The Communication Problem Solver 8

The Communication Problem Solver 8. Managers need top-flight communication skills to keep their staffs productive and collaborative. But often, those who manage lack the ability to get things back on track once miscommunication occurs. This book helps readers analyze their communication skills and challenges and explains how they can use simple problem-solving techniques to resolve the people issues that derail productivity at work. Easily accessible and filled with real world management examples. This no-nonsense guide is packed with practical tools to help any manager be immediately effective, as well as a handy list of common communication problems and corresponding solutions....
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The Communication Problem Solver 8 T HE S ECRETS TO C REATING AND S USTAINING E NERGIZED R ELATIONSHIPS Some parameters to consider are content, layout, frequency, required staffing hours, production, and distribution. The budget for the newsletter is $ over your current budget. This fits with our division goal to increase customer service.’’ 2. Explain the importance and implications of creating a newsletter. Who origi- nated the idea and why? What problems is the newsletter intended to solve? What are the foreseen opportunities and problems? 3. Ask for ideas on what other considerations should go into the proposal. Listen and discuss. 4. Ask the employee to summarize what you both have agreed the proposal parameters are. 5. Ask what support he needs from you or peers to do the assignment. 6. Agree on a deadline and any check-in dates.How Much to Say When Stating PerformanceExpectationsHow much you say when communicating what you need done variesdepending on the situation. A sign on I-5S from Seattle to Tacoma reads:‘‘Uneven pavement surface.’’ The sign states the fact and drivers are as-sumed to have the intelligence and experience to know what to do. Asign further up the road gives more information. A flashing sign reads,‘‘Caution. Uneven pavement ahead.’’ This sign tells drivers to be carefulup ahead. Why the difference? The conditions were different in each ofthose sections of highway. Sometimes conditions at work will vary fromtask to task or from day to day or from employee to employee. Managersmay need to state expectations with more or with fewer directions de-pending on variables. When stating performance expectations, deciding how much to sayand how to say it fluctuates. The amount of detail and way to talk toyour direct report depends largely on the task, the delegatee, and theprocess. How much elasticity does the task offer for determining how toaccomplish it? What is the experience and track record of the delegatee52— C OMMUNICATING Y OUR E XPECTATIONS : W HAT TO S AY AND H OW TO S AY I Ton this or similar projects? What is the grade or rank of the positionthe delegatee holds in the organization? How much required process orstructure must be incorporated in getting this assignment done? Is thedelegatee familiar with the process? Other variance factors include yourcompany’s or the customer’s budget, the financial health of your com-pany, and/or the general economy. Other crucial considerations are thetime window for accomplishing the task as well as the flexibility or rigid-ity of the deadlines. The following two examples show distinct variancefactors that dictate how much or how little the manager must say whensetting expectations.Example of Stating Expectations and EmpoweringLet’s look at an example of a manager who hires experienced profession-als to do creative work. Rob Rankin is vice president and director of Brand Development forClarity Coverdale Fury (CCF) in Minneapolis. The American Associationof Advertising Agencies named CCF one of the elite creative agencies inthe United States several times, so it has a reputation for outstandingresults, which comes from fostering a spirit of collaboration and cre-ativity. When asked about the process CCF uses for stating expectations toinnovative team members, Rob explained that there are many tiers.‘‘Generally speaking, what we are doing as account services managers ispulling together a multidisciplinary team to accomplish specific goalsfor our client brands,’’ Rob said. ‘‘We do this through very well-thought-out and well-researched strategic business plans that outline our objec-tives and strategies. These plans are developed with the client and aninternal team we call the ‘core team.’ Each person on the team from CCFis a more senior team member representing a specific discipline withinthe agency. The strategic plans are designed to achieve very specificgoals.’’ After the strategic plans are developed, the next tier is the tactical. —53 T HE S ECRETS TO C REATING AND S USTAINING E NERGIZED R ELATIONSHIPSRob says, ‘‘The tactical aspects of the process involve a broader groupfrom our internal team. That group is responsible to develop the mediaplans and specific creative elements to achieve the strategic goals. It alsohandles the purchasing and production of those tactics.’’ However, according to Rob there is more to setting expectations thanjust drafting strategic plans and handing them off to the team to execute: ‘‘It starts with the people we hire. We look for an individual who isnaturally motivated—a self-starter who is passionate about the commu-nication business and tends to be more entrepreneurial. It is this type ofperson who is m ...