You expect service, no matter how it gets done, and when it meets your expectations you are satisfied. But what happens when there are mistakes?

Most people understand that mistakes happen, and companies usually have a chance to redeem themselves. Even so, service failures seem to abound that leave a bad taste and weaken or destroy reputations.

Recently, I dropped off an expensive watch at a top brand retailer for repairs. I was told that the work had to be done in New York, which I was okay with. I approved the cost estimate, but they sent me an email re-authorization anyway. That should not have been a problem, but they transposed some characters in my email address, and I never received the email. Because I didn’t respond, the New York service repair center sent my watch back to the local retailer.

Seven weeks went by, with no word about my watch. Finally I made an inquiry, and was shocked to hear it had been sent back. Why didn’t they at least call? They had my number. “Well, we don’t do that,” was the response.

They must be kidding, right? Is that level of service too much to ask for? A great opportunity was missed to add value and build customer loyalty.

It should have been simple.

It doesn’t matter what you are selling or what service you are providing. Personal service still matters. It differentiates one competitor from another.

A successful fast food retailer we work with, Chick-fil-A, refers to it as “going the second mile.” I think of it as going just a little further than expected. It makes a huge difference.

Our little town may get a Wal-Mart soon. (Yes, there are towns that still don’t have a Wal-Mart!) Local retailers are concerned about their future. Will price competition drive them out of business? It’s no secret that this can happen when “big-box” retailers enter the marketplace.

But what about providing quality service? Unequalled service?

Certainly there is a segment of the market that needs the lowest price. It is a tough economy, and many people need to cut corners in the budget. Even so, don’t discount the value customers place on great service.

In a competitive marketplace, service still makes a real difference.

Service: The Missed Opportunity is a post from: Leadership From the Trenches

At a recent meeting of the Building Champions coaches, we were reflecting on things from our past that made us better.

My mind went to something I had never shared with anyone before, about a huge mistake I made that thankfully had a long-term positive impact on me. I was a sophomore in my first high school football game. I can still remember that moment when the coach looked at me. Since then I have always tried to be ready and keep my head up.

We all make mistakes. What I learned from this one experience was that, when you have opportunities or issues, you must keep your head up. You have to stay engaged, even when you have concerns about the outcome.

Of course I could also mention preparation and confidence, but it’s more than these factors alone. It’s being committed to make decisions, to move forward, to take your best shot and to take advantage of whatever opportunities you are presented with. You may not do it perfectly, but it has been my experience that doing something is far better than waiting.

I remember when General Norman Schwarzkopf spoke at a meeting of our leaders a number of year ago. He gave us two principles he lives by: “take action and do the right thing.”

These are great thoughts to remember as we keep our heads up and work hard to take advantage of our opportunities.

Keep Your Head Up is a post from: Leadership From the Trenches

It has been my experience that people make a huge difference in business. Their  attitude, their understanding of where you want to go, and their willingness to help you get there can be your greatest assets. As a manager and leader, building strong relationships with your team is critical.

I recently was asked to share my thoughts on deepening relationships with the Building Champions team. Here are the principles I passed along to them:

Treat Everyone Individually

Coaches know the importance of understanding the behavioral differences between people. Building Champions uses DISC assessments for this purpose. But long before I knew about DISC, it was apparent to me that different people were motivated by different things.

As a leader, you must understand those differences not just by their DISC assessment results or a “one size fits all” communications approach, but by talking to each person. Everything should be as individual as possible. There’s no textbook book way or single, universal approach.

You cannot be who you are not, so be true to yourself, too. Understand your own communication style and how you can best connect with others.

Be Consistent

It’s impossible to deepen a relationship if the other person never knows what to expect from you, because there cannot be any real trust. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Always strive to do the right thing. And if you find yourself in a position where you do need to change direction, explain why.

Add Value Without Regard to Yourself

Some people may assume that the leader is always looking out for #1, and it may be up to you to change that assumption. Do what’s best for them, even if it is not best for you. Evaluate and make recommendations objectively and that are in the other person’s best interests. Help them see what they may have missed.

