LEADER’S GUIDE
Overview
This class focuses on creating value in terms of the individual employee, the Company, and customers.
Use the information below to enhance the class discussions.
Roles
Manager – Help class participants understand that through self-development, they create value for themselves, the Company, and customers. Employees also provide value to the Company and their customers by knowing the Company’s history, leveraging is culture, and understanding its current and future goals.
Employee – Understand how your actions create value for yourself and the Company.
Preparation
For this class, we will define ‘creating value’ as the act of providing an extra feature or benefit that has little or no associated cost(s), is meaningful to the customer, and goes beyond the customer’s current level of expectation.
Research the following and provide an overview to the class:
- Learning opportunities provided by the Company and how they can be accessed. These can be both internal and external company-funded programs.
- Personal and professional learning opportunities not associated with the Company. Lynda.com, Udemy.com, and KahnAcademy.org are a few examples.
- Volunteer opportunities available through the Company and the process for volunteering.
Gather and review the following (if available):
- Company History – brief overview and/or timeline
- Company Mission/Vision Statement
- Long-term strategies and objectives that provide the vision for what leadership wants the company to become in 10, 20, or even 50 years from a fixed point in time.
- Short-term goals for the Company – short-term goals are linked to the vision of the Company and help it make process toward long term goals.
- Policies and procedures designed to maintain and improve the company’s overall culture. These guide how the organization is run on a daily basis.
- Regional, departmental, and team goals – Gather now for use in Tenet 10.
Review class guidance below.
CLASS GUIDE
Getting Started
At the beginning of the session, welcome everyone and follow-up on last week’s homework assignment where participants were asked to identify examples of how they or their coworker exceeded a customer’s expectations.
Ask: “What examples of exceeding customer expectations did you identify?”
Remember to encourage conversational dialogue by using open-ended questions. Another technique is to say, “Tell me more,” or “Tell me more about that.” Be prepared to share some of your personal thoughts and examples, if needed. Refer to the Getting Started sections in Tenet 1 or Tenet 2 for more information.
Introduce the eighth Tenet – Create Value
Say, “Today, we will focus on the eighth Tenet – ‘Create Value’.”
Ask, “What does this tenet mean to you?”
Main Discussion
Say, “For our discussion, we will focus on creating value from three perspectives: knowing yourself, knowing the Company, and focusing on outcomes.”
Ask, “What do we mean when we say ‘create value?’”
Say, “Creating value is the act of providing an extra feature or benefit that has little or no associated cost(s), is meaningful to the customer, and goes beyond the customer’s current level of expectation.”
Know Yourself
Ask, “What are some ways in which you can create or add value? Think about some of the bigger ideas around adding value.”
Answers may include: taking care of our customers, teamwork, respecting coworkers, etc.
Ask, “What about personal development? How does developing yourself create value?”
Personal development activities make you better as an individual and as an employee by improving what you know about yourself and honing your current skills. It is quite possible that you’ll discover some other talent you didn’t know you had. It is your responsibility as an individual to understand your strengths and weaknesses and identify opportunities for further development.
Provide an overview of Company learning opportunities that were identified in the Preparation section.
You can’t rely entirely on the Company to do it for you. It may mean that you’ll have to look outside the organization for additional development opportunities. Learn more about your industry through continuing education courses; read related books and publications; and most importantly keep your skills current. Set long- and short-term goals for yourself.
Provide an overview of external learning opportunities identified in the Preparation section.
Another way to develop your skills might be by volunteering.
Provide an overview of volunteer opportunities identified in the Preparation section.
Continuous learning is everyone’s responsibility. Self-development activities are ways we can differentiate ourselves and better prepare for future advancement opportunities. By better understanding what you have to offer, you are better able to provide value to the Company and customers. Another way to provide value is by sharing what you learn with others.
Know Your Company
Ask, “Raise your hand if you can tell me a brief history of our Company.”
This question is intended to get a sense of what participants know about the Company. They do not need to give the history of the Company since you’ll be doing that later in the class.
Ask, “Raise your hand if you can tell me about our Company’s long-term and/or short-term goals.”
This question is intended to get a sense of what participants know about the Company’s goals. They do not need to give the goals of the Company since you’ll be doing that later in the class
Ask, “Why is it important to understand our Company’s history?”
As an employee, the company history provides context to where we are today by describing how we got here. It often contains cultural clues and helps employees understand current business practices. The vast majority of employees chose to work for a company because of what it represents and where it is going. They want to help move the company forward and be successful.
A company’s history also provides additional customer engagement opportunities. The company’s story may have some personal meaning or connection to the customer.
Provide an overview of the Company’s history developed in the Preparation section.
Ask, “Why is it important to understand our Company’s goals?”
Understanding the Company’s long- and short-term goals helps us understand the direction of the Company and empowers us to make decisions that positively impact the Company and our customers.
Provide an overview of the Company Mission/Vision Statement as well as its long- and short-term goals developed in the Preparation section.
Focus on the End Goal/ Outcomes
Throughout today’s discussion we have included customers as part of our dialogue. It’s important to recognize that as we improve as individuals and as a company, our customers are the ultimate benefactors. We are better able to understand their needs, meet their requests, and recognize ways in which we can exceed their expectations.
Summary
Take the initiative to improve your skills and abilities whenever possible.
Identify ways how the Company can improve the ways in which it conducts business by understanding the Company’s history and goals.
Keep your customers in mind at all times. Understanding yourself and the Company enables you to better recognize opportunities to create value for customers and exceed their expectations.
Homework/exercise
Over the next week, complete the following:
- Read and understand the Company’s goals
- Think about what you as an individual bring to the Company and your customers. Develop long-term and short-term plans for self-development using self assessments (online or through the Company) and the tools you have available
Let’s Engage!
I’m Agent in Engagement Simpson…Gregory F Simpson.
Employee engagement is a critical mission. I hope I can count on your help! Subscribe to the RSS Feed to receive the latest intelligence/insights and/or register to make entries in the comments log.
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Email me at g…@a…t.com.
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Learn more about me at gregoryfsimpson.com.
P.S. First contact? Welcome to the Agent In Engagement community. Explore and join fellow employee engagement operatives in targeting a known thief – alias: Disengagement. Together we can bring this thief to justice and make the world a better place for all companies and their employees.
You can access information on The 10 Tenets of Better Engaged Employees below:
Tenet 1 – Customers Make the Rules
Tenet 2 – Service Comes from the Inside Out
Tenet 3 – Provide Solutions and Show that You Care
Tenet 4 – Customers Define Quality and Service
Tenet 5 – Feedback from Customers is a Gift
Tenet 6 – Know Your Customer and You’ll Be Rewarded
Tenet 7 – Skip Satisfaction, Exceed Expectations
Tenet 8 – Create Value
Tenet 9 – Be More, Better, Faster, Different
Tenet 10 – Honor Your Customer
