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INDEX

A Curriculum for Change

Heart of the Brand: The 4 Ps Define The Delta

Who's Next? Succession Planning

How To Reach Consensus

What's Your Extended Product?

Process Thinking: Making Improvements Part of Work

Keeping Customers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Curriculum For Change

I. Introduction

This white paper describes how organizational change can be managed through a systematic process of defining behaviors and disseminating them through a curriculum of development. “Curriculum” in the broadest sense is an integrated program of experiences designed to develop organizational capabilities over time. Done properly, a management development curriculum can impact the direction of an organization, providing a cadre of managers at all levels who understand the priorities of the business and who, in their daily work and contact with others, will act in a way that consistently reinforces the strategy. Proficiency and ability can become valued traits of managers; individuals who can teach others through a variety of means, from formal training to coaching and mentoring, can become organizational role models. This orientation to valuing proficiency is also reflected in the systems and structures which support performance—appraisals, promotions, succession, hiring, coaching, etc. To achieve this “culture of development”, a number of conditions and systems have to be put in place over time. These are discussed below, and they represent the complete set of conditions for a successful initiative.

II. Elements Of An Effective, Integrated Management Development Curriculum

There has to be a clear link between management behavior (competencies) and corporate strategy

Not only do managers have to understand what the organization is attempting to accomplish, they have to understand how their competent behavior produces those results. In this way, competencies are not perceived as merely useful traits a manager should possess for professional advancement or personal interest. Rather, proficiency in management competencies is viewed as critical, if not vital, to success in the marketplace. The consistent practice of management competencies becomes an organizational imperative. This presents a very different picture than training individual managers to perform a set of job skills.

Competencies have to represent top management’s expectations

As a corollary, the organization needs to define those behaviors which are vital to success. These few, broad behaviors or competencies serve as a baseline guide to all levels of management, communicating a clear picture of what the organization expects from its management group. These competencies are a foundation for all other activities associated with Management Development, from training to performance appraisal, succession planning, promotion and selection, coaching and mentoring, to evaluation of training and developmental experiences.

Development must encompass training as well as other activities

A training curriculum comprised of performance-based courses with appropriate instructional methods is the definitive cornerstone to Management Development. In a sense, training initiates the development experience. Through case analysis, readings, simulations, and interactive exercises of all kinds, individuals learn to apply the skills inherent in competencies to situations which are relevant to them. So, it is in the classroom where competencies are clarified and skills are practiced. Proficiency, however, is learned through experience, extended practice and feedback in work settings. A successful integrated curriculum calls for special assignments, projects, independent research and readings directed to resolving actual organizational issues under the guidance of mentors or experts. The type of these proficiency development activities depends on a manager’s job level as well as the organization’s needs.

Training is appropriate to a manager’s immediate or next job, generating a perception of high value in the organization

Different levels of managers experience the same competencies in different ways. While the principles of decision making, for example, apply to all levels of management, the problems a level 25 manager face are significantly different from those of the level 29 manager. To make training and developmental experience relevant and useful to the individual learner, the training must accommodate these differences. In other words, managers must practice concepts in scenarios and settings which are meaningful to their work. Otherwise, training becomes academic and abstract as opposed to practical and immediately applicable. This suggests curriculum tracks which are aligned to management levels. With this in place, managers can not only take courses for their current levels, they can enroll in courses at their next level, allowing them to prepare to make the transition.

Performance-based training is delivered in a consistent manner, using the most appropriate instructional technology for the type of competencies being learned

All programs, regardless of the level of the audience, must deliver consistent, repeatable results in terms of behavior change. An important element in achieving those results is the deployment of varied instructional technologies—methods, media, formats—so as to maximize efficiency in delivering learning experiences. In addition to traditional classroom settings, methods and media can include the use of computers for a variety of analytical learning experiences, intranet web sites where relevant data resides, and even visiting experts and university courses.

There is a clear statement of policy reflecting the importance of Management Development and a visible commitment to other development initiatives in addition to a training curriculum that support the ongoing effort

To implement a culture of competency-based development, top management must endorse and fund new management development policies in addition to a training curriculum throughout the organization. These policies can initiate changes in how the performance of individuals is managed, i.e., performance appraisal process, compensation, promotion, succession planning as well as how the training function operates. The implementation of these other development initiatives can be phased in over time after a training curriculum is in place.

In addition to functional administration of development activities, there is a standing oversight board which monitors and maintains the viability of the curriculum

A curriculum is a flexible, adaptable and dynamic entity. Using data and feedback from managers, a cross-organizational, multi-level board of advisors can monitor the implementation of the curriculum, ensuring quality standards are met and changes are timely. A diverse board representing different audiences can influence the kinds of changes made as well as provide access to consitutencies. This monitoring function presumes a methodology for measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of the development investment. While techniques for this kind of evaluation are far from perfect, selected measures should be gathered and used for decision making.

III. Summary

The description above represents the elements of an ideal case, a fully matured management development culture with infrastructure and value systems that support it. To move from an environment in which training is an ad-hoc, individually focused effort to a culture which nurtures managements and rewards proficiency in both the practice of competencies and the mentoring of others requires a significant organizational effort.

The first phases of that effort involve defining the scale of the Management Development effort, both initially and long term. Based on that level of commitment, an appropriate management development curriculum and supporting elements can be designed.

