Accelerator Questions (Another Lesson from “The Cult of the Customer”)

Years ago, I listened to a Tom Peters program on MBWA: management by walking around. Tom claimed that when a manager approached an employee, it was usually because of a problem.  The employee became defensive, uncomfortable, and perhaps even scared.  The idea of approaching employees primarily for problems created an unsettling environment. Then came MBWA, which had managers “walking around,” having conversations with employees and complimenting them frequently, thereby eliminating the fear of management and invoking a positive working environment.

Here’s my addition to MBWA.  During these conversations, it creates a great opportunity for managers to ask questions – the kind of questions that move the company in a positive direction. When good experiences are happening for employees and customers, it is the perfect opportunity for management to accelerate the ownership process by asking what I refer to as accelerator questions.

–  Are you doing anything new?
–  How is that working for you?
–  Who else should know about this?
–  What can we do to repeat this kind of success?
–  Do you have any ideas or suggestions to make your job better?

The list of these types of questions can go on and on.  These positive questions promote ownership and pride in the employee’s work process.

To an even broader level, you don’t have to be a manager to ask accelerator questions. Anyone can ask these types of questions, especially if you like the idea of a positive and harmonious work environment, a culture (or “cult”) that is focused on creating amazement for employees and customers.

Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.

(Copyright ©MMXI, Shep Hyken)