Think about the last team you were on where you really felt like everybody was on the same page headed towards a common goal…Whether it be a sports related team, group project at school, or your everyday work environment there’s a reason why you felt like it was a team.  Most likely there was a leader of the group; a manager, coach, team lead; that identified what the expectations or goals were of the particular task at hand.  Although it sounds like a no brainer, many employees come to work day in and day out without a clear sense of direction.

So why do people follow their leaders?

Direction

If I’m going to follow anyone, I’m going to make certain that the person I am following knows where he/she is going. The easiest rule of management should be to know where you are going and to ensure your team members are aware of it as well. The most successful leaders have a vision and they are an inspiration to their team members. If your team doesn’t believe you know where you are headed can you blame them for not following?

Lead by Example/Walking the Walk

Most managers have gotten to where they are by having the ability to do the job or jobs they are managing.  The best coach doesn’t have to be the best player but they do need to lead by example when they are called upon. There’s nothing worse than having a manager tell you one thing then lose all credibility by doing something completely different. 

Trust/Support

Plain and simple, if I don’t trust the person I am supposed to be following I’ll be sure to be 10 steps behind the leader so I can proceed with caution. Managers/Leaders need to build a sense of trust and confidence with their team members over time. It’s not given…it’s earned…so prove it.  Being transparent and relying on your team member’s strengths will get you one step closer to earning it.

Think about your team…who’s on the roster? If you turn around is anyone there? If you don’t see your people following it’s not too late to change. Identify the reasons why and start over-communicating expectations and performance standards.  Remember that the 1^st step in serving your customers is serving your employees.

If you are leading others and you’re lonely, then you’re not doing it right.  Think about it. If you’re all alone, that means nobody is following you.  And if nobody is following you, then you’re not really leading. ~John Maxwell

Daniel Park – Director of Consulting Services, Frontline Performance Group

Remember last time we talked about kids playing football on a playground? Well now it’s time to put even more “explicit” detail to how those basic principles apply to organizational success. Sometimes with the fast pace of our modern business climate, it’s not always easy for managers to find time to do the things they really should be doing – getting results with and through the organizational team. Instead of always worrying about “fires” or seemingly endless “crisis” that occur, a focus on these things will create both more time and more productivity for company leaders. Here are five tips to take your organization to a new level of success…

1)    Define the playing field within your organization. What are people expected to do on a daily basis? Make sure you explicitly define –

Conditions of Employment (Things that people are expected to abide by like no stealing company property, having the ability to get to and from work, possibility of working overtime etc.) Conditions of Employment are those “no-brainer” kinds of things that many times get ignored because the assumption is that “intelligent people are just supposed to know that already.”

Minimum Standards of Performance (The exact expectation of productivity and results that must be consistently achieved in order to maintain employment)

Operational Boundaries (Not being late, getting reports done on time, being responsive to communication such as calls, e-mails and texts etc.)

2)    Define what high performance looks like for every specific job within the company. In order to create more buy-in from your team, do this as an exercise where you have everyone write their definition of high performance and then collaboratively put them together in order come up with a succinct statement. This creates lots of energy within the group and people are excited to be a part of defining their role and what the expectations are for them to succeed. This really defines what needs to be done and how it needs to be done every day. These definitions of high performance for every job need to be posted on the wall. Again, they should be clear statements that everyone understands – not amorphous “academic speak” that nobody gets or even cares about.

3)    Once the definition of high performance has been laid out, then accountability needs to be created AND communicated. Everyone needs to understand what the consequences will be for “exceeding the boundaries” or for poor performance. They also need to understand what the possible rewards and recognition will be for achieving high performance and/or going above and beyond the call of duty. Explicitly communicate both the consequences and the rewards so everyone knows exactly what to expect.

4)    Define the goals for the company as a whole and for each department and then communicate these goals with passion. Don’t imply what the goals are because that creates ambiguity. Be explicitly clear what the goals are and talk about them daily in short, five to ten minute “huddles” within each department. These “huddles” should talk about the company vision, mission, values and goals. Pick a value each day to discuss and talk about wins, misses and solutions on the road to achieving the goals.

5)    Make sure that, as a manager, you are consistent with your message. This consistency will make or break your “personal power” within the organization. Personal power is the level of respect and credibility that you earn from employees. Remember that when someone exceeds the boundaries or is performing poorly, they have to be accountable. The number one de-motivator for people in every industry is having to pick up the slack for a poor performer. Be consistent and passionate about communicating the goals, working on the playing field for success and making sure you are “explicit” and not just “implicit”.

So the next time you see some kids playing football in a park, think about the organizational lessons they already know at such a young age. Many times we learn things when we’re young and just forget the basic principles for success. The good news is, we can always re-learn what we’ve lost and, in many cases, the principles are still there. We just have to decide to slow down, think about what works and then actually do it.

Michael Stahl – Senior Performance Manager, Frontline Performance Group

Studies continue to show – customers who have a problem that is resolved quickly and properly are likely to develop more loyalty to a business as opposed to a customer who never had a problem. Yet often still, many businesses operate with a complaint/problem resolution system that is so complex, not even the staff is able to quickly (let alone amicably) bring a complaint to satisfactory resolve for the customer and the company. In effect, some complaint processes are so convoluted, they seem to say to the customer, “Prove us wrong and perhaps we’ll talk about it.” … I think most of us have had that experience as a customer. You know – the one where it was less painful to just remain silent, suck it up and cut your losses rather than deal with the frustration of trying to get someone (anyone) to even listen. And dare you hope, perhaps get them to see things from your point-of-view. Even worse, some companies still operate under the premise that if no one’s complaining, business is good! - Hmmm, did you hear that?

