Polite won't work

"We need to transition your clients soon" you said to your retiring account executive. "Yeah, we'll work on that" came the curt response. It was the same answer you have gotten in the past, but nothing ever happens. The days become weeks then months. You feel the tension, the looming deadline, the building financial pressure along with the prospect of an emergency transition.

You want to be kind, polite and show honor to your predecessor. So much so that behind the scenes you are doing his work. Fed by your feeling of responsibility and his short timer's attitude, you are covering for him. You are calling clients he forgets and covering for him on his random surprise days off. "We can't just let their calls go unanswered!" you exclaim. "If I don't do his job for him, the clients will suffer. And, they will be my clients one day!"

Yes, your predecessor is letting you and your customers down. But the failure here is your handling of the transition. You have allowed the power of your success or failure to rest in the hands of your predecessor, and he doesn't really care.

But I know you do care because I have seen your head drop in frustration when I ask about the transition. It clearly weighs on you. The anticipation of the 11th hour flurry burns in your chest. Your imagination paints the scene with you offering apologies, hemming and hawing; excuses that could easily be avoided. But when it's over, you will still be here, dealing with those customers, and he will be golfing in the Carolinas. It is time to take charge.

And, taking charge requires one central action. Stop requiring participation. Allow me to illustrate. Rather than asking him to transition his clients to you, state who will be transitioned. "Here is the list of clients who will be transitioning next week. Times and dates are there. You are welcome to participate." I know this assertiveness is uncomfortable. But it's time to let go of your politeness and put the clients first. Those clients are your priority.

There will be pushback at first and this is where your steeled will is tested. Don't argue, don't explain, don't capitulate. If you need to speak, each statement becomes a shorter version of what was already said. "These are the clients who will be transitioning next week." If pushback continues, go shorter and firmer. "These clients are transitioning." You will feel a flush come from your chest into your face, a slight euphoric sensation.

That feeling is your assertive self finding her way to the surface. Let her out because you have earned the right to lose your timidity. You have demonstrated your ability to take care of clients with a high level of responsibility. You don't need to act confident, you can use your track record and customer feedback as evidence that supports confidence. That will translate into respect from everyone in your circle and a much better experience for your client. Which is the real goal.

Park Wiker

P.S. To be passive is to let others decide for you. To be aggressive is to decide for others. To be assertive is to decide for yourself. And to trust that there is enough, that you are enough. **Edith Eva Eger**

The Boundary of Blame

Why his mistake might still be your problem

Dear Leader,

Your pitch rose as you began to describe the latest failure by your new boss. He asked you to set up a meeting with the CEO of one of your largest clients. There had been a few slips in service to them and they had begun to reduce their purchases, but otherwise, the agenda was unknown. You made the calls and set up the meeting for 9 am, 2 weeks out. Everyone confirmed.

When the day came, you saw the customer pull into the parking lot. You texted your boss to let him know the customer had arrived. Greeting her at the door, you led her to the conference room, offering coffee. But 10 minutes later, the customer noted the absence of your boss. You stumbled, fidgeted a bit and finally looked at your phone to find a message from him saying he would be a few minutes late.

At 20 minutes after 9, the customer stood and simply stated "I need to go." You walked her to the door, watching one of your best clients contemplate this event as she walked to her car. Just after she left, your boss pulled in. "You just missed her" you said. "Ahh shoot. Make sure to tell her I'm sorry and we'll try again." "I doubt there will be a next time" you stated flatly as you turned and walked away.

This is not an isolated incident, this is several times per week that this type of thing occurs. You thought THIS incident would wake him up, make him realize how disrespectful he had been. But there was no moment of remorse, no indication that there was a problem. He was unaware of this incident's potential effect on the relationship.

Poor customer experiences hinder upsells, long term contracts and require the need to provide discounts to compensate for them. Long term, this compounds via the company's reputation. Something must be done.

I once worked for a military contractor where I was responsible for data security among other things. However, I had one department where I continued to have security violations, specifically, employees would use email for sensitive information. I addressed the individual incidents and in those one on ones, it became clear that the department head was instructing his people to ignore the security requirements.

What I did was address the department head directly, prepared to escalate as necessary. The reason his behavior became part of my responsibility is because it was affecting elements in my scope of responsibility. And this is what we need to first clarify for you so that you can answer the question "How much effort is appropriate?"

