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The ultimate purpose – not wasting your clients‘ lifetime

It’s a Saturday morning, and I have been queueing at a supermarket checkout for a felt eternity. As have all my fellow queuers. Doing your groceries on a Saturday morning, you would expect some queueing. But this time, there was a special reason to the special length and the slow motion of the queue – there was a training session in progress. A new cashier was being shown the ropes by a seasoned hand. Both of them were doing their level best to deal with the situation, and I especially admired the patience of the supervisor and the fact that the poor trainee was not going completely bonkers. But really: a training session – on a SATURDAY MORNING…. The only thing that this achieves, is the double whammy of putting the employees under unnecessary stress and wasting the precious lifetime of clients.

When my turn eventually came, I said as much to the seasoned employee. As much as I appreciate the need for people to learn, to do this on a Saturday morning is beyond stupid. She agreed wholeheartedly, and  explained that they had mentioned this to the person giving the order, but that order stood regardless.

Now, I am really scratching my head, asking myself: Who could be so far removed from the real life of that supermarket (actually any supermarket), and still be authorized to give such orders? And/or, should the order have been given by someone close to daily business, such as the branch manager,  how could that person live in such a bubble, that he is not aware or does not care about the effects of his actions on clients and fellow employees?

And not only on the clients and the employees. Because things like these have second and third order effects. Say, a client is so annoyed by the queueing that he schlepps his annoyance on to the bakery and the butcher’s he visits next, so that the poor employees there might have to bear the brunt of the bad temper. That, again, might tarnish a part or the rest of their day, and they might be carrying these bad vibes home, where they then unfold in various ways.

Thus, a stupid order given unthinkingly by someone who is obviously unaware of the ground that order falls on, can send out ripples that tarnish and waste peoples’ lifetime. Either directly (like for the queueing shoppers) or indirectly, by tarnishing the following sequence of events with negative energy. All of this takes time and energy away that could be spent on positive endeavours, like giving good advice to clients, tending to their real needs or having a good time with your partner and/or kids when you come home.

There is a lot of talk about “purpose” in the corporate world these days. I would believe, that not wasting peoples‘ lifetime and stressing them out would be the ultimate one.

(c) Sabine Breit

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Powered by Love – What nimble companies thrive on

What makes a company a place where love rules? Where people love to work and customers love to shop. A company that sends out concentric circles of happiness and well-being and thus also finds a place in the heart of society at large? And why would this be relevant?

It is relevant because a company that is powered by the “energy of love” is a company that is highly adaptable, masters complexity with aplomb and thus stands a good chance of being around for a while. Why? Because in the presence of love and trust, all communication interfaces – i.e. the headspaces where different people meet and where complexity happens – are highly functional. As a consequence, collaboration is smooth, decision making becomes easier and more skilful, innovation can flourish and, yes, it’s also good for the bottom line. By the way: If you feel uncomfortable with the word “love” in a business context, you might just as well talk about trust, respect, tolerance, appreciation, kindness, or generosity. It’s all the same energy.

Let me tell you a little story about such a place and how it feels. In January, I spent time at a medium-sized bakery on a German island. I had met the entrepreneur on a crazy train ride. We got talking, and I took an immediate interest in his company. Because here was an entrepreneur who, a few years ago, had set out to transform his business: “You know, Sabine, I could have probably amassed several pieces of real estate and other assets in my lifetime. But what would I leave behind? Exhausted human beings. So at some point I asked myself: ‘How about, some day, I’d be looking back on a whole lot of happy people? Wouldn’t that be a legacy to be proud of?’”. I guess, it can’t get any more straightforward when it comes to “purpose statements”.

The Magic Ingredients

We eventually agreed that I would come to visit. What did I find? Well, I found an extremely well energized place. Even at 3 o’clock at night in the bakery, the buzz could be felt. Wherever I went – be it the bakery, the office or the shops – I met friendly, relaxed human beings who were pretty much self-organized. Collaboration was so effortless, that it hardly needed any verbal communication. This was particularly true in the bakery. The moves and actions were so nimble that in spite of the incredible speed with which everything happened (because boy, once the dough is ready, you got to get going) it looked like a ballet performance to me. Everything in synch. Such smoothness is achieved when people know each other well, trust their colleagues, know exactly what to do and are trusted to do it. So trust and freedom, based on a general belief in the goodness of people, are essential ingredients of the magic “love potion”.

