Agility = Sustainability

Written by Robert E. Cannon


Continued from page 1

Not only do groups make better decisions, but once agreed to,repparttar decisions are far easier to implement and have much greater likelihood of success. More and more research points torepparttar 119493 advantages of group engagement and decision-making. It is no longer a matter of why you should adopt a high engagement strategy with your people to gain agility, but rather how to implement this process.

Roadway is a trucking company that is currently implementing a high engagement strategy in their organization with some tremendous successes. Their approach includes three elements and may very well berepparttar 119494 model for other organizations. The three elements of their program are: 1.) Education, 2.) Tools, 3.) High Engagement.

First, Roadway is spending a lot of time educating their people aboutrepparttar 119495 business. They have adopted much ofrepparttar 119496 thinking from Jack Stack’s book, “The Great Game of Business.” The key is to help their employees understandrepparttar 119497 financials ofrepparttar 119498 business and how they affectrepparttar 119499 numbers. Second, they have trained their people inrepparttar 119500 basic principles of LEAN so that they can evaluate current processes and procedures and have a basis for making changes that will positively affectrepparttar 119501 bottom line. Finally, they have adopted and use a positive approach to achieving “High Engagement.” Rather than focusing onrepparttar 119502 problems inrepparttar 119503 company, they have chosen to look atrepparttar 119504 strengths ofrepparttar 119505 company and build on those strengths using David Coopperrider’s 4D model for positive change.

The results at Roadway have been impressive. There are many stories of success at individual terminals that are now being shared acrossrepparttar 119506 company and inrepparttar 119507 meantime just one ofrepparttar 119508 measures they use has recorded a $10 million improvement overrepparttar 119509 last 4 years. Roadway is rapidly developing Agility to help them face a very competitive and rapidly changing world. Without it, they would most likely not have survived.

ã Copyright Bob Cannon/The Cannon Advantage, 2003. All rights reserved.

Byline Bob Cannon helps visionary leaders make decisions that gain a competitive advantaget. Check out other interesting articles available inrepparttar 119510 Taking Aim newsletter available at www.cannonadvantage.com . Bob can be reached at (216) 408-9495 or mailto: bob@cannonadvantage.com

This article courtesy of http://www.cannonadvantage.com. You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice andrepparttar 119511 author name and URL remain intact.



Robert E. Cannon, successful business executive, left the corporate world in 2001 to start Cannon Advantage; a firm specializing in helping visionary leaders and business decision-makers who want to enhance the competitive advantage of their organizations


Learning from Your Employees' and Customers’ Complaints

Written by Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Management Consultant and Trainer


Continued from page 1

· Try doing something new and different.

· Listen attentively, patiently, and with good nature.

· Even ifrepparttar complaint seems unreasonable, don't tell him so. Keep it to yourself.

· Because nobody wants to be accused of being unreasonable, especially if it's true, admit that he might be right. (The implication is that you may be wrong.)

· Invite him to offer you in his own words a solution to his complaint. Say, for example, "If you were in my shoes, what would you do to correctrepparttar 119492 situation?" (Be careful not to call his complaint or situation a problem, because doing so might aggravate him torepparttar 119493 point that he loses his ability to think and express himself clearly.)

· Listen carefully and actively. Read his body language.

· Use feedback questions or statements to let him know that you're trying to understand and meet his needs. (Begin responses with statements like, "If I understand you correctly, ...")

When you takerepparttar 119494 time to listen to your complaining customers or employee, you'll hear what he’s telling you. Then you’ll be in a better position to turn him into a satisfied and loyal customer.

Remember: When you maximize your potential and that ofrepparttar 119495 complaining customer, everyone wins. When you don't, we all lose. © MMIV, Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW

Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Management Consultant offer a free health survey at http://eagibbs.usana.com; and Identity Theft protection at www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/gibbs54. Reach him at eagibbs@ureach.com or at 502-386-1175.


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