MESSAGE BOARD: Issue 5. APRIL 2008
Hello and welcome to the April 2008 Message Board from PiB, the 5th in our series of monthly news and articles on corporate life, leadership and of course, the 3Ps approach. If you missed previous Message Boards, you can retrieve them from the PiB Message Board archive.
Our regular Feature Article talks about business 'goodwill' - what it is, how you know when it's missing; and what you, as a business, can do about it. Enjoy!
New this Month...
PiB has recently joined forces with TMS to bring the Margerison/McCann TMS™ Team Management Profiling instrument to our clients, so read all about it and download the TakeOut: The Team Management Profile: a Building Block for Coaching.
Finally, as usual, email your comments or phone, anytime [my phone number is at the bottom of this message]. It's an in-service thing... David.
IN THIS ISSUE
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Message Board Feature Article
INTRODUCTION
Just recently I was looking at a TV news item, where a business had negotiated a large sum of money for the sale of its assets - and an even larger sum for its goodwill. What is interesting about 'goodwill' is that it is calculated on the company's power to attract customers. Hundreds of thousands [if not millions] of dollars are paid for the goodwill of a business - the larger the customer-base, the larger the perceived goodwill. In a very competitive market, it is critical to provide both the product at a cost the market will bear and the service with which to attract customers. Assuming the product is doing its job, the quality of its customer-service will set it apart from its competitors. My question is, what is at the heart of customer service?...
BUSINESS GOODWILL
It is difficult to put your finger on one thing that defines goodwill in companies, though the feel of such a company is usually in evidence when you see good customer-service, high job satisfaction and staff morale. Every corporation, school, shire or local council, community agency, church, association, club [right down to your local bowling club] either has or lacks this intangible thing called 'goodwill'. One thing is certain: you know when it is present or absent! You could say that organisations thrive or perish on goodwill.
Clearly, when customers first come through the door, the feel of the business will greet them. From first contact, whether that's at the reception desk or over the phone, we pick up the tone of goodwill [or lack of it] within seconds. In a nutshell, it is the reflection of the attitudes held by employees and management toward each other; and toward customers.
But what creates it?
At first glance it looks as if the spirit of goodwill is created by thoughtfulness throughout the company – making us as customers feel as if we are being listened to and really valued. And of course, the reverse is true! Who wouldn't be impressed with a company who handled complaints with grace and a 'no bother' approach? No matter how trivial the complaint, nor how unreasonable the customer, a company that leaves customers feeling respected and satisfied, lives its goodwill. Not because 'the customer is always right' - but because people are more important than products, and customer-service is more than selling.
So thoughtfulness is a state of mind, an attitude, or a collective spirit – a 'spirit' that is not only directed towards customers, it is nurtured and maintained, infused, throughout the entire organisation. Loyalty, enterprise, initiative, fearlessness... these all demonstrate the powerful synergy between employer and employee. Furthermore, creditors, business colleagues and competitors know that the business has authenticity written all over it.
The Unrecognised Power behind Goodwill
Interestingly, goodwill is both seen and unseen in organisations. We see it in a smile, a welcoming posture; the thoughtful gesture on arrival. Those are physical expressions of the intangible attitude of the individual - reflecting a strong, vital, sustainable organisation.
Of course, we may see the outward appearance of goodwill, a temporary, dull imitation of the real thing when the organisation wants to 'put on a show'. But it is temporary. Because where goodwill has not been nurtured, where the power of attitude has been disregarded, the natural goodwill of individuals is untapped - an intangible mark of the unconscious organisation.
What creates attitude - good or bad? And what enables a company to grow and sustain positive attitudes in the workplace?
Unlike their counterparts overseas, many Australian organisations have done little to harness this critical dimension in business. For Principles in Business, that which is behind the creation of attitudes - state of mind - IS the business.
State of Mind: exploring the Heart of the Business
We all recognise goodwill when we see it - the intangible as 'personal attitude' - goodwill being one of many forms our attitudes take: fixed, flexible, open, closed, suspicious... and so on. However, there is an intangible force that enables us to manifest all those attitudes - and this force, this power; is inbuilt.
This unstructured and unformed power to create an attitude [any attitude, view, stance, opinion, or belief that we hold to be true] is our ability to create our personal reality via the LAW OF THOUGHT.
All our attitudes, views, beliefs, judgements and opinions are just the form that THOUGHT takes to manifest our personal reality. And the creation of our personal reality is largely unconscious. Interestingly, companies that have a high level of goodwill typically have employees that naturally understand the power of their own thinking to determine attitudes [and hence their experience of life]. We could observe then, that the staff as a whole, understand or are CONSCIOUS of, the power of their ability to create attitudes. Their collective appreciation or understanding of CONSCIOUSNESS is another aspect of the power of our personal minds - the LAW OF CONSCIOUSNESS.
