They are not trusted to make ‘the right decision’ despite having been employed based on having the necessary knowledge, experience and common sense.
The best way to equip Team Members to make ‘the right’ decisions thus empowering and engaging them, is to agree as a team a clear Vision Statement.
The agreed Vision Statement can then be used as each Team Member’s reference point or compass when making an autonomous (empowered) decision.
Easy to digest guidance for creating a jointly agreed Vision Statement is available in the highly recommended, fun to read book “Full Steam Ahead!” by Ken Blanchard and Jesse Stoner.
To illustrate the points made, here is an example of a Vision Statement agreed by a Credit Team:
Purpose: Nourishing Businesses...
The Credit Team seeks to provide credit solutions that enhance internal and external customers’ business models and sustainability; thereby promoting economic growth and stable employment.
Values:
Integrity, trust, transparency, creativity and enterprise
If a situation requires a choice to be made between one value and another, the values are stated here in order of precedence. For example if one can exercise integrity or creativity one must elect to honour integrity and forego creativity in that instance.
A Picture of the Future:
(A word picture describing the Credit Team as it will look when its Vision is realised)
The Credit Team is an innovative, market leading, customer focused credit solutions provider - fully aligned with the Strategic Intent of the Business. It is recognised as having great people with imagination, committed to delivering added value to customers. The team works ‘as one’; guided by its purpose and values.
The foundations for this work are:
1. Compliance with Credit Policy,
2. Holistic credit analysis,
3. A “Yes; provided …. Can Do” attitude, and
4. An on-going programme of research, development, participation in professional discussions and networking.
Books authored by Ron Wells are available from: BarrettWells Books
