“Visual Learning” Improves Communications with Clients

Lana Chandler
March 18, 2008 | COMMENTS

Visual learning is a powerful resource for leaders,” states Tom Hershberger, president of Cross Financial Group (Lincoln, NE). “When coaching for improved performance, leaders should look for ways to paint a picture of the desired results with clients so employees can envision their role in the success.”

Employees typically come to work each day with a desire to serve the client and meet their employer's performance expectations. That sets the stage for high quality transactions.

“When the employee also decides they want to be a servant to the client, we begin to introduce characteristics of high quality client care,” says Hershberger. Visual learning can help employees understand what this truly involves.

Pictures Reinforce Messages

Visual learning and using pictures to reinforce messages improves communications with clients. The same logic applies when supervising and coaching employees.

Visual learning comes in many forms—role plays, observation of other employees, assessment of employee performance when an employee is interacting with a client, training videos—they all provide a visible example of behaviors that can be evaluated.

When you provide employees with visible examples, it also allows them to assess how they feel about what they have observed. “Those feelings will be the connectors that help employees determine how they can influence satisfaction and loyalty with what they do and how they say things,” says Hershberger.

EXAMPLE: You're teaching an employee a new procedure, policy or performance standard. Instead of telling the employee what you want them to do to meet your expectations . . .

• Share with them the intent of the new procedure or policy
• Describe what you're trying to accomplish with the new performance standard
• Ask the employee to describe how they see it working in their daily interactions with clients
• Ask the employee to identify when it would work effectively
• Have them describe a situation where they think it wouldn't work
• Outline together what could be done to ensure the best implementation of the new procedure or policy

The visual learning process will result in a better solution and higher ownership levels of the new performance standard.

This story appeared in the March 2008 edition of Lana Chandler's Branch Manager's Letter at www.branchmanagersletter.com and is reprinted with permission.