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Improve_Team_Performance CATCH_Your_Trapeze_Buddy
| Improve Team Performance--CATCH Your Trapeze Buddy
When it comes to customer satisfaction there is plenty of focus
on the customer in most organizations. But little is written
about the need to take care of the people you count on most so
you can take great care of your customer --your Trapeze Buddies.
Simply stated, a Trapeze Buddy is anyone you count on to come
through with a task or function so ultimately you can complete
your job for the customer. Conversely, your Trapeze Buddy is
also anyone who counts on you to come through as promised so
they can do their job.
Drawing from the example of circus big top flying trapeze
artists, the concept of the Trapeze Buddy conveys the idea of
teamwork, communication, precision timing and that extra effort
mentality. The metaphor also conveys the grave consequences of
not coming through as promised and dropping the person who is
counting on you to complete a task, function or provide
information so they can do their job. In other words, it's a
SPLAT!
I remember growing up and going to the big top circus with my
parents. We nervously awaited the flying trapeze artists who
would dazzle us from high above the arena floor. The talented
artists would fly, jump, spin and catch one another with
precision, often times only inches from disaster. Each time they
missed a catch my heart leaped and I let out a gasp watching my
circus hero tumble to the safety net below. I'm willing to bet
they planned some of the falls just for dramatic effect. Believe
me, it worked!
My anxiety level reached an all-time-high the year I went to the
circus and the trapeze artists refused to use the safety net.
You can bet I hung on their every move.
You're counting on your Trapeze Buddies to come through and
catch you as you encounter various twists and turns in a normal
day on the job. Unfortunately in your business, if your Trapeze
Buddy misses you there are no safety nets. In fact, spikes are
usually sticking out of the ground! And I bet there has been
more than one time when you've gotten skewered.
So, what can we do to be caught more and dropped less?
Included are four critical elements for a successful Trapeze
Buddy relationship: 1. TEAMWORK Critical to everyone's success
is teamwork. Teams work best when everyone: knows the desired
outcome or goal - understands their responsibility and
contribution in reaching that goal; - is aware and prepared for
the obstacles that might stand in the way of accomplishing the
goal; - appreciates the unique characteristics and abilities
each player brings to the team; - knows they can count on one
another to give the task at hand their very best.
2. COMMUNICATION A major cause of dropped Trapeze Buddies stems
from a breakdown in communication. Precision communication is
the name of the game when working hard to be caught more and
dropped less. Try this: Stop for a moment and consider your last
five headache experiences with your Trapeze Buddies. I'm willing
to bet as you dig deep for root causes, something wasn't quite
right in the communication process. Fix this one item and you'll
accomplish more with fewer headaches and hassles.
3. PRECISION TIMING Working with your Trapeze Buddies requires
precision timing. Customers have expectations that must be met
on a timely basis. Precision timing means simply: be your word
on everything. If you say you'll have documents to a client at
9:00 am, have them there by 9:00 am, if not sooner. If a meeting
is to begin at 11:00, get it going by 11:00. Do what you say
you're going to do, the way you said you were going to do it, in
the time frame you said it was going to be done. Period!
If for some reason you won't be able to come through on a
deadline or agreement, for goodness sakes, let people know
sooner than later.
4. EXTRA EFFORT It's been said there is very little traffic on
the extra mile. Extra effort with your Trapeze Buddies can set
you light years above your competition. Team përformance,
productivity and effectiveness along with customer satisfaction
is positively impacted by the little things that make a BIG
difference. Challenge everyone in your organization to be on the
lookout for opportunities to implement the extra effort
mentality. The game of business is simple-look for ways to be
caught more and dropped less with the people you count on most.
The end result will be a breakthrough in individual and team
përformance and you might just regain a portion of your sanity
as well.
Good catching! 2005 Š Mark Rosenberger All rights reserved.
About the author:
Mark Rosenberger, CSP helps companies transform employee
performance, productivity and sanity. He is a sought after
speaker, performance strategist and author of six books. Do you
count on certain people to make your life work? Discover how to
be caught more and dropped less, plus achieve more than you ever
thought possible - download the FREE Trapeze Buddy e-book at
www.NoSplatZone.com
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