The "ART" of Management: Attitude, Resources and Team
The 21st century is the era when we all should understand that you have only one time to get it right; and that is the first time. The old adage that says that you only have one time to be make a good impression, applies to more than just personal encounters; it applies to everything in the business and education world (which by the way is a business).
While it is hard to remember the time when we did not have the ubiquitous internet and You Tube, as leaders and managers we had better not forget that they exist and people use them to expose organizational weaknesses. Long lines are no longer tolerated. Just ask the university who did not have its ducks in order and ended up having 7,000 students standing in line for days trying to register. Someone who was hot, tired, thirsty and hungry sent the picture of the mayhem to the local news. The press arrived promptly and reported what they saw to thousands more.
But long lines is not just the measurement of good customer service. People who don't know how to treat people well, or choose not to, are finding themselves on the other side of the employment line because someone sent a negative image through the airwaves to expose the poor treatment. Technology, as we all know, has given people a voice like we've never had before.
What then do we need to do? It is imperative that we understand and ensure that we have the "ART" extant. It may mean that people need to be moved to behind the scenes positions. It may mean that resources need to be reallocated in order to ensure that what matters most receives the financial support that it needs; and it may definitely mean that an attitude adjustment is made by all one or all members of the team.
The Attitude questions are 2 simple ones: Do the people who engage with the public, create policy or implement policy understand and embrace the best practices of customer service, the golden rule or the value of genuine courtesy? And if they don't, what are you going to do about it? Ignoring them is not an option.
TheResource questions are more complex: Are you willing to invest in what needs more attention in order to better ensure that the interactions that your customers have are positive? If funds are limited and they generally are, how will you redirect funding? Are you willing to make decisions about what can go away or be reduced without crippling another side of the organization or business? But keep in mind, without customers, you do not have a business.
The "T" in team stands for together, which is not an original thought, but is darn hard to find. In teams that are left on their own without being held accountable for how they act as a team, are often times bogged down by somebody's unchecked ego.
Do you have the right team with the right attitude who knows how to effectively and efficiently utilize the human and financial resources that they have available to them? Has the team received the time and attention it needs to work optimally? Do you have the right members on the team? If the answer is "no" to one or all of the above, what are you willing to do about it?
Today, requires a kind of hands-on leadership that the guru Oprah, and I'm sure, others attribute to their success. Micromanagement? Maybe it is. But the end goal is clear: Have positive press everyday. Imposssible you say, then you're not whom I'm looking for to serve on my team. Think ART- Attitude, Resources and Team. That's Cecilia's Way
