QBQ! QuickNote - When are we Going to get Better Systems?  |
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 Yet another lousy question. Ever heard it? Ever asked it? It's been said, "Bad things happen in 3s." Could be true. On a Thursday night our 1990 refrigerator stopped running. Well, it ran a little - but more like a slow jog. The motor was cranky, the door seal had crumbled, and the food was suffering. The next day our 10-year-old washer went BAM and BONK right in the middle of the rinse cycle, and the dryer was on its last leg (even though it never even had any). So, with seven kids in tow it was off to Sears! It was a slow Saturday afternoon on the showroom floor, and they seemed to be a bit overstaffed. That's a plus, actually, when most consumers need a bullhorn to locate someone to help them, but I did feel like a hen who stumbled into a fox den. Jim was very happy to see us. A nice salesperson in his 40s working a second job, he looked like an average kind of guy. We couldn't tell by looking at him that he was so special. We didn't know he would practice personal accountability by overcoming what would prevent others from getting the job done.  After much looking, mulling, and huddling, the Millers settled on a package of three appliances we badly needed. My wife, Karen, was happy. I was happy. The kids were happy to leave. Time to ring it all up. One problem: The store's entire computer system was down. It had struggled all day, we were told, and now it was responding like the appliances we were there to replace. Oh well, these things happen - even in 2002. Time for a hard shutdown of the system by the IS department, shouted the department manager. "We're back up in 20 minutes!" she promised. Twenty minutes to 7 kids ages 3 to 19 is like a week to an adult and a month to the parents with the kids. Jim seemed to know that, so he encouraged us to leave without technical consummation of the sale. After imprinting our credit card, he said he'd bring us the final paperwork and the delivery dates. "But we live 20 miles away!" Karen protested. "No problem, when can I come?" He had to be joking. Think of the time he'd lose from the store - and on straight commission! He smiled. We left. The system never did come back online that Saturday night. Jim called at 8 PM and in chatting with him we learned customers had been turned away by some salespeople. But not by Jim. What did he do? At noon on Sunday he showed up at our door to close the sale - and open a relationship. Now we're telling others about him. Who wouldn't? Good old Jim. He simply asked The Question Behind the Question: "What can I do with the resources I already have?" And then he did it. Now that's personal accountability in action. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  John G. MillerAuthor of QBQ! and Flipping the Switch QBQ! QuickNotes may be forwarded by email to others or printed in their entirety with credit given for personal and group use. Copyright QBQ, Inc. 2007. All rights reserved. Host a QBQ! event at your organization and start making personal accountability a core cultural value. Click here for more information or give us a call today at 1-866-988-RAIN - we'd love to hear from you! Learn more about Personal Accountability and the QBQ! at our Personal Accountability at Work website Visit the QBQ! QuickNotes Archives Personal Accountability should be an important part of every organizational culture. Unfortunately though a culture of personal accountability is often times eroded and replaced by a destructive culture characterized by negativity, blame shifting, finger pointing, and poor employee morale. QBQ! The Question Behind The Question seeks to eliminate this noxious culture and replace it with one where individuals take responsibility for their actions and ask themselves what they as individuals can do to help the organization succeed and prosper. For more information about how you can create a culture of personal accountability in your organization give us a shout! 1-866-988-RAIN   |
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