SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Most business execs face situations where they thought someone in their employ would do something and it turns out they either forgot, ignored the boss or did the wrong thing. All of these issues are a result of not closing the loop. According to a new book on business trends, to better achieve objectives it's vital that business leaders create a team committed to follow through — closing the loop — so that vital actions can get done.
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"In business jargon, 'closing the loop' means to follow up on and/or close out an area of discussion," says author Dana Borowka "The phrase is closely related to 'circle back around' and 'loop in.' Closing the loop is akin to following up, checking in or closing the deal."
Dana Borowka is co-author with his wife Ellen Borowka of the new book "Cracking the Business Code" (CreateSpace, 2014). The book is an anthology of cutting-edge business advice from leading experts, including the Borowkas.
According to the Borowka's book, the secrets of creating a team of loop closers is talking and testing. They offer the following five tips:
- Make closing the loop a part of your conversations at the workplace. A leader needs to be a storyteller, and one of the stories you want to tell is about the importance of closing the loop.
- Talk about what goes right and what comes wrong. A vital step in closing the loop—perhaps the most important—requires digging in to find the root causes of an individual customer's problem, and, whenever possible, "fixing" the situation for that customer. This means you have to talk with those customers whose feedback deserves follow-up so you can probe deeper.
- Tell your people time and again that the primary goal should be to fix the customer's individual problems, but this follow-up can also help you identify and address more systemic issues. Talking about loop closing can guide you in improving products, policies, services and processes so that every customer gets a better experience and problems don't recur.
- Before you hire, test your top candidates to help determine if they are loop closers or if they have a loop closing aptitude. To build a culture of loop closing, attitude and aptitude are everything.
- While we are staunch advocates of in-depth work style and personality assessments, we admit there are limits to its power. If you meet a profiling organization that says you can decide to hire or not hire based on test data alone, just walk away.
"The secret is to cultivate top performers through a three-step process: assess candidates with an in-depth work style and personality assessment, screen candidates for behavioral tendencies like an aptitude for loop closing, and manage more effectively based on behavioral styles to reinforce the importance of follow up and follow through," says Dana Borowka.
The goal is to base your hiring and managing decisions on the best data that can be collected, not just your gut instincts because that can fool you, he adds.
For more ideas on running a successful business, check out Dana and Ellen Borowka's new book, "Cracking the Business Code" www.lighthouseconsulting.com.
The Borowka's firm, Lighthouse Consulting Services, LLC, provides a variety of services, including in-depth work style assessments for new hires and staff development, team building, interpersonal and communication training, career guidance and transition, conflict management, workshops, and executive and employee coaching. Their first book is titled "Cracking the Personality Code."