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A few days ago, Sharff’s CEO, Raúl Alcalde, published a video on social media where he acknowledged a series of difficulties they experienced as a company as they sought to maintain the standards of their logistics services during the first weeks of the health crisis.
I was very impressed by the power of this business leader’s reflection. His leadership example showcases the values that we should prioritize in times of high uncertainty, as the one we are currently living. These values have the potential to transform our business's organizational culture.
The recognition and visibility of the company’s shortcomings puts Sharff at an advantage over other competitors as it helps rapidly adapt to the expectations that its customers now have. Having made this information so public opens the door for its users to feel confident to contribute to the improvement of their service.
For all the leaders who want to follow this great example and call for reflection within their organization, I’d like to share the following exercise that will help you understand what you're doing well and what you can do better.
1. Choose a diverse group of team members
For an adequate exercise of reflection, it is vital to have a diversity of opinions, otherwise the answers will always be the same. Bring together a group of team members who have different profiles, leadership levels, and types interactions with internal and external users.
Identify a moderator to structure and guide the conversation
Ideally, bring the group of team members together for at least two hours to answer three questions that should be part of the agenda that guides the conversation:
- What did we do well?
- What can we do better?
- Three concrete actions we can take to set or adjust the course.
It takes time and trust among those involved in the process to achieve a proper understanding of the issues at hand.
Set and plan timeframes for continuous reflection
The power of this ceremony lies in doing it continuously. Set aside times for meetings to reflects whether it be weekly, monthly, every 3 months or bi-annualy.
Reflection is a fundamental instrument for navigating an uncertain world. It prepares companies to learn to adapt to change.
Remember that the businesses that will succeed in a digital economy are those that learn to quickly figure out what the actual value is that their customers expect from the service they provide. We need to stop and understand what we do well, what we can do better and adjust.
*Original article for Diario Gestión (Peru)