So let's think about your scope. This is not your company and its direction, vision and purpose are out of scope. In fact, think for a moment about all of the things about this company that are NOT your responsibility. Actually most of it. Now, think about what IS your responsibility. Grab a piece of paper and jot down that list. Here are a few elements to kick you off. Sales, customer development, the reputation of the company insofar as it affects your ability to develop customers. Take 5 minutes and finish that list. Your zone of responsibility defines the boundary of "appropriate effort".

That boundary, clearly defined, can relieve you of the feeling of responsibility in the areas where you are not. But, conversely, will bolster your resolve to address those areas within that boundary with confidence and authority. This is the basis of your moral authority to address the harmful behaviors of the new boss directly. This is ownership.

Park Wiker

P.S. "It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do." – Moliere

What consistency compounds — and what neglect costs.

Dear Leader,

When we saw each other this week, I asked "How is the implementation of metric tracking coming?" You responded "Ahh, I didn't get to that this week. We had the auditor in this week ....." each reason, a legitimate urgency. But this was the 5th week in a row.

It's understandable, developing and implementing data tracking and reporting is boring work. It doesn't NEED to be done right now, so, it's easy to let it lapse. It reminds me of when an employee who was about to have their first child asked about what I had learned from having children. I was a small business owner at the time, I was busy and skipping dinner was a true temptation. But consider this. Dinner with the whole family is 45 minutes per day. It's a moment where all of us are together, where we can impart a little wisdom to our daughter who is being shunned by her peer group. But over a year we find that small investment culminates in 34 - 8 hour work days. A month spent with your whole family. It shocked me just how much impact something small, like dinner, when done consistently really adds up

Slipping on dinners didn't seem significant in the moment and I believe the same is happening to you with the metrics. The ripple effect of delay on the metrics compounds to the company's entire strategy. They are a prerequisite. Without them, you can't gauge your progress, determine which experiments are working or discover efficiencies. Essentially, you are blind to what is happening inside your own company.

The solution isn't difficult. Open your calendar. Mark time on it that is dedicated to the metric work every week. Maybe that's 3 or 4 hours per week, but block it out, flag it as busy. Commit to working on that and only that during the time. Don't allow it to get pushed for something urgent. Consider this like you would an appointment with the boss. Don't be late, don't miss it, don't allow someone else's emergency to derail it.

It's easy to see the things that are done repeatedly as common, disposable and even unimportant. But paradoxically, those become the most important and impactful over time. Elevate these things, hold the time allocated to them sacred and in 5 weeks, not only will your metrics be giving you real insight, but you will have had a full 24 hours of one on one time with your family.

Park Wiker

P.S. "It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently" "Tony Robbins"

A Leadership Blind Spot and the Path to Transformation

When I asked your retail store manager about her challenges, she let out an exasperated pfft as her eyes pointed up at the ceiling as if to express herself to a deity. "I have no idea what they are up to, I'm just guessing." But when I met with you, the response was "Everything is fine", a stark contrast to the sentiments of the team. They report failures to make meetings, indecision and confusion about direction and purpose.

The only reason that you are not recognizing any challenges is because you are averting your eyes to them. Possibly this is a blind spot or it's a choice. Regardless, you are missing the evidence being provided by your people through their confused looks, long pauses and pushback.

What appears to your leaders as an unravelling is making them look for exits, their form of a vote of no-confidence. And the longer you let it go, the worse it gets. Consider how one of the sales people came to you about one testy customer. He quickly explained the situation, ending with "What would you like me to do?" his face showing the grimace of one anticipating the pinch of a shot from the doctor. "I'll call them." you quickly responded, a hurried irritation in your voice. The salesman's demeanor transformed through a sigh, satisfied. Just 3 days later, and even more infuriated, the customer called again. The salesman, stammering excuses and apologies was dumbfounded as he discovered that you had never followed up.

This is a situation that calls for your intervention, but the salesman didn't mention it again. All that he could think was "Why bother?" But I know you feel it, like something isn't quite right. It may appear as though your people are bringing too much to you, like they can't make their own decisions. You have even noted how they seem to have bad attitudes. But what you sense as bad attitude is really a request for you to lead.

From their position, this is the most they can do. They can't make you do your part. Consider these questions.

Who holds you accountable when you say you will call and don't?

