For your people, they want to do a great job - no, really, despite your experiences, they do. And what might seem to 'the management' the important things, just don't stack in the day-to-day reality of the workplace.

Here's why.

Your people want to focus on looking after their customers, yet there are many things, often just little things, that get in their way. Removing these little things they are having to tolerate, allows them to deliver the very best service to their customers. Yet they are reluctant to get this clear. For some reason.

You need to find out.

So. Ask them!

Yet why is this so difficult for some managers? Partly to do with not wishing to open challenging dialogue; not even thinking there might be issues or to dismissing needs of their people as irrelevant, amongst others. These issues, so vital to the well-being of their people and therefore their relationships with their customers, get missed.

So, how do managers get around this.

Easy

They just ASK. They ask in ways that work, but basically, they just ASK.

There are a many ways to do this. Ongoing dialogue; focus groups; feedback; 360's. But a really simple way to get to the bottom of what is bothering your people is, one-on-one to simply ask them this simple question:-
"If you had three wishes in your job, what would they be?"
So why do we ask for three wishes? Because often there are one or two issues that are 'givens'. Like more staff, more pay etc. Three wishes gives a bit of scope in the replies. If you can, allow your people to personalise the returns, but only if they want to. Once you've got your people being constructive around changes - and you let them tell you, you can respond, often very quickly and make things a lot better.

Understanding the little things, makes a big difference to the people who are vital to your success - who create the business for you. Don't miss the chance.

Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com (Note to editors. This article may be edited for use in your publication or newsletter as long as a live link to the website is included)

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