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Touchpoints

The idea of touchpoints is a popular leadership and marketing tool that speaks to the small points of contact that can be made impactful throughout the days or weeks with a little intentionality.  Highly effective leaders are usually the ones you find on the shop floors speaking directly to middle management and front line employees.  The often go out of their way to look for small moments to praise and employee or recognize and anniversary.  Marketers know that it can take as many as 10-15 touchpoints to covert a customer into a loyal brand follower.  Intentionally making the most out of small interactive moments can help to coalesce a team into a well-oiled machine.

So how do we apply this to Royal Ranges, and how to we apply this to a culture where human touch and contact seems to be grinding to a halt?

Humans Were Designed for Human Contact

God designed us to audibly hear one another, to make eye contact and watch body language.  He designed us to give high-fives, handshakes, and yes, hugs.  Studies show that 46% of what you say is body language.

Just this semester while moving my son back into his dorm down at FAU he realized that he missed an appointment with his professor.  I told him that this was one of those moments that he just needed to own up to his mistake, say he was sorry and ask what he could do to make up the appointment.  About thirty minutes later I called Chandler and said, “by the way, grace is never applied to a text or email.  This is one that has to be done face to face.”  We live in a time where communication has never been easier but communicating has never been more difficult.  Have you seen any young men walking in that head down, stair at the screen, posture that reads, “leave me alone”?  Have you had a handshake that seemed awkward and bit like squeezing an over ripe banana.

Make it a habit in Rangers to be liberal with high-fives and handshakes.  Watch the body language of boys as they come in and address the down and outers.  Hug when appropriate.

Relational Rocket Fuel

Interpersonal skills are the rocket fuel that will propel any carrier to unchartered galaxies.  Teach your boys to use touchpoints to unite their team and encourage individuals.  This takes some extra one on one mentoring with the GLT.

As leader take a few minutes each Wednesday in Rangers to create touchpoints: Take note of extra effort, call out good behavior, keep track of birthdays, anniversaries, funerals, and sick days.  If you have the staff, recruit some help.  Some of these things can be done on a Google calendar with alerts added.  A trip to the dollar store to stock up on $1.00 cards and a few sweet treats can put just the right punctuation on this initiative.

Prayer Circle

There is no greater touchpoint than to take a need to the Lord and have your Outpost agree with you.

Books We are Reading

TouchPoints by Douglas R. Conant

Waking The Dead

Moving Mountains

4 Disciplines