system, so I can show them how to use the system to help them do
a more effective job.”
Listening to the training, which focused on meeting pressing
business needs, provided immediate benefits and involved specific
on-the-job activities, helped associates do a better job! No wonder
the center is now the world-class gold standard in its field.
Keep Looking over the Walls to Find
Great Models to Learn From
It’s easy to be blinded by the brilliance of our own successes. “If it
ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” is a popular management saying. For
example, one property of a hotel chain was the consistent top per-
former. Workers at the property developed an arrogant “We know
how to do things” attitude. In the course of the chain’s annual
planning process, we discovered that the high-performing hotel
was actually losing market share. What a shock!
The general manager of the property, a born again L^2 , immedi-
ately shifted into learning mode and urged the staff to start “shop-
ping the competition.” She set up a fund to pay for all staff
members, from housekeepers to front desk people, to eat or stay
overnight at competitive hotels. Within weeks, the staff accumu-
lated enough data to begin redesigning their own hotel. Everyone
took part; everyone contributed. The next six-month competitive
market report showed a six-point share growth.
You can never do enough looking over the wall to learn how
others do things. Your doing so will encourage everyone else to do
the same, at all levels in the organization. Seeing excellence in
action helps individuals visualize how they can do it for themselves.
Make Time for LearningMost people are so busy “doing,” rushing from project to project
and meeting to meeting, that they don’t have time to learn from
all their doing. Build in learning as a part of every activity. L^2 s
UNLEASH THELEARNINGEPIDEMIC 179