Getting Input From Others – Part II

A Mini Case Study

Read Part I of this mini case study for the first part of the story.

As you’ll recall, Jane received 2 out of 12 responses to her request to meet to discuss the processes around engaging clients. She has scheduled time with the 2 respondents. The other 10 individuals have not responded to two emails sent to them to schedule time to talk.

Jane was questioning what to do next. She was unsure if she should reach out to them yet again, or if she should ask the sponsor of the project to intervene.

Did you consider what you might do in such a situation?

Here is what we recommend Jane do next:

First, while certainly going to the sponsor to intervene would likely resolve the issue, we don’t recommend Jane goes that route yet. She wants to maintain good relationships with her peers and doesn’t want to seem as if she is complaining about her peers.

Since Jane has sent out two emails with no response from 10 of her peers, we suggest she does the following:

• Reach out to each peer individually either in person or via telephone to explain that she really needs their input to develop a current mapping of the process and to ensure that any process developed is done so with their input, ideas and expertise captured.

Jane may find that her peers are unsure of why this project is happening. From their perspective the process may be working just fine as it is. Jane should be sure to communicate why the project is happening and the value in getting input to the individual sales and marketing people. The focus should be on how mapping and refining the process as part of the CRM project will be of value to them as individuals in performing their role.

Jane needs to appeal to her relationship with them and the fact that she really needs their expertise for this to work well. No one wants to have a process developed that they need to work with that doesn’t include input from them. Jane wants to be sure to mention that she is sure they have great ways of engaging the client and would like to be sure that information is captured so everyone can continue to be effective at their jobs and have a process that works for them.