The Not So Secret to Success: Immersion

The secret to my success has been the ability to go out and meet people, meet people in their businesses and listen to their stories. Interpret what I hear and then go into solution mode.

I had an opportunity to attend an Alternative Board® (TAB) Sample board hosted by Lize Terblanche. What an eye-opening experience.

I often think sampling products really gives people a taste for more. How do you sample a business coach, membership or service? Well, the Alternative Board® (TAB) has managed to do this extremely well – they host a sample or, as they put it – “A Taste of T

ab”.

Initially, I was sceptical and winced because I thought wow, that is knocking out my morning. BUT oh my, it is worth the time and so much more.

The signup process is easy: You click on a link and book. You get reminders that are not forceful but actually useful.

There is a Zoom call, so the TAB facilitator matches you to the right board. (This is fundamental to the success because you want to be on a board of relevant business owners).

Everything is planned out:

1. You know where to go.

2. You know who to meet.

3. You know what to bring.

Once you are there, the 2 hours is used effectively to show you what a TAB does and how it can be effective.

The feedback is honest, surprising and insightful. You can ask questions, answer questions, and really get unstuck.

Apart from obviously getting advice for me – it was incredible to hear some of the issues and challenges other business owners have - they were either obvious or things I had never thought about.

As an Experience Enabler, I would encourage budding CX and UX people to join a TAB to really dig into the real problems that people experience. From ensuring that your design takes into account travelling time when stuck in traffic, how to read from a small screen that you can't see because the sunlight is bright. How to showcase your expertise in a competitive world.

Managers of design teams who are bringing in juniors should invest in these networking programmes for staff members.

It is so easy to live behind your desk and design experiences remotely, but end the procrastination, get out there, and interact with the people you are designing for. Network, Network, Network!

Join a BNI meeting – meet the business owners in our community.

TAB is international, so find a local sample a board meeting to find the right fit!

Looking forward to my next meeting!