So we have this goal – to live our core purpose of “identifying what people need so we can provide them with what they want” and to champion the cause of “everyone in America loving their job.” Great – so now what do we do?
This is not going to happen by itself and truth be told my direction alone is insufficient to get us there. Even if I gave you specific instructions it still would not be enough. This is a goal that we all need to take on as our own and actively engage with. Opportunities to find out what our employees and clients need are all around us. There are so many occasions to give our employees and clients what they want. The problem is that we pass by these occasions all the time – not because we are lazy or disinterested it is just that we do not recognize them as opportunities and overlook them.
After I gradated from college I had a job interview from hell – but I was given a great opportunity and I blew it. It was in my social work days and it was in a halfway house for non-violent criminals. I did not prepare for the interview. If I was really serious I would have spent time imagining what would be important to them. Alas, I was young…
When I arrived I was asked to fill out an application in the inmate TV room. 60 harden criminals in there flip-flops (no shoes keep them from escaping) and me in my interview suit. If I was not nervous enough it was a group interview and I was by far the most junior person in the interview. The hiring manager had us go around the room speaking about why we thought we were qualified. Everyone spoke of their previous prison experience and graduate work. I just graduated from college with a brief concealing internship. When it was my turn the moderator asked “What the hell are you doing here? This is a place for criminals – not preschoolers!” I was incensed. After all they saw my resume and called me in for an interview. I didn’t need to take time off work to be insulted. But rather than express my self, I gave some polite and meek answer about trying my best.
Later I realized I blew a golden opportunity. Had I taken the time to prepare and try to figure out what they would be looking for I would not have made the blunder. The moderator was giving me an opening to be bold and show him that I could stand up to him and any of the residents in the halfway house. It never occurred to as an opportunity – just a waste of time. My loss.
This is the purpose of this blog – to ground you and this commitment “to identify what our employees and clients need so we can give them what they want.” If we are all involved in this dialogue overtime we will internalize it. We will see opportunities to find out more about our clients where we previously did not. We will see paths to place people based on their preference and desire to be part of a company as apposed to just what is on their resume. This will bring a sense of ease and satisfaction to your job.
This grounding in Wall Street Services commitments will come after you have taken time to ponder what owning this commitment will look like, what it will take to live it.
So I invite you to reed this blog with a real hunger to learn. In doing so discuss the concepts behind the blog and make them part of you. You will be amazed at the opportunities to connect to our clients and employees that will emerge from this understanding.
Have fun.
Peter Laughter
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1 comment:
I completely agree with the fact that there are opportunties all around us to incorporate our core purpose and we are not recognizing them as such.
I myself fall into the category of always trying to be "correct" when speaking to clients and I know that can be a hinderance in my communication. I think being bold and forthright in how I communicate is certainly a territory outside of my comfort level but also one that will produce better results. It will allow me to achieve a new level of communication with our clients which will hopefully result in uncovering what they actually want as opposed to what they need.
I feel that to really champion this cause we are all going to have to step outside of our comfort zones. I think that it is the best way to challenge yourself and it will allow for both professional and personal growth, which I am all for!
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