How To Create A Line Of Sight Model With Your Customers

A few weeks ago, I was on a TV interview and the host had an eyelash stuck to her cheek. Not knowing her very well, I waited to see if one of her staff members would say anything to her directly. As time went on, the interview was about to start, so I leaned over and whispered to her, “Hey, if you had an eyelash on your cheek would you want to know?” She replied, “Of course!”

Similarly, last year I stood in front of a room of Co-Active leaders as they objectively told me where I showed up as a leader and where I failed. It was humbling, of course, but at the end of the day don’t you want to know when you have an “eyelash stuck to your cheek”?

Align your strengths with customer gaps

You know you have strengths; however, what do you know about how your customers perceive the work you do? What are you doing to align your strengths with your customers’ gaps? Whether we work for someone else or have our own business, we all need to consider how our interactions impact those around us.

What do you know about what your customers see, hear or feel? Most importantly, what do your customers value? Take this a step further: what you know about your internal customers?

Your customer and the Line of Sight Model

Below is an example of a model you can create to show the touch points between you and your customer. Called the “Line of Sight Model,” this is a great way to make sure what you think is happening within your inside world is actually happening in your outside world.

In this model, the senior vice president's (SVP’s) customer is the board of directors. You may notice that the SVP’s activities and responsibilities are between the board of directors and their own team. So it makes sense in this example that the SVP might feel caught in the middle, under pressure, conflicted and lonely.

This Line of Sight Model, therefore, helps the SVP discover where they are, what’s at stake, what moves them and what blocks them — in other words, whether there’s an eyelash on their cheek. A Co-Active Coach can help this SVP brush off this metaphorical eyelash in the following ways:

• Offer an objective set of eyes and ears to help identify what’s next for them.
• Inspire and equip them to have a work life that supports their legacy and meet the financial needs of their family.
• Create a safe place to help them process their next steps in their business.
• Maximize their time by working with other successful business leaders.

Making it real: Do you want to know if there’s an eyelash stuck to your cheek?

• List all the types of customers you have. What do you know about each of them?
• Can you create a Line of Sight Model illustrating what is actually happening in your outside world? Does it match what is happening within your inside world?
• What one thing can you do today to have a stronger connection within your world?