Keeping it Simple

In my mind, keeping things as simple as possible is the best way to work with both staff and customers. There are enough confusing things going on in our world that there really is no need to make business more difficult. We all enjoy watching the Rube Goldberg type of devise that uses marbles, dominoes, levers and ramps to flip on a light switch, however no one wants to do business with company that operates in that fashion!

Recently a friend of mine who is in a management position asked me how to deal with problematic staff members. She was having a fairly consistent issue with those who were repeatedly demonstrating behaviors that were just a little off the mark. She wasn’t talking about major issues such as insubordination, theft or excessive absences. She knew how to handle indiscretions of that magnitude. It was the little things. The dress code being stretched a little too far, lunch breaks that were five or ten minutes too long, production just a smidge too low and customer service that was ok, but not up to the company standards.  

This manger was looking for a simple set of guidelines that she could follow each day that would help remind her of best practices for dealing with these borderline behaviors. Most folks in management know that dealing with really poor behavior is not that difficult, it’s the daily minor issues that give managers and supervisors the real headaches.

Initially I struggled to develop a simple set of rules that my friend could easily remember until I received inspiration from a sign I saw in a kindergarten classroom.

Elegant, simple, concise.  It was perfect! I was little envious that I had not come up with these wonderfully simple rules all by myself.

I showed my friend the picture and explained that “Method” was spot on for her difficulties. When a minor issue occurs… state the rule, identify the incident, use prosocial teaching and finally, be sure to reengage the staff member. There have been entire books written that could be reduced to these phrases.  As for the “Class rules”, they should apply to everyone in the department. A smile spread across her face as she said to me, “Clark, I can do this!”

I circled back with my friend after a week or so and she was quick to let me know that the method was working. She was seeing slow, but steady improvement. By keeping her management technique simple and consistent she was eliminating the issues and developing engagement.

As mangers isn’t that what we all want?