| In times of confusion and slow growth in your | | | | of the answers to their own problems but due to |
| business, getting an outside perspective may be the | | | | turf wars, jealousy, low trust in taking risks, and lack |
| fastest and best way to ensure your success. | | | | of the proper communication methods, these |
| One of my first solo consulting jobs was with a | | | | solutions were not being voiced. In addition they did |
| company who had a good product but was | | | | not see or understand that the negative energy they |
| experiencing some internal communication problems | | | | gave off to customers because of their internal strife |
| and was not timely adding new customers. | | | | kept them from being successful. Their clients |
| I set up appointments with company managers and | | | | wanted the product in a timely manner and good |
| proceeded to interview them one by one. As I | | | | customer service. They were not interested in |
| interviewed them I was surprised at the openness in | | | | helping any individual manager build their own kingdom |
| which they voiced their frustrations about the internal | | | | nor did they want to feel as if their customer needs |
| workings of the company and with each other. | | | | were tossed from department to department. |
| Political kingdoms were in full swing with each | | | | Now I learned several things from this engagement: |
| manager vigorously protecting his or her turf. Each | | | | 1. An outside objective person will gain information |
| one shared with me the political barriers they faced | | | | faster and learn more than an internal person even if |
| between the departments and its negative impact on | | | | the internal person has the answers to their own |
| achieving company goals. | | | | problems. |
| They continued on to share what they thought were | | | | 2. An outside person doesn't have to worry about |
| the reasons the company was not attracting and | | | | internal turf wars or stepping on toes, they can |
| retaining new customers. When I asked each what | | | | simply deliver the required information needed to |
| they were doing to alleviate the problems they | | | | make progress without fear of reprisals. |
| confessed not much, feeling as if they were not free | | | | 3. An insider gets so involved in their own problems |
| to be open and honest in their internal | | | | that they can't always see the best way to get to a |
| communications. Attending to their own individual job | | | | successful resolution. |
| was how they felt they could solve the company | | | | 4. The positive and negative energy from an |
| problems, leaving the team work and | | | | organization will either help or hinder them in reaching |
| interdepartmental concerns to their boss. | | | | their goals. |
| Next each shared some specific actions they thought | | | | What does this have to do with you and your |
| the company could do to attract, gain and keep | | | | business? During the life of your business you'll hit |
| more customers but also stated they had not | | | | many walls of what do I do now and getting an |
| discussed these with their boss. In some cases this | | | | outside perspective may be the ticket to your |
| was due to lack of the right format but with others | | | | success. Your business evokes energy and this |
| the risks associated with "sticking their neck out" on | | | | energy either invites or repels. It's in your best |
| a new way of doing things was seemingly too high. | | | | interest and the growth of your business to know |
| I realized as I spoke with each manager that they | | | | which. |
| were the experts in their field and as such had many | | | | |