Melissa Belec the twenty two year old Canadian intern at Reho Travel is back and this week she talks about hockey and business and how to shift from defence to offense.
Last week was all about Melbourne being the worlds sporting capital. Well not quite, as Canada’s number one sport has virtually no profile here. This week, I must confess, I felt a little home sick missing the hockey playoffs (I couldn’t resist; I had to watch parts of the game on my computer at work).
Therefore, in the spirit of educating readers I will use hockey analogies to describe my perspective on the Australian business world so far. Through this mentorship program I have attended many, many meetings, each very different from one another. I have observed three types of meetings: defensive, offensive and neutral.
Shifting From Defence to Offense
Sometimes a line of attackers will try to score on your net and you will have to defend it. Having been a little naïve in the past, I am just starting to accept that a reality in the business world is that things will go wrong. The success of a business depends on how these situations are handled. I have witnessed a few meetings where Reho had to set up a defensive position but emerged with a positive result by openly seeking feedback and providing quality deliverables.
Recently, Karsten and I initiated a meeting with a study tours tour leader to receive feedback on a tour that we knew had some issues. After an open discussion the lady concluded by saying that the overall trip was well organized and that she was very pleased. Despite this positive response, Karsten was not satisfied with the less than perfect service this client had received and offered compensation.
At Reho, we value that each customer has the best experience possible. The meeting was very informative because it allowed us receive honest feedback and determine the issues at hand. With a better understanding of these issues, we were able ensure that they wouldn’t happen again. I think that attacking negative feedback head on sets the company apart and puts them to an offensive position.
We found ourselves in a different defensive position when we attended a meeting where a current client was undertaking a review of its travel provider. Our goal in this meeting was to ‘save’ the business and remind them that they are already receiving the best possible service. I found being in this position slightly awkward because I felt vulnerable.
However, my colleagues were very confident because our service to this company had been exceptional in the past and that there was no reason for them to change providers. With their confident and positive perspective the team were able to transform the defensive play into an offensive one.
Neutral
Sometimes business is more organic and flows more naturally. I think most of Reho’s meetings are neutral where there is an equal amount of exchange and all the players get a fair amount of play. This is apparent during internal meetings where team members are encouraged to voice their opinions. This is also the case with most of their current clients, such as Deakin Uni, where a friendship and a superior level of trust has developed between the two parties. In which case, the meetings, although structured, feel laid back and proceed in a friendly discussion.
Beyond this, Reho’s involvement in the community and their desire to create good through business has led them to be a part of like-minded business communities such as B Corporation. One night, I attended an after work ‘bevvies’ (which I now know means drinks) function where we met with other BCorps. I met very interesting people with similar goals and attitudes.
Game plan
I think that Reho’s values generally lead them to a neutral business meeting style. However, the reality of the business world is that they must adapt to offensive and defensive plays. Sometimes this may mean bringing a variety of team members into or out of the play depending on their specific skill set.
Although Reho work hard, they play fair, there is no body checking or high sticking and as a result there’s very little time spent in the penalty box!
Melissa is shifting from defence to offense!
