With the workshop on the highest level of the benchmark

Year after year, after the numbers are announced, they sit down together, slap confidently snappy slogans, make the even nicer powerpoints for the employee presentation, and hang even fancier paper posters in the hallways with the goal of "We are the Benchmark ONE."

The latest figures were presented last week at the management meeting. The number of worry lines on the CEO's face increased in line with the volume and vehemence of his outburst that there was only room for us at the top. For instead of finally advancing to the top half, we are now once again below the line. The goal of becoming ONE is in danger of disappearing.

So now there's an immediate measure: all employees have to attend the "ONE4Benchmark" workshop. Hannes, as production manager, is already taking part in the first of these.

He takes a seat in the plenum. The semi-circle without tables is not only intended to promote the new discussion culture, but also to symbolically make it possible to experience that we take care of the customer's concerns and that the customer experiences the service as well-rounded. "Round-aboutthe-client" is how the coach, who was flown in especially for this purpose, puts it. Although no one has heard of the coach before, he is a luminary, says the boss. "Well, you can't know everything, so it's probably true," Hannes thinks to himself.

Coach takes a swing at the opening statement, "We are a real community today, concerned about the benchmark in the business-to-business market. Yes, it's about the grind, the nitty gritty, and we should get out of our comfort zone."

The group is invited to the round of introductions. The participants know each other, but at least this means 30 minutes less preparation for the coach and 30 minutes less work for the participants.

The coach asks everyone to look at this check-in in the style of "who, why and where", write the key words on a pin board card and then hang it up. One should also make a clear commitment to a goal. Short individual time to prepare, then a pitch from each participant follows. Each time, the participants conclude with the words "Check-in - ready to go".

This world is somewhat alien to Hannes, but if it's good for customer satisfaction, it should also be good for the boss's mood. And that makes everything else more pleasant too.

The workshop continues. With an input, the tanned coach of the type "triathlete-and-needs-only-4-hours-sleep" launches a first so-called smart-learn-round. "So, now scan the group members and find a partner to exchange-of-experience. Please prepare another elevator pitch in a time-boxing session where you elaborate the mind-setting for the subsequent feedback round."

Hannes hangs out with his group mates in a vacuum. It's all a bit too much warm air for him, but they write three pinboard cards in their group room: "love it, change it, leave it". Hannes thinks he heard that 20 years ago and it could still fit. The group mates agree. The coach acknowledges the presentation with the exclamation "Wow - greatest - you are real champs! These are the true keywords for an Amazing-Folk in the Client-Prototype Space. Yes, good enough, life is a pitch, I'm smoothly on fire."

So the day passes animatedly and after the acclimatization familiar. At some point the long familiar slide appears with the bumblebee whose wings are too big to fly. But because she doesn't know it, she flies anyway.

Finally, the coach introduces the final round. Everyone has to perform one last pitch with the transfer fields and conclude their statement with the words "Check-out".

After twelve "check-outs", the coach declares that they were a supercrazy- great group, and Hannes goes to the office. Before checking his e-mails, he quickly books an English course at the adult education centre where he lives - otherwise customer satisfaction will never happen.