CONSCIOUSNESS means that people are [or become] aware of their moment-to-moment experience: manifested from within. CONSCIOUSNESS keeps us awake to the power to create our attitudes, views, etc., and at the same time, keeps us awake to the already formed attitudes we hold.
As we become more CONSCIOUS we also become more aware of feelings - which are the tangible evidence of our attitudes. We become more aware of and how our pleasant [or unpleasant] experience of life is constantly created; via our thinking. Thus, we are provided an opportunity to change our minds about what attitude we are holding, or what attitude we are manifesting [at the workplace or in the home].
For instance, take those colleagues who appear to suffer little or no workplace stress, even when the pressure is on... Have you noticed that when these same colleagues are distressed or 'under the pump' they usually shrug it off as a momentary thing? They know that how they think in this moment will translate to how they eventually experience demanding times - 'stress out' or 'stress less'! Isn't it true that we all face difficult customers, demanding workloads and difficult work relationships? But there is an inner authenticity in acknowledging demanding workloads, strained work relationships and 'difficult customers' that has nothing to do with whatever situation or 'crisis' presents itself. Our 'stress less' colleagues are able to see that their personal experience is created via their thinking - their attitudes, beliefs, and stances. Moreover, they are CONSCIOUS of the power of THOUGHT –their state of mind - and more able to take full responsibility for their personal experience of life. They are able, and willing, to not take their thinking so seriously.
Closing Comments
Of course, it goes without saying that organisations who appreciate this have significant leverage. Companies that keep their corporate eyes on 'goodwill' know it to be their unseen asset. They understand the need for more CONSCIOUS employees. And they understand and foster an inner respect for the power of their own minds. In short, they are exceptional companies who are leveraging the Triple Bottom Line.
© David Bodman 2008.
Permission to copy for personal use is granted. For other publication rights please contact the author.
WE ARE WHAT WE DO: Earth Hour |
"Free-thinking individuals in society have always sought to change things by using the power of thought; not action. They know that thought produces action."
Those of us who were born in the late 40’s, early 50’s and had parents who lived through the great depression will remember the 'waste not want not' mantra. It was a particular view, a consciousness around, not wasting or consuming beyond our needs. Today’s world is being called to reflect on the needs of the EARTH, and the unlimited consumption of resources.
On 29 March 2008, we heard the call to reflect [and take action] from the organisers of Earth Hour. This year, the call went global, with cities and towns around the world taking stand on the greatest threat our planet has ever faced. Millions of people united to turn the tide on global warming.
Our global crisis is a crisis of consciousness. We need vanguards... and a vanguard is a person or group that sees the point - the very heart of an issue. Vanguards see the attitudes that 'I' or the group have, that prevent us from acting differently. So in a way, seeing the point is having a shift in consciousness - without that shift, action is less likely. Here are our tips for making [an ongoing] difference:
- First, a good team is one of the biggest success factors for making Earth Hour happen. Put together a small team of committed people to help for next year.
- Inspire yourself and others by visiting www.earthhour.org Register there and recruit your colleagues to the Earth Hour cause.
- Think Big: who in your area uses lots of power? Do you work near the city? It's one of the largest users of power. Write to all those retail stores, restaurants and office towers and ask them to join in.
- Be creative: organise an 'after work' evening event and share the stars with your colleagues.
- Get off standby. Speak to your office manager about turning off equipment at work that is not being used, including computer screens, photocopiers and printers, particularly when you leave at night.
- Turn off lights at the end of the working day. Before you leave your place of work remember to turn off any lights in your workspace and your computer if you use one at work. Remember to unplug your mobile phone or laptop charger when it’s not in use. Speak to your office manager about installing motion-sensor lighting after 5pm when most people have gone home.
- Find out what’s happening in your workplace. Look for ways to reduce energy use in your workplace and encourage improvements. If employers know their employees are keen to make their workplaces environmentally friendly, they’ll be even more inclined to take action.
- Ask about your company’s emissions reduction policies and find out what’s already happening. If nothing is happening, encourage them to have measurable emissions reduction targets. Many Australian businesses are committing to emissions targets and have plans to be carbon neutral by a certain date. Switching to green power, reducing and offsetting energy use and travel, and incorporating this into all areas of the business are critical.
THE TAKEOUT
The Team Management Profile™: a Building Block for Coaching
PiB is pleased to announce our new partnership with Team Management Systems to bring the Margerison/McCann Team Management Profile™ to clients. TMP was developed in Australia and is widely used throughout Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Asia and Europe in both the public and private sectors. Worldwide, more than one million people have completed the TMP, in more than 160 countries.
The Team Management Profile gives individuals valuable insights into the way they prefer to work and their preferred role within a team. This feedback helps improve team processes and performance, which in turn, improves motivation and job satisfaction. The strengths of the TMP are proven. PiB INVITES YOU TAKE WHAT IT OFFERS ONE STEP FURTHER...
**Click here to read more and download our brochure**
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