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 Focus-Learn-Engage
(Click on the blue links for more information)
Show frontline leaders 5-steps to lead group members in a cycle of engagement encompassing customers, partners and fellow associates. Keeping the voice of the customer (VOC) on the frontlines of daily operations by leading activities for everyone to participate in asking (mostly non-verbal) customers "How are we doing?" People engage through learning the ability to give themselves objective feedback. This can only occur with internal feedback from ones own daily activities! To complement the feedback they already receive from colleagues and supervisors.
* Note the differences in Processes and Programs as well as the impact on continuous learning Lead with a "Guide" and "Coordinator" the sequential five actions for customers, associates, and partners:
The big idea? Rather than continuing to merely provide those on the frontlines of daily operations (associates/customers/partners) more feedback consider also involving them by leading activities to allow them to ask the questions to get their own feedback! Going beyond verbal questions to complement and continue, not change, present programs. A "secondary group asking process" is simply giving frontline leaders a set of sequential actions (five steps) to engage, involve and self-motivate not only associates but customers and partners as well. To build customer loyalty through focus, learning, and commitments from not only associates but customers and partners as well! Not a verbal exercise, as most communications, emotions, learning, and thoughts are non-verbal and often unconscious.
Defining the "Secondary Group Asking Process" -- "Secondary" - re-asking a few key questions from senior management/administration as to "what" needs to be done to answer "How are we doing?" from a daily frontline operations perspective. "Group" - any group of people with the same "customer/beneficiary", requiring a common and continuous focus, learning, and commitment. "Asking" - going beyond verbal questions to the non-verbal parts of thought, emotion, learning, and communications. Leading activities to compliment feedback (answers) through reflection, inquiry, and challenge. "Process" - simply a set of actions which can be initiated anytime and anywhere as any other skill or tool for human interaction. Providing a critical and often missing feedback for individuals--that from their own daily activities! Demonstrating soft skills such as appreciation, intentions, reflection, attention, and dialogue.
Processes are simply "sets of actions." They are important in the daily operations of an enterprise because actions get results. Processes can be part of a larger system/program or exist on their own without necessarily requiring planning, communication, and training. Practice is usually the number one requirement for process improvement as people experience learning by doing. Processes may be but do not have to be a part of programs, systems, procedures and policies which are all initiated by senior management to execute "what" needs to be done and "how" to get it done through operations. They create the discipline and structure for enterprises. Think of a process as a "recipe"--this process is a recipe for engagement! Processes, however, can also be initiated by frontline managers to get everyone's attention, involvement, and cooperation for "how-to" get results. This gives frontline managers a tool to add follow-through to the discipline and structure for continuity and leadership. Learn more about the history and importance of processes from experts:
Learning is influenced by asking/inquiry/questioning from the time we are all infants. While feedback supports learning it is asking which initiates and continues learning. Administration asks the questions needed to plan the "what" needs to be done to achieve desired results. They also develop programs for the "how" to achieve those results. These programs also provide feedback to daily operations to answer the all-important question "How are we doing?" A "secondary asking process" is simply re-asking in an operations setting those administrative questions which are critical to daily operations achieving their results. This does not change the existing feedback associates receive from supervisors and colleagues. It compliments by adding a third and often missing feedback--that from their own daily activities. Feedback from ones own activities or work is a characteristic of virtually every "star performer." It leads to self-motivation and involvement through daily operations. Allowing a frontline leader to continue learning, focus, and commitments through associates.
© 2003 George Reavis - george@thankingcustomers.com |
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