The Napkin The Melon & The Monkey: How to Be Happy and Successful by Simply Changing Your Mind [Hardcover]

Barbara A. Burke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2010

      As a customer service agent, Olivia has been trained to handle irate customers in a calm, professional manner. But one day she loses control and yells back. Terrified that she’ll be fired, she seeks out Isabel, the call center’s sage.

      The advice she receives from her wise mentor changes her life:

·         SODA (Stop. Observe. Decide. Act)—a sure-fire formula for remaining calm in any situation

·         Unplugging—a centuries-old practice to reduce anxiety and promote creativity

·         Aha!s—22 practical insights that become the framework for living a happy life

      This modern-day fable shows us that the best way to reduce stress is to cultivate mindfulness. While we cannot control much of what happens, we can get better outcomes if we stop to see situations clearly and calmly.

      This book serves as both a powerful resource for business professionals looking for practical, easy-to-use tools for dealing with difficult people and an inspirational tale for those who want better relationships and a happier life.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

            Barbara Burke is an internationally known consultant, speaker, and author specializing in the people side of customer service management. She is passionate about helping customer-facing employees thrive in their challenging jobs.

            Her articles appear in both print and online publications. Thousands of customer service professionals subscribe to her weekly “Monday Aha!” feature.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Hay House (February 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401925731
• ISBN-13: 978-1401925734
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #642,909 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

For last 25 years I've made my living as a management consultant and trainer working with customer service call centers. When I discovered the SODA (Stop.Observe.Decide.Act) idea and saw how effective it was in helping people rise above work and life challenges, I decided to write a little story with the hope that more people would discover the power of mindfulness.
I self-published The Napkin, the Melon & the Monkey in 2006. By 2008 the book was in its third printing and garnering attention not only in customer service but from people in education, health care, non-profits and government.
In 2008, Hay House bought the rights to the book. Foreign editions are available in German, Chinese, Dutch & Turkish languages.
If you would like to learn more about using the book within your organization to make a difference in employee engagement, please visit either www.barbaraburke.com or www.napkinmelonmonkey.com. That's also where you can sign up to receive my popular Monday Aha!s.

P.S. After you read the book please help to spread the word by writing a review on Amazon.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A helpful and useful book, January 19, 2010

By 

Cheryl Koch (CO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Napkin The Melon & The Monkey: How to Be Happy and Successful by Simply Changing Your Mind (Hardcover)

For anyone who has ever had a job where you have to deal with customers then you will relate to the everything in this book. Barbara Burke is an internationally known consultant, speaker, and author who specializes in the "people side" of customer service management. In the Napkin, the Melon & the Monkey, Barbara shares her tips for how to deal with customer service situations without losing your cool.

Here are just a few of Barbara's helpful tips:

AHA! #1 - I will always have problems

AHA! #2 - It's not about me

AHA! #3 - Problems can be gifts in disguise

AHA! #4 -Just sit there. Do Nothing

AHA! #5- There is no such thing as a difficult situation

AHA! #6- When all else fails, have a SODA (Stop, Observe, Decide, and Act)

AHA! #7 - Withholding judgment allows me to observe what is

AHA! #8 - The nicer I am to myself, the nicer I am to others

AHA! #9 - A simple apology works wonders

AHA! # 10 - The less I talk, the more I learn


I liked this book. I have been in the business of customer service since I started working my first official job when I was sixteen. All in different forms of customer service from ...retail to phone. There have been many times when I would go home stressed out and take it out on my husband and not meaning too. I would try taking bathes, reading or watching television to calm down and sometimes it would help for a little while and then I would get that one really challenging phone call or customer and I would lose it again.

Barbara presents how to apply her tips by writing a story about Isabel. Isabel is a mother and she owes for a electric company. Isabel loves helping people but try as she may; she ends up yelling at the customer every time they yell at her. Isabel asks her mentor Olivia how she stays so clam and cool headed. Olivia applies the tips Barbara shares in the Napkin, the Melon & the Monkey. Soon Isabel is loving her job and so can you with this handy book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Change the way you think, change your life!, February 12, 2010

By 

Jeremiah T. Shaw - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Napkin The Melon & The Monkey: How to Be Happy and Successful by Simply Changing Your Mind (Hardcover)

In many ways this book has saved and continues to save my life. While that may seem to be a dramatic statement, anyone in the field of customer service can tell you dealing with angry, irate, frustrated customers can take a serious toll on one's spirit. Ms. Burke teaches us we can turn any situation around simply by changing our approach. She reminds us to put people first, both ourselves AND our customers. If we do this, everything falls into place. Her fable reinforces the concept that we are all responsible for our own destiny. Through a series of AHA! moments we are empowered to handle any situation. If you are in the field of Customer Service, I strongly recommend keeping a copy of this book at home, in your office, car, wherever.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Perfect Parable for Positive Change, February 5, 2010

By 

M. Muiznieks (Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Napkin The Melon & The Monkey: How to Be Happy and Successful by Simply Changing Your Mind (Hardcover)

If customer service brings you more frustration than satisfaction, then buy The Napkin The Melon & The Monkey. This quick, fun-to-read parable is packed with practical wisdom for dealing with difficult people and everyday stress. Author and customer service specialist Barbara Burke reveals, with gifted storytelling, how we often get in our own way and how we can fix that with simple attitude adjustments. As a self-improvement seeker and occasional difficult customer, I highly recommend this book for everyone because afterall, at the end of the day, we're all in customer service.