The Four Referability Habits: Build Trust That Grows Your Business

Sadly, Christians aren't always known as the best employees or business partners. If we're followers of Jesus, we're called to show our light through good work—and it's simpler than you think.

James MacNeil has built three seven-figure businesses on one principle: "no surprise, but good surprise"—always delivering more than promised. He shares four referability habits from Dan Sullivan that transform how people perceive your business.

The tragic truth? James says he'd be $10 million ahead if he hadn't done business with Christians who failed to keep their word.

The Four Habits:

1. Show up on time
2. Do what you say you're going to do
3. Finish what you start
4. Say please and thank you.

Redeem Your Business Today by the Following:

How can we honor God in our business?

The first promise you make is 100% evidence that you're either completely trustworthy or completely untrustworthy. Make and keep commitments—it's the fastest path to building trust and flourishing relationships.

Remember: the business of business is to profitably solve problems. We profit when we deserve it, and deserve means "from service." If you're not earning enough, you're likely not serving enough.

One Challenge from Today:

Make as few promises as possible and keep them all. Before you say yes, count the cost. Every yes is a no to something else. Be the person known for keeping your word even when it costs you a fortune.

More About James MacNeil

Website: Free Community The SuperHuman Community

15 min with James: TinyURL.com/PodcastProfit

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In Matthew 5 16, Jesus said, let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. Sad to say I've heard from multiple sources that Christians are not the best employees around. And some people don't want to do work with employees because they don't work with Christian employees because they don't work very well. Honestly, that's a shame. If that's one of you, I encourage you to stop and don't quit giving God a bad name. Because if we are Christian,

.

God has called us to show our lights out as good purpose and good lights. I'm sorry, I'm messing all his words up. But God's purpose for us is to be like Jesus. And in business that amounts to doing good. ⁓ In business, we all want referrals. And ⁓ what habits incline people to give us more business and refer us to others? Well, it's probably simpler than you think.

And today I brought on James McNeil, who has been a speaker for over 30 years. He's a coach, author, and podcast host. And we're going to talk about the habits that we need to create to help people reverse business and to get repeat business. And so James, welcome to our podcast today. And as we get started, let me know what is one way that you have found to honor God in your business that other people may not know about?

Well, that's a great question. ⁓ think for me personally, it will come out in the what's called the four referability habits that we had discussed that it's from a gentleman named Dan Sullivan. He calls himself the strategic coach. He's in Toronto, Canada, where I'm from. And for me, it's like from the beginning of my business as a speaker, I simply wanted to have no surprise, but good surprise.

So if I told you I was going to show up on that day at that time, I was going to be dressed appropriately. I was going to deliver a workshop. was going to be respectful. I was going to, you know, provide a handout, whatever I said I was going to do. I always wanted to deliver more than I promised and nevertheless. So I had a simple model of no surprise, but good surprise. And what's horrible to say is that made me stand out. How hard is it to do what you said you're going to do? How hard is it to.

Hmm.

Wow. Wow. Yeah.

have a no surprise but good surprise policy as a professional on any level. And yes, it's for me, the fact that someone says I'm a Christian doesn't guarantee me anything other than by announcing that we have agreed we can hold each other to the same standard that we can say, well, there's a book we can go to to decide what's right and what's wrong. So we have a shared reference, but it doesn't mean anything else. I mean, if I didn't do business with Christians, I would be

about $10 million ahead, know, safely, safely, conservatively. So, so it's, and I'm not crying about it. I'm merely saying it's not that hard to be impressive in a world where people are immature, unqualified. They do not keep their word. They do not honor. They might be needy or greedy or unwell. And I'm not trying to accuse or judge or talk about someone's better, but it, it's unfortunate that it's easy to stand out with some simple

Wow.

⁓ simple principles. that's why, you when we were talking about, I thought these are pretty simple. They're not unbiblical. They align with what we, what we claim to believe and, and want to live. So yeah, I think inside of the four refer to, for ability habits, almost maybe not almost all problems are solved, but it sure is helpful.

