Storytelling - Empathy

Challenge and Selection:

I am a member of an organization’s operations team. We work in a highly regulated atmosphere. Our  clients are onshore and they send us work on a daily basis and we charge clients on hourly rate. Our  work is seasonal. Employees are our assets and our clients typically use us when they are in high  pressure. We work on extremely tight deadlines and uncertainty relating to work inflow. Our work  quality and turnaround time determines our moving up the value chain and increasing revenue. We also  need to build relationships with the onshore counterparts which means having regular connects etc.  which then requires us to stretch our days. One of our biggest challenge is to build relationships with the  onshore customers as their time zones are different. Our employees need to be motivated constantly to  constantly meet expectations.

I spend a lot of my time coaching them and also motivating them to perform and show them the path  ahead to keep up the aspirations as well as understand the business goals. I also need to align their  personal goals with the business goals. We have regular catch ups where I share with my team my  stories both personal as well my experience at work. This time I use for introspection as well as I ask  them to provide me feedback on what they would have done differently. Similarly I encourage the team  members also to share their stories and we all would collectively introspect. This as a team helped us be  open to feedback, arrive at solutions and also get another point of view. I used this format to also solve  work related issues where we have participative decision making. It could be related to a tough client or  meeting deadlines etc.

Application

I have a story about using story telling. In one of the regular catch up the discussion point was  on a client feedback. We had received a constructive feedback from a client and we had  realized that the reason for a feedback was more related to the fact that we had not built any  relationship with them. I was talking about pressures that the clients face and my experience of  working onshore. I wanted my team to be customer empathetic rather than just focusing on  client delivery. We are dealing with humans in the end of the day and we need build  relationships in any business. Quality is always a given however building relationships helps in  sustainable business. If we needed to that we need to spend quality time engaging with them  and understanding their requirements. The team member working on the client was stressed  and turned emotional. She vented out her anger on the client’s stringent timelines and not  being responsive etc. I recognized she needs to be the “Princess for an hour”. I let her speak and let  go off all the anger. I asked her if we can go out and take a breath of fresh air rather than be stuck in a  meeting room. While we were walking I let her do all the talking and just asked her probing questions.        Insight & Approach

While she was talking she was visualizing and also self-reflecting, she mentioned that she knew that the  feedback would be bad. She knew it as she was not able to build relationship with them or understand  the customer’s requirement. She was not able to do that as the client’s time zone was not matching due  to her personal requirement. She had a new born kid and she needed to get home early and  concentrate on him. It was an eye-opener for me because I could see that she was going through a guilt  for months as she was split between meeting both expectations. I thought it was the right time for me  to share my story, I told her about how difficult it was for me to work when my mom was going through  a health challenge. I had to manage teams during the day, customer calls in the night and hospital runs  and doctor’s discussion. I spoke to her on the emotional and physical drain I went through. I also shared  my daily routine and some tips and tricks I used to get through the time. We both came up with a  solution on how she could come in early so that she can have meetings with the onshore teams in their  evening. I came up with a plan to give her clients in the same time zone that is convenient for her. We  worked on a daily routine and finally all turned out to be good. Now she is a happier person and a high  performer.     We both collectively shared this story with the Women committee and came up with a mentor mentee  program. This program helps women professionals’ to get guidance from women leaders and identify  solutions for their problems.    I never knew that telling stories can be such a powerful tool. This course has helped me realize  the impact of this tool and use it in a better way.


Storytelling - Empathy Challenge and Selection : I am a member of an organization ’s operations team . We work in a highly regulated atmosphere . Our clients are onshore and they send us work on a daily basis and we charge clients on hourly rate . Our work is seasonal . Employees are our assets and our clients typically use us when they are in high pressure . We work on extremely tight deadlines and uncertainty relating to work inflow . Our work quality and turnaround time determines our moving up the value chain and increasing revenue . We also need to build relationships with the onshore counterparts which means having regular connects etc . which then requires us to stretch our days . One of our biggest challenge is to build relationships with the onshore customers as their time zones are different . Our employees need to be motivated constantly to constantly meet expectations . I spend a lot of my time coaching them and also motivating them to perform and show them the path ahead to keep up the aspirations as well as understand the business goals . I also need to align their personal goals with the business goals . We have regular catch ups where I share with my team my stories both personal as well my experience at work . This time I use for introspection as well as I ask them to provide me feedback on what they would have done differently . Similarly I encourage the team members also to share their stories and we all would collectively introspect . This as a team helped us be open to feedback , arrive at solutions and also get another point of view . I used this format to also solve work related issues where we have participative decision making . It could be related to a tough client or meeting deadlines etc . Application I have a story about using story telling . In one of the regular catch up the discussion point was on a client feedback . We had received a constructive feedback from a client and we had realized that the reason for a feedback was more related to the fact that we had not built any relationship with them . I was talking about pressures that the clients face and my experience of working onshore . I wanted my team to be customer empathetic rather than just focusing on client delivery . We are dealing with humans in the end of the day and we need build relationships in any business . Quality is always a given however building relationships helps in sustainable business . If we needed to that we need to spend quality time engaging with them and understanding their requirements . The team member working on the client was stressed and turned emotional . She vented out her anger on the client ’s stringent timelines and not being responsive etc . I recognized she needs to be the “ Princess for an hour ” . I let her speak and let go off all the anger . I asked her if we can go out and take a breath of fresh air rather than be stuck in a meeting room . While we were walking I let her do all the talking and just asked her probing questions . Insight & Approach While she was talking she was visualizing and also self - reflecting , she mentioned that she knew that the feedback would be bad . She knew it as she was not able to build relationship with them or understand the customer ’s requirement . She was not able to do that as the client ’s time zone was not matching due to her personal requirement . She had a new born kid and she needed to get home early and concentrate on him . It was an eye - opener for me because I could see that she was going through a guilt for months as she was split between meeting both expectations . I thought it was the right time for me to share my story , I told her about how difficult it was for me to work when my mom was going through a health challenge . I had to manage teams during the day , customer calls in the night and hospital runs and doctor ’s discussion . I spoke to her on the emotional and physical drain I went through . I also shared my daily routine and some tips and tricks I used to get through the time . We both came up with a solution on how she could come in early so that she can have meetings with the onshore teams in their evening . I came up with a plan to give her clients in the same time zone that is convenient for her . We worked on a daily routine and finally all turned out to be good . Now she is a happier person and a high performer . We both collectively shared this story with the Women committee and came up with a mentor mentee program . This program helps women professionals ’ to get guidance from women leaders and identify solutions for their problems . I never knew that telling stories can be such a powerful tool . This course has helped me realize the impact of this tool and use it in a better way .