. And honestly, it's a little
29:18
tongue in cheek because some of these things are not valuable, they're not meant
29:21
to be a valuable It's almost kind of like are you going to get the
29:23
booby prize? And are you going trade or to giveaway? And so that
29:26
can again increase that camaraderie. I don't know if you were you guys,
29:30
you're nodding your head, so I'm assuming, yes, done this before,
29:33
but you know, and and and it was fun. I'll just gonna be
29:38
funny because one of the ones I put in there was like a little toilet
29:41
stopper thing in there. I knew it was. That was like booby prize,
29:44
Like, who's gonna get that one? Just for fun? Right?
29:47
And then they can't get rid of it? Right, But people are laughing
29:49
and having a good time, and you remember, so it's both experience,
29:52
right, and then you have this little this little gift thing and maybe something
29:56
you actually really like which is fun and somebody are gonna up from you.
30:00
But do you guys have a funny story experience with a many of the white
30:03
elephant gift there? Bill your goodness? Yeah, well, I used to,
30:11
like, you know, because in ones where you'd go where everybody'd be
30:14
bringing a white elephant gift, I used to like bringing DVDs of bad movies
30:19
I love bad movies. There. Some of my favorite movies are absolutely horrible
30:29
and uh yeah and uh and people would end up fighting over over them because
30:33
these were movies they they'd either never heard of or they'd heard of that they
30:37
were so bad but never even thought they'd get an opportunity to see or or
30:42
whatnot. And everybody who gets it will watch it right the way that they
30:48
You wouldn't normally give them, like, oh, here's some bad BB's like
30:52
what are these, but you change the whole dynamic bill like you're there,
30:55
and they're actually actually I want this now, now I want this. Well,
31:02
it's been quite a few years since we've done White Elephant, but there
31:06
was one where, well we've been doing Secret Santa and staid throughout the pandemic
31:12
and so it's similar. But you know, obviously the idea is it's we
31:18
all share a little blurb on ourselves and then we get assigned the person to
31:23
give a thoughtful gift to based on that little blurb or that little bio if
31:27
you will, a biography. And so I remember there was this the first
31:33
year we did There was an accountant that loves mountain climbing and so he tags
31:38
himself as a mountain accountant and so and I don't know some somehow well,
31:45
I just thought, okay, maybe a water flask would come in handy,
31:48
right like, so I got one that was customized. He also talked about
31:52
liking top guns. So I had the top gun logo. I had a
31:56
name on it called the Mountain Being Owner. You know, just like all
32:00
the little elements that he put, I put that on that bottle. So
32:06
he was super like the ideas. When we receive it, we posted in
32:09
a Facebook group the fact that we received it and you know, our feedback
32:14
on it. So he was totally blown away, super happy about it.
32:16
That's a good no. The secret standa is another great opportunity, especially if
32:21
you you know, like is it either remote or you know, in the
32:22
office. But it's a way of making a pen excuse me, and trying
32:27
to guess who that person is. And I think that's a really great way
32:30
to do it. I don't you know, it's and we're just throwing out
32:32
ideas because it's nice to mix it up so it's not always the same thing.
32:37
You don't have to always do what elephant gift. You could do a
32:38
secret Santa. There's different ways you could do an experience that we're talking about,
32:45
and so it varies. So I'll throw out one that I'm doing this
32:50
year because I'm also I was mentioning this before we came on the podcast earlier,
32:53
but I'm I'm with a company called Giant Worldwide as a certified guide and
32:59
and it they just have tremendous resources. So if you wanted more about that,
33:01
I'll post a link in here. But one of the things that we
33:07
came out with, and I say we because I'm a guy that I'm part
33:08
of them, and I actually talk with both the authors. In fact,
33:10
I did a podcast with Steve Cochran. But there's a new book called The
33:15
Communication Code, and so I have all my clients on this platform and Charlie
33:20
is one of them as well, and so I already know the resources,
33:22
I know the impact and helpful. So specifically this year, I said,
33:25
oh, there's a new book, a new resource. I'm sharing this with
33:30
those that are working with me, and I'm just giving it to him because
33:32
I know it has value, is related they're personally invested in their own development
33:37
and helping them and I'll and then so that has been well received and finding
33:42
Again, if something that you're working with a client, I'm just having you
33:45
guys think about it. If there's something that they're really into and they're like,
33:47
I want to know more, how can I get this? You know,
33:52
that is a great gift that you can share. And I'll add here
33:55
for those of you that are watching or listening to this podcast, if you're
33:58
interested and you want to, you know, receive a copy of this book,
34:01
reach out to me. I'm I'm offering that as part of a free
34:06
consultation. So if you want to meet with me and hey, we connect
34:10
and I you know, meet with you and then get you a book.