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Heart of the Brand: The 4 Ps Define The Delta

There are always considerations other than price and product functionality. The challenge is to define them.
What a customer buys when they are buying a product or service is the total package of benefits associated with the selling organization, the people who work there, its image and reputation, and the way it does business. These are much more than the features, benefits, price and tangible aspects of a specific product or service, something that adds value to the transaction. For example, when a customer chooses a bank for a cash management system, he or she buys that bank's experience and track record, the quality of the people who developed and maintain the system, the "image" of how that system is perceived and how easy the bank will be to work with. There are always considerations other than price and product functionality. The most important point is that that what a customer buys transcends the product itself. The challenge for those responsible for sales and marketing, therefore, is to capture the power of this notion and define that "something more: so customers can easily see it and the value it brings to them. It is the "something" that ultimately determines form whom the customer buys and how much is paid. The "something" is at the core of the organization's brand.

These ideas are at the core of the 4Ps model that Singularity has developed as an important conceptual tool. The 4Ps --Product, People, Past and Process--represent those resources of a company that can be differentiated from one institution to another. Often these differences have evolved over time with little intention or planning. For instance, one bank has a reputation among its customers for being helpful to new businesses. Where did this notion come from? A policy? A particular group of employees? A specific, well-known and publicized incident? With some thought, some veteran employees of this bank might be able to trace how this perception came to be, but most likely they will report it "just happened." On the other hand, if management is aware of the importance of differentiating the bank from its competitors, it can specifically create, develop, communicate and manage notable differences that the customer will perceive as valuable around the bank's products, people, past and processes. (See definition of the 4Ps at the end of this article.)

Plainness and a Promise

The origin of the 4Ps stems from two compelling problem areas in marketing: selling a commodity and selling a service. A commodity is a product that is fundamentally the same from one vendor to another. Steel, potash, sulphur, nails and screws are commodities. A service, on the other hand, doesn't exist at all until it is delivered; it is intangible and cannot be experienced by the buyer in making a buying decision. The commodity exudes undifferentiated plainness; the intangible service presents a promise, an uncertainty. A bank has the unique distinction of offering a number of commodity-type services.

Theodore Levitt of the Harvard Business School has written a number of articles on product differentiation. (Harvard Business Review, January-February,1980 and Harvard Business Review, May-June, 1981) which have contributed to the 4Ps concept.

What A Product Is: Beyond the Obvious

Levitt has developed a product diffentiation model that opens a new perspective as to what a product is. This model defines a product on four different levels: the generic product, the expected product, the augmented product and the potential product.

The generic product, as Levitt presents it, is the product itself--the cash management system, the letter of credit, the term loan--whatever it is the customer can use to help improve the business. Even though these generic products are found in most banks, they are not necessarily the same. Slight differences in product design may make one bank's lock boxes more attractive than another's. This is the most obvious area for product differentiation as anyone who has ever seen a development team laboring long and hard to generate creative nuances for a new product will report. But there is more to a product than its parts.

The expected product includes those aspects that relate to delivery, terms, support, new ideas for product applications, all of which are one step removed from the product itself, but without which the product simply could not be successfully sold. The augmented product refers to Levitt's notion of adding something to improve or modify the product for a particular customer. Developing a report on how much money is saved using a cash transfer system, for example, is a vehicle for demonstrating what the vendor will do for the buyer. Augmenting the product goes beyond the product by exceeding the buyer's expectations. Finally, the potential product is "everything that might be done" to attract and hold the customer. This includes making suggestions for technical changes, reporting the results of surveys regarding product usage and attitudes of customers, installing new technologies to better use the product, and advising customers on business conditions, feasibility of business plans and employment of experts in specific technical areas.

Levitt's model is a useful framework for defining the various levels of product a customer can buy. Most important, as a development source for the 4Ps, it introduced the idea of moving away from product as a cluster of defined features, benefits and prices, into a more expanded view of what can be sold. In a bank, the idea of building more value into a loan or a trust account or any product or service is compelling. Every bank has the same products; an expanded view would include the unique value of people who service the product, the manner in which it is installed and how customers interact with the bank as well as the success the bank has had in the past. All these elements can be made to be different from the competition.

Reducing Uncertainty

Most bank products are services provided for customers. This brings into focus the other marketing challenge faced by banks, that is, selling services, and the associated problems of convincing customers that an intangible that customers can’t see, touch or feel will improve their business operations.

Another business writer provided some insight into how intangibles, such as services, can be made tangible. Warren J. Wittreich, in a classic article on selling professional services (Harvard Business Review, March-April, 1966), succinctly outlined the issues. To be successful, Wittreich writes that uncertainties surrounding who the customer is dealing with, how the service will be implemented and whether or not the money is being spent wisely must be dealt with. The degree to which a professional who sells can persuade the customer that he or she (and the bank) understands the problem, has solved similar problems in the past and has a way to do it or process which is logical and easily followed is the degree to which the customer's uncertainty can be reduced. The seller can sell him or herself by demonstrating command of the methods to be used, familiar relationships key people who are resources in solving the problem, and knowledge of and preferably involvement with related success stories. When people who sell do this, Wittreich writes, the "high bidder often wins" because there is much more value in dealing with certainty than uncertainty.

Wittreich's article was a forerunner of the many articles and books written about the service culture, excellence and customer orientation. Today, corporations are attempting to develop new ways to add value to the customer relationship while still maintaining low costs. Consumers are aware of the competition and are attracted to banks that provide what they need with the most added value. Among many examples, combined statements with summary information, account information accessible online and even advice about markets, investments and other specialized knowledge-based services are the kinds of developments banks have to make to give the customer more for his money. In fact, as the age of disintermediation accelerates, the types of services offered and the resources surrounding those services should be more important to banks interested in keeping market share. The concepts provided by Wittreich are an additional essential ingredient of the 4Ps, offering a wider view of what has to be sold when selling these types of services.

