Check YOUR Common Sense For Understanding

I'm back. Sorry I have been lax in posting this week but I have a very good excuse. I just completed another three day customer service training for state and county tax officials. I had a wonderful group of young women who, believe it or not, survived my often crazy way of delivering an incredible amount of information in a short period of time. It was a very fun class and I always feel refreshed and energized when I can deliver information that I know can help an organization or a company do better.

During my three day agenda I repeat one theme that might be relevant for any manger or leader of people to remember.

Your common sense is not necessarily the common sense of others.

Perhaps rather than assuming what you already know to be true and obvious, you should test how others understand and interpret things.

I use a ton of basic examples when illustrating this point. Some include:

Do your employees know that they shouldn't cuss in front of a customer?

Do your employees know that they shouldn't pop a bubble with their gum during a conversation with a customer?

Do your employees know what wearing shoes really means when you state it in the company dress code? You know flip-flops don't constitute a "shoe" and aren't acceptable footwear in the office environment but do your employees know this unless you tell them?

My customer service course often reveals for those who attend how many common sense things we as leaders, managers and customer facing employees often take for granted and just naturally expect our staff or co-workers to know and follow. Leave even the littlest things open to interpretation and I can guarantee you there will be interpretations different from those you have and expect.

And here's the kicker folks....those interpretations may just be costing your company business.

Ripple On!!!