Make Sure Cross-Training Sticks

Posted on by Scott

checklistLet’s face it, a lot of cross-training just doesn’t stick. Despite your best efforts to provide an employee with adequate training, they just can’t seem to grasp what they need to do and when. People wind back up in the same class time after time, but forward progress is agonizingly slow.

Before we go any further, I think it’s important to point out the difference between training and coaching. Many people confuse the two, but to me there’s a huge difference. Understanding how they are distinct is key to what we’re trying to accomplish.

Training focuses on relaying information. There’s data that needs to be transferred; a base of understanding that needs to be built. This is often accomplished through classroom instruction, online courses, webinars, or even using emails and articles like this one.

The goal with training is, obviously, to increase a person’s knowledge about the given subject. We want to make sure the brain understands the what, when, why, and how. Training focuses on presenting information in a way that’s easily retained.

Often, we use some kind of assessment to gauge how much of this knowledge a person has absorbed. A product of the month quiz, for example, helps you see how much information about a product you have retained. This is the standard model used in schools and universities to gauge the level of knowledge a person has acquired regarding any particular topic.

Coaching, on the other hand, focuses on turning knowledge into action. After all, information isn’t any good if you can’t actually use it. Coaching is the process of turning information into observable steps that can be replicated. The knowledge has to travel from the brain into practical application.

The goal with coaching then, is a change in behavior. The result of coaching should be the observable implementation of what’s been learned. Since I can’t look inside your mind to see what you know, I have to rely on what I can see – the way you perform – to ascertain whether or not the knowledge that’s been shared is having an impact.

Therefore, the measure of success when it comes to coaching is the successful achievement of a goal. The change in behavior should lead to the attainment of desired performance outcomes. That means I have to have something to measure against. There has to be a benchmark of some kind.

Cross-training requires both of these components. You can’t have someone attend a webinar and say they’ve been cross-trained. You can’t just show someone the mechanics and assume they understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. Effective cross-training happens when the learner can successfully demonstrate the desired skill under the appropriate circumstances, and understands why it’s important to do so.

This all means that cross-training is a process. For it to work, cross-training has to be carefully planned and methodically conducted. Here are some quick tips to help make sure your next cross-training effort goes smoothly.

  1. Identify the key steps that need to be learned. Zero in on the four or five actionable parts of the process to be learned and write them down. Spell them out in basic terms. Describe the action to be taken, point out why it’s important, then explain the specific steps.
  2. Assign the best possible teacher. Pick out a member of the team that’s an expert and ask them to coach the new kid. Pick a top performer – someone who gets it right. Don’t leave cross-training to someone whose own performance is sketchy.
  3. Put the learner in charge. Provide the person learning a new skill with a checklist of your key steps. Give them questions to answer and problems to solve. Cross-training should end when the learner feels they’ve accomplished their goal, not when the teacher decides to stop.
  4. Provide some structure. Make sure both the teacher and the learner understand the rules of the game. Give them both a copy of the skills to be shared. Walk through particulars regarding when the cross-training is to take place. Explain what success looks like.
  5. Ask for proof. Ultimately, you have to witness the new skill in action for cross-training to have successfully taken place. Ask the learner to complete the steps in your presence. Have them explain to you what they are doing and why.

Developing the team is a key aspect of leadership. The care and attention you provide to the growth of your crew speaks to your level of commitment to their success. Don’t leave this one to chance, and they won’t leave you hanging.

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Try a Little Exercise at Work

Posted on by Scott

gymer-1126999_640Long ago, elite athletes determined that by augmenting their normal training regimen with activities pulled from other sports, they could improve performance in their own. Focusing on a limited set of movements and skills left them vulnerable to injury when something unexpected came along. By spending a portion of their workouts engaged in other sports, an athlete improves their overall strength and conditioning, providing a firmer foundation upon which to perform.

This is called cross-training. While it’s become standard practice in sports, it’s not quite as common in the business world. Too often, employees are pigeon-holed into silos of responsibility. In addition to leaving the team vulnerable to events like absences, revised deadlines, or surges in customer traffic, it leaves individual workers at a disadvantage. That’s because, like an athlete, we can improve performance in our core duties by engaging in a bit of cross-training. Cross-training flexes the mind just like it does any other muscle.