More To It Than Talking Product

As a final resource for the 4Ps, a recent Sales Competency Study (Miller and Maginn, 1987) isolated the activities of high performing sales people in banks. In general, people who excel in selling in banks mention a variety of activities that revolve around themes of specificity, initiative, involvement, planning, focusing and analysis. Of critical importance to these individuals is the concept of selling yourself, of bringing more to the table than the competition, of creating an image of personal value to the customer. From a series of focus groups with these individuals, it became clear that high performers considered themselves a virtual product of the bank, an extension of the institution and behaved in a way that lead customers to recognized them as such.

These individuals were good at selling the resources of the bank, but they were also excellent at selling themselves. In Wittreich's words, they were good at reducing the customer's uncertainty in the way they responded to problems, in the genuine interest they displayed in the customer's business, in their understanding of the customer's needs, in their knowledge of how the bank does business and how resources within the bank work, in demonstrating their experience with solving similar middle market business problems. In the 4Ps model, the Relationship Manager is one of the resources the bank has to offer. Those sales people who recognize this can develop ways to differentiate themselves from their counterparts at competing institutions. A firm knowledge of the bank's resources--the 4Ps--and how to talk about them in sales situations represents a personal strength and an expanded view of what can be sold to the customer.

The 4Ps—A Practical Model

The 4Ps represent a synthesis of concepts from different areas of marketing and sales literature. From selling commodities comes the concept of looking beyond the generic product and into the arena of what additional value is delivered or can be delivered to the customer along with the product. From selling services comes the idea of reducing a customer's uncertainty by making the intangible more tangible--talking about personal knowledge and experience, the process of working together, and related success stories. Finally, from the Sales Competency Study comes the high performers' conviction that they, as individuals, add value to the relationship by demonstrating what they know, who they know and how to get things done.

The 4Ps model is not a difficult concept to grasp. Yet, when faced with the task of defining what products are really different, what individuals are valuable, expert resources, how doing business is more user friendly than the competition and what success stories are worthy of corporate legend status, many bank Sales Leaders and Relationship Managers struggle. While many of the 4Ps can be tactically defined at the work unit level using local heroes and successes, the real work of defining the 4Ps is for the corporation's directors. It is up to them to clearly specify what the bank should be known for and to clarify how their products, people, process and past are better than the bank down the street.

The 4Ps

The 4Ps represent resources of an organization which, when created and managed, become differentiators defining the brand. That is, they describe what the total offering of an organization is.

Product
The features and benefits of the product. This is the baseline of differentiation. To be competitive, the features and benefits of a product have to convey valuable differences to buyers. When there are no or minimal differences, the other Ps in the 4Ps model must be used to differentiate the product or service.

Past
One resource is the combined experience of the organization with the type of issues the buyer is facing. For example, if a customer is having trouble defining the kind of leasing arrangements to use, having a reputation as “the bank that helps small business get started in leasing” is a definite way to reduce uncertainty.

People
The individual or team working with the client represents another facet of the total offering. As a product, the individual or team literally has features and benefits. The level of expertise, ability to get things done, experience with similar clients, and even industry status represent examples of potential features of individuals that can help reduce uncertainty.

Process:
How the organization does business is a strong potential area for differentiation. If the actual buying, delivery and implementation process is efficient and user friendly, it can be a major differentiator. Careful definition of this process, especially for intangible services, can bring a sense of security to an uncertain buyer.

Bibliography

Levitt, Theodore, "Marketing success through differentiation--of anything." Harvard Business Review, January-February, 1980.

Levitt, Theodore, "Marketing intangible products and product intangibles." Harvard Business Review, May-June, 1981.

Miller, N., and Maginn, M., "Business Development Competencies for Bank Relationship and Sales Managers." Lending, Winter, 1987.

Wittreich, Warren J., "How to buy/sell professional services." Harvard Business Review, March-April, 1966.


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Who’s Next? Succession Planning

I. What is Succession Planning?

Succession Planning is a dynamic, on going process of systematically identifying, assessing and developing leadership talent for future assignments and tasks. Said another way, Succession Planning provides bench strength, a cadre of talented and ambitious people who are ready to assume more senior responsibilities. This is embodied in a Succession Plan, a document that contains an inventory of projected openings and other opportunities (special assignments, or important collateral duties), position criteria and a list of potential candidates in rank order for each opening or opportunity. The process of Succession Planning involves management at all levels and sends a message to the organization about the importance of skill development. In a way, Succession Planning helps make learning, achievement and effectiveness important cultural values throughout the organization.

Note that Succession Planning has also been called “Talent Management.”

Consider life in a small organization without a succession plan. There is a vague uncertainty about what will happen if key people leave. Yet, statistics on employee turnover show that people will, in fact, move on eventually, either for new positions or changes in lifestyle. Whenever there is a change in key personnel, there is a period of vulnerability. Knowledge and history are lost; perspectives on goals and priorities change; continuity of effort is interrupted. Morale and motivation can be affected. In a worst-case scenario, people are promoted to new positions solely because they’ve been around. Without Succession Planning, the momentum towards goals, improvement and strategic initiatives can be slowed.

What does Succession Planning provide for an organization?

