Service Managers Need To Dig Themselves Out Of The Trenches Of Tactical Thinking

By Tom Paquin, research analyst, service management, Aberdeen, www.aberdeen.com

Getting mired in the day-to-day is all too easy. In order to achieve field service success, you have to learn to think strategically.

In Harvard Professor William Ury’s book on negotiation, The Power of a Positive No, the author explores the concept of “Going to the Balcony.” He argues that, when overwhelmed with the complexity, emotions, and divergent perspectives of a given challenge, we should separate ourselves, find a higher vantage point, and assess the situation from there. For the purposes of his writing, Ury is referring to “The Balcony” as a tool to help in negotiations, but I find it easy to see plenty of other applications for this versatile concept, especially in field service, where getting a strategic view can often be an eye-opening experience.