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Casual Articles - The Cost Of Managers Who Don't Communicate Well
Strategic planning is one of the most powerful tools available to today’s managers. Simply put, it is the process of deciding where your business intends to go, and how it is going to get there. In other words, it is the concept of working in the present, with a constant eye on the future. It’s a simple concept, but its impact can be dramatic.Peter Legge is the president and publisher of Canada Wide Magazines & Communications. In a recent conversation, I asked Peter how he is able to give over 100 lectures a year, author numerous books, volunteer for his church and community, play golf, spend time with his family, and still find time to run Western Canada’s largest publishing company. His answe
You can delegate authority.
You can not delegate responsibility.
It does not matter if you gave Maggie the Anderson account to rework. If it sucks, at the end of the day it is still your fault.
When down-trends inevitably occur, eat your share of the elephant.
The pay back here will also be reflected in another aspect. Absenteeism will drop significantly. As a result, productivity will increase.
4. Correct a subordinate in public.
This piece of common sense may be the most uncommon of all.
The manager who commits this atrocity is somewhat similar to the “email bomber.” He is either
Implementing changes, even when they’re good for your business, can be tough. As the old adage goes, old habits die hard and it’s just as true in business as it is in our personal lives. It’s simply easier to take the path of no resistance and revert back to doing what we’ve always done. Here’s a way to skyrocket your profit potential by linking change to pain and payoff.Whenever I sit with a client who has hired me to assess and identify ways to streamline their business operations, we eventually get around to what I call the "no pain, no change" discussion. I can present a neatly packaged assessment report with recommendations for increasing efficiencies or streamlining processes, but new efficien
So, what is the kicker? Usually, it is a boss with poor communication skills. Here is a list of the most common problems, how they can negatively impact (yes, I know rules of grammar dictate I should say influence rather than impact, but I think impact drives the point home better) your bottom line, and what you can do about it.
1. Use email to communicate problems.
A person who loathes confrontation or is just mean spirited utilizes this technique. If it is the former, you are better off. This manager is so concerned with your feelings, and how you will react, that he will send ten emails to avoid a one-minute face-to-face meeting that may be uncomfortable. Typically, this manager is someone who has come up the ranks through a process of the attrition of others. Truth be told, he probably does not want the responsibility of leadership at all.
The second user of email for bad news is more along the lines of the anonymous postal bomber. He will intentionally save your bad news email until just before close of business on Friday, in an effort to sour your weekend. NEVER open anything from this guy on a three-day weekend. Destroying something like that would be coup-de-gras for this turkey.
Whatever, the motivation it is a rotten thing to do. If you want to be, or continue to be an effective manager who communicates well, don’t do it. If you have managers in your employ, don’t allow them to do it.
Write out the bad news you want to communicate. Eliminate as much negative as you can, add a positive spin, and do it face to face.
What is the monetary payback? The answer is two-fold: 1) your employee retention rate will increase. 2) You recruitment efforts will meet with quicker success.
2. Berate the group for the sins of the one.
How many meetings have you been in where a less than effective manager spent over an hour preaching about the importance of professionalism when it comes to dress code? All the while you know the whole meeting is about Edna, in receiving and her circa 1970 orange and green tube top.
If I have an issue with one of my staff it is my responsibility to take it up with him individually. It may not be fun, but it is why I get the “big bucks.”
Where is the payback? You guessed it. Retention and recruitment expenditures will continue to decrease.
3. Roll problems downhill.
I believe this to be one of the cardinal sins of leadership. I have been in enumerable situations when, either due to market changes or poor management, productivity and efficiency falter. At the point, the ineffective communicator brings the staff together and berates them for the short falling.
Having spent several years in the military in one form or another there are many things I would like to forget. However, there is one adage that I hope to always remember, and it is:
You can delegate authority.
You can not delegate responsibility.
It does not matter if you gave Maggie the Anderson account to rework. If it sucks, at the end of the day it is still your fault.
When down-trends inevitably occur, eat your share of the elephant.
The pay back here will also be reflected in another aspect. Absenteeism will drop significantly. As a result, productivity will increase.
4. Correct a subordinate in public.
This piece of common sense may be the most uncommon of all.