34:14
I would love to do that because again, it's all I feel like it's
34:16
starting about from a place of giving out of abundance, and I think each
34:22
one of us are here because we want to help other people and where their
34:25
situations are. And so I want to talk a little bit about that.
34:30
This is an opportunity I saw to invest in my clients in something I'm doing.
34:35
But that intentionality one of the things going back to that book Giftology,
34:39
I wanted to talk with you guys have this idea about for business owners they
34:43
consider because oftentimes what happens is if we're not planning in strategic it's like,
34:47
oh, I got to get something, I got to figure out something,
34:49
and how much money do I have for this? If we're thinking more strategically
34:53
and thinking about it, you know, there's a thought of saving some of
35:00
that money that you're taking in from your clients right in where everybody's a little
35:05
different, but figuring out what is a percentage back that I want to hold
35:08
back within the business that I want to give back to my clients reinvest back
35:14
into them. And I want to kind of introduce that concept or thought with
35:16
you guys and just give a dialogue here because it was kind of new to
35:20
me when I thought about that when I read this book, and I was
35:22
like, Okay, yeah, you know what, maybe it's going to be
35:24
one percent of whatever I make this year I'm going to put aside and that's
35:29
what I'm going to give and then maybe over time I can incrementally bring that
35:31
up because I want to meaningfully give back to my clients and not just out
35:37
of like out of I want to come out of abundance and intentionality versus well,
35:42
how much money do I have in the checking account? I got one
35:44
hundred bucks. Let me see while I can spread that across clients, right,
35:47
thinking more intentionally about that, because then every client too is different,
35:51
right, you have you know, I want to I want to be able
35:55
to give those clients that are really pouring into me, I want to pour
35:59
back into you as well, and and and so not, you know,
36:04
not one for one. It's not tip for tap, but it is a
36:06
way of like, I do want to, I do want to invest back.
36:09
So it just thoughts maybe Charlie first and then a bailable on this idea
36:13
of setting aside funds specifically to give back. Yeah, that's a great point.
36:19
So there's two examples. I could think of one as that same client
36:22
that I mentioned earlier that is very growth minded and innovative, and so the
36:29
CEO or I'm sorry, the you know, basically the owners there are a
36:34
couple. They always talk about having that proper balance of you know, working
36:39
hard and playing hard, and so they actually set aside and contributed funds for
36:46
specifically for their employees to take, uh put towards vacations and travel. And
36:52
so that's super cool. I've never seen that, and that got actually featured
36:59
on the website and so that was super inspiring for me to see. And
37:06
the other one is I came across a vendor within our tech space called the
37:12
company is literally called the Lemonade Stand, and they must have read that book
37:16
that you talked about, the Aphthology book, because they assign fifty bucks to
37:22
every single one of their employees to use to give away each month, and
37:28
whether it be to their customers or just a random act of kindness right in
37:34
their daily lives outside of work. I've just never come across any anything like
37:40
that. And so, you know, when I think about it, like,
37:45
I don't know who said this quote, it's not what you get in
37:47
life, It's not what you get, it's what you give, right,
37:50
So that fills your cup. And so I think it's just being able to
37:55
promote that culture of giving is super powerful. How about you, Bill,
38:01
Well, you know, I i'd be careful with the with setting aside a
38:07
specific amount, because you don't want your clients to think of this gift as
38:17
some kind of vicarious discount. You know, it's like, oh, you
38:22
know what, I'm giving one percent of the money back to you as a
38:25
gift, and you know it's like this and I give a gift and oops,
38:30
it makes it seem feel like, you know, like like I'm giving
38:32
them a break on the on the cost of their of the services I'm providing.
38:37
I agree, which is why I think effort it can be so much
38:43
more important, you know, in the gift giving process and humility again where
38:49
you know, it's something something we come back to a lot. Uh.
38:52
It seems when we're talking about leadership and business ownership, get low enough to
39:00
learn about the people you're giving to. You know what's important to them,
39:05
and you know and and you know names and and and dates and these are
39:10
all things you could keep in a in a diary. At the end of
39:14
the day, you know, it's it's really not difficult, you know.
39:16
Okay, Joe from from from which it's inc you know, has three kids
39:22
and and uh, and they enjoy mountain climbing, you know, so you
39:28
know, so at the end of the year, you know, it's like,
39:30
Okay, I get them something. Maybe it hits that one percent mark,
39:32
maybe it doesn't, maybe it goes a little over, but it hits
39:36
the it hits them at home. Of that, Hey, I was concerned
39:39
enough about you too to think about this, to have this in my mind
39:45
and and pay attention to this, and you know it's like, yeah,
39:50
having that having that percentage can can keep you from blowing the you know,
39:54
blowing the whole budget on on one person's gift. But it should really only
40:00
be a guide, not to agree, not a hard and fast rule.