This trust and freedom goes hand in hand with responsibility. Quality control, for example, happens everywhere – in the baking process, at the oven, in the preparation of snacks, by the delivery drivers and in the shops. Everyone takes pride in the products and makes sure that only the best bread, rolls, cakes and pastry making it to the customers. No “leaders” or managers are needed to make this happen. It happens, because people love what they do and want to make their customers happy. The fact, that most customers have been regulars forever, speaks for itself.

Respect, appreciation and generosity are other magic ingredients of a “happy people company”. This is expressed in decent salaries being paid to everyone – including apprentices and seasonal helpers. In additional benefits beyond the obvious, such as a company car that is available for all employees on the mainland (so that employees do not have to pay for car transfer on the ferry), or affordable and appealing accommodation, free bikes and free events for seasonal workers. Communal areas are airy and welcoming, and there is even a room for smokers, so that they don’t have to hang around in the cold. Also, all the teams receive a budget every year that they can spend on team activities according to their liking. They can also save it up over a couple of years, to help fund more lavish outings.

Concentric Circles of Happiness

And beyond the operational, there is the personal: such as when one new employee who moved to the island could not afford the deposit for the new flat and hardly had any furniture to speak off: Her boss did not hesitate to provide a guarantee to the landlord, and all the colleagues got together to find her some furniture.

All of this adds up to concentric circles of happiness rippling from the company – to friends and family of the employees, the wider island community and seasonal customers, who often spread these circles to the mainland in the form of bread and cake they take home at the end of their vacation. I guess, that’s the ultimate definition of Corporate Social Responsibility.

No Carrots or Sticks

The absence of things is just as meaningful as their presence. For instance, there is not much classic “leadership” and no internal competition going on.  Major changes – such as the massive reduction of the product range during covid times, repricing against the backdrop of inflation or the purchase of big machinery – can be suggested by any employee and are discussed with everyone concerned. Even when the final decision is taken by the owner, it is thoroughly informed by a wide variety of perspectives. Other decisions, such as smaller product range changes or adhoc changes to work schedules, are routinely made between team members directly. Former rankings, comparing the turnover of the different shops, were abolished. Also, there are no individual bonuses or incentives, or other carrots and sticks.

The Power to Heal Thyself

Does this mean that life is always hunky-dory on the island? No. Actually, the owner mentioned that they were having a bit of a problem with communication recently, and could I help? I was happy to, but, really, there was not much “consulting-around” to do. I analysed the situation, pointed out the “block” I found in the otherwise effective flow of communication and suggested measures to dissolve it. I have no doubt that this healthy and well-functioning organism will get back on track by itself after this “micro-invasive” intervention. Because there is no fear in the system that would stand in the way of change. One of the employees put it quite succinctly: „Here, change is not a cause for concern or anxiety. I trust, that we will always find a solution that makes sense for me as well.“

It is thus no surprise that I was myself filled with the most beautiful energy when I sat on the ferry on my way back. With a big, happy smile on my face and a good supply of yummy bread and cake in my backpack. Taking a concentric circle of happiness to the mainland.

© Sabine Breit

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Client Centricity and Chatbots – Innovation or Anathema?

I never use chatbots unless I absolutely have to. At best, I find them useless, at worst a nuisance.

Recently, however, I was forced to use a chatbot which, at first, I found surprisingly useful and efficient. Until I didn‘t.

My relationship with that particular specimen, let’s call it Marvin, began when my evening flight from Frankfurt to Berlin was cancelled due to operational shortcomings in connection with weather happening as forecast. After having spent 1.5 hours in the parking position just to be told to offboard eventually,  I was initially quite impressed that, before I had even left the plane, Marvin pro-actively suggested a rescheduled flight and also promised to find me a hotel. Now, there was never a follow-up on that hotel  offer, which I did not mind, because friends were happy to let me crash. Also, I was not interested in the rescheduled flight offered for the next morning as it would not have brought me to Berlin on time. Thus, I tried to politely refuse Marvin‘s rescheduling offer.

This is where our relationship turned sour. Because Marvin would not accept „no“ for an answer. After some searching, I found an option for just claiming a refund. However, that link routed me straight be back to Marvin, who insisted on rescheduling me. After I stubbornly insisted on the refund, Marvin lost its temper and just went ahead and checked me in. Bammm, take that, bitch!

By then, it was close to midnight, it was cold and I was on my way to my final resting place for that night. So, in my utter desperation, I called the hotline. On the other end, a friendly lady based in Manila picked up the receiver, checked me out of that blasted flight and arranged for my refund within a few minutes. Marvin, mate, should you still be out there: No hard feelings! I hope, you did not get your algorithm in a twist about this. I know it was just  the way you were programmed.