  • First, the process is motivational and can lead to greater retention of key staff. Employees feel they are involved in pursuing opportunities. Development and learning are positive aspects of organizational life, and, in the case of Succession Planning, these become frequent and visible. In addition, a policy of promoting from within signals how the organization regards its people.
  • Second, there is continuity of leadership policies and strategies. The ongoing strategy does not leave with a departing senior manager. Nor do established expectations for performance. This is especially significant in small organizations.
  • Third, key individuals, those with potential and ambition, are developed. In a way, that is the whole point. The process creates bench strength from within. The awkwardness and latent issues associated with hiring an outside senior manager over high potential internal candidates can be avoided.

  • Finally, performance appraisal and reward systems can become aligned with the standards created for performance. Succession Planning touches all these systems, creating an integrated way to manage performance and development.

The Succession Planning process itself is relatively simple. Individuals are measured against a standard that has been defined as reflective of an effective senior manager. An individual, with the help of his/her manager, creates a development plan to close the gaps between ideal and actual. This development plan may involve training, special assignments and projects, change in role, or other kinds of learning experiences. At the same time, and depending on the nature of the development plan, the individual may or may not be identified as a candidate for a new position. As time unfolds, another measurement is made, as are new judgments about promotion. Presumably, because the individual has been at work on targeted skill improvement, their gaps are fewer or less significant than before. The candidate is more prepared for new roles. The organization benefits from having more skilled people in its cadre, an orderly process for filling openings as well as an overall sense of security about the future.

There are five components to the Succession Planning process: Employee History, Creation of Standards, Measurement, Development and the Succession Plan itself. Each of these will be described below.

II. Components of Succession Planning

1. Employee History

An important and fundamental component of the Succession Planning process is information about the employee. In addition to basic demographic information, this includes:

a) Interest in advancement. Is the individual interested in more leadership positions?

b) Past Performance. How has the individual’s past performance reviews been? Has the individual been a cultural “role model”?

c) Promotion Record. How has the individual progressed? How long has he/she stayed in different positions?

d) Willingness to Relocate: Has the individual expressed an interest in changing their residence?

2. Creation of Standards

Standards reflect a desired state, what an ideal or high performing employee is doing every day in their work. In Succession Planning, there are three areas where standards can be created.

a) Corporate values. Viewed by some as more important than competencies, these standards reflect what the corporate culture values. For example, “Teamwork” is a management competency, to be sure, but, as a corporate value, it describes an attitude and belief in working together towards common goals. Another example is “self-sufficiency”, meaning people in the organization operate in a do-it-yourself, independent manner. If an organization can define its values in a sincere and clear manner, these can be useful gauges of an individual’s potential for leadership.

b) Management Competencies. These behavioral statements reflect what high performing managers do in an organization. Typically, they revolve around classic management skills, such as “Managing Teams,” “Performance Management” and the like. There are situations when unique organizational requirements will impose additional performance requirements on managers. For example, a global company may have a need for managers to be excellent “Multi-cultural Diplomats” practicing a series of behaviors under that category.

c) Technical Competencies. These are the skills and knowledge that reflect a proficient and competent performer. Technical areas can include any skill from specialized areas such as Budgeting and Forecasting to broad measures such as Professional Certification.

3. Measurement

Once standards are created, measurement can begin. Here, the underlying issue is how to create valid scores when measuring what is subjective and subject to interpretation. There are several ways to measure the areas listed above; each has unique characteristics. A combination of these is often used in Succession Planning processes. Here is a general description of two popular choices.

a) Survey 360. This is the classic survey of peers, manager, and direct reports that can give a relatively accurate picture of an individual’s capabilities. Data is returned in the form of survey scores and can be compared to other individuals as well as group norms.
Advantage:
wide view from a number of perspectives. Disadvantage: subject to variation from current conditions and events, emotional reaction to the person being rated, and amount of exposure to the individual. Variations of this include direct report-only scores or peer-only scores.

b) Triad consensus. In this method, three members of upper management rate individuals first by themselves and then in the small group. Typically, the triad consists of the individual’s manager, a senior manager who has a broad view of the organization and a long-term, “neutral” third manager who has a wide view of the organization and its values. The discussion process creates a highly accurate assessment of individuals.
Advantage: Valid data.
Disadvantage: Time consuming.

The result of the measurement process, whatever it is, is a database of individuals and their various ratings. The data is used to create a Succession Plan and is also valuable in searching for individuals who possess certain desired characteristics. In addition, the database is a profile of the organization’s strengths as a whole, providing information that can direct development activities and inform other kinds of planning, such as hiring and recruiting. These data provide the basis of what has been called a “Talent Management Process” where development of selected individuals can be managed towards specific ends.

4. Development

The degree of an organization’s commitment to people can be measured by its investment, in terms of time, effort, creativity and resources, in development. In the Succession Planning process, every participant creates a personal Development Plan, based on the ratings received, which he or she implements with the help, support and sanction of the organization. This plan is virtually the same as a Development Plan created during the Performance Appraisal process except that this plan is informed by measurement data from others besides the manager. The resulting development, that is, learning, takes the form of series of activities and opportunities made available to employees to improve their skills and capabilities. In Succession Planning, there are number of activities and experiences that can be employed to fill the needs of employees. These include:

  • Training programs sponsored by the organization

  • Educational experiences provided by academic institutions, commercial suppliers as well as industry associations

  • Assignments and projects, either for an individual or as part of a group effort

  • Job rotation, moving laterally to a new position

  • Mentoring, providing advice and guidance to an individual as well as opening doors for assignments and projects
  • Individual study through assigned personal readings

  • Volunteer work with outside agencies

  • Action Learning, addressing real issues

A special word has to be offered for the concept of Action Learning, a formal and structured process that involves individuals in addressing an organizational issue, resolving it and extracting learning outcomes from the experience. This is a highly economical and useful process that can be implemented easily and with little preparation. Not only do participants contribute to a “stretch” goal, but also Senior Managers can observe how participants interact with others and think through the process.

