 A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats - Except Those That Sink!
Clients
often ask me how to motivate stodgy ‘old-timers’
to give better service, work more effectively on teams
or contribute to building a stronger learning culture.
One company even asked me to help ‘crack four
tough nuts’ out of a staff strength of over five
hundred!
My response to these situations is this: stop spending
so much time and energy trying to convert the few who
are ‘stuck in the mud’ and unwilling to
change. Instead, put more focus and attention on staff
who do want to learn, are willing to change and will improve their skills.
Over time, the ‘old timers’ will become
uncomfortable with all the focused and positive efforts.
They will wake up and get with the program, or leave.
Please note: I am not saying that ‘old-timers’
are always a problem. Their wisdom and experience can
be a precious asset. But in today’s fast moving
world, everyone must be willing to learn, ready to change
and eager to grow. If someone refuses to rise with the
tide, let them sink.
Key
Learning Point
Don't let a few stodgy
characters from the `old school' keep you from building
an effective learning organization.
Action Steps
To keep your culture
vibrant and growing strong: conduct more training, launch
new campaigns, circulate interesting articles, share real
stories, run frequent contests, reward staff initiatives,
give plenty of praise, share benchmarking results, capture
and communicate up-to-date customer information. Do everything
positive you possibly can. And then do even more.
Next Article in Customer Service Culture >>
Empowerment Makes Dollars and Sense
First Article in Customer Service Education >>
Education is the Star at Starbucks
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Ron Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed customer service training educator for quality service.
He is author of the bestselling series "UP Your Service!" and founder of
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