Cross-training provides variety. When we do the same things repeatedly, the brain starts to develop neural pathways that make it easier for us to get the job done. Actions become automatic and we do thing without even thinking about them. This muscle-memory can be useful. I don’t have to think about putting my seatbelt on each time I get in the car – it just happens. But when work becomes routine, our minds begin to wander. We disengage. We get bored.

When we tackle a different kind of work, we’re exposed to a different set of circumstances. We have new variables to consider and new decisions to make. Our brains start firing in new ways and we are forced to think, and act, in ways we otherwise wouldn’t have. Work becomes challenging and interesting. Cross-training keeps us from becoming bored.

Cross-training provides insight. Encased in the bubble of sameness presented by our siloed work environments, it’s hard to see the bigger picture. Our actions have ripple effects that we can’t see because our focus is so narrow. There are others working hard to solve problems we could help solve if we’d only look outside the bubble.

When we engage in work typically done by others, we start to connect the dots between our job and theirs. We begin to see relationships that expand our understanding of the organization’s mission. We learn to appreciate the struggles others face and the value they provide. We begin to understand the meaning of the word “team.” Cross-training keeps us from becoming isolated.

Cross-training provides perspective. When we do the same job day after day, we develop systems that become habits. Like a trail in the woods, a rut starts to form. Before long, the ruts become so deep that we adopt the edges as the boundaries of our ability. We can’t see any other way to get the job done because we’ve gotten comfortable living in the rut.

When we take on a new task, it’s like blazing a new trail. We see things differently because we must. There’s no established rut to follow. We’re free to ask questions and explore new ways of thinking. As we learn the what, why, and how of a new task, we start to question the boundaries of our own responsibilities. We start to see the ruts we’ve created from the outside. This new view helps us identify new and better ways of performing our own job. Cross-training keeps us from becoming short-sighted.

Cross-training has numerous benefits for the team. The flexibility of having multiple people capable of performing any given task is obvious. However, the greatest benefit may to the individual who steps up to try something new.

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The Keys to Peak Performance

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basketball

The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there. -Vince Lombardi

If you’ve never been a professional basketball fan, now is a good time to tune in. The Cleveland Cavaliers are locked in a tough battle with the Golden State Warriors for the NBA championship. The first two games went into overtime, a first for a finals series, and both teams are bringing their best in a bid for the title.

On display are two of the game’s elite players. The marquee player for the Warriors is Stephen Curry, the regular season MVP. The Cavaliers are led by Lebron James – arguably the best player on the planet. These two men bring their best game after game and, as a result, raise the level of play from their teammates.

Whether you’re talking about athletes, craftsmen, salespeople, or service providers; there are certain traits that set the best apart. I’m not talking about natural ability or physical characteristics. What puts top performers on the top is the way they approach the game.

Top performers constantly look to improve. The best of the best are never satisfied with their performance. They know there’s always something more they can do to get better. There’s always something else they can do to elevate their game. And knowing there’s something they can do to improve, they can’t sit still. They feel compelled to pursue the next level.

Top performers seek out feedback. There’s only so far you can improve on your own. Those who seek excellence understand that assistance is necessary for them to move on. So they reach out to the best resources they can find – their coach, other experts, more experienced players – and ask them for help. You don’t achieve elite status without inviting others to evaluate your performance. Assessment isn’t viewed as an inconvenience; it’s considered a necessity.

Top performers respond to constructive criticism. Superstars welcome criticism more than accolades. It’s not that they don’t appreciate praise and validation; but “atta-boys” alone don’t help you improve. To achieve greatness, you have to understand what’s keeping you from it. You need someone who will point out your weaknesses and then help you tackle them. The elite need to hear the bad news; but they need to hear it from someone who cares about their success. In the end, they stand on top; but they don’t stand alone.

As of this writing the Warriors have the advantage, having gone up three games to two in the best-of-seven series. Regardless of which team winds up on top, I’m enjoying the show. Seeing top performers do what they do best is always a treat.

