Care about people

The higher up you are in an organisation, the harder it is to keep up with what’s happening on the ground. Get a real sense of what’s going on in your company by asking your front-line workers:

How can I help you? Ask your employees, suppliers and customers — and make sure your middle managers do the same. Senior leaders need to show they care about the people at every level.

Why are we doing it this way? Ask to learn, not to criticise. People enjoy being heard, and you’ll benefit from real feedback. Enlist your employees in the process of figuring out what needs to change and of measuring progress.

Are we supporting you? Ask if people have everything they need to do their jobs well. Take action based on what you hear. By staying in touch, you can build trust, motivate and instill a common vision.

(Source: 3 Questions Executives Should Ask Front-Line Workers, by Douglas A. Wilson)

Work with a slacker

Everyone has worked with someone who doesn’t pull his weight. You often don’t know whether to confront the person, speak to your boss or mind your own business. If someone’s slacking is not affecting your work, don’t intervene. But if your job is suffering, here’s what to do:

Put yourself in his shoes. Do you know the root causes of his behaviour? Slacking doesn’t always mean laziness — it could mean difficulty at home or a struggle to understand a new assignment.

Converse instead of confront. Speak up, but don’t be accusatory. Approach the conversation with a genuine willingness to solve the problem.

Stick to the facts. Raise specific examples of the behaviour and explain its impact on you and others. Keep the conversation forward-looking.

Be flexible. You might think you know the best way to fix the problem, but you can’t fixate on preset solutions. It’s more effective to guide the person in exploring different options.

(Source: How to Deal with a Slacker Coworker, by Carolyn O’Hara)

Weigh your commitments when negotiating

When negotiating, be very careful about the commitments you make. Never agree to something just to avoid walking away empty-handed. But if you do have some good options on the table, assess each one thoroughly. Are these options operational and sufficient? The timeline, terms and conditions need to be realistic and detailed enough that the agreement can actually be implemented. Do you have the authority to commit to these options? Think through whether you can sign on the dotted line — or if you need someone else’s approval. Finally, ask if you’ll be able to sell these options internally to key stakeholders. You should test the solutions with the right people — your boss, upper management, your team — before making any promises. Leave committing to anything until the very end.

(Source: HBR Guide to Negotiating, by Jeff Weiss)

Recognise strategic-planning myths

Strategic thinking often boils down to choosing what not to do. Yet three myths continue to plague it:

Myth 1: Productivity is the goal. Productivity is about getting things done. Strategic thinking is about getting the right things done well. And that means leaving some things undone.

Myth 2: Strategy is about what’s ‘important.’ Every project is important to someone, and every organisation has more important projects than it can complete. Strategic thinkers must decide where to focus.

Myth 3: It’s only about thinking. Strategic thought has to yield actionable decisions. Leaders must make the call about what the team will and will not do — and stick to it.

(Source: 3 Myths That Kill Strategic Planning, by Nick Tasler)

Consider new initiatives

We keep hearing how organisations need to adapt to stay relevant and profitable in a rapidly changing world. But is constant adaptation always the best idea? Before taking your company through a big change initiative, ask:

If customers really want you to change. The continued successes of some companies show that people often value consistency.

If the rewards outweigh the risks. Remaking or radically changing your offerings has costs. If you do decide to overhaul your portfolio, be prepared for the consequences.

If change will make you vulnerable. Shifting strategies or altering your offerings can open the door to competitors. Don’t leave your core business unprotected.

(Source: Your Business Doesn’t Always Need to Change, by Andrea Coville and Paul B. Brown)

Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, July 28th, 2014