We Do As We Practice

Have you ever heard that? "We do as we practice" I definitely have. I know you've heard "practice makes perfect." That's why professional organizations -- military, first responders, medical, sports teams -- if they're any good, practice their tasks until they're sometimes sick of it...and they can perform them in their sleep.

We can't reasonably expect that our team members will perform consistently and at top of their game unless:

1. They know what's expected of them (and often you need to show or model the expectations to them).
2. Training is in place to complete the expected tasks in an
outstanding fashion
3. They practice, practice, practice.
4. Leaders and peers shadow/observe team members carrying out their tasks (directly, not listening from the other room like one manager told me).
5. Feedback is provided, both immediate and on-going (like during staff meetings or periodic training or practice sessions).

Both training and practice should include role-playing in front of the rest of the team...people don't think it's always fun, but the way the leadership approaches role-playing has a lot to do with how it's accepted by the group. Constructive feedback should be provided, "this is what I think Bob did great and these are the areas I think Bob could do even better" or words to that effect.

If your team makes practice a regular habit, then when a team member is not feeling 100% "there" on a given day, or if you're short-handed and people are scurrying around to get everything done, or if something else out of the ordinary is occuring, then you don't have to worry about how they'll interact with your customers...they'll just fall back on the way they practice.

Practice won't make you perfect, but, if it's a regular part of your team's activities, they will be that much closer than ever before.

Hiring Awareness Tip

Hiring people is always a crap-shoot, isn't it? We hope we're hiring the best person for the job, but it's really hard to tell what we're getting.

I learned a very important tip from a friend a couple of years ago that I wished I'd known way before then. He told me, "remember, when you're interviewing candidates, they are probably at their best right then. This is when they're minding their Ps and Qs. If you don't LOVE them during the interview, you probably won't later either."

I've hired a lot of people and a lot of them have been candidates who I thought were pretty good, but I didn't love them. What I sometimes did was convince myself and others that a) I just needed a body and it didn't matter that much what they were like as long as they didn't have a criminal record, b) the candidate was good enough, or c) that they probably just didn't interview that well and they'd get better. I was often wrong and regretted my decisions.

In business, we often have dual messaging coming at us or from us regarding hiring. The overt directive is typically to hire the best candidate (the one who can do the best job and gel with the rest of the team or organization) and not push the fit. The unspoken directive is to get a body right away. Now, rarely do both of these directives get accomplished simultaneously. Both are important, but the first one...don't push the fit...should take precedence every time. When you examine the cost in time and money and headaches to hire, train, discipline and terminate someone, it really doesn't make sense just to fill the position.

There's a lot more that goes into hiring than just my tip today, but still...if you don't love them during the interview, you probably won't love them later.

Apathy -- Do we really want customers?

I recently saw this poster and had to have it so I bought a framed one off eBay the other day. In case you can't read the words in white at the bottom of the poster, it reads,

"If we don't take care of the customer, maybe they'll stop bugging us."

This is both very funny and very sad at the same time. It's very funny because it's so true and it's very sad for the same reason. Now, I don't know any business owners who feel this way about customers, but I have run into many people working for businesses who feel this way -- most of them not ALL the time -- but many of them periodically.

I've heard managers and other leaders say that they're really glad it's "quiet" today so they can get some work done or that they are so busy with customers that they can't get their own tasks taken care of. It's easy to think like this and I have to admit that I've felt that way more than once in my life.

I do think the title of "Apathy" doesn't apply to most people, but the poster does make a point. If we don't take care of our customers, they won't be back. Historically, this hasn't been the case in the medical industry where so many doctors and their staff have felt like the patients needed them more than they needed the patients...and it was often true. However, with healthcare reform being such a hot topic, many medical practices are taking a much harder look at their customer service practices and working to shape up.

What if you determine your office has more than it's fair share of apathetic reactions to customers ("more than fair share" = ANY)? What do you do about it? It's very possible that it's ingrained in the fabric of your office. It's very possible that it's been such a long pattern of behavior that it just seems that this is the way it is.

