Take advantage of today’s “touch point” for leadership

Touch point – how to carry out leadership in even the briefest moment

Use every contact or disturbance to lead. When you’re approached ask: ”How can I help you?”. Then you: 1. Listen intensely. 2. Make sure that everybody in the touch point has the same comprehension of the situation. 3. Further the case by deciding what should be done and by who. Finally ask: ”Is there anything else I can do for you?” in order to ensure that all issues have been solved.

Listen intensely is all about active listening using your entire body. It is not just about facts but also about emotions. What is this all about? What kind of help is he asking for? Does it concern the project? Principles? Interests? etc.

Frame the issue. When you have listened then pause and summarize in order to make sure you get all angles of the issue. ”As I hear you three things are going on ..”, ”Did I understand that correctly?”. You also have to make sure that everyone involved has the same picture of the situation. Use questioning technique.

Further the case. Once you have identified the situation it’s your job to help them move on. If there is a decision to be made then help make it. If there are people they need to get in touch with then call them right away. Use behaviour influencing questions: ”What is important to get done this week if you need it by Wednesday?” ”Do you have to coordinate this decision with someone else?”

Listen, frame, further the case. Listen, frame, further the case. This is how you handle one touch point after the other. During the entire process you apply your personal leadership model like I have described in a previous update.

Source: Inspired by the book: ”Touch Points”, Conant & Nørgaard, 2011