There is a notion in excellent customer service called ‘moments of truth'. These are the hundreds and thousands of points of contact that customers have with organisations – be it entering a reception area; speaking to someone; face to face or by phone; through email or letter, seeing an advert or reading a leaflet, browsing the web. "While many managers at all levels bemoan the lack of time they have to spend with their staff or colleagues they are creating impressions all the time." These moments define our perception of the quality of service and, hence, organisation we are dealing with. The most powerful moments are when we deal with someone. And thousands of positive moments can be undermined completely by one negative. More damagingly while we rarely share the positive (and why would we when it's what we expect) we will happily regale friends, family and strangers on the bus with the negative, spreading tales of dissatisfaction far and wide. I think that the same is true of our relationships within and between organisations – leadership moments of truth. The tasks we carry out, to time, budget, standards and specification rely on the quality of our relationships - staff, colleagues, peers and partners willingly doing what needs to be done. And throughout a busy day the same moments of truth exist. While many managers at all levels bemoan the lack of time they have to spend with their staff or colleagues they are creating impressions all the time. Walking through the office, meeting someone in a corridor, answering the phone or the five minutes before and after a meeting are all moments where perceptions are formed, positive or negative. The few seconds it takes to pause at a desk and say thanks, or the conversation in a lift, may not seem important but they are powerful in defining how others see us. Think of the people you work with. Those who sprint through the office avoiding eye contact at all costs or seem to look straight through you; those who only seem to have time for those in more senior positions; those who seem to listen only when certain people speak. Now think about the people who work with you and what they take away and share about your moments of truth. Martin Horton is a director at SOLACE Enterprises