Typically, Development Plans are tied into an organization Performance Appraisal process. Each half, the employee meets with his/her manager to review performance as well as progress on their Development Plan. At that meeting, new activities are identified as well as new objectives.

5. Succession Plan

The actual Succession Plan is a document that embodies three basic elements:

  • An organization chart with projected openings in designated time periods

  • A list of potential candidates for these positions

  • Position criteria, that is, of the standards identified for success, what unique behaviors or attitudes does this position demand for success

In fact, the Succession Plan is resident in a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) that houses the database and all related information. There are a number of commercially available programs on the market for this purpose.

In use, when an opening occurs, the system is accessed to identify the likely candidates as well as to identify their successors in their current, soon to be previous, roles. At any point, management can assess the bench strength of the organization by reviewing a profile of strengths and weaknesses.

III Summary

Succession Planning is integrated into an organization’s performance management process, including training, performance appraisal, hiring and recruiting and, obviously, career development. As such, it should not be considered an add-on. It is the reason why development programs exist: To produce capable, motivated individuals who are ready to make personal contributions to their organization and to capably assume new responsibilities. Employees understand where they stand in terms of readiness for openings as well as what areas need development. The organization has a picture of its onboard talent and, as such, can manage the pool of candidates appropriately.


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How To Reach Consensus

I. The Compromise Decision

There are basically two ways to make a team decision, compromise and consensus. A compromise is a way of getting a decision that people can live with. Generally, the result is only satisfactory. Some words which describe a compromise are “half-hearted,” “reluctant,” “settlement,” “concession,” “arrangement”. Despite that, compromises are important and expedient answers to some problems. The problem with a compromise is the outcome doesn’t meet everyone’s expectations. In fact, there are always some losers and winners in a compromise decision. When that happens, the losers may feel half-hearted and reluctant about putting that decision into action; the winner become disenchanted with the effort the others are making. In some ways, a compromise can plant the seeds of later conflict.

II. Reaching Consensus

On the other hand, certain decisions demand a group commitment to work. That kind of agreement calls for a consensus. Basically, the process of consensus involves getting people with different points of view to start seeing things in a similar way, or at least to begin narrowing their different perspectives.

In a consensus, if the points of view of each member are considered, discussed, compared and discussed again, everyone begins to sees all aspects of the problem. Members begin to learn about others’ perceptions and a decision or approach emerges as differences are understood and narrowed. This outcome goes beyond something people can “go along with”. Instead, it is a decision team members believe in as the truly best way to go, given the circumstances. Because the issue has been examined, re-examined, tested through discussion, critiqued and analyzed, all members of the team can “see” the problem and the solutions from many different points of view.

As you can see, one of the major benefits of a consensus decision is that it brings team members who start off with differing points of view to a common understanding of all the issues. In a way, it’s a learning experience. Through discussion of how members see the problem, everyone begins to share perceptions. Differences don’t appear as great as they once did and everyone agrees, given the facts, about the alternative that makes sense.

III. Suggested Consensus Guidelines and Tips

Here are some ways to narrow differences in points of view among team members and work towards commitment.

1. Ask each individual how he or she feels about the situation and why.

  • Go around the table, give everyone a chance to have their say.

  • Stop team members who are dominating discussion and poll everyone else.

  • Ask members who are silent what they think.

2. Ask for facts, definitions or explanations and try to uncover what different thoughts or words really mean to team members.

  • Ask members to explain their views.

  • Focus on words, like, “What’s a significant delay?”

  • Ask for clarification when faced with questionable statements?

3. Clarify discrepancies of opinion with facts.

  • State facts and ask other team members to compare opinions with the facts.

  • Summarize competing points of view and ask members to support with facts.

  • If there are no available facts, ask members to gather data before continuing.

4. Be open-minded. Modify your own views when faced with compelling facts and opinions.

  • Listen to the facts underlying differing points of view.

  • Test the facts being presented against your viewpoint.

  • Weigh the impact on you and the team of continuing to resist ideas in the face of convincing facts.

  • “Try on” the other point of view and see how it feels. Is it really that different from yours? Are the consequences acceptable?

5. Identify similarities and differences among the points of view in the team.

  • Make a list of similarities and differences on a flipchart or chalkboard.

  • Ask different members to state what is similar about their ideas

  • Crystallize the differences among team members in a simple statement, such as, “It seems some people view cross-selling as a threat, others see it as an opportunity.”

6. Reinforce open-mindedness—the willingness to listen to other views—as well as the need for cooperation.

  • Remind members about the Team Charter’s rules concerning open discussion.Give people time to talk. Ensure they have said what is on their minds.

  • Review the team’s production goals if necessary and stress the need to work together to reach those goals.

7. Remain non-defensive and unemotional when challenged and avoid angry encounters.

  • Stay silent and calm when being criticized. Wait until the other team member has finished before commenting.

  • Take notes reflecting the other team member’s points.

  • Summarize the other team member’s opinion in your own words.

  • If the meeting is getting emotional, ask for a short recess, try to relax.

  • If you can, be empathic with other’s views. Say, “I can understand why you would say that.”