Stay Connected

Take the responsibility to communicate and stay connected, even if it is not reciprocated. The more personal and direct the communications are, the better. Some tools include:

• Cards – to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries or acknowledge a loss
• Handwritten Notes – use personal notes to observe something positive
• E-mails – watch for opportunities to help, offer new ideas, or share articles they may have missed
• Phone Calls – unexpected calls can make a big difference
• Social Media – Facebook, LinkedIn and other tools can be useful for some. The goal here is to meet the needs of each unique individual.

Follow Up Meetings in Writing

When it comes to meetings, what was meant is not necessarily what was heard. Two people can walk away from the same meeting with very different expectations. To avoid confusion and an erosion of trust, follow up in writing on what was decided and clarify any directions given.

People matter. The more you deepen those relationships, the farther you can go together as a team. Relate to each person individually and it will make a huge difference in the performance of all.

5 Principles for Deepening Relationships is a post from: Leadership From the Trenches

What is really impacting your pursuit of the results you want to achieve? If there is something holding you back in your life and chosen career, what can you do about it?

Certainly the economy — domestic and global — has impacted most of us, and will continue to have a negative impact for at least a few more years. But it is too easy to blame outside influences and avoid taking responsibility for what we need to do in order to reach our goals.

There are external factors — including biases, prejudices, regulatory barriers, and so on — that are out of our immediate control. Yet there are things we can do that will improve our situation if we persistently stay the course.

Take stock of the following as you reflect on what you want to achieve in 2012.

Know where you want to go.

What is that you want to achieve in every important aspect of life? And what is your plan to do it? Too often we can get stuck in a routine without thinking about how our daily actions fit into a greater plan of reaching our goals. Each of us can benefit from a specific game plan.

The more specific your goals are, the more specific your actions will be. Big goals (and little ones, too) are accomplished one step at a time. But we need to start moving in the right direction with a continuous focus on expected results.

Know what you need to improve.

All of us can get better. Knowing what to work on is a good start!

Be honest in your assessment of where you need to improve. Don’t miss the opportunity to ask loved ones, co-workers, and yes, even the boss what you can do to improve. There is a very worthwhile exercise called Keep-Start-Stop that can be a huge benefit.

Take this feedback seriously, implement the suggested changes, and it can make a big difference.

Persist through the challenges.

There will be setbacks. Expect them. When obstacles get in the way, attack them head-on. Overcoming them can be stimulating as well as rewarding.

Don’t keep your goals to yourself.

There is something extremely beneficial about sharing your goals. At the very least, it will make you more committed and accountable to staying the course to reach them.

Work your plan.

With your goals and required actions in front of you each day, you can move forward with the confidence of knowing that the accomplishment of each action moves you closer to your goals.

Review your progress regularly. Make mid-course corrections as necessary.

You will get there by keeping your game plan in focus.

What’s Holding You Back? is a post from: Leadership From the Trenches

There are all sorts of ways to approach planning for the upcoming year. What has always been clear to me is that you need to have a plan. Your plan should be in writing and it should be specific, including the actions expected, who’s responsible, and when each step should be completed.

There are a few important “mindsets” that will keep you focused on a creating a plan that can help you achieve your desired results.

Don’t believe everything you read or hear.

The pundits and media (and maybe even people you know) seem to have the “glass half-empty” view. They overreact to perceived barriers and issues. If you are planning or leading, you can’t afford to get distracted by these views and let them overly influence your direction.

One reason I encourage senior leaders and CEO’s to spend a lot of time out of their offices is to meet with the employees who get the work done. It is important to better understand what your people are really thinking. If there are barriers, you can learn about the issues firsthand and unfiltered.

If you don’t believe you can, why should anyone else?

If you have doubts about your plan being successful and overcoming inevitable obstacles then why would the team believe it can be done? They need to see what’s possible and know they will be supported. Leaders must keep communication balanced and focus on what’s critically important to move forward successfully.

Don’t build strategy based on a forecasted decline or increase in the overall market.