CULTURE SHIFT time. And it very well may be a tough shift. By having a shift in culture, I mean that the office or organization, as a whole, takes a look at the business and decides to change, at the core, the way things are done. For culture shifts to be successful, they must start at the very top of the team or organization. It's often easier to successfully shift a culture when there's a major change like new leadership. Then the new leader can set expectations at the beginning of how things will run.

Let's say that you've determined that the focus of your group is way too centered on the team than on the customer, meaning policies, procedures, hours, interactions, etc, are designed more for the pleasure of your team. You want to make a change, but you've been around a while so you may be part of the problem. Some people will tell you that "this is the way we've always done it" or "this is what you led us to do". These statements may be true, but when you see a mistake, do you continue making that mistake just because you've always been doing it...even if it was your idea?

So, is it impossible to change the culture to a more customer-centric one? NO. But, as the leader, it's going to take a large commitment of effort to ensure the change takes place. Where do you start?

1. Identify the problem and communicate it to everyone on the team directly.
2. Set expectations for yourself, your other leaders, and your team members.
3. Train all parties as necessary. I find that a lot of times, people know the right things to do, but they're out of practice or just haven't been doing those right things.
4. Observe staff interacting with customers
5. Coach to the behavior you want.
6. Correct, as appropriate and REWARD the same way.
7. Don't be afraid to say "good-bye" to those team members who can't or won't learn the new focus on customers (institute the "Good to Great" approach that Jim Collins laid out and decide who should be "on the bus" and in what seats).

Let's face it. You're in business to make money and you make money...long-term...by taking care of your customers and providing them the value they're looking for.

"NO" for an answer

Have you ever really noticed all the negative cues that surround us in our lives?

"NO parking". "NO trespassing." "NO loitering".

Now, the "no" statements I mention above probably make sense in the context for which they are intended. Still, we are surrounded by signs and notices and words that tell us communicate negatively with us. However, what about the negative cues that are presented to our customers?

Recently, I was at a church where a sign was prominently displayed:

Visitors
STOP
and then other words underneath that directed them to the "welcome" center.

The idea was to allow visitors, who often anonymously visit, to be acknowledged, properly greeted, and to be made to feel comfortable. I mentioned what I saw to a couple of people in charge (I think a couple of others mentioned it, as well); the next week there was still a sign and it still guided visitors to the welcome center, but it was very positive and gentle.

How about your office? Is the place where your customers go to fill out paperwork called the lobby or the waiting room? Do you tell your customers to "have a seat in the waiting room" (aaaarrrrgggghhhhh!) or let them know they can "relax in the lobby"? Does your staff ignore the customers and continue their personal conversation or do they hide behind a glass window or partition?

People typically want to be in positive surroundings where they feel good about things, about themselves. They often, consciously or unconsciously, shy away from negative experiences, unless they have no other choice.

I challenge you to take a look around your office or business or organization and see if there are negative cues being shared with your customers. Look hard. If you find any, consider whether the cues need to stay. If they do, figure out a way to convey them positively, so you'll know that your establishment is where the customers want to be and we can ALL feel good about ourselves.

World-Class Customer Service -- is it about YOU or the SERVICE?

Several times during my previous careers, I was instructed to set realistic expectations for my customers:

~In the Army, when we set up equipment in support of the Division Headquarters, and we were being evaluated, we were supposed to do so efficiently and effectively. However, when my guys pre-positioned some items (way out of the ordinary) to make our setup time even faster, my boss, who was also observing, said "way to go...now you've just set an unrealistic expectation that you're going to have to meet every time now...".

~In the temporary services business, one time when the owner was taking an order over the phone, I had just had the perfect temp leave the office so I called her immediately and filled the order over the phone before the owner even finished getting all the details. I yelled "filled" whiled she was still on the phone. She shot me a dirty look and I was confused. When she got off the phone she said, "you were lucky this time and you know it often takes a lot longer to find a good temp for our customers. If you let the customers know how quickly you can fill an order...when everything works out right...you've set the expectation that you can fill them all that fast."

I took lessons, like those above, very seriously. In later years, when my staff would come to me asking to do something out of the ordinary for a customer, I would often agree because I wanted our customers to have the best. BUT, I would always say, "make sure they know you're doing them a favor." That way the customers weren't given unrealistic expectations and it made us look like we were giving the customers something special.

