Little Things Make A Difference

Recently, I attended a luncheon where an assortment of sandwiches was served. Now typically, this presents a mystery worthy of Sherlock Holmes, to figure out what is in each sandwich, particularly if you have special dietary needs/preferences. There’s always this buzzing around the platters, heads bent low, eyes peering deep between the slices of bread to figure out what’s in it. And I always feel so uncomfortable with at the thought of the multitude of germs descending from us all onto the delectable array.

Each time it happens, I feel a tad upset, but not upset enough to warrant much more thought once I am happily savouring the sandwich of my choice. It’s just one of those minor irritations. How delighted I was on this particular day to see a simple and ingenious way of letting us know the ingredients in each sandwich (I attach the photo I took). I complimented my host and I am sure that the caterer will be used again and again!
So simple. So effective in creating at least one delighted customer (I also pointed it out to the other participants).

I recalled my Service Management Professor David Maister nearly 3 decades ago, who opened his course with this statement “Service is about a million little things”. And it is. As you ponder service delivery that delights your customers, think about the little things. These send a message that you have taken the time to understand most minute needs of your customer and that you really truly care.

THE BALANCED SCORECARD

Days gone by, strategy was a tightly kept secret in organizations, with only the very top management involved in developing it. The Strategic Plan was not widely shared; usually for fear that the competition would see it and steal the strategy. Fortunately, insightful leaders now understand that all the people in an organization are paid to do is to execute the strategy. Kaplan and Norton have identified “Make Strategy Everyone’s Job” as one of the five pillars of a Strategy-Focused Organisation.

Cascading the Balanced Scorecard to the individual level is a very powerful way for everyone to understand the strategy and their contribution to it. Based on their departmental or unit scorecard, each employee and/or their supervisor identifies how they contribute to the strategy at the Internal Process perspective. I always find the Strategy Map very useful for this – in which “bubble” do they see themselves? Then they explore their impact on customers and on financial results. And finally, they determine their own learning and growth necessary to prepare them for flawless execution of their job. The outcome is a Personal Scorecard: a simple statement of strategy at the job level which the employee can use to guide his/her own performance, and by which the supervisor can gauge and give feedback on progress.

However, I have found that the process is as important as the outcome. The process gets the employee and supervisor engaged in really understanding their job – not just what they do, but why i.e. what are the results expected. They come to understand how they contribute to departmental and corporate results, and to see that they are important, no matter how lowly they are on the organizational totem pole.

TAKE ONE ACTION

Identify 10 tiny things that would make a difference to your customers. How?

Ask a few of your customers – “What is one small thing we could do that would help to make you happy with us”? And then do it.

INTERESTING LINKS

Speaking of feelings, I really like this article exhorting leaders to get emotional from time to time.
The author makes a good point – so suppressed have our feelings become that we may not even be able to identify them anymore. – click to view article

Words of wisdom from John Maxwell, one of my favourite leadership gurus. He shares his thoughts on what makes a leader (or anyone) great.
And since he uses Julie Andrews as an example, I am also sending a link to “My Favourite Things” sung by Julie Andrews – it’s sure to lift your day!
– click to view article
– click to watch video