The manager who commits this atrocity is somewhat similar to the “email bomber.” He is either
When developing or updating a marketing plan, knowing where to start is often a challenge. To better develop effective marketing strategies, begin by gathering information about both your business and the larger business environment (competition, trends, statistics, etc).Internally, the amount of information you gather about your own business will depend on your company size. Information can include business strategies and plans; company marketing plans; pricing; and income statements. Employee knowledge is also a valuable resource. As you gather information, if you at first turn to internal sources then expand your understanding through external resources you will do fine.External informatio
The second user of email for bad news is more along the lines of the anonymous postal bomber. He will intentionally save your bad news email until just before close of business on Friday, in an effort to sour your weekend. NEVER open anything from this guy on a three-day weekend. Destroying something like that would be coup-de-gras for this turkey.
Whatever, the motivation it is a rotten thing to do. If you want to be, or continue to be an effective manager who communicates well, don’t do it. If you have managers in your employ, don’t allow them to do it.
Write out the bad news you want to communicate. Eliminate as much negative as you can, add a positive spin, and do it face to face.
What is the monetary payback? The answer is two-fold: 1) your employee retention rate will increase. 2) You recruitment efforts will meet with quicker success.
2. Berate the group for the sins of the one.
How many meetings have you been in where a less than effective manager spent over an hour preaching about the importance of professionalism when it comes to dress code? All the while you know the whole meeting is about Edna, in receiving and her circa 1970 orange and green tube top.
If I have an issue with one of my staff it is my responsibility to take it up with him individually. It may not be fun, but it is why I get the “big bucks.”
Where is the payback? You guessed it. Retention and recruitment expenditures will continue to decrease.
3. Roll problems downhill.
I believe this to be one of the cardinal sins of leadership. I have been in enumerable situations when, either due to market changes or poor management, productivity and efficiency falter. At the point, the ineffective communicator brings the staff together and berates them for the short falling.
Having spent several years in the military in one form or another there are many things I would like to forget. However, there is one adage that I hope to always remember, and it is:
You can delegate authority.
You can not delegate responsibility.
It does not matter if you gave Maggie the Anderson account to rework. If it sucks, at the end of the day it is still your fault.
When down-trends inevitably occur, eat your share of the elephant.
The pay back here will also be reflected in another aspect. Absenteeism will drop significantly. As a result, productivity will increase.
4. Correct a subordinate in public.
This piece of common sense may be the most uncommon of all.
The manager who commits this atrocity is somewhat similar to the “email bomber.” He is either
Hospitals, manufacturing industries, and services industries are all experiencing tremendous pressure on the cost front. For hospitals, if it is not the declining reimbursement from insurance companies, it is the overall decline in revenue due to increased competition and the ever-climbing costs.How Does Six Sigma Contribute To Cost CuttingAlthough Six Sigma was never perceived as a cost cutting tool, it nevertheless contributed to that end. Six Sigma went about cutting cost in unique ways in all aspects of business operation.1. First, the voice of the customer helps in defining not just the appropriate quality but also quantity, which cuts down on wastage such as over and under-utiliz
Whatever, the motivation it is a rotten thing to do. If you want to be, or continue to be an effective manager who communicates well, don’t do it. If you have managers in your employ, don’t allow them to do it.
Write out the bad news you want to communicate. Eliminate as much negative as you can, add a positive spin, and do it face to face.
What is the monetary payback? The answer is two-fold: 1) your employee retention rate will increase. 2) You recruitment efforts will meet with quicker success.
2. Berate the group for the sins of the one.
How many meetings have you been in where a less than effective manager spent over an hour preaching about the importance of professionalism when it comes to dress code? All the while you know the whole meeting is about Edna, in receiving and her circa 1970 orange and green tube top.
If I have an issue with one of my staff it is my responsibility to take it up with him individually. It may not be fun, but it is why I get the “big bucks.”
Where is the payback? You guessed it. Retention and recruitment expenditures will continue to decrease.
3. Roll problems downhill.
I believe this to be one of the cardinal sins of leadership. I have been in enumerable situations when, either due to market changes or poor management, productivity and efficiency falter. At the point, the ineffective communicator brings the staff together and berates them for the short falling.
Having spent several years in the military in one form or another there are many things I would like to forget. However, there is one adage that I hope to always remember, and it is:
You can delegate authority.
You can not delegate responsibility.
It does not matter if you gave Maggie the Anderson account to rework. If it sucks, at the end of the day it is still your fault.
