A few months ago I facilitated a leadership workshop for a local chamber group. Many of the participants were small business owners. The energy was just incredible during the workshop.  There were lots of “AHA!” moments. After the workshop, the sponsor came to speak with me. He has owned several businesses in the area for several years. I was very interested in his feedback about the workshop.

Great ideas are everywhere.  There are a lot of great ideas out there.  A great idea fills a need.  It makes something easier for the client, customer, or organization.  In order to develop great ideas, we need to not only be open to them, but also encourage them.  Ask your customers for ideas on how to improve your service.  Ask your employees on all levels of the organization for ideas on how to improve operations.

Effective business processes can save you time, money and future hassles. The method I use for identifying and improving business processes is four steps: Investigation, Inquiry, Diagnosis, and Measurement

Investigation involves surveying everyone from your staff and management to your partners and customers. The goal is to not only discover the unwanted symptoms but to look deeper and find the underlying causes.

Andrea addresses some of the barriers with communication that she has seen in organizations. These include:

1. Perception
2. Body Language
3. Channel in which message is communicated

Andrea sheds light on the vicious cycle of trying to get employees to do things the way you want them done. She has found that taking one on one time to discuss your employees dreams and goals will not only make your employees feel cared about, but will motivate them and help them to feel more invested in the company.

I once knew a woman named Priscilla who embodied great customer service.  Over the years I’ve attended many workshops on customer service.  I’ve also read countless books, yet when I think about GREAT customer service, I think of Priscilla.

I met Priscilla in 2000.  A friend of mine had recommended a certain type of make-up to me.  It was a brand you could only buy at a department store.

Andrea reiterates the importance of making your employees feel respected and acknowledging that they indeed are a contribution to the company. Sharing where the organization is heading and asking for feedback will build trust. Communicating expectations regularly and helping to cultivate their development will surely help to create a happy and hard working team.

Andrea shares traits of her best clients. This includes clients who are willing to put effort in to get the desired result.

Andrea shares tips to reaching your goals. Most importantly she recommends visualizing and then writing them down. Next, devising a plan with reasonable goals for each step. Lastly, holding yourself to the plan.