If you haven’t noticed by now, I think decisiveness is pretty important. (For example, see…everything I’ve written in the past 12 years). Most people tend to agree that decisiveness is a key attribute for success as a leader of team and a life. So why isn’t everyone decisive?
There’s 2 basic reasons
1. Genetics. In a really fascinating series of studies, Georges Potworowski at the University of Michigan identified some of the more common causes and correlates of indecisive behavior. (For more on the 4 types of indecisive behavior, check out my now infamous Psychology Today blog post on Kim Kardashian). Among the list are high neurticism, low self-esteem, high conscientiousness (i.e. perfectionism), low conscientiousness (i.e. impulsive and disorganized). All of which are personality variables that … [ Read More ]
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Last week, I explained our research on the “Direction Deficiency” how it prevents employees from differentiating their company’s experience from that of their competitor’s. This week I’m covering the second major obstacle for enabling your employees to grow your customer base.
The Action Gap – In the space between employee knowledge and organizational results is the Action Gap. With regard to customer service and consultative sales, the action gap manifests itself in two ways.
1. Failing to act. The research literature conclusively shows that corporate training is highly effective at teaching people new knowledge. An average manager could expect to leap from the 50th percentile (i.e. middle of the pack) in a specific topic area up to the 83rd percentile following a training course on that … [ Read More ]
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Just four years ago in those halcyon, pre-recession days 59% of customers would stop doing business with you because of a bad customer experience. Today that number has jumped to 82%.1 That is an especially scary number considering that the cost of finding a new customer is a staggering 5 times higher than the cost of retaining an existing customer.2
At the same time, the numbers present an opportunity. Even during poor economic times, 85% of consumers will pay more for a superior customer experience.1 That is probably why last year, 90% of North American businesses rated customer experience as “important” or “critical” to their strategic plans.3 In the race for growth amid an economic slump, companies are also paying close attention to the fact that … [ Read More ]
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Here’s a deal for you: If you make a conscious effort to be 20% more decisive in just 1 out of every 5 choices you make today, you will improve your effectiveness by at least 80%. Here’s why:
The Negative Multiplier
Indecisiveness has an incredibly strong multiplier effect. When you delay a decision, you are also delaying someone else’s progress–a vendor, a client, an employee, a spouse, a child, a teacher. When you can’t decide what to order when you go out to dinner with friends or colleagues, you delay everyone else at the table from moving on with their dinner conversation, from receiving their food (not to mention your food) and from eventually leaving the restaurant with a full belly. You have also delayed that server … [ Read More ]
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Because you’ve been such a diligent follower of my blog, you deserve a treat. You can download a free copy of the Decision Pulse book, by going to http://www.decisionpulse.com/assessment/ and identifying your Life Decision Pulse.
Enjoy!
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Howard Schultz was recently named Fortune Magazine’s top Businessperson for 2011. I think I know why.
Yes, he founded one of the most successful retail businesses in history (Starbucks), and yes, he also resurrected that same business during one of the worst economies in the history of the nation. And yes, he revolutionized employment practices for part-time workers. But I’m pretty sure, what secured his top standing in the eyes of Fortune magazine’s editors was the article I wrote about him in my September BusinessWeek column. It’s really the only logical answer, isn’t it?
Okay, maybe my article wasn’t the only factor. But as we kick off 2012 and begin executing our shiny new strategic plans, I … [ Read More ]
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