Are your batteries recharged? This week, my batteries got recharged and I am motivated to do so much!
I was in a Leadership Development course this week. As most leaders, we have attended many of these sessions, but for some reason this one was exceptional!
How were my batteries recharged? Even though the content was similar to other leadership training, the timing of this was excellent, and I was able to attend with peers in our organizations' Sales vertical, as well as my intact Operational team. This created a very interesting dynamic that really recharged my batteries to enhance collaborative team relationships in our workplace.
At the end of the day, it is important in any team environment, that you are able to see the challenges that others face in meeting their goals. At the end of the day, we all face similar challenges, but approach the process from different angles. It is important that in the workplace, leaders can bridge the cross-functional gap. This is difficult to do when, when you don't have a lens into others silo's.
When you are having challenges with cross-functional peers, take the time to network through collaborative work groups. In doing so, you will gain an understanding of their challenges, and they will better understand yours. At the end of the day, the customer your organization serves will reap the benefits.
Recharge the passion in your career. Get back to the basics. Most importantly, put your customers as your workplace priority by reducing time spent on non-customer focused topics. Define the goals you need to attain with your customers, and don't just plan the work, but work the plan!
Thank you to the trainer for creating this experience, and for those in the class that really made this a valuable couple of days!
Have a great weekend!!
Showing posts with label customer focus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label customer focus. Show all posts
Friday, August 24, 2012
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Deep Thought
Remember if you will Saturday Night Live back in the late 1980's, early 1990's. Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handy... Today's blog is one of those such moments....
I rarely write in the first person, because I really feel that what I write about here is not about me, but about others. However, my thoughts are different today. I had a thought recently while I was having a meeting with a direct report of mine. We were talking about customer engagement and how effective we were being not with our consumer engagement, but our clients that hired us.
Since we have had very few requests come in from our clients, and our consumer ratings have been consistently strong, we wondered if there are issues beneath the surface. Thus my recent thought, that "the messages often lost are in the words never spoken".
What this statement means will be interpretted by each person individually. Here are my two cents. As a vendor, service provider, retailer, etc., it is easy to get caught up with positive vibes when no one seems to be complaining, however, are you sure there is not something brewing beneath the surface? Are you surveying your clients and touching base with them on a regular and ad hoc basis? How do you know what their "ping" points are?
On a personal level, are you connecting with those that really matter? In any relationship, communication is the key to success, even at times where you may not personally feel like communicating. My self-perception is that I am shy and introverted, although I have been told just the opposite in almost all facets of my life. Communicating with others is something that I really struggle with, especially when it comes to "chit-chat". My preference is to be more of a listener and analyzer to gain perspective. However, in order to be successful in my line of work I have found that I need to proactively communicate with clients and staff.
I have found that by not being proactive in my communication, I have often lost messages in words that were never spoken. There is the old saying that when one assumes... I have learned never to assume. People, personally and professionally, appreciate proactive communication more so than reactive communiction even if it's as simple as just checking in call.
The messages often lost are in the words never spoken. Make it your goal to not lose a message today. Then make it a goal for a week, then a month, and pretty soon it will become a habit, both personally, and professionally.
Have a great week! And feel free to communicate back with me!
I rarely write in the first person, because I really feel that what I write about here is not about me, but about others. However, my thoughts are different today. I had a thought recently while I was having a meeting with a direct report of mine. We were talking about customer engagement and how effective we were being not with our consumer engagement, but our clients that hired us.
Since we have had very few requests come in from our clients, and our consumer ratings have been consistently strong, we wondered if there are issues beneath the surface. Thus my recent thought, that "the messages often lost are in the words never spoken".
What this statement means will be interpretted by each person individually. Here are my two cents. As a vendor, service provider, retailer, etc., it is easy to get caught up with positive vibes when no one seems to be complaining, however, are you sure there is not something brewing beneath the surface? Are you surveying your clients and touching base with them on a regular and ad hoc basis? How do you know what their "ping" points are?
On a personal level, are you connecting with those that really matter? In any relationship, communication is the key to success, even at times where you may not personally feel like communicating. My self-perception is that I am shy and introverted, although I have been told just the opposite in almost all facets of my life. Communicating with others is something that I really struggle with, especially when it comes to "chit-chat". My preference is to be more of a listener and analyzer to gain perspective. However, in order to be successful in my line of work I have found that I need to proactively communicate with clients and staff.
I have found that by not being proactive in my communication, I have often lost messages in words that were never spoken. There is the old saying that when one assumes... I have learned never to assume. People, personally and professionally, appreciate proactive communication more so than reactive communiction even if it's as simple as just checking in call.
The messages often lost are in the words never spoken. Make it your goal to not lose a message today. Then make it a goal for a week, then a month, and pretty soon it will become a habit, both personally, and professionally.
Have a great week! And feel free to communicate back with me!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Mountains or Molehills
As leaders, we always hear that we need to pick our battles. The key to being successful, is to know what battles are the ones that need to be fought.
For me, choose to fight those battles that have a direct impact to my team and functional area first, then the ones that impact me second. The way I look at it, if I have the support of my team and my customers, I will not have to fight as many personal battles.
There is one belief that I have thought which I follow consistently. My molehills are others mountains. In other words, situations that are not that significant to me, may be very significant for others. As a leader, it is necessary to be a sounding board for others significant issues, even if there is little consequence to me.
Not every discussion needs to be turned into a saga. Most times, those bringing an issue or a topic up are looking for a sounding board as opposed to receiving a specific action. It is important that as leaders we provide that sounding feedback and make sure that if we are going to be providing feedback that the person is willing to receive feedback. Ask permission by saying something like, "If I understand your concern...." Then follow up by asking, "I have some suggestion on how to handle this, would you like to hear them?" In doing so, as a leader you have taken the emotion out of the conversation and then are strictly focused on the situation at hand. Remember, a molehill for you is another persons mountain.
Let your team and your peers know that you are a confidential sounding board for them, and these individuals will move your mountains for you when the time comes. Remember, your mountains are others molehills. If you don't have to climb or move a mountain, then don't. Keeping this in mind will create a more productive, trusting, and loyal environment. As a leader, you can then spend less time fighting fires and more time on improving processes and products.
Your molehills are others mountains. Keep this in mind over the next week.
For me, choose to fight those battles that have a direct impact to my team and functional area first, then the ones that impact me second. The way I look at it, if I have the support of my team and my customers, I will not have to fight as many personal battles.
There is one belief that I have thought which I follow consistently. My molehills are others mountains. In other words, situations that are not that significant to me, may be very significant for others. As a leader, it is necessary to be a sounding board for others significant issues, even if there is little consequence to me.
Not every discussion needs to be turned into a saga. Most times, those bringing an issue or a topic up are looking for a sounding board as opposed to receiving a specific action. It is important that as leaders we provide that sounding feedback and make sure that if we are going to be providing feedback that the person is willing to receive feedback. Ask permission by saying something like, "If I understand your concern...." Then follow up by asking, "I have some suggestion on how to handle this, would you like to hear them?" In doing so, as a leader you have taken the emotion out of the conversation and then are strictly focused on the situation at hand. Remember, a molehill for you is another persons mountain.
Let your team and your peers know that you are a confidential sounding board for them, and these individuals will move your mountains for you when the time comes. Remember, your mountains are others molehills. If you don't have to climb or move a mountain, then don't. Keeping this in mind will create a more productive, trusting, and loyal environment. As a leader, you can then spend less time fighting fires and more time on improving processes and products.
Your molehills are others mountains. Keep this in mind over the next week.
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