The Value of Measuring

In Module 8, we discuss the need to establish clear accountability; specifically to agree to: 1) what's expected, 2) to meet with each Deliverables Team Member regularly to update their Success Road Map®, and 3) to seek ways to improve the success of your relationship.  All these things are covered in depth in Module 8 and support our argument of the importance of measuring success.

To a greater or lesser degree, nearly every business agreement encounters unexpected issues and results which surprise one or both parties.  Your organization is well served to expect this phenomenon and anticipate it by scheduling regular and frequent discussions over the first few weeks and months to assess how the relationship is unfolding.

The point to emphasize here is for you to be sensitive to another common observation in business: No agreement survives the implementation.

Viewing Measurement as the “Carrot” Not the “Stick”

To a greater or lesser degree, nearly every business agreement encounters unexpected issues and results which surprise one or both parties.  Your organization is well served to expect this phenomenon and anticipate it by scheduling regular and frequent discussions over the first few weeks and months to assess how the relationship is unfolding.

What will serve this unexpected situation is for each party to envision the carrot rather than the stick, and enter into a conversation with the other which is fully focused on serving the clients' needs by creating incentives to come to agreement about the level of service actually promised to clients and how to deliver it.

Your incentive is that you want their Best-in-Class expertise for your clients' benefit.  Their incentive is being offered the opportunity to provide services to your Ideal Client community, which should be of great benefit to them.

The goal being to candidly discuss any unexpected situations encountered, and to work out the means to "improve the process" as your relationship evolves.

Managing for Results

If ever you notice that members of either internal Deliverables Team, yours or theirs, seem to be creating obstacles by dictating how to do a thing, suggest that everyone contemplate the end result and be more flexible regarding the means.  Each Deliverables Team Member may be accustomed to "doing things" in a certain manner and it is up to the two leaders, the Trusted Advisor and the Deliverables Team Member, to insist that the following are not acceptable among their administrative support team members.

This process will allow you to identify perspectives which do not serve your working relationship.  Be aware that there are times when the leaders agree, but the support folks do not.  Every effort should be made to encourage them to come together to establish a working relationship which is equally as collegial as the Trusted Advisor and the Deliverables Team Member's relationship has become.

The bottom line is insisting on and consistently articulating The Best Results.

Finally, a perspective which will help support your efforts, allowing both teams to celebrate even small progress gains is this appeal that no person on either of your teams let any smaller issue hold larger issues captive.  By never allowing disagreements on smaller issues to ever affect the quality of work or pace of addressing larger issues, you will be serving your Ideal Client community well.