There is a missing link in frontline daily activities for initiating and continuing learning. Critical for maintaining creativity as well as engagement for any group with common goals or objectives.
Also critical in frontline daily operations for most every enterprise, especially in the services sectors of most every industry. What's missing for the past half century? As simple as leading activities for re-asking the critical questions as to "How are we doing?" with associates, customers, and even partners (internal and external).
This missing link is simply "Re-Asking" or, more formally, a secondary group asking process for daily operations. A frontline process, set of actions, for "leading asking" which includes activities for the all-important non-verbal aspects of learning, communication, thought, and emotion. This asking maintains a customer focus and dialogue not only with customers but also fellow team members and collaborating teams (both internal and external) as well. It answers for everyone and involves them in the number one question they need and want to know--"How are we doing?" An integral part of of the missing link is a critical and often missing feedback for associates--that from their own daily activities. Associates receive feedback from their colleagues and supervisors but peak performers must also learn to get feedback from their own personal and group daily activities.
An integral part of the entrepreneurial ethic in the early 1900's and was used to maintain a customer dialogue in enterprises large and small. Many organizations whose founders had great business models and operational execution also used this link to become world-renowned as "people" companies and were able to maintain a high degree of customer focus over extended periods of time and growth. Some of these founders, all from different industries, were Walt Disney (Entertainment), Sam Walton (Retail), Ray Kroc (Hospitality), and Thomas J. Watson (Technology).
This feedback from their own daily activities is a learned skill and necessary for peak performance or for an associate to be "engaged". The Gallup Organization found in research on employee engagement that less than one third of employees are currently engaged. So the potential for improvement is enormous not to mention the retention of those employees currently engaged. The secondary group asking process addresses six principles we believe are necessary to win and maintain the hearts and minds of associates as well as customers and partners.