The Music of Mastery

Posted on by Scott

guitar

My son Alex and I recently started taking guitar lessons. We’ve made attempts at it in the past; but online videos, DVDs, and instruction manuals just didn’t do the trick. We’ve only had two or three lessons to this point and we’re both excited about our progress. Even though we’re just at the beginning of this journey, I’ve already made a few observations that I believe apply to mastering any new skill.

Getting started is the hardest part. The first time you pick up a guitar, it feels awkward. Everything is new. You really have to think about where your fingers should go – and it hurts. In the beginning, your finger tips are sensitive. They aren’t used to the pressure it takes to properly play the notes. But with time, your fingers develop calluses. With regular practice, the movements that felt so foreign start becoming second nature. The thing is though, you have to fight through that initial phase. Mastery is the result of practicing until new becomes normal.

Focus on mastering the fundamentals. There are hundreds of different chords, strumming patterns, and combinations of each that one can play on the guitar. Looking at the volume of techniques that are possible is overwhelming. But most popular songs can be played with four to seven basic chords. It makes sense then to spend time practicing these basics before moving on to more complex skills. Use the 80/20 rule to your advantage. Mastery is the result of perfecting a few key behaviors.

Personal instruction trumps going it alone. Alex and I struggled during our attempts to learn guitar on our own. He didn’t have the discipline to stick to a regular practice schedule and I wasn’t sure if I was using the right technique. Now that we attend lessons with a personal instructor, things are different. We have someone who suggests a course of action, models proper technique, and holds us accountable for sticking to the plan. Mastery is the result of partnership with someone invested in your success.

Mastering a new skill set can be intimidating, frustrating, and exhausting. It can also be very rewarding. I don’t expect to be playing Carnegie Hall any time soon; but that’s ok. Strumming with my son around a campfire is more my style anyway.

What new skill would you like to master?

Try It Before You … Sell It

Posted on by Scott

business bagMany products today come with a “Try it before you buy it” clause. That is, you can try the item (typically software) for a period of time without paying before you decide if it offers enough value to for you to make a purchase. It’s a great way to assure customers that their money won’t be wasted – that their faith in the company is not taken for granted.

But in most cases, testing the product out before taking the plunge isn’t an option. Prospective buyers have to rely on advertising material, product reviews, and the opinions of past customers. Even then, making a purchase untested can be a scary proposition.

What customers really need is an advocate; someone on the inside whose job is to look out for their best interest. And that’s where you come in. As a representative of your organization, you are in the perfect position to match the needs of your customer with the features and benefits provided by your products. You just have to embrace the role.

Successful salespeople possess superior product knowledge and understand that fulfilling customer needs leads to success. When you can draw upon your knowledge and experience with your company’s products to make a customer’s life better, everyone wins – the customer, the company, and you.

Sadly though, too many salespeople possess less-than-optimum product knowledge. You don’t have to look very far to find restaurant servers who have never tasted the food on their own menu, car dealers who can’t explain the features of the model in question, and bankers who don’t understand how their institution’s internet banking service works.

There’s simply no excuse for not knowing at least fundamental information about each of your organization’s products. Even if your primary job duties don’t involve selling, you need to be prepared for the eventual questions. Every employee should be ready, willing, and able to represent the organization when the opportunity presents itself.

While there are numerous ways to learn about your products, nothing compares to hands-on experience. Only by tasting the food, driving the car, or navigating the website can you speak confidently about the features and benefits of the product. Customers trust an expert’s opinion. And they can see right through someone who’s faking it.

So if you’re ready to up your game, take the plunge. Spend some one-on-one time with the products on your menu. Your customers will thank you for it.

 

In Appreciation of the Humble Checklist

Posted on by Scott

ChecklistThere I was.

Out of town.

In a hotel.

And about to step into the shower.

That’s when I realized there was no soap.

It was the morning of an important meeting. Having stayed up late with an upset stomach, I’d hit the snooze button one or two times too many. There was no time to contact the front desk and wait for someone to bring a bar to the room. So I set aside my frustration and made good use of the shampoo.

Later on, as I reviewed the trip, I couldn’t help but think about the missing soap. It was a small oversight, but obviously a pretty significant one. How could something so critical to a guest’s stay be overlooked?