8. List the positive and negative aspects or consequences of each point of view.

Assume the team has adopted a particular approach. Ask members to discuss the advantages and disadvantages. Repeat with the next approach.

Explore the risks associated with each idea. Test how realistic different people’s assessment of the risks are. “Will we really be causing serious confusion among ourselves by making independent calls on prime accounts?”

9. Ensure that each team member has an opportunity to participate.

  • Make it a point to ask each member at the meeting what they think.

  • Remind members they have a responsibility to speak their minds.

10. Try to define the element of risk associated with every decision and develop an approach that minimizes that risk for everyone.

  • Ask people what concerns them about a specific course of action. “What do you think will happen if we do this?”

  • If concerns are based on a misperception or misunderstanding, explain the true facts.

  • Balance the advantages and risks of each approach.

  • Ask the team what level of risk it is willing to accept.

IV. Summary

Here are some concepts worth remembering about reaching decisions in teams.

  • Consensus is one of the most powerful team skills. Members who understand how to reach consensus find that decisions are fully supported and implemented. What’s more, members believe in the group’s decision because the team has examined each facet of the problem and, through discussion, has finally seen the best way to proceed, given the circumstances.

  • Remember, compromise implies half-heated agreement. There is doubt, lingering disagreement and the potential for second-guessing the decision, especially if the results are less than expected.

  • The consensus process works when team members take the time to share perceptions about a decision and what it means to them. Everyone must be given a chance to describe how they see the issues. Only after these initial viewpoints are clear can the team proceed to identify areas of agreement and disagreement.

  • Finally, the real key to consensus is for team members to remain flexible about their point of view. The exchanging of ideas is an opportunity for team members to learn from each other. An effective team member tries hard to remain open-minded, non-defensive and flexible, rather than determined to have his or her way.

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What's Your Extended Product?

Customers buy more than a product; they buy the total package of benefits associated with your company. This "Extended Product" includes the deal itself, the efforts your company takes to make the product work, and the relationship your company maintains. These may be more valuable than the product features, benefits, price, and other tangible aspects of the transaction. Here is a view of how this Extended Product can work.

The extended product defines the total value of what you are selling. If you can take a wider view of what it is you have to offer, you can address more of the customer's needs. The more needs you can address, the more value you bring to the table. When you bring a lot of value, your offering starts to outweigh price objections or product-only advantages that the competition may have.

To use this concept, you must first define what is it is you are selling. Your extended product actually consists of:

The Physical Product itself, including competitive, technical features and benefits. If you can explain how the features offer benefits that differ from your competition's, you are adding value.

The Deal, including terms, availability, delivery, installation, ongoing support and application ideas, negotiated terms and credit. If you can develop or negotiate deals that are competitive and you can meet customer expectations, you are adding value.

Customization, or modifying or improving the general product for a specific customer, or providing tailored information about usage, design, or financial matters. If you can communicate how your company works to help its products work more effectively, you are adding value.

The Service Relationship, including everything that can be done to keep the customer using the product to its maximum effectiveness, such as user meetings, customer service representatives, newsletters--even how bills are submitted and inquiries processed, etc. If you can demonstrate how you company is invested in keeping existing customers satisfied, you are adding value.

Your company's Past Success Stories, including what your company has done with other customers that have made a positive difference to the customer's business. If you can point to examples of how other customers have successfully used the product and the impact of that on their business, you are adding value.

Access to Expertise associated with using the product, including networking to others outside your company, industry-wide information, as well as indeas under research and development. If you and your company can provide unique, valuable information to your customer, either supporting the product or providing support in any related area, you are adding value.

Yourself, including your experience and knowledge with past customer and installations, your ability to get things done internatll, your long term investment in the account and your personal position in the industry. If you are viewed as a knowledge advocate for the customer, as an ally at the planning table, your are adding value.

Once you define in your own mind this wider view of the value you provide to customers, you can develop a strategy for asking questions that will evoke a wider range of needs. In a sense, if salespeople can define all the positive additional offerings of the company inherent in the extended product, they will have expanded what they can do for a customer. This is the essence of adding value.

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Process Thinking: Making Improvements
Part of Work

Kaizen

The spirit of process thinking is simple. Improved processes yield improved results. Take, for example, a sales situation. This quarter’s results at the Pink Pen Company are 15 percent below target, a near miss. Should the manager exhort the salespeople to sell more, pointing in anger and frustration at the disheartening results? Unfortunately, yelling at the scoreboard does not help the team score points. Should the manager review how many sales calls were made each day, how much time was spent with prospects versus doing administrative work, how effective closing skills were? Should the manager reset the call per week requirement and provide coaching on closing skills? Indeed, fix the process, and the results will also be fixed.

This is the nature of Kaizen, a concept that embodies improvement through process thinking. Work can be improved constantly and the people who do and manage the work should do the improving. What we are talking about here is making what is better, not necessarily innovation. The difference is that innovation starts with a breakthrough and a clean sheet of paper. Improvement works with the status quo. The focus on improvement is long-term, involves a series of small steps, is ongoing, involves everyone in monitoring the process and improving it, and requires little investment to do, but constant attention to maintain.

Process thinking and process management require effort and discipline, but the rewards are extremely gratifying. As Masaaki Imai, the author of Kaizen writes:

Improvement brings many truly satisfying experiences in life-identifying problems, thinking and learning together, tackling and solving difficult tasks, and being elevated to new heights of achievement. (p.41)

Process thinking is a term used to describe an attitude about processes and improvement. The attitude is something like this: “We are going to satisfy our customers by delivering to them exactly what they need, when they need it, without mistakes. We are going to do that by constantly watching what we do, analyzing our work, and thinking about ways to make it better.”

