| As we approach the end of the series of articles | | | | Yes I said budgets, those are those spreadsheets |
| entitled "The Wheel of Management", I want to | | | | your accounting people insist that you work on |
| start to tie all the concepts we have discussed | | | | every now and again, and the ones you then |
| together. In many of the articles I have used the | | | | proceed to forget about. So how do they |
| phrase, "Tell your people what you expect of | | | | become communication tools. Well, it begins during |
| them." In this the sixth article in the series I want | | | | preparation. You talk with your people and get |
| to talk a little about how best to do this, and also | | | | their input into such areas as gross margin, |
| to remember there is a second part of | | | | reasonable expenses, etc. You will be surprised |
| communicating, which is called listening. | | | | that their expectations will often exceed your |
| "The boss never listens to me" is a bleat I hear all | | | | own. Then you build your budget in such a way |
| the time in my practice. What that comment | | | | that each supervisor has a part for which he is |
| really means is "The boss does not think highly | | | | directly responsible. What better way can there |
| enough of me to ask my opinion." Why is this | | | | be to tell them what you expect them to |
| important, simply put in two words "Buy In." Let | | | | achieve, and more so they provided the |
| me give an example. One of my clients was | | | | underlying data with those lofty expectations. |
| having a discipline problem. We called a meeting of | | | | (This process also applies to contractors where |
| key staff and laid it out that something must be | | | | each job can and should be converted into a |
| done, but instead of telling them what we should | | | | budget against which actual performance can be |
| do we asked them what they thought. With just | | | | compared.) |
| a few leading questions the group soon developed | | | | Before closing this piece I also want to refer back |
| a pretty good outline of a code of conduct and a | | | | to the first article in the series. Remember job |
| list of penalties for transgressions. After that we | | | | descriptions? Well job descriptions fall right behind |
| had no difficulty getting universal acceptance of a | | | | budgets as the most underutilized communications |
| discipline policy. | | | | tool. And you always thought this was just the |
| The meeting referred to above was part of a | | | | HR persons way of getting more power. Job |
| regular meeting program initiated to include senior | | | | descriptions when done right also tell your people |
| supervisory staff in the management process. My | | | | your expectations, and provide targets and |
| experience is that having these regular sessions | | | | performance criteria. |
| has enormous dividends. Not surprising really, | | | | Good communication is like a great lubricant. It |
| because, when you think about it, you choose the | | | | smoothes the running of the most complex |
| best people you can find. As good as you | | | | organization. Without it, parts and tempers soon |
| yourself are, it is amazing how often they come | | | | wear thin and breakdowns and blowups become |
| up with great ideas that you did not think of. And | | | | the order of the day. You think you spend your |
| the best part, once you decide to implement their | | | | day fighting fires and not doing your real work, |
| ideas, they are already on your side. | | | | check out how you are communicating, that is |
| I want to move on to a communications tool | | | | where the problem is! |
| which is most under utilized, and that is budgets. | | | | |