Start of Excerpt.
We have now seen how gathering data
or Listening depends on gaining answers to carefully designed questions. Since questions are naturally threatening to
people, they can cause defensiveness as well as anxiety. Just being in the presence of a boss
increases our anxiety and the higher the boss the greater the anxiety
(non-5Star only). Therefore, a major
goal of any questioning process must be to relax fears and prevent anxiety.
In
view of this, I have chosen to present to you the procedure a boss should use
to receive a problem report, certainly a most challenging situation loaded with
pitfalls. Since reporting problems is
our most important management rule, the procedure must certainly not Shoot the
Messenger, but must welcome the bad news as another opportunity to excel. Done correctly, messengers will not be
terrified to make the report and some few may even feel glad to do so. The boss will have made problem reporting
something for which no one has a valid Excuse not to perform. So here's the Procedure.
DON'T
SHOOT THE MESSENGER
1. Train yourself to physically clap your hands
for joy and smile warmly as soon as you realize that standing before you is a
messenger of bad news. Add a few
words of welcome to reduce anxiety. Clear your brain to concentrate on
LISTENING.
2. Then allow the reporter to continue without
interruption while you smile warmly as if you have heard some of this
before (you probably have). Perhaps you
can start to take some careful notes.
Note taking always keeps us occupied, keeps us from missing anything and
permits us to slow down the reporter.
3. At the end of the person's report, ask very
politely if that's all there is or if there is more. Send the clear message you are in no hurry
and that quality in getting all the details is your only desire.
4. The reporter may be ready to discuss corrective
action and if so, take it now before you start asking questions. You might desire to reverse this, but
remember we are far more worried about the reporter's feelings than yours. So do whatever the reporter wants. When the reporter stops, ask if there are
any more details worth knowing. Do not
assume that the report is complete until there is a definite statement to that
effect. Then worry that some details
have been left out.
5. Now give thanks for the information and
appreciation for the person's effort to tell you. Perhaps a reference to your reporting rule (Chap 5, Supporting,
What Can I Do For You, requires that all problems be reported up the chain)
can be made and how important that is to your being able to do your own
job. "Well, that's quite a load,
George. Thanks a lot for bringing it. You know I've got this rule about reporting
all problems, so I am really grateful that you did so. If you don't report the problems, I'll never
be able to do my job. This is really
important to me and I appreciate your report".
6. Only now can you ask questions. At this point, you should have been able to
gain composure and prepare yourself. You
have had plenty of time to mentally note what's not been said, what's been
implied that needs amplification, what the reporter's body language gave you
that was missed in words and what was said but not clearly enough for you to
understand. The reporter's body
language should have sent relative importance, degree of hazard, whether there
is more to the story and the like. You
have also had time to compare this event with others in your experience so that
you may now apply previous lessons learned.
7. So go back over the problem carefully with your
questions, even to the extent of full repeats.
Do not be accusatory or in any way place the reporter on the
defensive. Remember, the person is on
your team and vice versa so the questions must be professional, unemotional and
matter of fact. You set the Tone. You might even explain this fact and that
you want to ask some questions so you will fully understand the nature of the
problem, and after all, making things worse by taking inappropriate actions is
not your intent.
8. Beyond the problem itself, there are root causes
which are the people problems of this book.
Your questions must probe for these possibilities. Frequency of
occurrence, similarity to other problems, association with particular groups or
individuals, as well as the reporter's tone and body language can be great
signposts. "I don't want you to
criticize your peers (or boss), but what do you think, George, about how the
problem got started? How can we do better?" Careful, circumspect probing that begs for possible answers is
the rule.
9. Any need for fixing people problems will slowly
become apparent as problem understanding and its solution are developed. People problems can only be understood after
some detailed discussion. The wrong
order, miscommunication, the wrong goal, the wrong training or tool or
procedure are so pervasive that laying blame on a people problem is not
possible until the very end of the process.
Do not attempt it in the beginning as it will really shut down the
problem report.
10. Ask if the reporter has any recommendations as to
how we should proceed, if not already provided. Ask questions to get all the details and the reasoning. People who spend time using their brainpower
to figure out actions must be recognized and praised.
11. So the careful, not aggressive but firm
questioning is done. The quality of the
report will dictate the number and variety of the questions. There may be just a few. A by-product will be an understanding of the
reporter and perhaps some practical training for the reporter to the extent
his/her own homework was not completely done.
After the above process, rest assured his/her next report will be of
higher quality and will require less questions on your part.
12. Now ask if there is anything else which might be
important to know in designing what we do from here.
13. At the very end, thank and appreciate once again,
and with a smile and a lilt to your voice, let the messenger go. "Thanks again for bringing up the
problem. I know it is not easy for you, but it is very important to me. Thanks especially for bearing with my
questions and being so open with your responses (whether true or not, because
this makes the next time better).
I
recommend blind adherence to the above and a solid attempt to have your body
language exude the positive, bright and cheerful Tone intended. Every boss should welcome the tough problems
with open arms because without them you would not be needed. Bosses can only truly earn their pay in
times of great difficulty. If they get
tough when the goin' gets tough rather than get unhappy or vengeful or rattled
or reactive, what a great example, what great leadership!
Did
I say leadership? Did the script
above pass all of the Value Standards of chapter 4 with an 8-10? Check it for positive attitude and
enthusiasm and smiles and cheerleading!
Check it for humility, fairness, forthrightness and “do unto others as
you would have them do unto you”! Do
your own evaluation!
Please
make one important observation. The
boss gave no answers, opinions or conclusions, rather choosing to
concentrate on getting every possible input which the reporter could
provide. The boss paid close attention
to the reporter and not on thoughts, conclusions and whatever inside his/her
own head. Most bosses are so busy with
their own thoughts and deciding what they will say that they miss half or more
of the communications emanating from the reporter. This is interpreted as being egotism or selfishness and leads in
the wrong direction, away from selflessness and fairness. From such, reporters learn they will not be
heard.
If
the boss consciously uses the above procedure for receiving any problem from
anyone, whether initiated by the boss (“how are your tools?”) or not, it
removes all pressure on the boss to somehow perform as the provider of all
answers and all knowledge. It also
allows the boss to concentrate on Listening, questioning and not missing
anything. Besides, after you have
completed pumping everything possible out of the reporter, time for thought on
what to do will be available. Many other people may need to be involved and
should have a chance to provide input before proceeding. Do not jump to conclusions or make quick
decisions or pronouncements. You only
have one report, one of many sides. Be
careful to get all sides covered before you err by trying to manage something
which needs more facts to reach a conclusion or should be decided at a lower
level in the chain of command, etc.
Many possibilities exist and most of them indicate that keeping your
mouth shut is the best policy until careful thought is possible. Don't be a loose cannon.
Bear
in mind that the previously covered Value of quality is a real key to the
above. Taking a chance on providing
guidance or direction or judgment which is of less than the highest quality,
when there is no emergency or other condition which requires immediate
response, is unnecessarily chancing poor leadership. Lack of quality always comes back to haunt us and using the
wisdom of "anything worth doing is worth doing right" will pay you
back many fold. Do not be pressured
into being a hipshooter. Deliberately
stop and show respect for the gravity of the situation, for the needs of
leadership in general, and most of all, for the people involved. Take the time to do it right. This is termed "attention to
detail" for bosses.
About the author - Ben managed people for over 30 years effecting four successful turnarounds including a nuclear-powered cruiser and a 1300 person unionized group in New York City. Ben now provides leadership coaching and training for executives, managers and supervisors. His book is available at http://www.bensimonton.com/