Who can hold you accountable to develop a company vision?

How can your people get decisions from you that cohere and indicate a direction?

How can they get those decisions quickly?

What does accountability look like for you?

When a team member fails to meet quota, they lose commission. They are given standards to reach and instructed to stay late if necessary. Ultimately if progress is not made, they are relieved of their position. There is a spectrum of incentive. But as the boss, there is no one with the power to enforce any of this on you. You must become self-accountable if you wish to avoid the final judgment of the marketplace. But you must be all in.

Each act of ownership and responsibility builds momentum in your leadership. Momentum that will translate to hope for your people. A hope that will pause the exodus. Take advantage of the precious time afforded and build on that hope. Join your salesman on a call to the irate customer. Demonstrate to him that you are ready to take ownership of the good and bad. Improve your reputation with your retail manager. Figure out why she feels abandoned and make adjustments to alleviate it. When they know that you are with them in this rather than just their boss, the affect will be transformative.

Park Wiker

P.S. "Everything rltlises and falls on leadership" Lee Roberson

Starting with facts when legacy is still running the room

You have officially taken over the business from your father. But, he's bored at home so he keeps coming in. Everyone is happy to have him as he calls on his favorite customers, attends the weekly meetings and continues to weigh in on strategy. But at the same time, his continued influence is derailing the progress you are trying to make. Recently you spoke to the controller "How can we track the cost and revenue at the level of each crew?" The controller, faced with a challenge seemed to perk up, eyes wide as you began to discuss the possibilities. But, Dad came in on the conversation and without a thought said "You don't need that, just look at the P&L, that's enough!" derailing the discussion. You could feel the excitement flee your body as the conversation was diverted. Control had been lost.

Those metrics are going to be important if you are going to take the company to the next level. But your retired father doesn't see the utility and states that it sounds like micromanagement. This resistance, led by your retired father and his faithful former employees, causes you to wonder "Who's in charge here?" But it's not just you, everyone silently wonders the same thing.

These instances reveal the fact that you are not fulfilling the role of leader. The transition has occurred on paper but you have not seized the control your title bestows. Look at the room's behavior in your weekly meetings when you bring up a topic. Once you state your intent, everyone in the room turns to look at Dad. And, you can feel the spirit of leadership leave you and enter your father as what he says quickly becomes a consensus.

We have two goals to accomplish. Establish your authority while respecting your father and his legacy. It starts with a frank discussion with Dad in which we get clear on how the transition is not occurring and what to do about it. But kicking off a sensitive conversation like this can be challenging.

Let's imagine a doctor, "Mr. Smith, I have some difficult news to convey." Your response? "Just get to it Doc!" Do you want him to mention his feelings? How it hurts him to have to talk about this? How he considers you a friend? No. You want the facts with no nuance.

You too should start with the facts, third party observable facts such as what each party said, how the focus changed, and importantly the undesirable outcome. This is your homework. For the next week, you need to note specific moments that illustrate 3 - 5 instances of how you know that the transition has not fully occurred. Stick with the raw facts, what was said, how the energy shifted and how the employees default back to him. We can then contrast the observed outcome with the desired outcome. This is the content we will use to have that conversation where, like the doctor, we "Just get to it".

Starting with these facts along with the guiding focus of the transition of authority keeps the conversation on target. Don't forget that he's spent 40 years running this business and it's difficult to simply stop being the person he has always been. But when you begin to reveal to him the specific behaviors that are creating the imbalance, you can reverse the authority dynamic. When he acknowledges your authority through his actions, the loyal will follow. That will be your chance to confidently step up as the leader they need.

Park Wiker

P.S. It’s the truth I’m after, and the truth never harmed anyone. What harms us is to persist in self-deceit and ignorance. Marcus Aurelius

The Negotiation Missing Piece

"I need more money" you said to me as our mock negotiation got started. I could sense the resolve in your tone as you stiffly sat in the chair across from me. Your argument was clear and backed by fact. An AGM of this size company should be salaried at about 10-12% more than you were making and your sources seemed legit. "Why would I do that?" I asked. "Because I am good at my job and I like working here!" You are implying that you would find employment elsewhere. "Listen", I pressed, "the company's numbers are mediocre at best. Our volume is good, but the margins are weak" as I slashed at your request. I shut you down because there is one thing missing from your pitch much like a salesman I once worked with.