And as you're talking to me about that, I've had a number of W-2 jobs and I know I've been at some that they give you a bonus for showing up to work. I'm like, are you serious? You bonus just to show up to work. It's like, but that's the whole thing of if you show up to work and do your job and don't plan your phone, you get a raise. I'm like, okay, that should be a no brainer. But yeah, we live in a fallen world and people don't always have the same work ethic.

Wow.

as we should be as days pass. ⁓ well, James, give us a little background of how God has led you in business to where you are today.

Mm-hmm.

Yes.

wow. Well, God took me from the gutter most, maybe not to the utter most, but ⁓ I was, I was dead in the water. I would have been literally dead or in prison within six months of when God got me when I was 19. I came from a troubled ⁓ home, drama and trauma and, ⁓ unwellness and financial challenges and all of that. have ADHD, dyslexia, obsessive compulsive disorder, complex PTSD.

I couldn't speak in sentences until I was nine years old and I couldn't read until I was 21. I have no college or university. I was a janitor and only by God's direction did I move from there to anything else. And yeah, I was so depressed. I was finding a way to self-terminate at the time that God got a hold of me. And I figured if I just ran with the wrong crowd long enough, they'd take care of it. Dangerous behaviors and so on. And so I cried out.

God said, I love you. And then that was the beginning. And I had no idea that I would, just by listening to teachers and preachers, audio cassettes and so on, because I was just learning to read at that time, ⁓ that it would get into me in such a way that when provoked, I could actually speak in a way that was helpful and insightful to people. I never thought I could be a speaker. And then when that happened, then the whole vault was blown open and then

I just wanted to keep my word and do simple things right. And it's served me well. So, yep, that's, that's my story.

Wow, you're doing, you're sticking to it, Very good. That's very interesting how God has used going from nothing to all what you're doing right now. ⁓ I read a book many years ago called Delight Your Customers. And one of the principles in there was basically treat your customers as if they were your first customer, not your last customer. It was basically the simple things that it takes to delight your customers, such as a checkout clerk just smiles and say,

Amen.

Mmm.

Mm.

have a good day versus being grumpy when they check you out. Just simple things that are free that we could do that makes our clients feel better. And ⁓ so we're talking about being referable, repeat business. ⁓ So go ahead and give us a few, you said there's four different principles there. What are those four different principles? And then we'll dig into what they are.

Yes.

Yes,

Yeah. So the first one is simple show up on time, which is something I did not do today. So David is being very kind to me. He isn't telling you that I blew it on point number one of what I promised to share. It's very embarrassing, but David is a kind and gracious soul. So, so we're here, but to show up on time, pretty simple. Second, do what you say, do what you say you're going to do. ⁓ third is finish what you start. It's a big deal. And then.

Lastly, say please and thank you. Just don't take people for granted, don't take customers for granted, don't take staff for granted, don't take a manager for granted. Simply live in a state of gratitude, which is to me a spiritual foundation of a connection to God. We can get caught up in past tension, future tension, present tension, or we're to be in present peace, which comes from a state of gratitude to say, God, thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for this.

Otherwise we could trigger a negative, a needy, greedy, selfish victim mentality. so just gratitude is huge. Say please and thank you. That one really lands heavily for me. And to be referable changes everything. You know, with my speaking career, I had one client and that exploded my business until, you know, from that client, I got three other clients and they're all big banks, you know, it's just, and then, and then from that, you know, I was able to sign multimillion dollar contracts.

build three seven-figure businesses and it's all from one door that opened. And if we will take care of that one, that one will lead us to the many, you know, like the sheep, just take care of the one and treat everyone as the one. It's, yeah, for me, it's very powerful. So again, there show up on time, do what you say, do what you say you're gonna do, and then finish what you start and then simply say please and thank you. I'm guessing for you, these resonate fairly simply, would you agree?

yeah, they're very simple, very simple to do, but ⁓ I guess I want to dig a little deeper because it may seem obvious to us, but ⁓ give us an example of why it's important to show up on time or what happens if you don't show up on time kind of thing.

