Argument for a shorter work week?

As Director of Customer Engagement, I get to go to some enlightening events. This morning I went to see David W. Nelms, CEO of Discover Financial Services and Executives’ Club of Chicago Breakfast Series speaker.

According to Mr. Nelms, about 30% of what we do every day doesn’t make a difference. He tells us to focus on three things: The customer, revenue, and expenses—and quit doing anything that doesn’t create results in these areas. So by my calculations, we’ve got 12 hours of extra time a week, and we can all take Friday off. All kidding aside, Mr. Nelms had great wisdom to share with us all.

It is not surprising that the leader of a financial sector innovator puts the customer first. And this isn’t “just marketing”. If you’re a Discover Card holder, check out some innovative new tools on their website that give you greater insight into (and control of) your own expenses. And if you ever need a problem resolved, a real person will answer your call within 60 seconds, any time of any day. Those are just a few ways this brand delivers on their promise.

If you’re a proactive company like Discover, this focus on the customer naturally extends to a focus on employee communications and morale. In the past few turbulent months, Discover has kept the ship on a steady course with town hall meetings, internal focus groups, and a variety of internal communications.

Mr. Nelms also urges companies, media and country leadership to stay positive in this economic period. While he acknowledges there are realities and issues we must work to address, we must be optimistic and communicate positively in order to expect a positive outcome.

Thank you for the inspiration, Mr. Nelms, and the Executives’ Club of Chicago. (By the way, the breakfast served by the Hyatt Regency Chicago was outstanding!)