Topic for Management meeting 12/26/17

       

                              The Friction Report  

                                  by Don Ford   

                Do you have skill, ability, attitude, knowledge, or desire, to communicate properly? Whether you do or do not, you should participate in this meeting. You can improve, or help others to improve.  

Managers (department, general, middle, upper) are often unaware of concerns and problems!

How do managers miss the concerns or problems of staff?

Discuss your thoughts on this subject now.

Points that should be in the discussion.  

                        Managers may not ask for input. Some managers believe they should have the answers to most, if not all, questions. If that is you, get real, you don’t have all the answers. To get answers, you should listen to others, which includes your boss all the way down to the newest hourly staff.  

                        Managers may not ask the right person. As stated above, you should listen to others, which includes your boss all the way down to the newest hourly staff. People (managers) have a tendency to rely on certain individuals for many things, such as the staff who is productive when working in all departments. Managers often rely on these individuals for information and often get good ideas, but they should also communicate with the average staff member too.

                        Managers may not have proper listening skills! You probably know of managers who can’t keep their mouth shut when someone is speaking. There is also the manager who is working on a rebuttal to the information he /she is receiving as the other person speaks.

            There is another type manager who listens, and then acts on the suggestion, but has no follow through. If there is a change made in a procedure, and everyone is supposed to work with this change, this type manager never checks back to see if it is working properly. Usually, staff revert to the old process and the manager don’t even know.  

                        Managers should show they are listening and interested! Body language is very important when communicating. It is very easy to see whether a person is listening or not, use body language to present the image of listening.

                        Example: Body language of someone who is not listening. They look at their watch, they look around the room, they fiddle with a pencil, or they glance toward their cell phone or computer screen, they lean back in their chair. Their body language says, “They were not listening!”   

            Suggested ways to teach communication skills, asking and listening?

            In a class room setting, you should have prepared demonstrations, with someone   presenting information and someone not properly receiving information, then with      someone properly receiving information. 

            The first few presentations should be using instructors only.

            Then choose a student to work with an instructor.

            Then student with student, providing written information for the presenter, and having the             receiver to explain what they learned. 

            Have the group evaluate after each presentation.

            Anyone can learn from their superior or from a subordinate, if they listen!

                                    “Shut up, listen and learn!”

Summary:

Learn to listen! This is difficult for many. Listening means, “Shutting your mouth and not only listening, but also understanding what someone says”! You may ask brief questions to clarify a statement, then listen and understand.

While listening, you should not be thinking of a response to that person’s comment.

Do not interrupt a person speaking to you! It is rude (nonprofessional) and you’re not listening.

Learn not to interject your thought, while someone is presenting their Thought!

Ask various staff for input.

Asking your so-called best staff for input, probably means you will get the answer you expect! These staff are most likely seen by other staff, as your “Favorites”.

Ask the same question of various staff, then compare the responses.

 

Don Ford