I had decided to buy a car. I had taken a full time on the road sales position and one thing that I wanted was to have a vehicle that I wouldn't hate after a full week of driving all over creation. I pulled up each manufacturer's web site, selected the models that most closely fit my criteria and proceeded to visit dealerships for every one of them. Some of them were more attractive than others and I had some biases, but I was determined to test drive a car from each manufacturer as I made up my mind.

At one particular dealership I test drove what I felt was an average American sedan. It was number 4 of 6 on my list. As I arrived on the lot I was greeted by a cheery older gentleman. "I'd like to test drive this", pointing to the sedan in the front row. A few minutes later, we were pulling out onto the main road. I could feel the steering wheel pull in my hand wanting desperately to straighten itself as we pulled out, my body sliding over in the wide seat. I listened carefully to the road noise trying to gauge how the quality of my cell calls might be as the sales person prattled on about all the features.

I pulled back into the lot where I shook his hand and graciously thanked him. "What's it going to take to get you in this car today?" he pressed. "I can work with my manager to get this going for you!" He was pitching price, but had no idea what I was actually looking for because he never once asked what my real goals were.

You are in that place with your President, never really touching on what he values. It is a rare case that a boss is going to simply give you more because you asked. And, more generally, going into a negotiation with only one side of the argument creates the conditions for combat. That certainly will not help your current negotiation, but more so, it will taint future negotiations.

Ask yourself, why would the president grant another $12k from the net to you? If you haven't asked, you don't know. And, even when you do ask, it is likely that the first answer or two will be a diversion. Ask any reporter how difficult it can be to discover the truth from someone.

I challenge you to discover what he needs, what he wants, what he struggles with. Bring at least 2 of them next week to our meeting where we can brainstorm on them. The goal will be to figure out a way to fulfill one of his needs AND get what you want AT THE SAME TIME. I call it mutual benefit.

Even if you are not 100% on target, the effort you put in to discover how you can help him while helping yourself will show a thoughtfulness that few will exhibit. This, in and of itself, will make you a competent negotiator. And this habit, applied consistently will produce results at a rate that surpasses most, getting more of what you want and demonstrating that you are a person to work with rather than against.

How does that conversation start off with this new knowledge? "I first wanted to meet with you to discuss a raise. However, I noticed how our net keeps narrowing into the single digits, indicating that our expenses are growing faster than our revenue. I looked into the details and discovered several areas where I believe we could improve that. How would you feel about granting me that raise if I can deliver on a 2-point improvement on the net?" Suddenly, you have become a partner to work with.

Park Wiker

P.S. **He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that.** John Stuart Mill

Your natural protection mechanisms are killing your communication

Dear Leader,

I have been working with your leadership team to help them become better communicators. But when I witnessed one of them giving you some very appropriate feedback regarding being late to customer meetings, I heard you snap about how employees make you wait too. I watched as the salesperson tried to get back to the core issue only to be met by increasing aggressiveness. He backed down, nodding in agreement. You had won.

But what exactly did you win? I am reminded of an event of my own. After dinner one night, I carried my plate into the kitchen and, noticing the disarray, I said to my wife "Wow, you really have got a mess in here!" Her response was classic. "I did the cooking, Why don't you do the dishes? For once!" She had responded in the manner of a combat veteran. Defend, counter and escalate. It's a natural pattern of response for one who feels attacked. She too intended to win, to which I blindly responded in kind.

The defense of even the most innocuous comment signals a fight. Quickly, this escalates to a loop of defense and counter, derailing useful dialog. But it does more than that. It teaches people that you are not to be approached with difficult or potentially contentious subject matter. And, rather than risk a fight in the future, they keep their mouth shut, making you blind to the most important information.

Your quick wit is one of your biggest strengths. It's that ability to think on your feet, especially in times of crisis that got you to where you are today. But while that works well in competitive situations, it is a liability with those you are leading. So, like Mr. Miyagi, I am going to give you some homework to build a habit that will help you avoid this detrimental behavior.

In every conversation, especially when it begins, I want your first response to be a breath. That's right, be quiet for 3 - 5 seconds before you respond as you purposefully inhale then exhale. No, not just the contentious conversations, EVERY conversation. We want to build this habit of pausing when you are conversing with your leaders. It will seem odd at first, and people may look at you strangely, but it will give you a moment to think about how you want the conversation to produce its most positive result.