Sometimes managers believe they need to automatically haircut or increase next year’s plan in correlation with what is expected to happen in the overall industry. It is important to be aware of the bigger picture, but most businesses are too small to be overly impacted by global changes. You don’t need to build this factor into your overall plan.

No one really has all that much market share, so there is far more upside than you might expect — especially when you have specific plans driving results. Build a plan to take market share and win business based on excellent execution and customer service.

Ask the team how you can overcome obstacles together.

Don’t let challenges or issues stand in the way of accomplishment. Most obstacles can be overcome if proactively and positively approached. Remember that results come from detailed planning and step-by-step execution. Your team will participate in the execution, so why not make them part of the planning?

Big goals can be intimidating, but it’s the daily execution of specific action plans that will get you there.

Remove the “fear factor” of big goals and unpredictable changes in market factors by focusing on the next step to successfully execute the plan. And don’t forget to celebrate your accomplishments and results.

As success grows, you and your team will realize that you CAN accomplish the toughest of plans.

Looking Forward to the New Year is a post from: Leadership From the Trenches

This was underscored in a recent Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars. The game was unremarkable for the most part, but there was an interview that caught my attention. Commentator and former coach Jon Gruden asked Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis about leadership.

Lewis offered that effective leaders had to always give 100+ percent effort, something Lewis is clearly known for. He also shared another leadership lesson – he had to learn to control his emotions in order to excel.

These are two solid leadership skills we should all be practicing.

We see leaders who want — or even demand — 100 percent effort from their teams, but who don’t put forth the effort themselves. They forget that their team is watching them. If you want all-out effort from the team, the leader must set the example. It is not always easy, but the leader must set the tone and live out what they expect from others.

It is also critically important that leaders control their emotions. It’s good to care and feel passionate about what we are doing, but our emotions can’t get in the way of making clear, objective decisions. Leaders need to stay balanced and keep the team focused and balanced, too.

Thank you, Ray Lewis, for these two important reminders.

Two Leadership Lessons from Ray Lewis is a post from: Leadership From the Trenches

There is certainly more than one way to look at change. A view could be that there was a perfect window of opportunity to grow our business and we missed it. Now is not the time to take chances. Let’s do nothing or maybe even retrench. That’s one view but I don’t buy it. I never have.

Of course there are other views. Whether we are in the upside or downside of a business cycle it takes definite action to create momentous results. We need to ask ourselves what will it take to move us forward now? No matter which way the market winds blow, standing still and doing nothing doesn’t usually work.

Whether the wind is in our face or at our back we must learn to lean into it. Have a forward-leaning plan and execute it, especially when the going gets tough. If we have the wind at our back then it can accelerate results. If there is an economic headwind then we must lean into it even harder.

All companies struggle with decisions to move forward. This indecision creates opportunity for those that act decisively. Where are the real opportunities and what can we do to take advantage of them? Be specific. Develop definitive plans, prioritize them and move forward to gain ground on these opportunities. What actions are required to defend and to advance on all areas critical to your company?

What separates and differentiates companies through market cycles is clarity of focus and action. These are the times when we must be sharper in every respect. Little things count more when the going gets tough and when we are pushing forward. In either case we don’t want to squander our resources and lessen our ability to take advantage of emerging opportunities.

Be clear and set specific expectations. So many times managers jump at opportunities without thinking through what it will really take to make it work. How much will this new effort require and what will be the expected financial results? Understanding what it takes and setting clear expectations up front are critical. Monitoring progress and holding managers accountable each step of the way is part of good results management.

Unanticipated stuff does happen, even with the best plans and people, so don’t be afraid to either revamp the plan or can it if necessary. Even if it was the best idea we ever thought of let the numbers speak for themselves. Redeploy your resources and human talents toward another opportunity.

But don’t stop leaning forward.

No Matter Which Way the Winds Blow, Lean Forward is a post from: Leadership From the Trenches

The Building Champions Experience a couple of weeks ago was a memorable experience for all, and I had the opportunity to discuss a subject that is very important to me. I gave a presentation on “Setting Expectations” — more specifically, asking more of our teammates and ourselves in order to achieve more.