Where the algorithm branches off

Which gets us right to the heart of the matter: The way that chatbot functioned gave me a pretty good idea of the true purpose and culture of the company that had it programmed: While I initially thought, Marvin’s purpose was to help me solve a problem fast and conveniently,  it turned out that its prime purpose was to help the company solve its problem fast and conveniently – i.e. not having to pay a refund . Now, don’t get me wrong, sometimes, these problems and interests naturally overlap, as they did in the first step, when fast rescheduling was offered. After that, however, the algorithm obviously branched off in the direction of the company. One might say that this is a legitimate course of action. It sure is. But it is not “client-centric”.

How far do you want to go?

A company that feels  the calling of client-centricity might thus want to ask itself an honest question before venturing out on that exciting path: How far do we want to go?

Where does the  algorithm branch off? Perhaps at the point where Marvin lost it, i.e. where staying customer focused would have lost the carrier real money. Or, taking another classic use case,  where staying customer focused would mean dealing appropriately with angry clients instead of channeling them into the cost efficient death spiral of chatbots and unmanned hotline-loops. It’s a bit like in a romantic relationship: At what point do the flowers stop coming? Do you only give it your all until the question is popped and answered in the affirmative, or do you keep making an effort to keep things enjoyable for both partners in the long term? Does customer focus end when a purchase is made, or are complaints handled with the same attention and dedication? Is the primary use of chatbots  and any other tools and services, such as hotlines etc., about the convenience of the company in dealing with clients or is it about the convenience of the client in dealing with the company? It can be both in many cases, but sometimes it can’t. And the latter are the moments when your real attitude shows.

Do you have client-centricity in you?

Let’s assume you really want to go all in on customer-centricity. Then, the next question would be: Do you have this in you? Does your company have it in it to serve and do so joyfully, or would you much rather like to rule and dictate?  Is the energy in your organization geared towards service in every possible way? Does it flow towards  those beautiful employees who are your face to the clients? Are they properly skilled and supported? Do backoffice functions understand that the lovely colleagues in the front office are their clients, whom they must serve as joyfully as the sales team takes care of external clients? Are suppliers treated like they are a valued part of the “cosmos of serving” or is their life energy squeezed out of them?

When it comes to the design of any customer facing tools such as chatbots, a central question would be: who are the human beings behind these tools and how much of their personality and mindset is reflected in them?  How much do these beautiful people understand about the various contexts of use? How much do they know about the clientele using it? How much do they care about the client? Is “client centricity” something that features in their job description? Is it relevant for their pay or their job satisfaction?

Is your culture geared to it?

In the last analysis, these questions lead us straight to the culture or general atmosphere human beings operate in. What are the real priorities – i.e. the mantras that are hammered in monthly or weekly in calls or sales meetings – and what are the priorities flaunted in Sunday speeches? Do these match, or do they compete with or are even in conflict with one another? Does the general atmosphere in the company allow for the sales team to open up all their reception channels joyfully to their clients or is their attention distracted by fear inducers, such as “ambitious” sales targets? Where do clients really rank in the overall order of things? Are they really more important than efficiency, cost saving, profits,  ratings, league tables or the mood of the capital market? Does the company truly value the “people persons“ and their skills i.e. those employees who are the actual faces to the clients, or does it suggest to them that any old chatbot could do their jobs just as well?

Depending on how far a company is willing to go in its effort to extend Tender Love And Care to all their clients, for better or worse, it might be really client centric or still stuck in client targeting, which is the opposite of being client centric. While client centricity is a wholistic exercise of  two-way-communication across all stages, levels and touch-points of a client relationship, customer targeting is a one-way, data-driven highway used for getting stuff out. While customer targeting is about getting messages across, client centricity is about listening closely and responding appropriately. While client targeting is about optimizing AI to get customers handled efficiently, client centricity is about helping employees (aka True Intelligence) to be more perceptive of clients’ needs and wants, wherever they are in the company. Tools can have a place helping employees to do exactly that.

Like the beautiful lady in Manila, who understood the exhaustion and despair of a fellow human being and just used her skills and tech to help.

(c) Sabine Breit

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Treasuring the “permafrost” – how seeing middle management with different eyes can gives us a fresh view on the “new world of work”

The men and women that form the midriff of a company are often derided as the “permafrost”. In German they are called “die Lehmschicht” – a stratum of clay in the middle of a company hierarchy that is pretty much impermeable. Nothing gets through. Any flow of information gets stuck.

