I’m just back, after an inspiring couple of days in Paris with the Jones And Co. and OSA team. I flew out on Saturday and they all met at 3.30am on Sunday morning at the airport, to fly out join me in Paris and landed back at Monday evening and it was non-stop, go-go-go while we were there. Even when we landed back at Manchester, sleep-deprived and energy levels almost fully depleted, spirits were high. The team were smiling, excited and happy with a great trip as a team. So today I want to talk about spirit. It’s plain to see when you visit a European tradefair or an OSA live event or in the people you come across every day in normal life. There are success clues here that need pointed out, so they are not missed.

What is spirit? Well, the Cambridge English dictionary says spirit is; a particular way of thinking, feeling, or behaving, especially a way that is typical of a particular group of people, an activity, a time, or a place.

We all know it when we see it. We had three new team members on the trip as first-timers to Silmo and I’m always clear about pointing out spirit where we see it, and where we don’t, so they learn the importance of having it themselves. Some frame reps are professional order takers. They may be friendly and helpful but they lack spirit. And then other ‘reps’ ooze passion and belief and confidence for what they do. They have a higher purpose than just selling glasses, because they are clear on how transformative and inspiring and meaningful their work is. They are overflowing with spirit and it rubs off on everyone they see. These ‘reps’ don’t see themselves as reps, if anything they think of themselves as ‘ambassadors’ for eyewear if they label it at all. You leave a 60-minute appointment with the latter inspired, excited, renewed, enthused and ambitious to do your work even better and with more joy. Chances are you spent more money also in the process, but you know it’s worth it because you believe in this brand and the people behind it. Next to that, an appointment with a professional order taker, feels flat and devoid of positive vibes. This has a massive impact on the client experience and the sales results and the life-time customer value and long-term relationship, whether it’s a client in your practice or whether you are the customer of the frame company. It’s the same thing.

It was extremely obvious to my team which appointments at Silmo they felt spirit at work and where it was missing. They didn’t need me to explain – they could feel it in their gut. And I pointed out that our strategy at Jones And Co. is to have no professional order takers on the team because it results in a crappy customer experience and life is too short for spending your days delivering crappy anything. Customers can smell it super fast when the person serving them lacks confidence, expertise, passion, belief, and authenticity.

Here’s the other point I make: Mik or Serge or Bruno at Theo, or Gai and Barbara at LA Eyeworks or Bernhard the designer at Rolf – they all have entirely different personalities and approaches and styles, sometimes they are very different but they are united in that they all have spirit. You walk away from meeting every individual one of them still touched by their spirit. You have to be your unique self but let your spirit, convictions and passion shine through. It’s up to you and your team to develop spirit in each team member through discussions, experiences and how you approach every day.

To your success!

Conor.