inProcess
Fresh Look
I’m commenting on landscapes here, because that’s a natural focus of my professional work, but taking a fresh look can and should apply to any service situation. Complacency dulls the senses and, if that happens, leads to declines in quality over time. The changes can be so subtle that you don’t even notice them until the situation has deteriorated to a critical point.
If you want to stay sharp, involve others in asking and answering the key questions that will contribute to improved performance. It’s worth a Fresh Look!
If you want to stay sharp, involve others in asking and answering the key questions that will contribute to improved performance. It’s worth a Fresh Look!
- What’s your first impression upon arrival?
- Where are the natural focal points?
- What looks healthy and vibrant in this setting?
- Are certain elements out of place?
- If things need work, is the solution obvious, or are the real problems deeper than the symptoms you observe?
- How do others experience the property on a daily basis?
- What areas matter most, or least?
- Does your client care about the same things you see, or something else?
When we see the same things day after day, or the same people, it is easy to lapse into complacency. To perform consistently at a high level, however, requires an ability and willingness to take a fresh look at the situation. An impromptu “walk-through” on a premier client property this week brought the importance of this to the forefront for me.
When service personnel get focused on the task at hand, there’s a natural tendency to “look but not see” details around them. I’m not suggesting that personnel are doing anything wrong, but rather that they lapse into doing the same things over and over, almost robotically. When this happens, details get missed; when details get missed over time, the results and aesthetics suffer.
It’s up to leaders to provide perspective and open the eyes of team members. I’m not talking about “managers” on an org chart here; I’m referring to service and thought leaders, which can apply to anyone on the team. There’s nothing like a property walk to change the perspective. Simple but powerful questions like these are useful:
4 Comments
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Chris Lewis
10 years agoFamiliarity breeds complacancy, which breeds apathy.
Mark Smith
10 years agoGreat Thoughts Bill. Never be satisfied. It is very easy to fall into a routine looking at what matters to a client most, but losing sight of the values of other end users. Take a day to walk a property not as a manager, but guest or an owner and see what stands out. It is a different angle and often provides a fresh perspective.
Tyler LeCompte
10 years agoAnother excellent thought piece here Bill. Taking the time to step outside your own “way” with a fresh set of eyes (or focus if you will) is immensely important in all areas of business today. Those leaders that become personally complacent with their final product/service are only leading their company and team members towards failure. Thanks for sharing!
Jim siv8ls
10 years agoOne I use is if it looks good at 60 mph
chances are it looks sloppy at 30 mph
fresh eyes and ears great point bill thanks for sharing