| At 10.50am on the 29th of November 2005 Matthew, | | | | else, you must get involved. |
| my youngest son was born. He was seven weeks | | | | Let's consider purpose. Purpose drives behaviour and |
| premature and weighed only four lbs. Denise had to go | | | | therefore tells people how to act in a given situation. |
| into the operating theatre so I was alone at the side of | | | | Take, for example, a contact centre - management tell |
| Matthew's incubator feeling scared and helpless. He | | | | their staff that they want customers to experience |
| was crying, so in an effort to try to do something I put | | | | great service, but in the same breath measure them |
| my hands on either side of his little plastic cot and | | | | on the number of calls they take every day. Given the |
| prayed he would be ok. | | | | choice of behaving in accordance with what they're |
| I was startled by a whisper in my ear, it was the | | | | told to do and what they're measured on staff will |
| nursery matron, she said "what are you doing?" I | | | | focus on call volume rather than doing the right thing |
| replied "I'm trying to help my baby." She laughed softly | | | | for the customer. Hence the purpose becomes do |
| saying "son, you won't help him from behind the glass." | | | | things as fast as possible, even if it's the wrong thing to |
| So she lifted Matthew gently and placed him inside my | | | | do. |
| shirt. He cuddled in and went back to sleep. Though I | | | | When there's no clear purpose staff get confused |
| sometimes reflect on my failings as a father and in | | | | about what they're doing and why they're doing it. |
| business, at that moment with Matthew sleeping on | | | | Morale goes down because there is a lack of meaning |
| my shoulder I felt like I could have changed the world. | | | | in the job; getting through as many calls as you can |
| I believe that if we reflect on times on our life when | | | | every day is not really making a contribution to the |
| we feel our best, it is when we are helping others. And | | | | customer. And when you deviate from what matters |
| I also believe that the more you help others get what | | | | to customers your business fails. |
| they want the more you get what you want. For | | | | Next make sure you have measures related to your |
| managers this means getting involved at the coalface. | | | | purpose. Working on a clear operational concrete |
| Read on to find out how. | | | | purpose is no good if you then use unrelated |
| First make sure that people have a strong sense of | | | | measures. Remember people will do what you count, |
| purpose. They need to know why and what they are | | | | not always what counts. |
| trying to do, they get feedback in the form of | | | | Finally study work. Look for systems and processes |
| measures, and are also allowed to contribute to the | | | | that make it difficult for staff to serve the customer. |
| improvement of the system. But more than anything | | | | |