REPORTING LINES

Reporting lines need to be clearly defined and understood.

  • To whom do you report? 
  • If you do not know you need to find out.
  • Check that the person to whom you report (or think you do) agrees.
  • If you have more than one manager, you cannot be held accountable.
  • You can easily duck and dive between your two (or more) managers.
  • You can pass the buck. You can blame others. You can point fingers. 
  • And if you are the manager you may struggle to pin someone down. 
  • Without clarity on reporting lines, you can’t manage performance.
  • Once reporting lines are clear we need to honour and respect them.
  • Always go first to your immediate manager – not to his or her manager.
  • Always go first to your immediate direct report – not to his or her direct report.

For further assistance or information contact Steve Woods – steve@achievementprocess.co.za.

DELEGATION –  ART OR SCIENCE?

Delegation has been the graveyard for many managers.

What happens if you don’t delegate?

  • You cannot manage as delegation is an essential pillar of management.
  • Your staff will not develop and the top performers will very likely resign.
  • You will have a demotivated & disillusioned team holding you back.
  • You’ll end up doing most things yourself while your staff relax.

Perceptions and myths that make delegating difficult.

  • Your subordinate/s will mess up and you’ll have to fix things anyway.
  • No one can carry out the task/s as well or as perfectly as you can.
  • You feel uneasy that others may do a better job show you up.
  • You believe the best way to control staff is to micro-manage them.

Properly done, delegating can become a win-win habit for both managers and staff. Delegating is key pillar in building a successful business with motivated & committed people.

For further assistance or information contact Steve Woods – steve@achievementprocess.co.za.

RECOGNITION –  A POWERFUL MOTIVATOR

Recognition has been highlighted by Arnold Mol in his book – ‘CREATING WINNERS IN THE WORKPLACE’.

“The need for recognition is one of the most basic needs of a human being – and many of us will go to any lengths just to get some feedback on how our bosses perceive our performance”. (Page 40).

“The salary package may attract a person to apply for a particular position, but once appointed to that position, he/she will work to get recognition not a salary. By far the greatest source of dissatisfaction in the workplace is a lack of recognition”. (Page 41)

“Recognition for achievement is probably the most neglected of all the motivators. In a survey conducted some time ago it came to light that on average only about 20% of employees get feedback on a regular basis”. (Page 43).

“Subordinates should get feedback in one form or another at least once a month – preferably more frequently. Even just a word of thanks. It costs nothing but yields very high returns”. (Page 46).

How the Achievement Management System incorporates the need for recognition.

At the heart of the AMS lies the principle of recognition. While managers may or may not remember to give regular feedback, or even see the need for doing it, the AMS requires

that managers do it regularly.

In the AMS ‘regular’ means once every 3 months or about 4 times a year. These are formal and facilitated sessions based on the actions that are needed to solve problems. Managers have the opportunity to give that ‘word of thanks’ that Prof Mol describes.

For further assistance or information contact Steve Woods – steve@achievementprocess.co.za.

GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR EMAILS.

Getting emails to work in your favour requires following these rules.

 Don’t use the email if you don’t need to.  Face-to-face is best and phone calls are second best. You can email later if confirmation is really necessary.
 Send your email TO only one person.  This would be the person who you expect to take action of some kind and/or respond to you.
 Don’t copy in others if you don’t need to.  You have no right to clutter up the inbox of others. Copy only those directly involved if they must know.
 Do not respond if your name is in the Cc line.  The email has been copied to you so that you are ‘informed’ – in the picture. You are not being asked for your views!
 Think before hitting ‘reply all’.  No one wants to read emails from 20 people that have nothing to do with them. People will get irritated. 
 Don’t play ‘politics’ with emails.  Copying in the receiver’s boss & others is cowardly and causes distrust and very likely unwarranted interference. 
 Keep your message brief & to the point.  A long waffling email message wastes your time and the recipient’s time. Stick to just one subject per email.  
 Make your subject line clear & specific. People decide whether to open an email based on the subject line. It also helps to find the email again.  
 Read the email again before sending. An email should be as precise and as accurate and as error free as possible. Make your meaning clear. 
 Don’t shout! Using capital letters seems as if you are SHOUTING! Bold is better for emphasis. Avoid colours. 
 Watch your wording & language. A sarcastic remark or a friendly criticism can be easily misunderstood. That is why the first rule is so important. 
 Don’t forward emails aimlessly.  You may be forwarding it to someone already ‘copied’.No one wants to receive the same email twice.

For further assistance or information contact Steve Woods – steve@achievementprocess.co.za.