When down-trends inevitably occur, eat your share of the elephant.
The pay back here will also be reflected in another aspect. Absenteeism will drop significantly. As a result, productivity will increase.
4. Correct a subordinate in public.
This piece of common sense may be the most uncommon of all.
The manager who commits this atrocity is somewhat similar to the “email bomber.” He is either
Fundraising for a large campaign, like a capital or endowment campaign, usually involves asking for large amounts of money from a smaller group of donors. These big asks are important because of the size of the potential contributions and because of the limited amount of donors who can contribute. Failing to convert one ask can have significant consequences, thus it is important to use an ask technique likely to succeed. Face-to-face solicitation is that technique.Face-to-face meetings with prospects are most effective for your fundraising efforts if two representatives of your organization meet with a single donor - ideally, the meeting will include the donor, the development director and a board m
If I have an issue with one of my staff it is my responsibility to take it up with him individually. It may not be fun, but it is why I get the “big bucks.”
Where is the payback? You guessed it. Retention and recruitment expenditures will continue to decrease.
3. Roll problems downhill.
I believe this to be one of the cardinal sins of leadership. I have been in enumerable situations when, either due to market changes or poor management, productivity and efficiency falter. At the point, the ineffective communicator brings the staff together and berates them for the short falling.
Having spent several years in the military in one form or another there are many things I would like to forget. However, there is one adage that I hope to always remember, and it is:
You can delegate authority.
You can not delegate responsibility.
It does not matter if you gave Maggie the Anderson account to rework. If it sucks, at the end of the day it is still your fault.
When down-trends inevitably occur, eat your share of the elephant.
The pay back here will also be reflected in another aspect. Absenteeism will drop significantly. As a result, productivity will increase.
4. Correct a subordinate in public.
This piece of common sense may be the most uncommon of all.
The manager who commits this atrocity is somewhat similar to the “email bomber.” He is either
Every entrepreneur should have a business mentor—someone who’s been through everything that they’re going through and can share their wisdom. Whether he knows it or not, my business mentor is none other than former Enron Executive Ken Lay. For many, he might not make the most obvious choice of a mentor, with his track record of lying, cheating, and stealing his way to success, but that is precisely why this choice is so appealing to me.As his first duty as my business mentor, Ken (Mr. Lay to the rest of you) can grow my social network. This guy knows everybody—likely because he’s paid most of them off at one point or another. He can introduce me to people who will come in handy when I need to get ou
You can delegate authority.
You can not delegate responsibility.
It does not matter if you gave Maggie the Anderson account to rework. If it sucks, at the end of the day it is still your fault.
When down-trends inevitably occur, eat your share of the elephant.
The pay back here will also be reflected in another aspect. Absenteeism will drop significantly. As a result, productivity will increase.
4. Correct a subordinate in public.
This piece of common sense may be the most uncommon of all.
The manager who commits this atrocity is somewhat similar to the “email bomber.” He is either a jerk, in which case he is much too volatile to entrust your financial and professional well being. Or he is a hot head and is unsuitable for leadership for the same reason.
If you have a “brain fart” and make this mistake, man up and apologize in just as public a forum as when the offence was committed.
“Where’s the financial beef?” This may be the most expensive communications breakdown of all. Can you say, “Hostile work environment?” Can you say, “Harassment?” Trust me on this one folks, the good ole’ U.S. of A. is not called the “litigation nation” without cause.
5. Fail to acknowledge a persons effort.
The ineffective communicator takes the effort of others for granted. He figures he puts in 70 hours per week so, why shouldn’t everybody else?
When “Big Ed” misses his kids’ Tball game to finish up the plans for project management, make a big deal!
I hate to quote Carnegie, but right is right. “Be hearty in your approbation, and lavish in your praise.”
Why? Happy and appreciated workers are productive workers. Appreciated clients and customers come back.
So, can I wrap this up in a little bow draped package for you? I think so.
Statistically speaking, one of the greatest expenses in conducting operations is the recruitment and training of new personnel. One of the biggest challenges is attracting and retaining clientele. One of the most effective, least expensive ways to accomplish this is through good communication techniques.
Here is a little epiphany. Put these strategies on a little checklist and review it to see how well you met the objectives at the beginning and end of each day.
So, implement a little communications training and put the money saved toward your vacation in Fiji. Or, just send it to me.
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