About self-reflection we could share a lot. Sometimes just a couple of well-placed questions are enough to guide someone along. Here’s an example from my daily work: a conversation with a potential client. This client’s question: “Let’s do a training to boost our service level“. But is a customer experience training really the solution? Or is something deeper required?
Just Another Client Conversation…
Client: “We need a training. To strengthen the customer experience.”
Me: “Great, that’s possible.”
Client: “Our team makes too little real contact with customers. Shows little initiative. Takes no ownership.”
Me: “That’s their issue. What is your issue?”
Client: “My issue? I don’t have an issue. My team does.” Again the enumeration of what the team fails at follows.
Me: “Yes, that’s their issue. What is your issue?”
Client: “Do you think I do anything about it then?”
I respond: “Well, it is worth exploring. According to the National Leadership Survey, 84 % of leaders see their own style as people-oriented. Among employees, only 56 % agree. Moreover, 30 % of employees say their leaders remain directive. How does this compare in your organization? In short: an “issue” at the employee level often points to a leadership issue. What do you see in your team that you find difficult? How do you as a leader establish certain behaviors? And how do you maintain them?”.
Client: “When you phrase it like that, I admit I can be dominant and think for others.”
Me: “And what influence might that have on the ultimate customer experience?”
Client: “They ask for my approval for everything.”
How do you serve those who serve others?
The Inverted Organizational Pyramid
Employees in direct contact with customers create or break the customer experience. What experience do you want your customers to have, and tell others about? How does that translate into in terms of employee behavior and interaction? How do your organizational culture and brand values support this? And how do leaders facilitate this? Improving customer experience and service begins with leadership, not with employees.
I like the image of the inverted or reversed organizational pyramid, explained by Michael Levi, Co-founder and former COO from CitizenM Hotels.
Shouldn’t your main task as a leader be to set your people up for success As Peter Block asks: “How do you serve those who serve others?” For example, by listening to what they (really) need, so they take more responsibility. Which ultimately positively impacts the customer experience.
Listening? Common sense, you might say. But common practice? In many sessions, I see that leaders believe they must always have the answers. They think the value lies in what they say. But it’s much more about listening. Try this: spend 10 minutes in conversation, and just listen. Fully. With all your attention. When you truly listen, you’ll hear much more. It changes how the other speaks, and improves conversational quality. An organization is really a network of conversations.
Why Self-Reflection Serves Your Team
Don’t just believe what I write, try it and experience it. Because employees deserve leaders who know themselves well. Who are aware of their behavior and its effect on others. Self-reflection is a source of information and inspiration (“Oh — so that’s how I behave…”). It guides toward solutions. It energizes because it sets you in motion. After all, self-insight without action is an invitation to stay the same. When you show that you reflect and learn, employees implicitly feel invited to do the same. Something about modeling behavior?
You guessed it: that strengthens the customer experience. So here’s the invitation to reflect daily:
- Do my actions contribute to the growth of others?
- Does my leadership contribute to the desired experience?
