Tough Times...Can Lead to a Positive Response

On Friday, we shuttered another grocery store...well, we sold it actually. This was the best option for a store that was, regrettably, underperforming. Every time we have to do this--and we've done it more than I want--I am taken back to my own traumatic layoff and subsequent period of unemployment. (OK, it wasn't terribly traumatic during the actual notification, but the extended period out-of-work certainly took its toll.) And I can't help think about a couple of close friends who are still looking for employment after being laid off. One even joined the military, leaving his wife and 3 kids for months on end, to secure stable opportunity. As I think about the life changes our company has unwittingly imposed on these people, I pray they're able to land on their feet and I hope they realize this is no picnic for us.

In fact, even the corporate office is in turmoil--as a pending consolidation of entities most likely will preclude pending layoffs within our own office. So, amongst all these bad news bodings, I recently reviewed a topic I studied while in a Coaching Seminar with a former employer, "Appreciative Inquiry." It provided a spark as it focuses on asking [ourselves] "What are we doing right?" instead of "What problems do we need to address?"

The premise of Appreciative Inquiry is that if we focus on what we do well, we may be able to gain more traction in mobilizing change than if we continue dwelling on the challenges...kind of a "Focus on your strenghts" approach. Though I've certainly not exhausted a study of the topic, the initial support is somewhat compelling. The argument, or theory, why this approach is for efficable is 1) it's something you're ALREADY doing--hence it should be easier to continue doing it and do it more/better 2) it generates positive energy and support by exploiting success instead of failure, allowing people to do things that they know will bring results 3) focusing enough on the "what's right" will eventually crowd out (or in the least, clearly identify) the areas of weakness.

A great example, and one relevant to our business, is customer service. Instead of focusing on the minority (hopefully) of customers who experience poor service, we could focus on the 90-something% that had a great experience. What worked? Why were they impressed? How did we 'Wow' them? It does ring true that it is a lot easier and more positive to identify the things that went right than training our staff "Don't do this. Don't do this." It also seems innate that when you start giving examples of what's working, it's easier to extrapolate and do more of the same kind of stuff without being told. On the contrary, think about sexual harassment training. It seems like our focus is often to try and capture everything that is inappropriate.

Anyway, I don't suggest it's the end-all-be-all, but for a change of perspective, it's been refreshing to think about. Seems to work with kids too. Tell me what you think.