Think Win-Win-Win

I've been thinking a lot recently about the Seven Habits of Highly Successful People as I work with the new summer interns here.  The Seven Habits are well worn and time-tested at this point, with the book having been published by Stephen Covey back in 1989.  23 years really isn't all that long, but the rate of adoption in American business has been so huge that it feels like a much longer time frame.  If you have not read it, it is highly recommended if for no other reason than the fact that most of your colleagues have.  Reading and understanding this book can create a common language between you, your co-workers, and your partners.  You'll also find out about the quality of the content and hopefully learn a thing or two about the seven habits.

The "4th Habit" in the book is "Think Win-Win."  The point of the habit is to always be considering what is in it for the other party.  Don't constantly be "looking out for number one" and only thinking about how you can be personally victorious. 

Only thinking about one win (your own) is one of the habits of highly selfish and short-sighted people.

I'd like to re-frame this habit just a bit today.  I'd like to think of it in the partnering concept so that we start to think about win-win-win.  What I mean is, what is in it for you, your partner, and your customer. 

When partnering, the focus often shifts from the customer to the partner.  Sometimes that pendulum swings so far toward the partner that we start to lose focus on the actual customer.  We want to create a great partnering environment for the partner and make sure their needs are being met that we lose focus on what the customer is experiencing as a direct result of the partnership.

This should not be so.  Please always consider the impact of the partnership on the actual customer experience.  The reason for the partnership is for the customer(s) to be more successful and/or satisfied.

I suggest you insert a check item in your regular partner calls to specifically address the customer experience.  Talk with your partner about what the customer is specifically experiencing and whether that is improving or decreasing in effectiveness.

This is the essence of what we are all about at Fusing Focus.  Combine the focus of multiple interested parties into one jointly held vision.  And that, my friends, must always include the customer that you serve.