Keeping that focus will make every statement more effective. Imagine me employing that strategy with my wife and the messy kitchen. "You know what, you are right. Can we do it together?" Or, consider your salesperson when you took a breath and responded "You are totally right. Being late to that meeting was disrespectful. I will correct it in the future."

You will speak less and more accurately. More importantly you will step out of the defensive loop, making you more approachable and trustworthy. This means that you will obtain more information making your decisions that much better.

Park Wiker

P.S. "Speak when you are angry, and you will make the best speech you will ever regret." – Ambrose Bierce

Projection and the humility that improves every conversation

Dear Leader,

I thought about our conversation this weekend after working in the wood shop with my wife. You told me through clenched teeth that one of your employees "just doesn't care, he's lazy and all he wants to do is get done as quickly as possible." You also said that you had talked to him extensively and that you had been very direct, "but he never listens." I have overheard some of these conversations and I believe that you are experiencing the results of a trap similar to that which I stepped into this weekend.

My wife was making a bee box and was pressed for time. So, she requested my help. At one point, I was measuring to facilitate another cut. My wife wrote as I rattled off "31 and 1/8 plus two boards of 15/16 but remember we are cutting out a 1/2" rabbet on each side too." My wife, tossed down her pencil in frustration. "Oh", I said, "you're no good at math", as I foisted a stereotype onto my wife. "Fine! You do it!" she snapped as she shut down the conversation.

As I reflected later, I realized that what I really had done was to make a statement about my wife's identity. I stated "You ARE no good at math". Occasionally, I have even heard her say so herself. But, when I said it, I was met with defensive vitriol. I really had to consider the dynamic here. Do I really believe that about her? Well, if I am to be transparent, I would say that I probably DO. And, if I had to defend myself, I would say that I was merely being honest. But the next question would be "Is that REALLY true about her?"

My mistake here is that I think that what I think is true. Let me rephrase that. I project my perception onto those around me as though it were an obvious truth. And, do you know how others react when I do that? They get defensive and shut down, turning what I thought was a conversation into a combat exercise. This is how the plain talk to your employee is being received, as an attack.

Psychologists call it epistemic arrogance, when I make an assumption regarding someone's intention or identity and then speak as though my assumption is true. It is a behavior that will tempt almost anyone into combat. And, when we do this with employees, we convert what should be a cooperative relationship into an adversarial one. One where quiet resentment morphs into silent sabotage. A place where the least of your problems is that they clam up. But this isn't just about you, it's about your employee too. Do you think he wants to work in a place where his boss makes these arrogant remarks?

Of course he doesn't, and who would? But let's keep the focus on what we can change, you. I want you to consider how this behavior is exacerbating and possibly creating problems with your employees.

Let's start with an exercise. Write down a list of all of the statements about this employee that you think are true in your most plain, and forthright manner. As an example, I will use one statement you have spoken aloud to me.

"He just doesn't care about the company."

Next, rewrite it in a more honest manner that does not pretend that you know more than you do. Concentrate on what you KNOW to be fact.

"When he hurries his last service of the day and makes mistakes in the process, it makes me think that he does not care about the company's reputation with its clients."

Do that with each of the statements you created.

When you start to frame these perceptions into this more tentative form, you have the opportunity to add accuracy by noting the facts and your perception of them. Then, we can use this statement to open dialogue with your employee about his actions. Our goal is to open the door to honest communication, avoid the defense and start to address real challenges directly. We can likely turn the "He never listens" theme into something that allows you to set more appropriate boundaries and encourage more complete participation from him. With my wife, I move from applying a stereotype to curiosity. An attempt to discover the root of the frustration and address it directly. In my case, it was merely a matter of giving her time to write down the numbers. In your case, moving to a less combative approach will keep the conversation open, allowing you to discover the root cause of what you are experiencing. This small change to your communication will transform how you are received. You will avoid the trap that shuts people down and instead clear the way for trust through plain and clear talk.

Park Wiker

P.S. “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” – Carl Jung

Necessary yet uncomfortable

Dear Leader,

I have repetitively watched you permit both your business partner's rudeness and an employee performance problem in silence. But in private you are not so silent, much like my friend Kristin. Kristin is the general manager at a small business and has grown through the ranks during her 10 years at the company. She and her husband joined us at dinner where she told us a story about how her company had needed a new salesperson. Even though the new salesperson would be a subordinate of Kristin, the owner made the hire with little input.

