| |
| |
|
Management Information |
|
|
|
Problem-Solving Success Tip: Dont Leave Your Key Stakeholders Guessing
Communicate! Don't leave you key stakeholders guessing. We are generally not very good about keeping others informed about the progress we're making, especially if there isn't much. You're more likely to get support and understanding if you get the word out honestly about what is and isn't happening. As you start your problem-solving project, establish a communication plan and follow it. Specify who needs what information about your effort, when they need it and how you are going to provide it. Make the plan appropriate to your problem, the culture of your company and the individuals involved. Different participants in the project will need different information. For example, the members of the problem-solving team need all the details about everything. Managers who want the problem solved but aren't personally participating in the resolution generally need assurance that things are proceeding appropriately, or timely notification if they aren't. They don't want to guess or wade through a ton of detail to try to figure out how things stand. For them, regular status reports are generally sufficient. Nobody likes unpleasant surprises, so be sure to identify who needs to know what about the various bumps you'll hit along road. Once you've developed your communications plan, tell everyone involved what it is--then do what you promise. It seems obvious, but this is a major failing in many projects. Make changes as necessary. If people know that they're getting the information that they need when they need it, they won't waste your time with status-check phone calls or emails. Your meetings will be shorter and easier to manage because you won't have extra people coming just in case something comes up that they should know. copyright 2005. Jeanne Sawyer. All Rights Reserved. Jeanne Sawyer is an author, consultant, trainer and coach who helps her clients solve expensive, chronic problems, such as those that cause operational disruptions and cause customers to take their business elsewhere. These tips are excerpted from her book, When Stuff Happens: A Practical Guide to Solving Problems Permanently. Find out about it, and get more free information on problem solving at her web site: http://www.sawyerpartnership.com/.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
First Things First -- Process BEFORE Technology Here's a brief story I encountered while leaving Newark International Airport following a recent business trip. Hard to believe, but true. Lessons From Innovative Companies What do the companies 3M, Polaroid, and Walt Disney have in common? All have innovation in their blood. All encourage an innovative spirit at every level of their organization. 6 Steps to Effective Communication Effective leaders are known for being excellent communicators. Here's what to do. Instantly Uncover Your Corporate Culture Best Definition of "Corporate Culture"If you ask 10 people to define "organizational culture," you will get 11 different answers!Fortunately, from my consulting and writing on leadership and organizational change, I created my definition of organizational culture:"Corporate culture is how every employee knows she or he must act - even if no one is watching."Knowing your company's culture proves crucial for multiple reasons, including:+ Only organizational changes that fit into your company's culture will succeed. Towards Intercultural Understanding An individual's ability to forge effective relationships across cultures is influenced by a very personal and highly complex mixture of emotional and cognitive processes. Anyone contemplating an overseas posting feels apprehensive about stepping into the unknown. How Invisible Communication Barriers Kill Productivity Many kinds of interferences or disturbances can confuse a message. Communication specialists call them ''noise. Offshore This! (Outsourcing Tech Support Overseas) So I call my telephone company and someone picks up 15,000 miles away. I asked the rep where she's from. Classifying Motivational Needs While there exist several useful definitions of motivation, for our purposes we will define it as an individual's desire to do something based upon a need. When a person is confronted with a need (either perceived or actual), he or she usually is motivated to perform specific actions for some sort of gratification. Know the Source of Business One of the first questions we ask a prospect or new client is, "How did you get the business you have so far?" Some can answer exactly. Others aren't as certain. Executive Humor at Meetings I don't encourage managers to wear funny hats, appear in self-deprecating skits, or otherwise emulate Saturday Night Live in an attempt to manufacture an image as, "Look, folks! I'm just one a' the guys!" If clients insist, I do what I can to help. I want the money. How Your Business Can Pick A Software Developer Eventually, your business is going to need to have some software development. Your business is unique - you can't rely on a huge, faceless corporation to handle your unique needs with a shrinkwrapped, mass produced, production-line solution. Déjà Vu MCI to Qwest International Inc: Can this Corporate Marriage Survive? Current Situation:As of this writing, the MCI Board of Governors has given Verizon Communications Inc. one week to sweeten their $7. Strategies for Planning and Conducting Effective Meetings Did you know that business executives spend about half their time sitting in meetings? In fact, 40 to 50 percent of their working hours are consumed by meetings, according to a study by the Annenberg School of Communications at UCLA and the University of Minnesota's Training & Development Research Center.Meetings are inevitable - whether you're a business executive or member of a volunteer, social, or civic organization. Get It Done! Soft Skills not Hard Tools are Required If your organization has people, then interpersonal skills are needed.I work with companies that are on a path they call the lean journey. Bringing Ideas to Life: Seven Principles for Pulling Together You're so excited you're practically bouncing off the walls. This idea-your best ever-is not only going to save the company tens of thousands of dollars this year, it's eventually going to be a moneymaker. The Cheapest, Forget It ! Wouldn't it be great if we got get the cheapest price on everything. I know I wouldn't want it. Innovation Management - Six Crucial Steps Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas. Motivating Employees - Ten Ways to Start You Off Yet there is a place for those external 'raft-build's', 'away days' and 'paintballing'! Just get them in context; there is work to do up front to leverage those experiences and get the best value from them. Just build great relationships in your business or organisation, one-to-one - then have the fun day out and grow even more!"Motivation is like food for the brain. Conquering the Number One Problem in Business--Poor Communication The Number One problem in business is poor communication: between coworkers, with clients, across functional areas, up the food chain. When I ask anyone I meet "What's the one thing that causes problems in your company?" the answer is always Communication: poor communication in relaying instructions, miscommunication because of irresponsible delivery, too little information when conveying changes in policies or procedures, not enough exchange of information when relaying new concepts or ideas. Deciding What to Delegate DECIDING WHAT TO DELEGATE: Once the benefits of delegation are established and obstacles removed, the next step in the delegation process is to decide what work can and should be delegated. In general, work to be delegated should adhere to the following guidelines: - It can be handled adequately down the line.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