Mm-hmm.

Sure.

Well, I was in my earlier years and I remain a big fan of Stephen Covey and Stephen, that's Stephen M.R. Covey who wrote the seven habits of highly effective people. then Stephen R. Kelly, believe it's ⁓ Covey is a son. Anyways, his son wrote the speed of trust based on his father's work. And when it comes to building trust, basically when you meet a new person, you don't know if you can or should trust them. Some people

give people a certain amount of grace. Some people don't. It's hard to know. Everyone has their own start point. However, the first time you make a promise, the first time you say you're going to do something, now with the outcome of that first promise, they now know you're 100 % trustworthy or 100 % untrustworthy. And so as simple as show up on time. I'll be there at three.

I'm going to send that document today. I'll have someone call you about that. That first promise is now 100 % evidence that you're completely trustworthy or completely untrustworthy. So making and keeping commitments is the fastest path to building trust, rapport, respect, and a flourishing relationship.

Absolutely. And I don't know, I've read a lot of books, so don't know where it's from. It may have been from the Speed of Trust, but he mentioned about if you are talking to somebody and you say, me get back, you basically say, let me get back to you. I'll call you again in a half hour or whatever. Even if you have the answer, he goes, just hang up the phone and say, I'll give you a call back. You hang up the phone and then you call them back. Because so many times people say, I'll give you a call back and they don't. And that is just ⁓ a quick way of.

Yes.

establishing rapport, establishing trust that I will call you back. And it's the same thing what you just said, showing up on time and ⁓ the simple thing you can do to increase trust that way.

Yes.

Yeah, yeah and and with that one I mean I would only do it if if I needed to double-check something before I provided the information because otherwise it would be disingenuous if I have the answer and I withhold it just so I can Show how trustworthy I am it's an odd kind of a thing But I understand the point that was made in that book you're referring to but that author understood Find find a way to make and keep a promise as fast as possible and that principle 100 % amen

Yes.

Yep, yep, very good. Do what you say you're gonna do. What happens to trust when you say you're gonna do something and you don't do it? What happens?

Mm-hmm.

Sure.

Well, people have to form their own opinions as to why, right? It could be, did I get it wrong? Did I not pay attention? I thought they had made that promise. So a person could question themselves, but even that could hinder the bond. But then if it's like, no, I'm sure they promised that, then they have to make up a story as to why you didn't deliver. Is it because you lied in the first place? Something happened? ⁓ Uncontrollable? ⁓

And so then they say, ⁓ you're just like that person, that person that, you know, was always doing this and who knows what, what can of worms you've opened just by simply not doing what you said you're going to do because a person is, is now going to interpret that any way they do. And that, and one of the challenges is people are overwhelmed. have stimulation overload, information overload. have a big, a fundamental culture of distrust, which is a

which is a, ⁓ an adversarial, ⁓ a fundamentally adversarial marketplace where everyone's out to get as much as they can and give as little as they can. And, and, and that's sad. And inside of that, the person's just going to make up, make up whatever story they're going to make up. And because they're overwhelmed, they, they don't feel they owe you the opportunity to explain themselves, to explain yourself. They're, not going to say, Hey, Bob, you know, ⁓

I didn't see the email that you said you were going to send. I'm not sure if you sent it or not. It might be caught in spam or something happened. I don't know, but can you help me out? if you have, even if you have sent it, could you resend it? So that's the most gracious thing you can hope for, but how many people have the time and the capacity to be that respectful, to give you that chance to, to catch up, to make up, to, to address it. Most people when, when

When character is questioned, people decrease their dependency and increase their distance until they're out of your life. And so that one thing could be the last time you're going to have a chance to make a promise to that person. You just don't know how profoundly it's going to impact them and your potential relationship. So, and I don't mind when people blow it. Like what I do is I just, I, I, I, I personally, when I blow it, I just,

Mm-hmm.

let people know it's like, wow, I'm not gonna make it or I didn't make it or my gosh, I blew it or can you like just to be to be humble enough to say I'm going to take ownership and responsibility. And that's another thing people blow it ⁓ on. So very few people are able to take responsibility. Very few people are comfortable to communicate honestly, openly, respectfully and directly. So missing that commitment might be your last shot with them.