The owner then came to her to have the new guy set up for payroll and benefits. Kristin was so shocked by the salary that she had to repeat it aloud as if to question it. It was confirmed, he was to start nearly 20% higher than her own salary. Noticing the shock on her face, the owner offered "He does have a family." She nodded, silently taking her notes and attending to her duty.

But there was a riot happening inside her mind. Her internal critic questioning her value, highlighting displaced loyalties and the naive stupidity of sacrificing her weekends growing someone else's organization. Every negative thought followed by another even worse.

After hearing her story, it was easy to see why she was upset. Bob wisely kept his head down trying to avoid some friendly fire until finally, there was a silence. We waited to see if there was more. Thankfully, we had allowed her to release the tension safely among friends.

So, I asked, "What did he say when you asked for a raise?" She silently stared at me with eyes that seemed to whisper "Oh, so you're one of them!" I followed up her silent answer with "Why didn't you ask?"

She could only summon reasons similar to yours like "I tried that once and it didn't help." Revealing her fears rather than the truth.

You, like Kristin, are avoiding confrontation regarding the rudeness and poor performance. That in turn is feeding your resentment. The good news is that we can use that emotion to help alert us to the conversations that need to happen. By changing from your current course of silence, we may be able to capture what could be, instead of settling for what is.

Search yourself for the smell of resentment and follow it back to its source. Learn to recognize the conversations you are avoiding. Then, commit to a direct, gentle but firm treatment of them. Imagine the change in your life when you convert even 10% of the disrespect from your partner for example. With regular and consistent work, you could completely invert the toxic part of this relationship. You could gain the respect you need and desperately want.

Park Wiker

P.S. "Anger repressed can poison a relationship as surely as the cruelest words." – Joyce Brothers

The Dangerous Comfort of Assumptions

Dear Leader

At the end of our strategy meeting the other day I asked a simple question. "What does the customer want?" The silence hung in the air for several seconds as everyone shifted uncomfortably in their seat. You broke the awkward silence by recounting a collection of long held assumptions. I let the moment pass, but it deserves a real answer.

I love that you have regular meetings to check up on your rocks and document progress. But no matter how good our internal communication is, we are still not talking with customers in an intentional way. We avoid the hard work of understanding our customers, choosing instead to draw on ten-year-old survey results and anecdote because "Who has the time?"

But I need you to resist the temptation to be busy with less challenging tasks. The most important thing we do as a business is to provide valuable benefit to a customer profitably. When we lose sight of that, we jeopardize our relevance and thereby our entire purpose.

As an example, I once worked with COBOL programmers. Some of those programmers remained steadfast in their language of choice because "COBOL does everything they need!" Slowly but surely, all of those COBOL programmers lost their jobs because they did not want to put in the effort to satisfy the customer's desire for newer languages.

Let's avoid the COBOL programmer fate in this business. Let's know our customer. Get out of the office and interview them face to face. No, not a survey, not an e-mail, person to person. Ask these two fundamental questions.

"What is the best thing about what we do for you?"

"What does our industry get seriously wrong?"

The first question is different for a prospect or would-be customer. It's more like "What concerns or hesitations come up for you when thinking about working with a company like ours?"

I can hear your pushback already. "I have so much to do, I can't possibly find the time for this!" My response is to read the letter I sent you in the beginning of March (titled "Overwhelmed") and act on it. As the President, what could be more important than how customers experience the company?

These specific questions are designed to reveal the two most important aspects of your customer's perception. First, we find out what they love about what we do. That in turn allows us to double down on the best aspect of our service. Imagine a client who loves the fact that we turn their projects around in one day consistently. Then imagine that client's response when we begin turning them around in 4 hours. That's right, Love becomes Love3.

Secondarily, we discover that irritation or undesirable aspect of our service which we can ensure never occurs in their experience with us. Imagine how we would stand apart from the rest of the industry. And, when you do this regularly and consistently, you will be keeping abreast of the customer's perspective; remaining valuable and relevant.

Lead this effort, it may be your highest value.

Park Wiker

P.S. "Get closer than ever to your customers. So close that you tell them what they need well before they realize it themselves." - Steve Jobs