40:05
Well, I would say it's not just and I'll clarify to that point and
40:07
Bill, because I do think you make some really good point. Is it's
40:12
not just the doll it's not a dollar amount, but like I said,
40:14
it is time, Like how much of my time do I want to spend
40:16
thinking about this, preparing this? That that too is allocating a percentage of
40:21
our time right uh to helping and getting that too, because that that you
40:24
know, it doesn't take a lot to put it in there. But if
40:27
you want to get a thoughtful gift, it's also about timing to you know,
40:30
when would this be most meaningful? Maybe it's their personal anniversary, right,
40:36
Yeah, you're you're looking at the date, you're aligning it, you
40:38
know when this will be most meaningful. Like Charlie, you get an example
40:42
of the bottle of wine that in that specific situation that wasn't the best timing
40:45
however it could have could have been meaningful in a different timing, in a
40:47
setting, same gift, just a different time and thinking about that, right,
40:53
So situational awareness, yeah, situational it's just again it's singing strategically.
41:00
We also want to be careful, like you said, Bill, where if
41:04
you've ever gotten a gift where it was not proportionally appropriate, I mean it
41:09
was either it was overkill, like you're getting something you're like, m this
41:13
is not are you trying to buy me off here? So you have to
41:16
be careful too about what you're presenting to somebody and you know, appropriate again
41:22
to what they appreciate. And and and again that's knowing them, right,
41:25
that's understanding where they're at your relationship. If you gave some extravagant gift,
41:30
but you knew this person really well and you understood this and the dynamic and
41:34
you know them, and they're like totally well received, right. But if
41:37
you go somebody else who you're like, hmmm, this does not feel right,
41:40
or if you gave something that would becausepect you know it would be much
41:44
appreciated, and you give them something kind of really chinsy or low, which
41:46
somebody would normally maybe they're like, dude, are they they trying Are they
41:50
trying to like insult me, or are they trying to let you know,
41:53
like now, So it's just being that thoughtfulness, Bill, like you said,
41:58
in consideration, not necessarily the dollar amount right, right, Well,
42:02
And sometimes the dollar amount can be can be important for reasons you might not
42:07
think at first. A few years ago, I took some time off off
42:14
of regular work, if you will, and worked as a caregiver for a
42:20
dear friend of mine who you know. And I was helping her out to
42:24
some degree or another for a good seven years, and for the last couple
42:30
of years it was twenty four to seven, and to care for her while
42:34
she was battling her cancer and then a stroke. But after she passed away,
42:42
at the funeral, her sisters and brother came up to me with an
42:46
envelope, right, and I'm like, I wasn't expecting anything, and inside
42:52
of it was three hundred bucks. It would have been better if they had
42:59
not given me any money. It was such an insult. And uh,
43:05
you know, it's like and and I keep it in mind as an example
43:08
of of how even a decent amount of money can be wrong. But you
43:15
know and and and for gift giving. But but of course I I've you
43:19
know, I've put it out of my mind. Otherwise, you know,
43:21
in essence, I guess forgiven them for the for the uh the the insult.
43:25
But but yeah, you can totally insult somebody with the with the wrong
43:30
gift and uh, you know, really create a rift. It's yeah,
43:37
better, like you said, better not to give at all. In that
43:39
case, Bill, it would have been better not to give because they weren't
43:43
thinking. They were not thinking strategically, they weren't thinking thoughtfully, they weren't
43:46
thinking how would this be, how would this be received by Bill? They
43:51
were it was more about them in my experience, Bill, Hey, we
43:53
gave them some money. We gave you know what I mean. I felt
43:55
good about myself. It's not about the other person. So I know we're
43:59
gonna have to wrap it up here. Just last thoughts are encouraging words as
44:02
we wrap it up. Start with you, Charlie, and then Bill,
44:06
just an encouraging word as we're giving, and we'll wrap it up. So
44:09
Charlie, just parting thoughts. Yeah, I would say give to really give
44:15
without the expectation of getting anything back, because if you have any strings tied
44:21
to it, then it's it's not sincere. It's not going to be received
44:24
well because it's about you. It's what's in it for you rather than what's
44:29
it for them. Yes, thank you Charlie, so thanks so much.
44:32
Happy to have you here. Bill. Last thoughts does wrap it up for
44:36
tonight when you give, make it personal, make it personal. I love
44:42
that. I hope you guys all enjoyed it. We will be back again
44:45
Insteadio. We will probably have Curtis and Stacey back uh with future topics here.
44:51
If you have an idea you want to drop it in, let us
44:52
know in the comments. We're just grateful to be here. Thank you again,
44:55
Charlie. Bill. Until next time, take care, we'll see that
45:00
Harry Christmas, Happy holiday, Merry Christmas, everybody, have a good night. Pay