SETTING NON-NEGOTIABLE STAFF STANDARDSWritten by Noel Peebles
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to put money away in a tidy order, as it did to shove it in any old way. This kept cash registers tidy and made counting money much easier. This was a non-negotiable standard and it worked well. I’ll give you yet another example. As anyone in retailing will know, meeting and greeting customers is critical. If you ask, “can I help you”, inevitable response is “no thank you, I’m just looking.” So why ask a question that you know will get a predictably negative response. The answer is you shouldn’t! So, one of my non-negotiable standards was that staff members never, never, ever asked, “can I help you.” Instead staff members were given intensive training on exactly how to meet and greet customers. They were given lots of ideas and flexibility to inject their own personality into what they said. When greeting a customer, staff members were encouraged to begin by talking about anything except making a sale. They could comment on weather, something happening outside store, fashionable coat customer was wearing… anything except making a sale. The reason for this was simple. The first objective was to always try to relax customer before attempting to make a sale. So “can I help you” was a definite “NO-NO”. I believe that, in setting non-negotiable standards, it is important to put policies in writing. Although verbal instruction will be necessary on occasion, it is much easier to hold people accountable for something that is written. Finally, it is really important to ensure that employees know and fully understand meaning of non-negotiable standards. They need to be thoroughly trained on what’s required, or how to do particular task. I’m a strong believer in asking people “do you understand” and in some cases following up with “show me.” This way there can be no misunderstanding as to exactly what’s required. Although setting non-negotiable standards might sound very disciplined, it is really about running a business at maximum efficiency. And, in no way should that stop everyone from having a lot of fun. Besides, most employees will try hard to please... and they have a right to know what’s required of them and their boundaries.
Noel Peebles. Market Leaders Limited. http://www.instantsellbusiness.com http://www.instantsellhome.com
| | Expectations At Work Can Destroy You if Don’t Communicate Them!Written by Carole Nicolaides
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3.What communication style fits you? It is extremely important to know this for several reasons. Some people communicate better in writing. Others do best with using bottom-line, verbal communication. Still more are “talkers” who need to fully discuss every aspect of a plan before it is implemented. Once you know your communication style, and styles of those you work with, communication of expectations will be both better received and conveyed. 4.Seek feedback. As you realize by now, dealing with expectations is like dealing with perceptions, so best way for you to learn how other people see your behaviors is to ask for regular feedback. Do not hesitate to ask what people expect from you. While you don’t need to agree with them necessarily, you do need to be clear on what is expected of you in order to accomplish your goals. 5.Align expectations with your values. Values define what you stand for. Values act as your internal compass, keeping you happy at work and in your personal life. Obviously, more aligned you are with your values (and your professional goals) smoother your life will be. With that said, it is advisable to check from time to time that our expectations are indeed aligned with core of who we are. If you value freedom and entrepreneurship in your professional life, don’t seek positions that would land you in an environment opposite to you true values. Don’t get stuck trying to live up to expectations that do not match with your personal values. Managing expectations - yours and those of others - is an important part of our every day life. A merger with another company, a new boss, a sudden change at home, new coworkers… all of these are circumstances where people expect things from you. Understanding most effective ways to communicate your expectations, and to understand those of others, is best solution for overall team success in any organization.
Carole is President and Executive Coach of Progressive Leadership, offering executive coaching, organizational development consulting and leadership development training. Improve your business relationships, communication, team performance and bottom line starting now. Visit http://www.progressiveleadership.com for more info & subscriptions to Carole’s FREE ezine.
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