Path of Least Resistance
by Steve Vaught

As a freshman in college, I was exposed to a host of new revelations.

The campus seemed huge with a web of sidewalks connecting each building and plush, manicured grass everywhere else. No matter how many concrete lanes stretched in every conceivable direction, there were still paths worn into the grass between sidewalks. After all, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line and once the first person starts, others readily follow.

When left to their own devices, people will always take the path of least resistance - the easy way. Sometimes this is a good thing. We have a great capacity, especially business professionals, to over complicate everything we touch. However, this trait is mostly associated with doing less than what is required; cutting corners; substandard work.

Employees take the path of least resistance for two main reasons...
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Leadership Challenge:
Do your employees make business cases for ideas they want to implement?

Just because you work in a business doesn't mean you think like a businessperson. The majority of workers, even managers, did not formally study business. They came up through operations, finance, or even sales/marketing. It's common for them to have a siloed view of the organization based on their area of expertise - that can lead to poor decision making.

Teaching your employees how to make a business case is a quick way to improve communication and decision making. Next time you are approached with an idea, challenge them to create a business case by answering how the idea is:

• Viable - Can we make money? What will it take to turn a profit?
• Feasible - Can we do it? Can we acquire the skills to do it?
• Desirable - Do customers want it? Are there enough customers to support it?

You don't want to shut down creative ideas by focusing on a business case too early in the process. However, when it comes time to prioritize ideas to implement, be sure you know the business case behind each idea. This ensures you are implementing ideas that advance the organization.

Ask the Rabbit
Q: How long before I see real changes in my organization after identifying Right Customer and Right Customer Experience?

A: It is a journey to get the entire organization aligned and focused on serving the Right Customer and consistently deliver the Right Customer Experience. Each of our clients has seen real change almost immediately - but the type of change depends on the client.

Usually, the first impact is in the Sales/Marketing department since these folks are typically closest to customers. Sales processes change to reflect the Right Customer Experience, sales reps are focused on pursuing the Right Customers, and marketing strategies are retooled to ensure messages are reaching the Right Customers.

Others see changes operationally - everything from tweaking internal processes to delivering the Right Customer Experience to overhauling product and service offerings to meet the needs of the Right Customer.

Each client sees and makes changes based on what they believe is most important. The process of identifying Right Customer and Right Customer Experience opens everyone's eyes to what needs to improve and take the organization to the next level.

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