As we approach the fourth quarter of this year, Michael Partnow, Group President, Wealth Management at JIFFY.ai, provides insights into why leaders must take this time to ask, “How am I doing?” In a recent conversation, here’s what he had to say about asking the right questions and listening to the responses—to identify areas prime for improvement in organizations.
Partnow believes that organizations looking to adopt automation for efficiency must be laser-focused on listening to the key constituents across the value chain. For those in leadership roles, asking “How am I doing?” can transform an organization from ‘same old same old to an efficient, technology-driven, and people-focused one.
“Ed Koch, a former New York City mayor, was famous for asking, “How am I doing?” as he interacted with people. As I think about him, I feel it’s incumbent for leaders, to create an incredibly comfortable environment encouraging employees, prospects, clients and vendors to answer that question honestly. And not only asking, “How am I doing?” but digging in further and asking “What are you doing, and how are you doing it?” Partnow says.
Through introspective conversations, individuals should disconnect from day-to-day tasks and help identify areas prime for automation: reducing risk, reducing redundant data processing, by reviewing processes, policies, and procedures that have often not been revised for years.
Sometimes these decisions around areas prime for automation are made in silos or as part of an isolated conversation. Regardless, asking questions to the broader constituents is paramount.
“When was the last time you had open conversations with your greatest asset which happens to be your employees?” Partnow asks.
Asking questions shows you are taking a general interest and allows them to express their ideas and best thinking. Their responses can then help identify areas to automate processes in coordination with the broader organization’s goals.
Earlier, identifying areas for automation used to be simple, according to Partnow. For example, if an organization has many data processors, there is a high volume of incoming data and higher risk involved. But now, there are areas in the data flow cycle that still need to be looked at to gain greater efficiency. The challenge is everyone is just “too busy.”
“Deciding on what areas to automate shouldn’t necessarily be a top-down perspective. It’s vital that leaders go to the people in those jobs and roles, understand how they do their jobs, and determine how they can do it much more efficiently,” Partnow adds.
Leaders must be brave enough to ask questions because what they hear back may not always be what they want. It is also imperative that leaders not set any false promises.
“Just because you’re asking the question doesn’t mean you’re also promising to fix something. You’re promising to listen and create an environment where you’re demonstrating that it’s crucial to hear individuals’ voices—not necessarily making the promise that what they share will be executed. Even if you don’t automate it, you take the initiative to care about their daily work,” he says.
Leaders who demonstrate a willingness to listen, create a safe environment, and commit to exploring ways to improve processes go a long way in terms of having a bonding experience.
“Asking questions creates a bond and opens the doors if other issues arise. People can always come to that leader and say, ‘hey, want you to know this is happening.’ It helps the leader understand the processes, identify bottlenecks, and improve their role and the roles of others across the entire organization,” he adds
While some employees want to come in and just “do their job,” many want to understand their impact as well—the upstream and downstream effects—and what it means to the broader organization.
“Those intimate conversations with employees are where you can uncover significant opportunities. But it starts with asking questions, listening, and hearing the responses. The bonds you build in this way will be much more robust, and there will be more willingness to partner more deeply,” Partnow concludes.
Michael S. Partnow is the Group President of Wealth Management at JIFFY.ai. JIFFY.ai’s intelligent automation platform enables enterprises to build business applications that run their processes end to end. Using cognitive capabilities such as intelligent document processing, AI, RPA, ML and advanced analytics, these apps learn and adapt to changing situations impacting the business landscape, and even mimic human thinking and actions intelligently.
Contact Michael at [email protected]