When you think about it, it’s really not that hard to understand. Today’s businesses have become increasingly complex. There can be hundreds of components to get right in order for things to work out perfectly. And with so many moving parts it’s very easy to miss one or more of the small ones. But it’s typically the smallest service misses that cause the most customer frustration.

So it’s no wonder that occasionally the soap is missing from a hotel room. From time to time a fast-food order is filled incorrectly. Every once in a while you open a box to find a part is missing. As hard as we try, every service provider is destined to miss something eventually.

But what if there was a simple tool you could use to make sure those little things weren’t overlooked? Would you use it?

Airline pilots use it; so do astronauts and quick-service oil change companies. Chances are you have one on your desk or in your computer or on your phone.

I’m speaking of the humble checklist.

When service providers perform the same steps over and over again, you’d think that things would become automatic; that nothing would be missed. But it’s for precisely this reason that small missteps happen. When service steps become routine, they can be taken for granted. And that’s when the details stand the greatest chance of slipping your mind.

In his book The Checklist Manifesto, Atul Gawande, a surgeon at Harvard Medical School tells how implementing a simple pre-surgery checklist reduced complications and deaths by 35 percent. If highly skilled professionals like surgeons and airline pilots rely on checklists to get the little things right, why shouldn’t the rest of us?

The process is simple:

  1. Map out your service delivery process.
  2. Draft a checklist to document each step.
  3. Use the checklist religiously.

Think you don’t need one? Gawande didn’t either. After, all he’s a Harvard-trained surgeon. But he wrote the book and felt compelled to practice what he preached. He says not a single week has passed at the hospital that his checklist hasn’t caught something.

What could a checklist help you catch?

Who Ya Gonna Call?

Posted on by Scott

Trailer AxlesRemember the movie “Ghostbusters?” What about the theme song, written by Ray Parker, Jr.? Well believe it or not, the movie is 30 years old – I’ve had the song stuck in my head for a few days thanks to an unfortunate accident.

I was towing a smoker to a group camp out. Approximately 15 minutes from my destination, I glanced in my rear-view mirror and saw black smoke pouring from the back of the trailer. It seems one of the axles had cracked, causing the tire to cant inward and rub against the inner fender well. The smoking was the result of the tire melting from the friction.

I quickly pulled over and, after letting the wheel cool down, jacked up the rear of the trailer to get a better look at the axle. However, as soon as the weight shifted, the axle snapped in two. I guess I was lucky. Had the axle broken at 70 miles per hour, my weekend could have taken a particularly nasty turn.

But there I was, stranded on the side of the road. The trailer was too heavy to pull on only one axle and, try as I might, I couldn’t bind the broken one to the frame well enough to keep the tires straight so I could limp into town. I sat inside the truck to cool off and think. This problem was bigger than I could solve on my own. So I asked myself “Who ya gonna call?”

A lot of our customers ask themselves the same question. Every day, people in our communities find themselves in a variety of situations with no easy way out. They need a friend. They need an advocate. They need an expert (or at least another brain to help them determine the next course of action). In short, they need someone who will answer when they call. That’s where you come in.

You know, it’s easy to become jaded about the work you do day-in and day-out. It’s easy to get cynical and bored and apathetic. After all, answering the same old questions and dealing with the same old issues becomes a chore after a while. So it’s no wonder we grow weary of the daily grind. It’s no wonder we sigh and roll our eyes when yet another customer calls with the same question we’ve answered 100 times already today. That’s what happens when the job becomes routine.

But it’s not routine to the customer.

The same situation that’s a no-brainer to you is a gut-wrenching crisis for your customer. The decision that needs to be made is an easy one for you, but it’s monumental for them. And even though you’ve answered the same question 100 times today, it’s the first time your customer has had to ask. In order to provide the best possible service to your customer, you have to take off your shoes and put on theirs. Because its only after you understand what your customer is feeling that you can truly begin to serve them.

I got lucky. The first friend I called immediately dropped what he was doing and came to help. And he didn’t show up alone. Three other guys came with him. Each one of them knows what it’s like to be stranded, praying someone will come and help you out of the jamb. Together we were able to develop a plan to fix the smoker and salvage the weekend. The next time I’m in trouble on the road, I know who I’m going to call.

What about your customer? Who are they going to call when the next crisis hits?

