ComputerHunter.org

 

6 Ways to Keep Things Simple


Six Ways to Keep Things Simple

We can have greater success with our Clients when we make our work processes and agreements simpler and more elegant.  This article will give you ideas for making your contracts and commitments, projects and plans, reports and relationships with Clients simpler.  Here then, are six suggested ways to make your products and services more elegant.

1. Ask why.  When we understand the root cause of the client request we are better able to sort out and find simple elegant solutions.  Often complex solutions come from unfocused efforts and expectations.  Asking why can help you make your client contracts much more effective ? helping both you and your client.  Clients will appreciate the results of you helping them get to the heart of the matter.


2. Understand the Client's real needs.  Asking "Why?" helps us get to the client's real needs.  We can also get to real needs by discovering the needs of all the relevant groups involved.  A little time to build greater understanding will help you build more elegant solutions.


3. Keep the big picture in mind.  While you are building your solution, or delivering your service, keeping the big picture in mind will help you keep it simple.  When we remember how hard deployment of anything(!) can be, we are reminded to Keep it Simple.  Let's say you are building a training module on customer service for new employees, as a part of their orientation.  The big picture says that these new people will be inundated with new information, expectations, procedures and more.  Your module on Customer Service needs to be simple.  It doesn't need to incorporate all the nuances of your 9-step model.  It needs to be to the point and easy to access and understand.  Do they need all those nuances?  Maybe later ? but the big picture helps us reign in our designs and plans.


4. Keep the communication clear.  "If you can't write it on the back of an envelope, your idea isn't clear enough yet."  So goes the oft quoted advise.  We as consultants are often guilty of not getting our ideas clear, or well focused enough (read NOT simple!).  When we have clear communication as a real goal, we will keep things simpler. 


5. Make it a criterion. Seal all your work with a "KISS" (Keep it Splendidly Simple).  Before sending a draft, a report, a template, a recommendation, whatever, to your client, as yourself if it is as simple as it could be.  If it isn't simple enough, you (or the client) will have more trouble understanding, communicating and deploying the work product.


6. Apply the Grandma Test. Early in my career, my grandmother asked what I was doing.  I tried to explain about improving client performance, teaching useful skills, etc.  As a retired schoolteacher, she eventually caught on.  "Oh," she said, "you teach adults."  Yes Grandma, that is exactly what I do.  I am a better consultant when I remember this lesson.  Your clients and their employees don't care about your jargon.  They care about results.  Keep it simple.  Tell it like it is.  When you do that you'll have better success with current projects, and more referrals in the future.

©2001, Kevin Eikenberry, All Rights Reserved.  Kevin is the President of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that helps their Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services.  Go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/training/training.asp to learn more about customized training and workshops on consulting services offered or contact Kevin at toll free 888.LEARNER.







Google News - Top Stories

AFP

Auto rescue options weighed
Buffalo News - 52 minutes ago
By Jerry Zremski WASHINGTON - Senators searched Thursday for politically palatable ways to rescue the US auto industry, with some options seemingly designed to avoid submitting the unpopular idea to a vote in Congress.
Analysis: Avoiding blame in auto industry crisis The Associated Press
Carmakers' Bailout Pleas Hit Senate Skepticism ABC News
Detroit Free Press - Chicago Tribune - Great Falls Tribune - Hartford Courant
all 916 news articles


Calgary Herald

Canadian leader provokes anger by closing Parliament
International Herald Tribune - 1 hour ago
By Ian Austen OTTAWA: Canada's parliamentary opposition reacted with outrage after Prime Minister Stephen Harper shut down the Legislature until Jan. 26, seeking to forestall a no-confidence vote that he was sure to lose and that might have provoked a ...
PRESS DIGEST - Canada - Dec 5 Reuters
Canada Political Crisis Suspends Fight Against the Economic One Bloomberg
Los Angeles Times - BBC News - guardian.co.uk - Xinhua
all 2,300 news articles


Zee News

Ashok Chavan becomes Maharashtra's new chief minister
Hindu - 34 minutes ago
New Delhi/Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Industry Minister Ashok Chavan will be the new state Chief Minister to succeed Vilasrao Deshmukh, who was eased out of office in the aftermath of the audacious Mumbai terror attacks last week.
Ashok Chavan to be Maharashtra CM; Rane fumes Times of India
Ashok Chavan becomes new Maharashtra CM Indian Express
Hindustan Times - NDTV.com - Voice of America - Bloomberg
all 746 news articles


Boston Globe

Officials Say Possible Mumbai Attack Planner Arrested Months Ago
Voice of America - 2 hours ago
By VOA News India is looking into the possibility that one of the planners of last week's deadly terrorist attacks in Mumbai has been in police custody for months.
Pakistan spy chief meets PM amid India row Reuters India
India unsettled by warnings of airborne attack Los Angeles Times
The Associated Press - Hindu - PRESS TV - San Francisco Chronicle
all 5,166 news articles


BBC News

Condoleezza Rice: South Africa must pressure Mugabe to quit
guardian.co.uk - 1 hour ago
The US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, said today that it was "well past time" for Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe to step down.
Mugabe hints at Cabinet without opposition CNN International
Go Mugabe or fact arrest - Tutu BBC News
AFP - The Associated Press - Reuters - International Herald Tribune
all 1,105 news articles

Google
 

Copyright © 2006 Computer Hunter - A Division of Arthur´s Job Base