In part I revealed that the 4Cs are Capability, Compatibility, Connectivity And Creativity.
In part 3 today I will explore the first C of capability.
Capability
“Skills, knowledge and talents are distinct elements of a person’s performance. The distinction being, that skills and knowledge can be taught whereas talents cannot… Talents are recurring patterns of thought, feeling or behaviour that can be productively applied… They are a person’s mental filters.”
This has implications when recruiting and developing people for any part of your organisation where customer advocacy is required; and of course you could say that that should be everyone!
In order to identify the skills and knowledge a customer advocate needs may mean approaching recruitment and training in a different way. If you can’t train talents e.g. being proactive, building rapport, you need to select for it. Assuming you have selected people with talent and potential how do you determine the training, and development that will optimise their talents and uncover their potential?
Firstly identify the business outcomes you need your people to achieve; without business orientated outcomes training and development becomes a “so what?” activity adding no value to the individual, the company or the customer.
Secondly, create individual learning paths to optimise current skill and knowledge strengths, minimise weaknesses, develop potential and utilise talent. This may mean no more “sheep dip” training programmes. This may mean no more performance reviews constantly telling someone they need to be more proactive.
The insight of great managers is that “People don’t change that much. Don’t waste time trying to put in what was left out. Try to draw out what was left in. That is hard enough”**
** Both quotes are from First Break All the Rules by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman