What Gets In The Way of Speed

I posted recently about how Speed is Power. Since I wrote this blog post the concept has been reinforced time and time again. Put bluntly, if you are managing or overseeing a business, the speed by which you and your team identify, implement and respond to your customers and the marketplace is directly proportional to the level of success (and revenue) achieved.

This concept, however important, seems to be lost when it comes to business today. For example I had to contact Google recently, only to have my seemingly simple questions require escalation. What should have been a 3 minute call turned into a 10 minute education (for the customer service agent!). I’ve also been attempting to reach a contractor lately who advised me to text him as the best way to reach him. Turns out he doesn’t respond to his texts (or answer his cell phone)!

Here’s the kicker.

Your employees today may not be 100% clear on this concept, or may have obstacles that impact their speed that they have become accustomed too, and you don’t know it.

Consider for a moment that employees escalate their concerns and issues to their direct supervisors or managers, who in turn decide what to act on, escalate or ignore based on their personal and professional priorities at the time. The result of course is that you are receiving “filtered” information from the front lines.

Sound concerning? It should.

The solution however is quite simple. Invest time interacting with the front lines. I don’t care who you are, how busy you are or how many facilities you oversee, make employee interaction a part of your weekly regimen.

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The most successful CEOs and executives make this a priority, why shouldn’t you?

© Shawn Casemore 2016. All rights reserved.