Sure, and I'm thinking of like service industries, know, a plumber, electrician or whatever who they said, ⁓ I'm be at your house between one and three. If you can't, really you should contact them saying, hey, we got backed up, it's gonna be four. And don't just not show up because that could get to the point where if they didn't call, I'm done, I'm done, I'm just going somewhere else. And so for repeat business,

Yeah. Yep.

Yeah. Yes.

And I mean, just it's good for people. It's especially critical for businesses because that's that whole trust part of it. ⁓ Yes. What about that? The third one you said, finish what you start. Finish what you start. Do you have a story talking about that? What happens if you don't finish what you start?

Finish what you start. Yeah.

Well, I have that with many people with whom I've done business, as, you know, on both sides of the business equation, whether buying or selling or service providing or needing a service that they, that they say they're going to, you know, ⁓ build this, create that. And then they just don't. And when they do that repeatedly, they, continue to not finish what they start. It just, it just, it forces me to question, you know, the, the integrity there, because biblically we're taught that if you're going to.

build something like count the cost. You know, think about what your yes is, because every yes is a no, right? If I'm if I if I say I'm going to build that, that means I'm taking time away from family and business and whatever my my fitness routine to accomplish X. And if I keep taking on commitments and telling people I'm going to do these things, and then I don't, that's screaming to people that I cannot be trusted. It's again, it's a it's a referability habit challenge. It's it's it's

You want to be a person who makes as few promises ⁓ as possible and keeps them all. Right? So, ⁓ it's like, it's like, if that person says it's going to happen, it's going to happen. Actually, I'm going to share a personal story if I may on this. ⁓ this was, this is one of the chronic things with my father and he struggled with substance abuse and violence and so on. And so he had more than one challenge, but one of them was he didn't keep his word at all.

Okay, go for it.

You know, have almost no childhood memories, but I remember I was ⁓ maybe four years old and he announced, Hey kids, we're going to get ready to go. We're going to go see the Harlem globe trotters. Remember the Harlem globe trotters? He said they're here in Toronto. We're going to go and we're going to watch the Harlem globe trotters and the other kids, I'm the youngest of four. The other kids were running around getting dressed and I'm four years old and I'm just sitting on the couch and my sister came to me. says, what are you doing? I said, nothing.

Yes,

She says, dad said, get ready, we're, going to see the Harlem globe trotters. And I remember this, I remember very little, but I remember this. said, if dad said it, that's how we know it isn't going to happen. By four, I knew he could not be trustworthy to keep his word ever, ever at four, I had lost complete hope in, in my father. And that's, that's pretty tragic. ⁓ and so I told my son when I had my son, said,

Hmm, wow.

I said, I will almost never promise, but if I do make a promise, heaven and earth can fall away. And I'm still keeping that promise. Like when I promise, you can, you know it. And so I'd say, you know, let's say we're going to go see this movie, you know, on Saturday and, and he learned, said, do you promise? I said, no, that's just my intention. I was very careful, very careful that by the time I said promise,

Okay, sure.

virtually nothing but the power of God could stop me. Like it's like, no, this I can promise because I wanted my son to know his father would keep his word because sometimes it's really important. And so that was a foundation I knew was important.

Yes, that's huge. That's huge. And especially like you're saying for a father-son relationship, because that affects our relationship with God too. Because if our earthly father doesn't keep our promises, we relate that to our heavenly father. Our heavenly father keeps his promises. And so yeah, that's very good. It's interesting as you're talking, I remember one guy I met that we were supposed to do some work together and he said yes to everybody. He said yes all the time.

Yeah.

It didn't take too long to realize that he kept saying yes, but he didn't follow through on all these things. just like, I didn't know if he was going to do stuff or not because he just said yes to so many and he had to backtrack on most of them. So, but yeah, it's not a referability thing that I want to refer him business to.