I think this is thoroughly unfair. Yes, things do get stuck in this part of the hierarchy. And yes, this is frustrating, and it does create risks. But let’s have a quick look at what the men and women in the middle are asked to do on a daily basis in order to keep the flow of information, and thus operations, alive.

The Janes and James Bonds of company communication

Firstly, they are supposed to communicate effectively in both directions along the vertical communication axis – rationally and emotionally. Vis-à-vis senior management, they are to act as knowledgeable advisors, sparring partners and reliable relay stations – forwarding any relevant information and signals that they get from “lower echelons”. In the other direction, they are to convincingly transport and interpret instructions and objectives from senior management and make sure that they are adhered to. Sometimes against their own better judgement. At the same time, they are expected to lead their own reports, making sure they do not only do their jobs properly but also get the space and opportunity to grow and develop.

Additionally, apart from managing, leading and being a role model, they are to effectively contribute to the flow of information in lateral communication relationships, cooperating with colleagues from different silos and areas of expertise, or with external parties. In an international corporation, they are supposed to pull all of that off in more than one language.

Oh yes, and of course they will also have to show that they are mightily interested in building a career and climbing the corporate ladder further, which will require quite a bit of inner dialogue and soul searching, not to mention the odd domestic dialogue on who will drive the kids where and when. And all of this – including upskilling exercises – has to be slotted into or around a 50-60 hour working week.

To master all of that equally well and stay healthy, the “middle people” need a humongous vocabulary, preferably in more than one language, superhuman linguistic skills – verbal and written – , Buddha-like equanimity and empathy, permanent situational presence, and a continuous “observer‘s mind”, i.e. the ability to view things from a meta position at any time. Just to mention a few of the skills required.

So, you might want to take a deep breath and ask yourself whether these men and women are really the permafrost or rather the Jane and James Bonds of company communication.

Building the New World of Work from the middle

None of us is born with all the skills and capacities that are required to master all of that smoothly and flawlessly on a daily basis. Most of us do not learn any or much of this in school or at university. I thus have enormous respect for anyone in such a position who shows up every day and does her level best.

Instead of complaining about the seemingly impermeable middle layer, companies would thus be well advised to think about how they can support these men and women in navigating through the company matrix. These efforts would, of course, include everyone who is responsible for designing “the world of work”, but also every single employee above or below the “company equator”.

On both sides of the equator it would, for example, be helpful to work on one’s listening skills as well as the ability to express oneself clearly, or on asking questions instead of making assumptions about what could have been meant. Thus, the people in the middle (as well as anybody else) would be less in the dark when trying to understand and deal with the expectations and needs around them. This would save the entire company an enormous amount of energy. It would also help to prevent risks associated with assumptions and communication “misfires”.

Those who are tasked with designing the world of work, in which capacity whatsoever, might want to think about the skills and support middle managers really need in order to navigate through the communication maze of a complex (international) organization with aplomb. The kaleidoscope of possible support and upskilling measures must of course also fit your company set-up and culture. However, designing them with a focus on making the flow of information smooth and easy is a good starting point.

Going the Full Monty

All the more so, if you think about solving the “permafrost” problem by doing away with some layers of hierarchy – usually somewhere in the middle. Because eliminating a layer of hierarchy does not eliminate the communication complexity the “middle people” have to deal with today. It just shifts it to a different layer. And actually, eliminating a layer might increase your complexity-related risks here and there. Because in doing so, you reshuffle the interfaces between those in the remaining layers, who, for various reasons, might be even less well equipped to effectively communicate with each other.

Now, if you think about going the full monty and flattening the corporate hierarchy down to, say, self-steering teams, the communication complexity burdening the middle managers today will then have to be mastered by every single employee. After all, no matter how much you streamline your hierarchy, the buck will still eventually have to stop somewhere and someone will have to make decisions and be accountable. The more “democratic” decision-making becomes, the more it will be based on negotiations, agreements, and an effective dialogue and knowledge transfer between various experts, irrespective of any rank. A workforce that is not able and enabled to constructively engage in such decision-making processes will not be able to navigate, let alone thrive, in a “self-steering” world.

So, finding ways and means to give love and support to the men and women in the middle is not only the human thing to do, it is also a perfect training ground for a new world of work, which, in the final analysis, is about a new way of cooperating and dealing with each other.

© Sabine Breit