Talking the talk will only get you so far in the business of recovery mission-critical assets. At some point you need to deliver. For some organizations, the “talk” and the “walk” are reasonably presented and balanced. They live up to the hype of their marketing and proposals. Others, not so much. I’ve worked alongside a few organizations that surprisingly tip the balance for the BETTER. They consistently under-hype and over-deliver on every project. On the flip-side, I’ve encountered a few organizations that tip the balance in the opposite direction… they constantly over-hype and under-deliver. I believe it’s possible to distinguish between Talkers and Walkers from their style of follow-up.
I’ve noticed that the key difference between the successful recovery project and one that fails is usually determined by how well the Project Manager manages expectations (Client, OEM and Adjuster). It all starts with establishing appropriate benchmarks that are readily identifiable by all stakeholders throughout the recovery process (Rule #1 for success in restoring mission-critical assets). If the organization hasn’t honored Rule #1 then they are not in a position to deliver the type of Follow-Up that matters.
Follow-up that matters is proactive and advances specific actions to meet specific objectives, NOT to make excuses or complain. Once aware of this difference (which is frequently very subtle), you begin to gauge each follow-up message you receive. It becomes abundantly clear and you’re soon able to differentiate between those that “walk the walk” from those that can’t move beyond the “talk the talk”. Talkers become conspicuously silent when something their team did that caused delay or problems. They are also the first to act as a town crier the moment anyone else is the cause of a drawback. In contrast, Walkers are the first to speak-up when they encounter a problem – especially when it was their fault. Regardless of fault, Walkers assume ownership of problems by delivering solutions – proactively… Follow-up that matters.
Recovering mission-critical assets following a disaster event often presents technical challenges that require specialized experience and talent. The last thing that a business affected by disaster needs is to partner with an equipment restoration specialist that’s in name only. Unfortunately, it can be easy to influence organizations affected by disaster during the “Crisis, Confusion & Chaos” phase of initial response to the incident… which leaves Stakeholders venerable to partnering with Talkers. The Talkers approach the Stakeholders by presenting problems (“Chicken Little” approach), while the Walkers present solutions and detail the available options. Listen closely and you’ll find that you can easily distinguish between those that are able to deliver Rule #2 – even early in their presentations. Experience AND follow-up matters.
