Nancy Newbee is the newest trainee for LOCO (Large Old Co.), Inc. She was hired because she's bright, articulate, well-educated, and motivated. She's in her second week of training.
Her orders include, 'We'll teach you all you need to know. Sammy Supervisor will monitor your every action and coordinate your training. Don't take a step without his clearance. When he's busy, just read through the procedures manual.'
Nancy is already frustrated by this training process, but she's committed to following the rules.
Upon arriving at work one day, Nancy discovers a fire in the kitchen! As instructed, she rushes to Sammy Supervisor. Interrupting him, she says, 'There's a major problem!'
Sammy is obviously disturbed by this interruption in his routine. 'Nancy, my schedule won't allow me to work with you until this afternoon. Go back to the conference room and continue studying the procedures.'
'But, Mr. Supervisor, this is a major problem!' Nancy pleads.
'But nothing! I'm busy. We'll discuss it this afternoon. If it can't wait, go see the department head,' orders Sammy.
Nancy rushes to the office of Billy Big and shouts, 'Mr. Big, we have a major problem, and Mr. Supervisor said to see you!'
'Nancy, see my secretary for an appointment,' Mr. Big says politely, wondering why Sam hires these excitable airheads.
'But, Mr. Big, the building -' persists Nancy.
'Call maintenance if it's a building problem,' Mr. Big dismisses her impatiently.
Near panic, Nancy calls maintenance. The line is busy. As a last resort, Nancy calls Ruth Radar, the senior secretary in the accounting department. Everyone has told her that Ruth really runs this place. She can get anything done.
'Ruth Radar. May I help you?' is the response on the phone.
'Miss Radar, this is Nancy, the new trainee. The building's on fire! What should I do?' shouts Nancy through her tears.
'Nancy, call 911,' Ruth says calmly.
Of course this is a ridiculous example.
Or is it?
Assume you're the boss and take this eight-question test:
- In your business, do you hire the best and brightest and then instruct them not to think, act, or do anything during their training, except what you tell them to do?
- Do you promise training and instead give out procedure manuals to read?
- Do you create barriers to communication, interaction, and effectiveness by relegating the new employee's problems and inquiries to the busy schedules of your other personnel?
- Do you and your staff ignore what new employees are saying?
- Is the process more important than the result?
- Do layers of bureaucracy among you, your employees, and your customers interfere with contact, communications, and results?
- Is 'Ruth Radar' running your shop?
- Are there any fires burning in your office?
If you answered no to all of these questions, congratulations!
Now go back and try again. The perfect business would have eight 'no' answers, but very few businesses are perfect. If you are like LOCO, you might be so far out of touch with your trainees, employees, and customers that you won't hear about a fire until it starts to burn your desk.
Look back at IBM, GM, and Sears in the late 1980s. They were the kings of their respective jungles. Yet they all nearly 'burned to the ground' - many thousands of employees were terminated, profits ended, and stock values fell. If you had talked to any of the terminated employees, you would've learned that the fire had been burning for a long time and that many people had tried to sound the alarm.
Remember the large old insurance companies that are no longer here, such as Continental, Aetna, and Reliance? Did you, as an agent, smell the smoke? Did the leadership of these carriers ignore your alarm?
Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, who had reasonable success in business, once said, 'There is only one boss - the customer. Customers can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending their money somewhere else.'
Sam was right. In your business, do you or Nancy have the most direct contact with the customer - the ultimate boss? If Nancy has the most contact, is she adequately trained, motivated, and monitored? Is she giving you feedback? Are you listening?
Take one minute to draw a picture of your organization. Now draw a frame around your picture. Does this frame create a pyramid? Are you, as the boss, at the pinnacle? Is Nancy at the base with her fellow trainees? Is it prudent for the least experienced personnel to be closest to the customers?
Your organization was formed to meet the needs of customers, and you exist to serve them. Where are the customers in your organizational chart? Did you forget to put them in the picture? How much distance is there between you (the boss) and your customers?
Does your pyramid facilitate the free flow of information between you and your customers, or does it buffer you from the thoughts and feelings of the real boss (the customer)? In your business, is the customer and their problem viewed as an interruption or the very reason for your existence?
If you had to downsize your company, where would you make cuts - at the top, middle, or bottom of the pyramid? Are the people in your company hierarchy there because they did or can do more for the customers, or were they pushed up by the people they hired to support them? Is your company fat or lean?
If your employees took the eight-question test, would their answers agree with yours? What about your customers? If they voted tomorrow, who would be retained? Who would be fired?
Think about it! Do you dare to ask?