Process Improvement: A Process

There are many different approaches to process improvement. The literature of the 1980s and 90s is filled with concepts of “Re-engineering”, “Total Quality Management”, “Quality Circles” and hosts of variations on that theme. Unfortunately, the re-engineering fad of the last decade hurt more than helped the concept of process thinking. Many different companies embarked on re-engineering projects with the intention of smoothing operations for customer satisfaction. What they wound up doing, from the perspective of many observers, was engineer downsizing and the laying off of workers. You should know, as you embark on your study of Process Thinking, that recent history is filled with negative stories about TQM and re-engineering because the concept was either applied without fully understanding it or seen as primarily a short-term cost cutting strategy. Don’t let the re-engineering experience derail your enthusiasm. Re-engineering is a different process than we are undertaking. Re-engineering typically starts by looking at a clean sheet of paper and building a process without regard for what currently exists. It’s total innovation of new methods and always requires the heavy used of new technology. Despite this reputation, there are also hundreds of success stories where processes have been improved to better serve customers. Gradual, conscious improvement is what we are after, not ripping out and starting with a clean sheet of paper. The concepts underlying Process Thinking are sound, useful and extremely practical.

Re-Engineering
Continuous Improvement
Dramatic changes Not dramatic
Big Steps Small Steps
Managed by a few Everyone is involved
Scrap and rebuild Maintain and improve
Technological breakthroughs Conventional common sense
Major investment of resources Little investment, great effort
Technology-oriented People-oriented

Here is a model for how process improvement will unfold in an organization:

1. Clarify customer expectations. Interestingly, we start at the outcome, the desired impact on the customer. What do our customer expect from us? Why do they expect that? What is it about them that makes those expectations important? Once we understand what customer expect, we can define goals for our process.

2. Understand the process. Through process mapping and measurements, we need to know how the current process works. As a result of this step, we will have a common understanding of the process and its obvious problems.

3. Focus on improvement tactics. With a clear view of the process, we can begin to make it more customer-focused. By using tools and techniques designed to stimulate ideas, we will develop approaches and tactics to fix process problems. This involves three different approaches:

a) Eliminate errors. We can identify where errors occur and how these can be eliminated through error-prevention techniques such as job-aids, color-coding, training, checkpoints, feedback, etc.

b) Eliminate slack time. We will examine how much time is wasted in the process. That is, how much time was wasted when an application was waiting in an inbox for someone’s attention?

c) Control Variation. We will look at how to build in consistency so the process works the same every time for everyone.

4. Plan-Do-Check-Act. This is known as the P-D-C-A Cycle and is used to plan the implementation of improvements. The process involves:

a) Planning for the monitoring of changes

b) Doing the monitoring of changes

c) Checking the results

d) Acting to make the changes permanent

Actually, this series of steps is best thought of as a circle. Just when you thought all process are operating brilliantly, new customer requirements surface, competitive companies offer more and different ways of attracting customers and you have to react. It is challenging enough to have the discipline to measure, monitor and constantly improve a process. It is another thing altogether to take a process you think is working well and change it.


Process Mapping: A Fundamental Tool

One of the important steps outlined above is understanding the process. When a team understands how a process currently operates, several things happen:

  • The team arrives at a common understanding of how things work. This is an important starting point. Doing any kind of process work before this happens is a waste.

  • The most obvious inconsistencies can be eliminated. The team can agree on a central or core process that can be modified to meet local office needs.

  • Glaring problems will be revealed. We will be able to easily uncover problems that are apparent. These may or may not be easily fixable, however, at least you will know what you are dealing with.

The most important tool for understanding the process is process mapping. This section will review some basic ideas behind process mapping.

What is process mapping?

A process is any activity or set of activities that turns a set of inputs or resources into a product or service. When you order a book from Amazon.com or any other internet retailer, your input into that company’s website starts a chain of events that eventually results in a book or CD being delivered to your door. In between are hundreds of steps, where information is handed off from one department to another until a worker in a warehouse somewhere pulls your book off a shelf, puts it in a box and mails it. That’s a process.

In an effective system, this set of activities occurs with little delay, error, or waste. The customer receives the most value, the process works at lowest possible cost, everyone is happy. However, if the order form was lying on an order entry person’s desk for three days because she was out with cold, or the wrong book was sent, or the book was damaged in the mail, or the bill was incorrect, then no one is happy.

The goal of process mapping is to visually depict how a process works so the steps and interactions are revealed. When the process presents itself visually, all the activities and interactions that cause errors, delays, etc., can be analyzed. So, in a way, Process Mapping is the most basic tool in process thinking.

A process map provides a real-time picture of the activities involved in transforming input into a result. It identifies all the actions that take place in the process. Representing each action with a box. Arrows that connect these boxes symbolize the directional flow and the passage of time. Now how the symbols below describe different activities.

A circle represents the beginning
and end steps of a process.
A box or rectangle represents
a single activity.
A diamond indicates places in the process where decisions have to be made. These are usually yes or no.
Arrows indicate the direction workflows from one activity to the next.

Check out this link for an example of a simple process map. Search the web for other examples. http://www.thehelpdesk.tv/processmap.htm


How Do You Create A Process Map?

