I visited a prospective client today. When I arrived they were in the middle of a regular weekly event where one of the management staff gets the chance to present a motivational talk. The Regional Sales Manager suggested I wait with her for a few minutes until the presentation was over when she needed to say a few words, after which we'd head off to a coffee shop for the meet.
She proceeded to call out two of the non-Sales staff who were in operational roles that can either make the lives of the Sales people a misery or a pleasure. Both were thanked and complimented on the great service they were providing to the Sales department and presented with a box of chocolates and a letter which contained short motivational comments from every manager.
Compare that to the interdepartmental strife that I witness in other companies where the image above would be more appropriate.
Two boxes of chocolates, some time and effort in compiling the letters and a few moments to say "thanks" and I'll bet the ROI for the Sales department from more staff than just those two far outweighs the cost.
Sometimes it is the small things that count.
A lesson here, not only for leaders, it's a life lesson
Posted by: Cams | 05 September 2011 at 09:29 PM