Too often, consultants, coaches and speakers try too hard to be the one with all the answers. Recently, I led a workshop for the management team of a medium-sized company. They are the decision makers of the organization. Rather than revolutionize their way of thinking, I approached our time together from a different angle. To start the workshop, I asked them a question:
“If an organization is unwilling to be honest about the challenges it faces, if it continues to sweep issues under the rug, it will never outgrow those challenges. So tell me, what challenges do you face? »
It was embarrassing for them. Everyone avoided eye contact and started squirming in their chairs. They looked around the room, waiting for someone to come first. The CEO spoke. His willingness to speak out was a positive sign; leaders should Go first.
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He said that the main challenge in their service-based industry was a deliverable that they were struggling to achieve. Everyone nodded in agreement. But after further questioning, I realized that the suggested problem was just a by-product of the real challenge they were facing, although no one seemed to notice.
Fix the problem, not the symptom .
Not uncommon, actually. More often than not, we treat the symptoms of a disease rather than the disease itself. In short, we're really good at complicating a simple problem because we fail to see the real problem at hand.
For this company, the real problem was that the sales team was failing to shaping customer expectations. When a file was not going to meet the deadline, instead of fixing the problem immediately, he would push it back and work on simpler cases. Additionally, salespeople did not anticipate challenges or anticipate setbacks.
Second, handle time employees felt undervalued within the team. It was the people who worked in the trenches, who processed the files. In most cases, they only received correspondence when something was urgent, and every email was flagged as important. As a result, they only heard negative feedback.
Indeed, the delivery time was a by-product of unhealthy processes within the organization. And these unhealthy processes were the direct result of unhealthy relationships. These were the fundamental problems, the challenges behind the challenge. Once these issues were reported, we engineered a double-edged sword.
Set expectations and deliver.
Large organizations are clear about what their customers can expect. And they live up to those expectations.
Some of the best restaurants I've ever eaten at weren't only on food. They talk about the experience created by the server associated with the quality of the product. In a business organization, the salesperson is the server. They are the mediator between the chef and his client. It is up to the server to manage the expectations of the client.
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I appreciate it when the waiter says to me, “Mr. Ham, to ensure your steak is cooked to perfection, this will take about 20 minutes. When my steak is delivered in 18 minutes, I'm thrilled because my expectations have been met.
A simple practice of setting expectations on the sales frontend will relieve countless unhappy customers on the backend. More importantly, when challenges arise, address those issues immediately. For the company in question, he started planning a few days for common delays. The customer knew nothing different and expectations were met more consistently.
Invest in people.
Healthy, whole individuals make healthy, whole employees. Whole, healthy employees make for whole, healthy businesses.
A janitor who feels part of a company's image is more likely to ensure that the premises are as clean as possible. This deep value for his role in the organization is determined by the person who signs the check. As a salesperson, I loved it when my senior executives took a minute to drop by my desk and talk about non-business related items. When leaders let their guard down to interact on a human level, it shows they appreciate individuals.
American philosopher William James said, "The deepest principle of human nature is the desire to be appreciated. . When people feel appreciated, when they feel valued, they give their best. If we want the best from others, we must first learn to appreciate them.
In our workshop, I encouraged everyone to have leaders invest in processors. And by investing, I mean really including them in the team. Instead of just calling when a deliverable is needed, get into the habit of evaluating them as people first.
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Organizations need to be honest about the challenges they face . The will to be honest and transparent is the first step towards progress. Then, realistic and clearly communicated expectations help the team win. Whether it's a $30 steak or an eight-figure business, the same truth applies. Finally, we must value people. And not just in our mindset or in theory, we have to value them in real life. We have to live by our belief that they matter to our teams and are valued.
At the end of the day, it's not that complicated:be honest. Set expectations. Serving the community.
When I returned from my visit with this exceptional group of people, I received a note from the CEO that read, “Thank you for the powerful reminders, Matt.
Reading his words, I smiled. Instead of looking for complex solutions to problems, all we really need are simple reminders.
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