Doctor’s Orders

Posted on by Scott

Andrew ScrubsI recently read that 80% of U.S. adults do not meet federal recommendations for aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening exercise. In other words, they’re out of shape. Sadly, I’m one of them.

Now, before you get the wrong idea; I’m not a total couch potato. I spend a lot of time outdoors through my involvement with the Boy Scouts. In fact, my son Alex and I are about to leave town for a two week backpacking trip in the mountains of northern New Mexico. But unfortunately, I don’t get out as often as I’d like (or need) to. And the closest I get to regular aerobic exercise is watching “The Biggest Loser” with a bowl of ice cream in my lap.

I’m not happy with the way I look or feel – haven’t been in a long time. Just like most of the other people making up the 80% in the opening statistic, I know what to do. I’ve just lacked the motivation to do anything about it. Sometimes I ask myself “What will it take for me to change? Perhaps if a doctor were to deliver some bad news, it would inspire me to get serious.” Well last month I got my wish.

One minute, I was conducting a webinar. The next, I was doubled over in pain. It got worse and worse until I finally went to the local walk-in clinic. After a number of tests and a trip to the emergency room for a CT scan, I was diagnosed with kidney stones. I was treated with intravenous fluids and pain medication. If you know anything about kidney stones, you know they’re not life-threatening, but cause a great deal of pain. Furthermore, they can be symptomatic of larger health problems.

My doctor shared that I was at risk for additional kidney stones and suggested I make some changes in my diet and level of activity. Nothing he suggested was new to me. But thanks to the pain I’d just gone through, I committed myself to acting differently going forward. I’ve been drinking more water, watching what I eat and moving more – not rocket science; just simple actions I’ve known about all along.

Sometimes we have to receive some bad news before we make even the most simple changes. Operational tweaks, management priorities, even basic acts of customer service – they’re all easy to ignore, overlook or put off. But in the face of negative feedback, the basics take on a renewed sense of importance.

Earlier this year, I helped an organization develop a set of Customer Experience Standards. The standards outline basic expectations regarding how customers and coworkers are to be treated. Nothing included is revolutionary. In fact, most of the document is common sense – many employees even complained about the simplistic nature of the contents. As a result, some chose to ignore them or assumed they were covered.

About a month ago, they introduced a customer feedback survey and the results began pouring in. As you can imagine, some of the feedback was negative. Time will tell if the pain of negative feedback is enough to finally motivate them to action.

How do you react to bad news?

Flip or Flop?

Posted on by Scott

ihighju001p1Richard had two bad feet, a bad back, and a dream of being a star track & field athlete. His chosen sport was the high-jump; but he struggled to clear the minimum distance – five feet- required to make the high school track team. No amount of coaching or practice seemed to help. The proven techniques utilized by his teammates and world-class competitors didn’t work for him. He just couldn’t get himself over the bar.

So Richard began to experiment. Over several months he altered each aspect of his performance. He started by adjusting his approach. While every other athlete ran straight at the bar, he began to run at a diagonal. This gave him more speed in the final few steps.

He changed his takeoff, starting further and further from the bar. He worked at it until he found the launching point that would position him over the bar at the highest point of the jump. As the height increased, he found he needed more room to achieve apogee.

Traditional jumpers utilized a scissor kick to clear the bar, stretching out one leg and then the other before landing on their stomach. Richard started twisting his body in the air so that he cleared the bar headfirst and landed on his back. This allowed him to arch his back and kick his legs up simultaneously, creating precious space between himself and the bar.

Richard’s track coaches were worried. The methods he was using were unheard of. They feared his deviation from standard procedures would damage his ability to compete and possible lead to serious injury. But during his junior year he broke the high school record. Suddenly the critics became supporters.

After winning a series of competitions in college, Richard Douglas “Dick” Fosbury began to catch the eye of the press. They dubbed his technique the “Fosbury Flop.” During the 1968 Olympics, he won the gold medal by clearing 7 ft. 4.25 in., setting a new Olympic record in the process. Today, the flop is the most popular high-jump technique in use.

Its easy to get stuck in a rut. People do it and so do organizations. We get used to doing things a certain way and rarely question why. Most people fail to realize that greatness lies just a few tweaks away from the norm. Innovation is rarely about huge, radical changes; although even small change is typically met with strong resistance.