Yes.

Mm-hmm. Yeah. ⁓

Yeah. And he owned

a person like that only keeps the last promise. You know, it's the last person who gets to them that gets, gets the actual, uh, time. Right. So it's like, could say yes to 20 people that he'll call them at five o'clock, but it's the 20th that gets the call because, uh, it's, it's this, am uncomfortable with discomfort. don't have a comfort with discomfort. And so I'll make whatever promise.

makes it more comfortable for me and for you without counting the cost of fulfillment. And that's, that's, that's very unfortunate that a person has such a limited comfort with discomfort rather than saying, I want to say yes, but I'm not able to say yes today, or I want to say yes, but I can't or tomorrow or whatever. And people don't like it when we tell the truth sometimes because it's not what they prefer, but

It is the only way to maintain trust whether it's comfortable or not.

Yeah, all those things you said are good. I just wonder sometimes, I don't think people think that in their head, but it's what you said is true. I don't think that those thoughts probably go through their head. But yeah, it's something introspective to think about. I find interesting that these four things, three of them based upon trust. Three of them are solely based upon trust. You trust the business or the owner. The last one is basically graciousness, saying please and thank you.

Yes.

Yes. Well, it's a fundamental of our human nature, Reciprocity. Reciprocity is one of the most core ⁓ tenets of trust and everything else. so, for example, how many times, I don't know if this happens to you, but I've been driving around this neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale, I'm from Toronto, I'm visiting here.

That's very interesting. ⁓

And I cannot tell you how many times people walk in front of my car, counting on me stopping and they don't feel that it's reasonable to even look at me to give me a head nod, a wave or a thank you. It's just, I will move in front of a moving vehicle, thousands of pounds, and all of the responsibility is on you to not hit me.

Hmm, interesting.

And when you graciously do that, I owe you nothing. And I'm thinking, what happened to society? What happened to please and thank you? You know, it's, it's standard. You know, I remember if you go into a coffee shop, it should start with good morning, not what can I get you? It should start with some kind of a, a softening of the, of the moment to first build the bridge, then send the truckload of communication, but start with the bridge.

Yes.

Please, thank you, good morning. It doesn't take much for an appropriate bridge building moment and please and thank you, thank you for coming, I appreciate your time. It doesn't cost you anything and it could mean all the difference just to be gracious, to have gratitude. I like the Spanish language, gracias is grace. That's what it means, it means grace, gracias.

Interesting.

Muchas gracias. You've given me great grace and I just love that that there's that that that culture has embraced it as how to say thank you which means unmerited favor undeserved kindness and I appreciate you please and thank you it's Shocking and sad that that's not standard anymore

It is, it is. But yeah, it's something that you have to teach your children to do and they continue going throughout their life. yeah, no matter what level of business you're at, owner, worker, whatever, or customers saying thank you, it's that last bond of, I don't know, it's graciousness, kindness, both ways. It's just interesting. ⁓ Is there any, these are all good steps, all great. Is there anything we can do to remember them?

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

so we don't forget them? Because we're talking about right now, we remember them today, and tomorrow we're going to forget them. Is there anything we can do to remind ourselves?

I mean, you could

write them down, put them on the mirror, but for me, it's like, don't forget that don't be a jerk. And I know that sounds harsh, but it's like, don't be a jerk. it's, it's, it's how did we forget that? You know, um, it's, it's fundamentals to humanity. And fortunately for us, we have, you know, the Bible to give us principles and wisdom and, and, know, checks and balances.

Mm.

Sure.

I just think like, do you expect, sorry, it seems unwise to me to take opportunities and people for granted and to treat them delicately. You know, it's like, I've got one friend, ⁓ nurture it, know, nurture it. Don't say, I wish I had more friends and ignore the one you have. And I think that's one of the things that's the distinction between egoic and spiritually connected. You know, when a person is spiritually connected,

They focus on what they do have, what they do know, what they can do, who's with them. You know, it's like, I focus on what is, and the ego only focuses on what is not, what I don't have, what I don't know, what I can't do, and who's not with me. And so the ego is the enemy of connection. In fact, the ego is desperate to live in a perpetual state of separation and desperation. And so it can't be grateful because it's only thinking about what it doesn't have.