Philosophically speaking, the whole world is a system and can be mapped from a process point of view. In fact, it has been done. (Forrester, Limits to Growth). If the entire world’s systems can be mapped with a few variables, then tracing how a business process works is really not that complicated. The only difficulty is keeping your map at an appropriate level of detail. Too much detail derails what a process map is for. How much detail is too much? When you go beyond the actual step you are dealing with and get into steps that support that step and the steps that support that, you are getting far from the process. However, you will simply have to experience this for yourself to see how quickly detail can become a problem.

Here are some steps to follow:

1. Identify the process you want to examine.

2. Identify the work units or functions involved in the process. In an office, this may simply be the names of people who do different tasks associated with the process. Write the functions or the names of the people across the top of a piece of paper. Consider ordering the functions or names so the functions or people involved first are on the left and the people involved in the later stages of a project are on the right side.

3. Identify the starting point for the entire process. What gets it rolling? Enter this on the top left-hand side of the chart under the person responsible.

4. Record each step under the people responsible in the sequence the steps occur. Remember, a diamond represents decisions; activities are a box or rectangle, beginning and end points by a circle. AVOID detail at this point. It is very easy to include unnecessary detail, such as “sharpen pencil before reviewing invoices.” Try to stick to the major steps that move the process forward.

5. Connect the steps with arrows to indicate in which direction the flow of work takes place. It is possible that the flow will go from right to left in some instances.

6. Whenever possible, indicate a way to measure each step, for example, time passed, percentage or error, etc., over each arrow.

We realize that there is a lot more to process mapping than deciding who gets to reconcile the checking account at home. For more examples of process maps, see the references listed at the end of this document. Search for Process Mapping on the Internet for resources. This is a well-documented area, and there are many examples. Remember, for most purposes, simplicity is the key to success.

Another Way to Get Started: Task Analysis

There is another technique that might help you get started on developing a process map. This technique, which we’ll call task analysis, is simple and quick. We suggest you use it as a way to prepare for your process map. Here is how it works:

1. Organize the major phases of the process in order. For example, if you were having a party at your house, the major phases will be something like “Invite People”, “Clean the House”, “Buy Food and Drinks”, “Think of Music to Play”, and the like.

2. For each phase, identify the following:

a) What do you need to Prepare for the Phase (or What input is needed)?

b) What are the Steps involved in each Phase? (For Clean the House in the above example, the steps might be: Put away the laundry, wash the dishes, vacuum the floors, etc.)

c) Finally, how can you Judge your success? What are the indicators you are doing a good job?

3. Once you have thought through all the phases and steps, you are ready to develop a Process Map. It will probably be more focused and concise.

We recommend you do a Task Analysis, as we have defined it here, as a first step in developing a process map.

Annotated References

Kaizen, Masaaki Imai
This is a classic. Get it from your local library and read the first two chapters and each of the Appendices. The case study of Canon is a sophisticated application of the concept. Look for the “nine wastes”

The Basics of Process Mapping, Robert Damielo.
This is a highly visible and basic book on the concept. Available online from Amazon.

http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/search/ndx/01m01ac.htm
The Scottish Government’s Audit group has produced a very comprehensive description of Process Mapping and uses many examples. The web address will lead you to a PDF download. It’s definitely worth surfing over to.

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Keeping Customers

Why do salespeople typically lose accounts to the competition? Better prices, features or service are not always the main reasons. In fact, many of the reasons lie within the salesperson’s control. Here’s what we found:

  • Customers have needs the salesperson didn’t recognize or know about.

  • Customers have a negative perception because the salesperson “disappeared” after the sale.

  • The competition knows more about how customers are using the product and how satisfied they are by it than the salesperson who sold it does.

  • Customers feel neglected or dissatisfied with the services and support the vendor offered, as well as with the product’s performance.

  • Customers feel the competition understands their needs more precisely than the vendor does.

  • Customers feel the existing vendor’s salesperson cannot “get things done” in the vendor organization.

  • Customers see the competition as more experienced and successful in business like their own.

Bottom line: Competitive vendors are having less trouble making appointments with your customers, even those who feel relatively satisfied with their current vendor.

The question is, how do salespeople build lasting relationships that customer consider valuable and that pre-empt competitive intrusions.

Many salespeople consider frequent and regular visits the necessary mainstay in maintaining relationships. However, if every visit or phone call doesn’t clearly show the customer something worthwhile, then he or she has no reason to value the relationship. A salesperson must demonstrate the relationship’s value by what he or she brings to every customer contact.

This is the key idea behind adding value. If a salesperson hasn’t differentiated him or herself in this way, the customer has little reason for valuing the relationship.

A salesperson who adds value:

  • Shares a wealth of industry and business knowledge, and know what to ask and how to make every sales call productive and informative, even if it doesn’t end in a sale.

  • Demonstrates a genuine interest in the future plans and growth of the customer’s company.

  • Isn’t pushing a product; rather, is interested in finding and solving problems with all the resources he or she knows about.

  • Links the customer to others in the vendor company who can help, advise, or add value to the customer’s use of products and services.

  • Keeps in frequent contact with a number of people in the customer’s organization, not only the decision-maker or buyer.

When you’re able to do these things, you become a relationship-oriented salesperson who makes a real contribution. Your customers allow you to influence what decisions are made and how they are made.

No, it is not enough to realize that the company has needs, to build alliances and loyalty, to visit frequently, to take your boss or a senior resource along, or to create an impression that you’re dependable. You need to add value by what you bring to every contact with your customers. In this way, you create a customer relationship that competitive forces will find extremely difficult to break.

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