Zero Discussion
That’s what happens when a leader and service delivery team know exactly what to do. “Zero Discussion” is required; their response becomes instinctive and driven by commitment to the cause.
Oddly enough, you don’t get to this point without tons of robust communication. That provides the foundation, along with constant reinforcement of the team’s mission – its “Why” – with relentless training to dial in “How” to respond and then “What” to do. When everyone on the team gets it, nothing more needs to be said when the leader says “Let’s go!”
It’s one thing for the team to develop these instincts, but you know they’ve become ingrained in the culture when others outside the team notice. I just had the distinct pleasure of hearing this from a long-term client who manages a high-touch portfolio of properties with demanding owners. Two key managers have developed an incredibly strong relationship with him and are in complete sync with his expectations and required responses to different situations. The client put it into context this way: “No matter what it is, the response is always the same: We’ll take care of it. Zero Discussion.” It takes an absolute ownership mentality and years of proven results to reach this level of confidence and trust.
Zero Discussion is the level at which actions do truly matter more than words. It implies more than an “I’ll take care of it” mentality; it implies taking positive action without offering excuses, regardless of the circumstances. To attack a situation with Zero Discussion requires clarity, shared understanding and an absolute commitment to achieving results. This is the 180 degree opposite of “It’s not my job.”
Customers can tell if a service response is viewed as obligatory and delivered with a sigh; they also know when it’s driven by a high level of caring and commitment. When that happens with Zero Discussion, you’ve built a lasting relationship.
Oddly enough, you don’t get to this point without tons of robust communication. That provides the foundation, along with constant reinforcement of the team’s mission – its “Why” – with relentless training to dial in “How” to respond and then “What” to do. When everyone on the team gets it, nothing more needs to be said when the leader says “Let’s go!”
It’s one thing for the team to develop these instincts, but you know they’ve become ingrained in the culture when others outside the team notice. I just had the distinct pleasure of hearing this from a long-term client who manages a high-touch portfolio of properties with demanding owners. Two key managers have developed an incredibly strong relationship with him and are in complete sync with his expectations and required responses to different situations. The client put it into context this way: “No matter what it is, the response is always the same: We’ll take care of it. Zero Discussion.” It takes an absolute ownership mentality and years of proven results to reach this level of confidence and trust.
Zero Discussion is the level at which actions do truly matter more than words. It implies more than an “I’ll take care of it” mentality; it implies taking positive action without offering excuses, regardless of the circumstances. To attack a situation with Zero Discussion requires clarity, shared understanding and an absolute commitment to achieving results. This is the 180 degree opposite of “It’s not my job.”
Customers can tell if a service response is viewed as obligatory and delivered with a sigh; they also know when it’s driven by a high level of caring and commitment. When that happens with Zero Discussion, you’ve built a lasting relationship.
