Management and Leadership Best Practice 1 – Open, Honest, Timely Communications during Times of Uncertainty
People, regardless of their position, experience anxiety relative to the unknown. Is my job secure? Will I be able to provide for myself and my loved ones? and Will I lose my home? are just a few of the questions that preoccupy the minds of all organization members during uncertain times. Like all distractions, these self survival fears steal time and focus from the job at hand, negatively impacting productivity. Unlike other distractions, these fears are nearly impossible to ignore and will only subside once conditions become more predictable. Therefore, it is critically important that the manager-leader minimize the magnitude and duration of uncertainty by providing subordinates with as much clarifying information as possible. The manager must communicate.[wcm_restrict plans=”49180, 25542, 25653″]
Managers will never possess all the information needed to create certainty for employees. Likewise, some information will not be shareable or will be released only a little at a time because of business concerns. However, with respect to information that can be made available, managers have a professional responsibility to their employees and their company to deliver these messages in as timely and as honestly a manner as possible. It is only through open dialog that employee uncertainty and subsequently their degree of distraction can be minimized.
The following rules of thumb are helpful when communicating during uncertain times:
- Communicate what you can, as soon as you can, as specifically as you can
- Identify what information you can’t communicate and why
- Be clear about what you don’t know
- Follow-up when new information becomes available
Final Thought…
Managers who proactively reduce uncertainty through open communication will not only improve performance but will also strengthen employee trust. Heightened trust in management during uncertain times encourages employees to remain with an organization rather than seeking greater stability elsewhere. Employee retention, especially that of high performers, is critical for an organization to make it through challenging periods.[/wcm_restrict][wcm_nonmember plans=”49180, 25542, 25653″]
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Project Management Best Practice 2 – Define What is Not In Scope
All project managers know one of the greatest risks to the on-time, on-budget completion of their project is scope creep; the gradual expansion of functionality, broadening in organizational application, and/or increase in quality requirements often without a commensurate increase in project resources or duration. Subsequently, project managers strive to clearly define their project’s scope in order to defend against scope creep. But when doing so, they often forgo an invaluable tool; defining what is outside their project’s scope.[wcm_restrict plans=”41086, 25542, 25653″]
Defining scope establishes the features, characteristics, quantities, and time frames for delivering a project’s products and/or services. Like most communications, however, there will always be some interpretation as to the specifics of a project’s deliverables. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the project manager to, in the clearest, most concise manner possible, specify the project’s parameters. In doing so, the project manager should define both what the product/service is (in scope) and what it is not (out of scope).
Figure 1, Project Scope Uncertainty, illustrates how defining project scope in both positive and negative terms increases scope specificity and subsequently reduces the potential for scope creep. Around each defined project parameter there will exist some difference in interpretation as to the exact qualities of the parameter by those associated with the project. Differences in interpretation will continue well beyond the project’s scope definition to a point where further interpretation variation would appear to be unreasonable. Adding an out of scope definition, however, limits the range of interpretation variation, thereby reducing the overall amount of scope uncertainty and the risk of scope creep over time.[/wcm_restrict][wcm_nonmember plans=”41086, 25542, 25653″]
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StrategyDriven Podcast Special Edition 10 – An Interview with Don Schmincke, co-author of High Altitude Leadership
StrategyDriven Podcasts focus on the tools and techniques executives and managers can use to improve their organization’s alignment and accountability to ultimately achieve superior results. These podcasts elaborate on the best practice and warning flag posts on the StrategyDriven website.
Special Edition 10 – An Interview with Don Schmincke, co-author of High Altitude Leadership explores the leadership dangers challenging all managers in their efforts to achieve superior results. During our discussion, Don Schmincke, co-author of High Altitude Leadership: What the World’s Most Forbidding Peaks Teach Us About Success
- the significant role of biology in leadership ability
- how a compelling saga can inspire an organization to achieve significantly higher levels of performance
- the High Altitude Leadership Team Assessment
Additional Information
Complimenting the tremendous insights Don shares in High Altitude Leadership
About the Author
Don Schmincke, co-author of High Altitude Leadership
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StrategyDriven Podcast Special Edition 9 – An Interview with Steve Kerr, author of Reward Systems
StrategyDriven Podcasts focus on the tools and techniques executives and managers can use to improve their organization’s alignment and accountability to ultimately achieve superior results. These podcasts elaborate on the best practice and warning flag posts on the StrategyDriven website.
Special Edition 9 – An Interview with Steve Kerr, author of Reward Systems examines how properly conceived and implemented reward systems create organizational alignment and increase execution efficiency and effectiveness. During our discussion, Steve Kerr, author of Reward Systems: Does Yours Measure Up?
- a three phase process for creating a reward system aligned with an organization’s strategic goals
- how to introduce employees to a new or changing reward system
- balancing performance, tenure, and attendance during reward determination
- warning signs that an organization’s reward system is less than effective
Additional Information
Steve’s book, Reward Systems
About the Author
Steve Kerr, author of Reward Systems
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