Hmm, interesting.

I worked with the world's most powerful banks. And one of the things that we found in the research is the number one reason someone leaves their, their financial planner, advisor, whatever is because of apathy and neglect apathy and neglect. Just don't care. Don't pay attention. It's like, I got your money. Why should I talk to you anymore? I've already got what I wanted and that's all I'm here for. And it's just so sad.

that we're only interested often as a society and what we don't have, what we don't know, what we cannot do and who's not with us, rather than being grateful and a good steward for all that we've been given. I may not have 10 friends, but I have one and I'm going to be grateful and I'm going to invest in that relationship. You know, some people say, you know, why don't I have any friends? Ask that question slowly. You know, there might be an answer. Be friendly. Let's start with that. And then

And then to invest in what we do have. You know, I want to be a better steward of all of my belongings. I want to take better care of things. I want to take better care of money, my health, my talent, and to focus on what I do have rather than only chasing what I don't have. And these things to me can be all the difference in making you the kind of person everyone wants to work with because you're grateful and respectful and you're, you work hard, you do what you say, you know, the

It's not that hard to build an empire on some fundamentals that are very clear in the wisdom literature and I think they should go without saying.

Yep,

yep, just being Christ-like, being kind, loving neighbor as yourself, bottom line what it's doing. ⁓ Do you have any final thoughts, a final parting challenge to my audience today that you would like to spur them on with?

Yeah, golden rule, right?

So I'd encourage everyone to just remember the business of business is to profitably solve problems. Right? The business of business is profitably solving problems. If you're not helping solve people's problems, it's unlikely that you will be profitable. And we profit when we deserve it. And the word deserve means from service. And so if you're not earning enough, it's likely you're not serving enough. So from service, I earn. And

Interesting.

If I'm not being of service, the evidence shows up in my balance sheet. And so how can I serve more? How can I serve better? How can I solve more problems? This is a servant mindset that then unlocks the vault. That's to say, and one of the first things I learned in Spanish was, estoy aquí para servir. I am here to serve. And I say, look, in a non-Christian crowd, I'll say my master mentor rather than Jesus said.

But my master mentor said, I have come not to be served, but to serve. And that's good enough for me. And so as long as I remember, I'm here to serve. And when I serve wisely, I'm a good steward and I profitably solve problems, then I deserve all of the blessings that come from that. But to assume somebody owes me, God or anyone else, that begins a very dangerous descent. And so to say, look,

I have strengths and abilities, competence and capacities. have time, opportunity and connections. And I'm going to, I'm going to look at those to see how I can profitably solve problems in the world around me and the needs of the people that I, that I interact with. And when we get that right, we're showing Christ. When we get that right, we're shining a light and people say, I want what you got. You know, it's a

A gentle ⁓ answer turneth away wrath. It's like, I want to be the most gracious, respectful, assertive, clear communicator in my life. I want to be the person who goes the extra mile. I want to be the person who I keep my word when it costs me a fortune. I keep my word when it's not fair, when it's not right. But I want to be that person who keeps his word. want to be that person that, that, that's that, says,

I am not that needy, greedy, selfish, short-sighted, self-centered, sniveling twit that I once was. By the grace of God, I am now a man and I'm the man more and more that God made me to be. And I want to shine that light and earn those relationships, earn that success by profitably solving problems. I think for me, that's the best kind of stuff I'd like to remind myself of and anyone who's listening.

All right, that was very good. I love that, serve and deserve. That's neat. James, thank you so much for your time and encouragement today. And if you're looking to go deeper into what James does in his work and his coaching and all that, there'll be links in the show notes to get in contact with him. And I want to remind you to remember that your business represents the great God you serve. So build a business that's worthy of God's name and in a way that honors him. Bye for now.

Thank you, sir.