Ivy Sea Online: Building or busting service credibility

BUILDING OR BUSTING YOUR SERVICE CREDIBILITY

Who knows how the phrase ‘closing the loop’ came about. What we do know is that it’s a commonly used expression meaning, "to follow up with" or "to provide closure or resolution to."

What intrigues us here at Ivy Sea is the power those three little words have when put into action. For better or worse, closing the loop (or not) sends a powerful message to others about you and your firm. It can either help solidify your credibility or damage it, so let's take a look at how you can use it as an extremely effective communication tool, regardless of your business.

First, what is it?

Closing the loop can come in many forms, including:

• Returning a phone call or e-mail promptly;
• Confirming receipt of a message, package, etc.;
• Recapping action items at the end of a meeting; and
• Paraphrasing and parroting back a concept or direction someone has shared, ensuring your comprehension level.

In short, closing the loop is an action that leaves no questions left to be answered in your audience’s mind, i.e., Will Kathy attend the meeting? I never received a confirmation from her.

What’s the big deal?

Plenty. As with all good leadership and communication skills, there are disadvantages in not incorporating the close-the-loop skill into your modus operandi. The two most prevalent drawbacks include the impression it creates of you and the additional work it adds to your plate.

Want an example? Think of the last time someone didn’t return your phone call or e-mail, despite your indicating how important his or her input was. Your emotions most likely fell somewhere on the ticked-off-o-meter. Now, conjure up your impression of this person after he or she didn’t reply to your message. Perhaps you felt angry and disrespected. Maybe you’ll think twice before collaborating with him or her again because you don’t want that flippant attitude associated with your work. You could simply think of this person as unprofessional, or not care to interact with him or her again. Whatever the new feeling, it’s not positive. So why wouldn't others think the same of you when you don’t close the loop, and leave people wondering what you're up to?

Put yourself in the shoes of the person who didn’t return the phone call. While you might have saved two minutes by not returning the call, maybe you'll have to spend seven hours on a Saturday reworking a business plan that doesn’t correctly reflect your division because you missed key information. (The reason for the initial phone call.) Maybe this delays the final delivery date. Now don’t you wish you had returned that phone call?

So, why doesn’t everyone close the loop?

Closing the loop consistently requires keen organization skills, the desire to work well with and support others, and self-management. Some of the reasons truly honest people cite as to why they don’t close the loop include:

Pulling a Powerplay – Not wanting to give up information due to the perception that, if you're the only one who has information, you're more powerful. Similarly, people in powerplay mode might have a strong need to be needed. If he has all of the answers, there will always be a need for him (or so he thinks).

Making an Assumption – Here’s this deadly word again. Any time you hear yourself or someone else use this word, a red flag should go up. When assumptions are made, there’s a greater likelihood that miscommunication — and the resulting strife — will occur.

Being Disorganized – How can you expect to follow up on something when you haven’t written it down, made time for it, or taken the energy it requires to make an informed decision about what action you’ll take? Quite frankly, you can’t expect to. Find a disorganized person, and you’ve probably got someone who doesn’t close the loop regularly.

How can you make closing-the-loop part of your communication repertoire?

Here are a couple of pointers we use at Ivy Sea, gleaned from our own work and from mentors:

• Ask yourself, "Does everybody have the information they need from me?" Performing quick pulse checks like this can help you avoid or prevent communication mishaps. Also try exercises such as comparing what information someone needs with the information you’ve provided. You’ll easily be able to see if you’ve closed the loop or not.

• Be honest. If you don’t have time to answer a question within a reasonable timeframe, say so. Don’t just neglect to reply. Close the loop by identifying the date and time you will have the information (in this example), and follow through on this promise.

• Discover what’s been holding you back from doing it previously. By identifying the mental roadblocks, you’re better equipped to find a workable solution.

• Do you think that you lack the time? Look into building time management skills.

• Do you tend to ‘throw away’ people after they’ve served your needs? Dive into personality assessments to discover how to erode this trait when it appears as a social detriment. (And think of whether those people would stand by you today.)

• Where does your service mentality fall on the spectrum? If service isn’t a top priority for you, discover other motivators that are meaningful to you that will result in your closing the loop consistently.

• Set standards for yourself and ask others to monitor your progress. Your perceptions of how you’re operating could be different than what others see. Use your internal and external barometers to gauge what areas need work and why.

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