I facilitated a workshop on customer service & team building. We used a series of Solution-Focused questions & internal subject matter expert discussions to build upon what’s working & stimulate more solution finding.
Cooperation and Resistance are mutually exclusive; they cannot both exist at the same time.
The cooperation loop is a behavior to find cooperation. I argue that it works better than the resistance loop and the results are greater for everyone.
Sounds great BUT that will never work here. The other guy is a real jerk and will take advantage of me…
Wow…that sounds challenging.
Start by asking:
- What do you want the customers to do?
- What do you want your reaction to be to the customer?
- When customers & you are doing this…how will you notice?
- When this is being done and you are noticing…what will be better about your work?
- When this is being done and you are noticing…what will be better about their work?
- How will you know you are delivering great customer service?
Who is doing what you want them to do? + How did you manage to make that happen?
- Share with the team as specifically as possible how you get the cooperation and continue to have a useful working relationship with the people who you need cooperation from.
What is distinctive about the services your team & you provide to customers?
- List as many distinctive (what makes your work, customers, services, etc… unique and special) things as possible.
What is working well enough with the services your team & you provide to customers?
- List as many things that are working ‘well enough’ meaning they do not need any massive re-work or changes and serve as a point of pride.
In 100 days what is better about the services your team & you provide to customers?
- Pretend we meet again in 100 days. List, as clearly and concretely as possible specific examples and improvements your team and you have made to the customer experience.
What do you think?
Share your responses and practice being Solution-Focused.