A Good Boss' Creed: ASK, Don't Just Tell

Volume 1, January 2010

by David Lee

Do you have time for one word? If you remember this word, I guarantee you will be better than 98 percent of the managers out there.

ASK.

That three-letter word gets lost because managers are so enamored with its four-letter counterpart-TELL. Sure, mediocre managers will give it lip service by generically asking everyone for suggestions from time to time, but then they fail to walk the talk.
 

The best first impression I’ve ever seen a manager make was when an outsider was brought in to run a department of family owned business, with about 30 people reporting to him. He gave everyone a one-page questionnaire, asking about their roles and their suggestions for improvements.

Then he discussed the responses individually with each employee. It was a chance to present ideas and talk about them, rather than passing on mandates to his underlings like the Ten Commandments.

Especially in medium to large companies or departments, it’s easy for people to feel lost in a system. A sincere interest in their concerns is worth more than just about anything else you can do as a manager. It shouldn’t be 27th on your list of priorities. Quite often, because they work a position on an everyday basis, they have constructive ideas to improve an operation.

When someone violates one of your basis rules - such as showing up late, making lots of personal calls or taking too many breaks - resist the urge to criticize. Instead, ask. Maybe there is a logical reason, and maybe you can help solve the problem instead of adding to it. If there is no logical answer and it continues, then you take the appropriate action.

Managers are spread thin these days, and it can be tempting not to ask for suggestions because they will complicate your life. But the improvement in productivity and loyalty is well worth the price. If you build a reputation for always telling and never asking, your employees will no longer tell you anything. They’ll be too busy asking themselves a single question: Why bother?
 

Have a great day, and remember to ASK...

GEM OF THE DAY: A Chinese Proverb:

-If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap.

-If you want happiness for a day, go fishing.

-If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune.

-If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.