Organisation

Getting stuff done

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I was pondering this weekend on the essence of getting things done at work. Organisations are brilliant at creating structures and processes that are well-intentioned but can ultimately get in the way of actual activity. When things aren’t working the way we want, we lay another process on top to try to make sure that we get the intended result.

All of which led me to sketch out the following:

Getting stuff done

Which I think lays out the fundamentals of successful organisational activity.

Ultimately we want to have strong data and insight that allows us to understand the challenges and the options available. We need simple decision-making forums that allow the data to be discussed and actions agreed, which then have clear ownership. Wrapped around this we need to have an acceptance of accountability, responsibility for performance and the need to communicate and collaborate.

Everything else is just noise.

Seems simple when you write it out like that, doesn’t it? Or maybe I’ve missed something along the way.

It’s ok to care

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I have a confession to make. When I hear about an employee that we’ve let down or treated badly, it hurts me. I can’t stand to read or hear about cases where teams that I lead and manage have fundamentally failed in their key responsibility to manage the employment relationship of every single employee well.

It goes without saying that we cannot always please everyone, there are moments in the work of HR and people professionals where we have to handle the most difficult of workplace issues. We are the ones that enter into situations of high tension, emotion and anguish so invariably there will be times when people are upset with the messages that we have to convey. I’m not talking about these situations, I’m talking about when we fail to care.

When I was doing my professional qualifications in the 1990s, care wasn’t a word that was used much in the classroom. We talked about commercial acumen, strategic thinking and human capital, but we didn’t talk much about looking after people. Nearly twenty five years later I can tell you that the worst HR professionals that I’ve seen are the ones that don’t see the human in front of them and the best are the ones that enter every interaction with the intention to care.

As I’ve articulated many times before, our role is unique in the organisation and we should revel in that distinctiveness. As marketing teams champion the voice of the customer, we should be able and willing to champion the voice of the employee. That doesn’t mean we become unable to act in the interests of the company, of shareholders or of any other stakeholder group. It means that we create balance.

Every time we let an employee down, we let ourselves and our profession down. The phrase the customer is always right, is trite and incorrect and similarly the employee is not always “right”, but how we handle the interaction, the relationship and the management of people in our organisations should always focus on the central pillar of care.

Getting the job done

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When my kids were little I’d ask them to clear the table. In response they’d take their plates and put them on the side. As they grew older and with a little direction, they learnt to take other peoples’ plates too and maybe put the salt and pepper back in the cupboard. As young adults now, I consider it a win if on asking them to clear the table, they take the plates, cutlery and glasses and put them in the dishwasher, tidy away the condiments and wipe the table clear of any stains or spills.

The same instruction, different interpretations of completion.

Throughout our lives we are faced with tasks , some we are given and some we give to others. How often as leaders do we have a clear vision of completion without a clear articulating of the outcomes that we want to see? And how often do we find ourselves frustrated when we complete a task, only to be told that it doesn’t meet the requirements of others?

Our ability to successfully contract is critical to collaboration, to organisational efficiency and to the effective delivery of goals. We have to balance the clarity that we need to achieve desired outcomes, with the empowerment that is required to ensure engaged, motivated teams working with forward momentum. It’s a tricky balance. And of course, the onus is not on one party, but all of those involved.

So next time you’re handing out a task, project or objective, or alternatively next time you’re being asked to complete one. Consider what assumptions you’re making about the outcomes that you think are required. Have you clearly articulated what’s important and what is free to be determined? Being specific and clear at the beginning might take a little more time and thought, but ultimately it will improve the performance of your organisation or team.

Time out!

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As the schools start to break up, thoughts turn to the summer holidays and, for many, their only true break from the world of work. Whether travelling away, staying with friends or family, or simply taking time out at home, a holiday is an important and valuable part of the employment deal and an individual’s wellbeing.

I’ve written before about the weird passive aggressive behaviour that tends to go on before the Christmas break, the key connection being our ability to demonstrate respect for one another. When someone is on holiday, they’re on holiday. Go back 30 years and we would have had absolutely zero opportunity to contact someone who had chosen to go away. Did businesses still run? Of course they did.

Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should. But the responsibility sits on both sides of the fence, the boss that wants to know everything and prevents decisions being made in their absence is as bad as the one that contacts their employees when they’re trying to take a break.

Of course there are emergencies and exceptions, I’m not being overly purist about this, but for the large part the success of  a leader is their ability to build teams who can survive prosper and be successful in their absence. The desire to always be involved or the need to have to be involved are both signs of imperfection within the system.

And at the heart of it, annual leave is an employee benefit. It is hard to think of any other benefit that one would give and then demand a bit back. “Your pension contribution is normally 10%, but this month we’ve reduced it to 8% to help us pay for an answer to a question we couldn’t work out on our own.” It just doesn’t make sense.

Whether you’re going on holiday or have team that are going away,  ask yourself what you need to do to get the most from it, to allow everyone time to relax and recharge. You can’t change the behaviours of others, but you can always be a role model whatever your position within a team. Taking time out is as important as contributing fully when you’re in – we should be mindful to treat it that way.