RECENTLY, however, I listened to a speaker and author named John DiJulius (www.johndijulius.com) who really confused me. He asked a theoretical question to the group:

A CUSTOMER COMES IN FOR AN APPOINTMENT AT THE WRONG TIME. WHAT DO YOU DO?

1. Tell the customer that he or she is in the office at the wrong time and offer to reschedule them.
2. Tell the customer that he or she is in the office at the wrong time, but that you value them so you tell them that you'll work them in.
3. Welcome the customer just as if this was the time they were supposed to be in your office and never let them know they had made any mistakes.

Well, the answer, according to Mr. DiJulius, is #3, provide your customer the best experience possible and never let on about anything. But, how will they know the hoops you jumped through? How will they know you've done extra for them? This was hard for me because it's not the answer I would have picked. I would have picked #2 and felt really good about it. The thing is, by choosing numbers 1 or 2, I've let my customer know that he or she messed up...that they were wrong. That doesn't sound so good.

I wonder if I have been missing the point. Have I been looking at these types of situations as opportunities focused on solely on world-class service or have I really been focused on making my team and me look good?

The more I think about it, the more I'm sure John DiJulius is right. It's about service...plain and simple. I guess I can kind of equate it to "if you help your people succeed, you don't have to worry about making yourself look good, because you're peoples' success will make you look good, too."

So maybe we can apply the same with service. If we just worry about providing the absolute best service we can (which includes making others feel good about themselves), we don't have to worry about making ourselves look good. That will be a natural by-product of our positive actions.

What do they expect from me?

BOSS
1. What does he or she expect from me?
He or she expects me to:

~Represent the team in a professional manner.
~Be an engaged, focused leader who keys on the mission and the good of the team.
~Make him or her look good.

2. How do I need to influence my boss?
I need to take a positive, but objective view of situations. I can bring up issues that I feel need addressing, but if he or she disagrees with me, I run with them like they’re my own (unless illegal or unethical).

TEAM
1. What does the team expect from me?
They expect me to:

~Lead them, but not manage them.
~Help them develop so they can grow.
~Help provide answers when they need them.
~Support their efforts.

2. How do I need to influence them?

~Listen and allow them to talk (and complain).
~Don’t shut them down.
~Show them a good example.

CUSTOMERS
1. What do my customers expect from me?
They expect me to:

~Put them first.
~Understand their needs.
~Fix their problems.
~Not give excuses.

2. How do I need to influence them?

~Listen and allow them to talk (and complain).
~“Be There” for them.

FOR ALL
1. I need to exhibit an empathetic spirit.
2. I must be credible.

Can a person be promoted too fast?

Or before he or she is ready to handle the responsibility?

My opinion is a very strong YES.

Maybe you've seen it; I certainly have. I've seen it because I've done it and been burned by it. I think the problem often stems from managers who are getting covered up with stuff and need someone desperately to fill a leadership position. The managers look around and settle on someone who is performing really well at the current level.

Don't get me wrong...I'm a big proponent of developing your people. How can someone grow if they're not given more responsibility? The big mistake comes when we give our rising star too much power too fast.

What does it do so many times? Goes right to their heads. As Pat Riley says in his book, "The Winner Within", they just don't know how to handle their "meteoric rise". Sometimes your star can handle the duties of the job and sometimes he or she struggles. What almost all of them fail at is keeping their egos in check.

It's just human nature, isn't it?

Regardless, you end up really needing that person in the role. You've worked every angle and this is what you need to do. OK, that's fine. So how do you do your best to ensure everything works out, your star flourishes and you don't end up with a bucket-load of headaches? You:

~Set the expectations for your star and, if you feel it appropriate, warn of the potential issues right away ("You need to understand, regardless of the trust I've placed in you, you can't let this go to your head. Genuine humility is one of the signs of a real leader, so keep it real").
~Let him or her know you'll be watching.
~Stay involved, giving regular guidance and direction
~If you see any issues re: "the big head", nip them in the bud ASAP.

The best choice, in my opinion, is to wait for the right person to fill your critical job. But, if you have a potential superstar and want/need to give him or her the chance to achieve great things, closely oversee and guide for success.