“They say there’s not enough communication…”
This is one I hear a lot of from managers. Their staff is complaining that there’s not enough communication going on.
As a manager, you don’t want to hear this. For goodness sake, aren’t you doing enough already to communicate? There’s weekly staff meetings. You forward announcements from the boss. And for heaven’s sake, if people think they are missing something, they should “ask.” After all, you do have an open door policy.
But you take your staff’s complaints seriously, so you dive into solution mode. Maybe a newsletter. Or more Q&A sessions with the Director. I’ve got it − an all-day off-site team-building. (BTW, I’m conducting a free call, Apr 29 on “5 Cases When Team-Building is Not the Answer.”)
You jump into fix-it mode, wanting to be responsive. But the truth is, you could waste a lot of time by assuming what “more and better communication” looks like to your staff.
I’m not suggesting to not be responsive to your staff’s complaints, but don’t base your response, and all the time you’d invest, on a guess.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh, boy! The problem (and I blog about this often) is that you have to be so careful when communicating. I have been managing for over 20 years now. Guarding your words and actions for fear of the H/R reaper coming to snare you is incredible! I will try to make it on your next call. I am very interested in this subject!
Hi James, thanks for your comment. Can you say more? What communication do you think you would have to guard in this instance?
Wow, sorry it took so long to get back to you on this. I was googling myself (arrogant Manager Syndrome) and this was on the first page of 7(ego climbing)
What I mean is this…you have so much diversity in the restaurant. People’s perceptions are definately unpredictable. I as an operator really try hard to know my audience. This being said…I am a cameleon of sorts when it comes to communicating. Some folks I’m very direct with and others I have to “handle”. The problem isn’t with the one on one. The problem is what’s over heard and misunderstood. I talk to a cook very “coach” like. Emotional and some what theatric. FOH people normally need a gentler approach.
This leads into favoritism accusations. Gaurding one’s words and actions is the only intellegent way to operate anymore because of the HR gestapo. They fire first and investigate later in many concepts. I am fortunate to have never ever been terminated. However, if the wrong person heard the motivational tactics used and thought the motivationee was being mistreated then I’m sure a phone call would occur and I’m doing my consulting full time. LOL.
Lot’s of these discussions on my blog as well. Please drop by. I left the address in your website box. We are also friends on face book.
Thanks again for the great entry and for collaborating on this matter with me.