Innovation is a critical aspect of any thriving business. If you aren’t constantly looking for ways to improve, you’re doomed to stagnate. Those who are willing to change thrive – they can even flip an industry upside down. Those who aren’t fall into obsolescence – they flop. And anyone can be a catalyst for change.

Could your business benefit from a little innovation? Could your performance use some tweaking? What small change would make a huge difference in your success?

A Rare Southwest Service Failure

Posted on by Scott

imageWhen my Southwest flight out of Lubbock was canceled this afternoon, I was disappointed, but not surprised. A late winter storm had dropped a few inches of snow and ice over the south plains, causing school cancelations and numerous delays. The entire airport was shut down yesterday along with the stretch of interstate between Lubbock and Amarillo. So it made sense that crews were still battling the after-effects today.

I quickly rebooked for the only remaining flight out, the last one of the day. The biggest impact was to my priority boarding status. I usually purchase a “Business Select” ticket on Southwest in order to take advantage of the early seating. Being among the first to board allows me to locate an aisle seat toward the front of the plane, so I can stretch my long legs and get off quickly in order to make a connecting flight. Having to rebook for a later flight meant these tickets were no longer available. I was left with boarding passes in the “B” group – not terrible, but not ideal, and certainly not what I’d paid for.

The first leg into Dallas was uneventful, I even managed to nab an aisle seat on the coveted exit row. But it was the lead up to the next leg where Southwest let me down. A few minutes before boarding, the gate attendant announced that boarding group upgrades were available for a slight fee. I approached the counter, hopeful that my purchase of a higher-priced fare on an earlier flight would warrant an easy upgrade. But after consulting the computer for a few minutes, I was informed that because I was in the middle of a two-legged trip, “the system” would not allow them to print a revised boarding pass. The otherwise helpful employee was prevented from providing a satisfying service experience by the limitations of her company’s technology.

Frustrated, I waited for my turn to board with the “B” group. But the boarding pass I handed over was thrust back in front of me. “Your printer must be messed up. It can’t read this boarding pass. You’ll have to go see them at the counter.” I stared at this gentleman in disbelief as he looked past me to the next traveler. No second attempt to scan the document. No manual entry on the keyboard. Dispite the fact that my first boarding pass had scanned successfully in Lubbock, this issue was now my problem. So I trudged back over to the counter losing my place in line and any hope of a decent seat.

A customer’s perception of an organization is a mash-up of every experience, good and bad, that they’ve ever had with them. Any given negative interaction isn’t likely to make or break the relationship between company and customer, but they add up. And certain ones have a longer shelf-life and, therefore, more weight in the customer’s mind.

Service failures happen all the time. But in my book, the worst ones are those where, as a customer, I feel like I’ve done everything in my power to help the company provide me with an excellent experience. Failures of this type don’t just feel like poor service, they feel like injustice. And it’s hard to get over the feeling you’ve been done wrong.

So here are some tips to avoid creating feelings of injustice due to a service failure.

– Don’t allow policy or technology to keep well-intentioned employees from assisting customers. Despite anything written in a manual or programmed into the computer, my gate attendant should have been able to make a phone call and get assistance in oredr to provide me with a boarding pass equivalent to the one I paid for.

– Make sure employees understand that customers aren’t at fault – even if they are. My printer isn’t “messed up.” Another boarding pass I printed at the same time scanned flawlessly in Lubbock. But even had the problem been caused by my equipment, having it announced in front of other passengers does nothing to enhance the experience.

– Acknowledge the customer’s frustration. Even after explaining and pleading my case, the only thing I received was a weak “sorry.” How about a few drink coupons or extra rewards points for my trouble? In cases where you can’t rectify the issue, at least show the customer you care by doing something to try and make amends. As things stand, I don’t even know if I’ll get refunded the difference in ticket price. It’s on my shoulders to track that down as well.

Southwest typically does a great job, and they’re still my first choice (albeit often my only choice) when I fly. They have numerous awards to illustrate their dedication to customer service. But today’s experience showed me that even the best trip up sometimes. I’ll try to remain mindful of this when evaluating the service efforts of my own organization.