Team Training: Who's Responsibility is it to ______________?

Overview

The Who’s responsibility is it to __________? training activity is a great way to spark a conversation around a process. Too often employees do not understand how they affect the entire business cycle. It’s your responsibility to teach your team how everyone contributes to the success of the business even if it is not listed in their job description.

This may seem like common sense to you, but trust me your team does not have the same vantage point you do. Help them see the panoramic view of your business.

Benefits of Training Activity

• Increase employee’s awareness of how the process works beyond their role.
• Teach your employees the cause and effect of each step in the process so they are more equipped to solve problems as a team without you.
• Create a team atmosphere when employees understand how all of the departments work together.
• Employees are more likely to take ownership of their responsibilities in the process.
• Lay the foundation for sharing more information in the future.

Steps to Complete the Training Activity

Choose the question you want to discuss

Based on the problem you want to solve or the area you want to increase awareness around, fill-in-the blank “Who’s responsibility is to ______________?”

• Collect money
• Generate leads
• Make customers happy
• Stay informed of industry changes
• Improve efficiency

Prepare for the training activity

Before the training session, make notes of how each position or department contributes to this area of the business. This will help you guide the conversation to ensure everyone sees how they impact the process you are discussing.

Conduct the training activity

Here’s an example to help you spark the conversation. Let’s pretend you ask your employees “Who’s responsibility is to make the phone ring?”

You’ll most likely hear “the owners or the marketing department.”

Ask the team “how do the owners make the phone ring?” Write all of the responses in a place everyone can see the list.

Next, ask your employees “how does the marketing department make the phone ring?” Add the responses to the list.

The conversation will start to fizzle out. But, does the responsibility really stop with the owners and marketing department?

If you have a true team working together, the real answer is “it’s everyone’s responsibility to make the phone ring.”

Spark the conversation again by prompting your employees – “how does the sales department help make the phone ring?” The sales team helps make the phone ring by setting realistic expectations, providing great service after the sale and asking for referrals.

Keep the conversation going, ask “how does the operations department help make the phone ring?” Operations help make the phone ring by delivering great service that generates referrals and 5-star reviews.

Don’t forget about your office staff. Ask “how does our office staff help make the phone ring?” A great customer experience often starts with the person that answers the phone.

Here’s another quick example: “Who’s responsibility is it to collect money?”

You’re likely to hear “it’s the accounts receivable clerk’s responsibility.” This is the perfect time to demonstrate how collections is everyone’s responsibility. All of these steps increase the company’s ability to collect on time. When one step is delayed or skipped, it creates a cash crunch that has a snowball effect.

• Owner starts the process by creating and teaching a strong collection process (payment terms, credit limit, credit approval process, etc.).
• The sales team communicates the payment expectations during the sales presentation.
• The operations department delivers the scope of work within budget and on time.
• The office staff issues the invoice in a timely manner and confirms the invoice was received.
• The sales team follows up to confirm the customer is satisfied with the service.
• The accounts receivable clerk makes collections a top priority, follows the collection procedures and notifies the manager when a customer is severely past due.
• Manager calls severely past due customers to find out why the payment is delayed.

Reflect with your team

Before you end the training session, ask your team questions like

• What happens if the sales department does not follow through with their responsibilities? How does it affect the team, customer and company?
• What surprised you most?
• What did you learn?

Reinforce the training

At the next meeting, follow up with your team. Ask questions like

• Do you have any questions?
• Have you thought of additional ways each department helps make the phone ring?
• How have you taken more responsibility for making the phone ring?
• What hurdles did you run into that prevented you from taking responsibility?
• Have you seen a co-worker take more responsibility?
• What can management do to help you?

Repeat

Pick another area of your business you’d like your team to see the entire process and teach it next.

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