Posted by: Peter Massey | 22.03.2011
I’m on a panel session tomorrow at the ICS conference (Institute of Customer Service) named “What keeps you awake at night?”. The topics are being created on little cards during day 1 today ( wot no twitter…?). So I thought I’d write up a few things that keep me awake at night…
1) Too much measurement, not enough listening and action
2) Too busy to listen to the front line – executives who waste the free intelligence in their company
3) Change = projects. It should be a different BAU or experience for staff and customers
Let’s see what comes up tomorrow….
Postscript: After the panel.
A big problem appears to be people’s faith in their bosses and colleagues – How do I persuade and influence when I am not in charge. Lots of wondering about social. Strong bias towards people engagement to execute any customer strategy.
Uncategorized | 3 Comments
How do you create time in your diary to lead and direct the business – in other words “to see the woods from the trees”
23.03.2011 15:50
Hi Allan – a good question that everyone struggles with, and no easy answers, particularly if you have a culture of meetings and outlook accessible by all. This isn’t an answer, just suggestions:
a) Build your own system – the regular things you need to do to deliver what you want. For example understanding, action, key changes to BAU :
1. the first half hour of any day not in your building to be free to walk round and say hi – it’s amazing what you learn
2. an hour a month listening to customers call, emails, letters and another 2 hours to walk one customer’s journey to understand it, as well as respond in follow up
3. town halls and/or “bring it on” lunches with front line staff
4. the regular or progress meetings with specific agenda
5. invent meeting etiquette – agenda, objectives, outcomes, write ups, communications
6. Replace some meetings with short conference calls or debate by wiki
b) Work up your plan to deliver on and put the slots you need in your diary. make your diary proactive eg declare your top 3 things to achieve and only let things in the diary if the invite explains why it helps you achieve those things ( within reason ). It’s along the lines of Frank Williams’ question whenever presented with a cheque to sign: “How will this make the car go faster?”
c) Be repetitive at the start of every meeting ( a month at a time) and tell everyone what you’re working on – they’ll learn to bring things on that agenda.
d) Hold a half day per week that cant be booked until the start of the week – this gives more time to catch up on yourself. Or keep a day meeting free altogether
e) Make 12 minute meetings, and/or do them standing up.
f) Only accept meetings that have an agenda and a stated decision to make
g) Get you and your team some training on running meetings
h) Never do strategy alone – meet to share it
I could go on…. is this relevant? Give me a track to follow
23.03.2011 18:58
Sorry I didn’t spot this earlier – I like your 1) 2) 3) and in particular your point about persuasion and influencing when not in charge sparks something in me. I get fed up with folks waiting for people further up the chain of command to do something. Proceed until apprehended!
And I enjoyed reading your reply to Allan – your creative thinking is good fun to read and very useful too.
Keep up the great work!
15.04.2011 21:18
