Case Studies

Jan 29 2009 12:35PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |
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By Bruce Case

Today’s world wants input in their output.  A license plate isn’t good enough anymore – it needs to be a vanity plate with some insight into the drivers soul.  A cell phone needs to have that one-of-a-kind ring tone.  Applesauce isn’t good enough anymore – it needs to be organic, made in America and hold the corn syrup please.  Said another way, a solitary focus on the “what” is not enough in today’s society.  In today’s society, people have an equal passion for the “how.”

The good news is that’s exactly what our clients are doing when they remodel their homes.  But have you translated this trend within your own team?  We can come up with lists and lists of great ideas on “what” we should be doing, “what” the future might hold and “what” we did in the past.  But the real test comes when someone starts asking “how.”  How will we get input from our team, how will our team implement these ideas, how will our clients react to these ideas, how will we monitor the implementation? 

Think back to wonderful ideas, systems and processes you have had over the years that were not implemented by your team.   I’ll bet the lack of implementation was rooted more in the “how” than in the “what.”  Employees want to have a say.  Then they want to understand the path that was chosen and why (even if it doesn’t agree with their input).   This puts some extra pressure on all of us to work through a process rather than demanding something from “on high.” But think about it - Employees that don’t want these two things, a say and feedback, shouldn’t be on your team.  
This blog was previously posted on www.CaseInstituteofRemodeling.com