Silence is not a good sign … If they don’t speak up, you lose! In most every industry competition is stiff, so when companies make it difficult for a customer to “tell them how they are doing”, it can impact sales and ultimately kill their business. When a customer experiences problems you never hear about, that means you never have an opportunity to make it better.  When this happens be assured, the customer never forgets the problem and most likely, they will not do business with your company again – Can you hear it now?

If you want to know what people are saying about your business you have to speak their language! Recent research has revealed that almost 75% of the “consumer population” is using social networks to help them make informed buying decisions and influence the decisions of others. In a recent Frontline Sales Forum post from the article How to Succeed With Today’s Empowered Customers, the author suggests, “…empowered customers have to be met by your empowered employees, using the same Internet technologies to keep up.”  - Go on, get beyond the brush!  

So, how should you handle a complaint? Whether your business has invested in a state-of-the-art complaint management system is less relevant to the cause than adhering to the fundamentals; here are a few tips:

1. Show appreciation!  Let the customer know that you strive to improve every day.
2. Listen Well!  You can help a lot more if you know the whole story. 
3. Be empathetic!  Make the customer feel comfortable about telling you the problem. Never take it personally.
4. Ask the customer what can be done to make them happy – their answer may surprise you! Many times they only want to be heard – which is less than you would have given.
5. Do whatever it takes! Perhaps price or some catchy marketing campaign will continue to drive that “first-time” customer to your door; but your primary goal should be to make sure that every customer will happily continue to business with you again. Almost any discount costs the company less than losing a customer for life.

Bottom-line, keep your ear to the ground – customers are falling. And if you pay close attention, you’ll save more than a few.

Lynda Fleming – Director of Learning & Development, Frontline Performance Group

“This one step – choosing a goal and sticking to it – changes everything.” – Scott Reed

I’m going to lose 10 pounds…I’m going to work out 5 days a week…I’m going to eat healthy.  Does that sound like something you said to yourself or told everyone around you when you were enjoying the holidays - that it was all going to change after the New Year?

I’m going to improve my numbers…I’m going to turn my store numbers around…I’m going to be your new top performer.  Does that sound like something you said (only to yourself of course) when you were looking at your internal peer ranking or company sales report?

Both are two glaring examples, from our personal life and workplace, of things that are 100% in our control.  That’s right; I said it…100%. So you may wonder, if it’s totally up to me, why is it that I start with good intentions but end with the “oh well, I tried” attitude for the remainder of the year? Below are some of the things that keep us from hitting those targets or making it a breakout year.

I don’t see the change - You’re eating right…you’re going to the gym…you have a positive attitude at work…you’re trying to offer your products or services differently but you don’t seem to be seeing any of the fruits of you labor. Change in behavior takes time – you need patience. Just as it takes a while for your body to react to your new lifestyle, it takes your brain a while to ingrain the new sales techniques at work. Fight through the voices in your head that are telling you that your effort is wasted…you’re on your way!

Lack of planning- Whether it’s your lifestyle or taking your career to another level, the fact is, the individuals who will succeed are those who have a plan. Making permanent changes will call for a bullet proof game plan that provides you with a clear idea of what to do. Find out who your resources are and seek assistance. Call on your friends or family members; ask your manager or direct supervisor for guidance.  Make and work your plan.

The Grind – It takes time to build strength or endurance to take on more weight or add time to the treadmill. It also takes time to get comfortable with your new sales presentation. It’s different than what you’re used to but after you say it over and over again with clients on a daily basis, you begin to build strength in your presentation. As you gain more confidence in your presentation you begin to believe in yourself…when you believe in yourself you start to make a difference. You lose 2 pounds…you improve your sales performance. Stick with it, you’ve just begun.

Unrealistic goals- Your goals in your personal and work life need to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound. If your current goals don’t meet those criteria, you need to go back to the drawing board until they do. Too often people set unrealistic goals that end up leading them down the road of failure even before they start. I want to be the top performing person in my store or area…although you can certainly get there, it may take longer than you anticipated. Set smaller goals that lead up to your end goal. The sense of achievement along the way is a powerful motivator in your journey to success! 

I’m just not feeling it - Losing weight and grinding it out in the gym doesn’t sound all that fun…Doing an overhaul of your sales presentation seems dreadful. Don’t be so serious – make it fun! Play “challenge” games to motivate yourself; pick a workout partner or colleague to hold you accountable throughout the day. How you feel about working out and how you feel about selling will determine how well you work out and how well you sell…Go for it!

Whether it’s a New Year’s resolution or a personal challenge to start the year off on the right foot, it is 100% in your control. The thrill wears off over time. Resolutions and vows to improve your sales performance sound good when you’re looking at achieving the end result. It’s along the difficult road from A to B where most people throw in the towel, but if you stay the course you’ll see…success is right around the corner!

Daniel Park - Director of Consulting Services, Frontline Performance Group 

Roger Bannister, an English track star, shocked the world by running a sub-4-minute mile in 1954. Prior to this great accomplishment, athletes, physicians, coaches and the media deemed the sub-4-minute mile an impossible feat. On May 6, 1954, Bannister shocked the world and posted a 3:59.4 minute mile. Yet an Australian runner by the name of John Landy allowed the record to stand for only 46 days. During a race in Finland, Landy ran a 3:57.9 minute mile. Within 3 years of the initial Bannister “threshold buster” 16 runners broke the 4-minute mark.

Moral of the Story:

#1 – Half the battle of reaching a goal or breaking a new level of performance is simply believing there is a new level of performance to be reached.

#2- No matter how high your performance goal is it will always become someone else’s target.

Ken Stellon - Senior Vice President, Frontline Performance Group