Each of us has a tendency to set our expectations too low. If you think you can’t do something, you probably won’t try hard enough. But often success comes down to executing the basics well – or at least better than others.

No matter what others say or the failures we may have had to date, with the right focus we can unleash the potential within us. We need to think expansively, beyond what we have achieved in the past. We need to continuously move up the performance bar to do more and realize that potential.

There are eight principles that will help you to fulfill your potential – no matter what role or life stage you are currently in.

1. Learn to expect more … from yourself and your team.

Perhaps it is human nature, but we tend to set expectations way too low, with the hope that we will overachieve. The notion of “under-promising and over-delivering” usually doesn’t work. We have more ability or capacity to achieve than we understand, which is why goals should really STRETCH our teams and ourselves. What’s wrong with being number 1?

a. Think outrageously about what your want to accomplish in the next year, and the next three to five years.
b. Compare those goals and results to another entity that does something similar to you. What would it take to do better than them?
c. Why can’t you do the same? In fact, why can’t you do better than they have, especially as you get better at setting expectations and leading the team to accomplishing more?

2. Set specific goals .… you cannot reach them if you don’t have them clearly defined.

Setting expectations for yourself and for your team requires understanding where you are going and what it takes to get there. Do you know, in specific terms, what you really want to accomplish?

Can you visualize what reaching the goal will be like? Is this goal meaningful and fully supportive of your overall strategy?

Is the goal clear and compelling to you and others? Often the accountability that comes from going public with a goal can really help.

Is your goal in writing? How often are you reviewing it?

3. Goals require specific plans … and that includes specific timeframes and well-defined accountabilities.

Given your lofty goals, what specific actions are required to reach those goals? This is often the hardest part for people. It is important to think systematically and broadly over every major area of you team or company. Many people hate details. While details may not be your strength, it is essential for each of us and the teams we are involved with to fully understand, embrace, and be judged by those details on a daily basis.

4. You can’t do it alone .… it takes teamwork.

Often leaders believe they can do it all. Maybe they have been successful in attracting top talent, but often when it is crunch time they believe it is all on their shoulders. The best solutions come when you have a strong team working together. In fact, if you want your best people to stay, you must let them contribute.

5. Everyone must be engaged and understand the importance of meeting or exceeding expectations.

Someone once said we are only as strong as our weakest link. In an increasingly competitive business world, how can you afford any weak links?

Sometimes people don’t perform well because they don’t know exactly what is expected of them. Sometimes people have only been partially trained. Maybe they have not been well-led in the past. Sometimes people simply don’t fit the culture and have to leave. Every job is critical to team success.

6. Review progress consistently to avoid letdowns.

Accountability requires feedback. A lack of progress could be the result of unanswered questions or issues that are not quickly addressed. Sometimes the lack of accomplishment gets the team down. Consistent progress is essential, and this is why regular reviews keep everyone on track and on task.

The old cliché of “inspect what you expect” is still true. Monitored plans keep the team sharp.

How do you keep yourself on track? Hire a coach, or ask for accountability from your boss or a peer. Learn to honor your commitments. No excuses.

7. Use celebration to reinforce achievement .… and make the job more fun.

Achievement may come faster or slower depending on a variety of circumstances. What is critical is that progress is recognized and celebrated to keep focus on what is important. Recognition is an important reward for focus and daily execution. It reinforces that achievement is possible, and it reaffirms you strategy and your viability.

8. In handling the inevitable obstacles … something usually gets in the way.

Stuff happens. We should learn to expect obstacles, and then say, “So what?” Don’t waste time worrying. Don’t let obstacles stand in the way. Keep moving forward and tackle them head-on.

The faster we address obstacles and issues, the further ahead we will be – ahead of the competition, or our own fear. Everyone out there is dealing with the same environment .… you just need to do it a little better than they do.

