Increasingly, I am seeing that much of performance is an open-book test. What do I mean by this? The questions and answers are available if one takes the time and has the courage to ask. This column will provide some examples.
I learned how a question can provide a helpful answer when I worked at Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. My great fortune was that the president/CEO was Mark Clement. Mark is now the president/CEO of TriHealth in Cincinnati, Ohio. At Holy Cross, we were interviewing consultants for a major project. As is customary, each group presented their experience and why selecting them would be a great choice. I had sat through these presentations at other jobs. Usually afterward there would be a rating matrix completed and a discussion. What made this different was Mark’s question after each presentation. He asked, “Who has been your best client, and what made them the best?” After each group answered, the next question was, “Obviously, when you are selected and reach an agreement, both sides feel the work will be successful. In thinking about your clients, what was it that caused an engagement to be less successful than hoped?” The last question was, “What questions were you expecting to be asked that have not been asked?” The answers led to a clear understanding of the characteristics that would create success and failure. Mark’s questions led to the open-book test analogy.
This process can be repeated in most situations. I have often done this myself. My experience is that it does not take place often because it takes time for the person to answer the question. This process works internally and externally. One employee engagement survey question is, “I am kept informed on matters that affect me.” My suggestion is to meet with the employees and ask what information matters to them. What do they want input on? How do they want to be kept informed? This is a question that often receives low ratings. Do not guess; ask.
Feedback is important. Positive feedback is easy to give and receive. Most people are hesitant to provide feedback that is not so positive. Many leaders procrastinate. They hope the situation course corrects. It does not. By the time they do provide feedback, the situation has gotten worse. The person receiving the feedback feels blindsided, wondering why they did not know sooner. What I’ve learned in working with people, including many CEOs, is to ask the question, “While I hope the feedback I have for you will be positive, there will likely be situations when it is not. How do you want to receive this feedback?” Often the person will say, “Face-to-face and as soon as possible.” This still does not make it easy. When the conversation takes place, it starts with, “When I asked you how you want to receive information that is not positive, you said, ‘Face-to-face and as soon as possible.’ This is one of those times.”
The same works for people you lead. Most start out in the honeymoon phase when it’s normal to not discuss negative feedback. The hope is that it will not need to happen. Ask the person how they would like to receive feedback that is not positive. You can say that while you both hope this will not be the case, it is normal for people to receive feedback. While you see it as being helpful, the receiver may see it as negative. This is a healthy conversation to have.
Another question to ask often is, “What does right look like?” Do not guess. Ask your supervisor, coworkers, and customers. Major League Baseball, via Minor League Baseball, surveys managers of the visiting team during each home stand. There are questions around issues like the cleanliness of the tunnel between the locker room and the dugout, the dugout, and the clubhouse. A good general manager (who works for the minor league team whose stadium the games are being played in) will ask the visiting manager early on if the tunnel, clubhouse, and dugout meet their cleanliness standard. A bonus question: “If we had to visit one other minor league team that you play at to see the best in cleanliness, who would that be?” Again, it’s an open-book test.
Do the same with customers. People are purchasing with expectations. Say to the customer, “We want you to feel that the product and/or service is exceptional. Describe what exceptional is to you.” For example, when my mother was alive and living with us, my request to the person who cut the grass was to not do landscaping before 9:00 a.m. and between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. Why? My mother woke up late and took an afternoon nap. Good service providers ask, “What is a good time?”
When ending a meeting, close the loop. Ask, “Is this what you were expecting?” At the staff meeting, share that you hope you are providing the information that matters to them. How are you doing? Are you missing anything?
In restaurants, how often does a manager stop when they ask, “How is everything?” Often their feet are still moving when they round. What if the manager stopped and asked, “Did you find what you liked on the menu? Is there anything you wished for on the menu? Is the speed of service what you expected? Is the portion and temperature what you wanted?” Servers can ask these questions too. It makes a difference.
Take time to probe deeper and ask questions. Yes, we may not hear what we had hoped. However, it is better to hear and address an item than to not know.
Here is my ask: Do you find my columns helpful? What can be improved? Are there any topics you would like me to write on?
Thank you for helping me to get better at what I do.