Asking for More, Achieving More is a post from: Leadership From the Trenches

Take, for example, all the hearings going on in Washington, DC. This is important stuff – or at least some of it is anyway! Our economy is “in the toilet” (or “struggling” if you prefer). Congress is searching for answers.

American Banker (a publication that is not known for humor) in reporting on a Congressional hearing stated, “Perhaps it was appropriate that a panel of professors testified Tuesday about how to reform the U.S. mortgage system since Capital Hill’s approach is increasingly beginning to resemble an academic exercise.”

There is nothing wrong with professors, attorneys, or consultants. But why not ask the people really involved in the activity?

Whether the topic is mortgages or some other area critical to America’s economic recovery, we are missing the boat by not listening to the people in the trenches who actually do the work being reviewed. This problem can impact leaders too if they aren’t engaged or haven’t been in the trenches recently. They can be out of touch with what is actually happening now.

People in the trenches almost always understand the real issues and what it takes to fix them. We often just don’t ask them. Maybe we assume they don’t know the complete picture. But this is usually a misconception, and we miss an opportunity to fix issues more quickly.

Position, education and experience are important. These signs of achievement deserve respect. But, this should not be confused with actually knowing why things are not working effectively, and what is really needed to fix or resolve the problem.

We need to more proactively and intentionally engage the people who do the work to find out what’s working and what’s not, and then with their help find meaningful solutions.

This is something for us all to consider.

Who Are the Real Experts? is a post from: Leadership From the Trenches

There are two key ingredients that are needed before you can begin to build a high performance team:

Commitment

• What is your level of personal commitment? Building a team takes work and requires change. You will need a conscious, disciplined plan to do it. But can you really succeed in today’s competitive business environment without a high performing team?

Willingness

• What we know about high performers is that they need to feel that they are contributing and making a difference. This means they need direction and operating parameters. What changes might this require on your team? As leaders, we must be willing to give up some control and decision-making. Are you willing to get comfortable with that? Mistakes will be made, but this is how an organization grows, retains top people, and makes a difference.

Given that you are committed and willing to move toward a high performing team — which is a good move — there are some operating conditions that must be met. It requires a focus on clarity, honesty, understanding, expectations and performance.

Clarity

• Your vision and strategy must be clear and compelling. It must be widely understood by the team, the whole team. All employees — especially high performing team members — must have a clear understanding of game plan and where they are going.

Honesty

• You must be brutally honest in assessing team and individual performance. Are you willing to make critical change if needed? If you are being honest in your evaluation, there will likely come a time when it becomes necessary.

Understanding

• With honesty and objectivity, make sure there is a clear understanding of the team’s and key individuals’ strengths and weaknesses. Clearly understand the key actions necessary to improve. It may mean making personnel changes.

Expectations

• Setting the performance bar high enough is a must. High performers thrive on challenges and increased expectations. Don’t be reluctant to keep moving the bar up.

Performance

• Results are a team effort, but ultimately the leader has no one to blame but him or herself. Take responsibility for performance. Don’t forget this point.

If these conditions are in place, then you need to address some of the weaknesses you may have allowed to exist or have missed. The include concessions, details, inclusiveness and leadership.

Concessions

• Sometimes doing the right thing is difficult, so we make concessions. We allow unproductive behaviors to continue. These need to be addressed and changed. This can be difficult, but it must be dealt with before you can hope to more forward to more productive behaviors.

Details

• Leaders can sometimes get out of touch with reality. It helps to dive into the details and to see what the real issues are. Get out from behind your desk and make sure you know what is really happening from the people who do the work.

Inclusiveness

• Top, high performing people want to contribute and make a difference. Input and participation must be encouraged and welcomed. Employees at all levels can make a difference.

Leadership

• Leaders who say, “Do as I say, not as I do” cannot build a high performing team. The leader must set the tone and positively influence the whole team by both their words and their actions. Remember, employees are watching you.

If you believe that your employees are the key to separating your company from the pack, then creating a high performing team is a must. Not only is it critical to your success, but it can also be exciting and create an atmosphere you enjoy working in.

Building a High Performing Team is a post from: Leadership From the Trenches