Today, I came across an article that struck a chord with me so deeply that I just have to write about it-"Management by Objective". By definition, it is a strategic management model that aims to improve an organisation's performance by defining the clear objectives to be agreed by both the management and the employees. Sounds commonsensical but it is something that is so underestimated in many companies today.
In quite a few companies I have been to, which I shall not name, have unmeasurable 'goals' that made all employees run about carrying out their day-to-day work without knowing the exact purpose or where that would lead them to.
When people start to work 'automatically' like robots, a catalyst must be needed to stir up a little to act as a reminder that we need to keep evaluating and improving. At any point of time if you ask any of the employees why we have to do certain thing and his/her answer is a standard "because we have been doing it this way", that is a red flag that things will remain slow and stagnant. Even robots get upgraded and regularly serviced, what more humans with a living brain?
Some companies have the charts only listing the departments or functions without employees' names on it. This undermines the importance of every single position from the bottom to the top in each department. Who doesn't know you need 4 wheels and a car body to make a vehicle? But what matters is really the type of gear, steering wheel, a break paddle, engine and the long list of other parts that make a vehicle run and run fast. Without a detailed list breaking down to each employee's jobscope and duties, chances are that you get either duplicate functions or breeding parasites who act like their capacities are maxed out when in fact, the top doesn't get a clear picture of what they are doing. This not only inhibits the long term organisational growth, it also impedes the daily operations because when someone leaves, no one else has clear idea what kind of candidate can fit the role best to replace immediately.
On the other hand for some companies, they have a nicely done chart with names neatly filled but at the end of the day, that chart is only there to serve as reference for the top management and doesn't get circulated to anyone below the management. This may be a sign of unfair appraisal systems taking place where merits don't really matter and favourism comes into play. Before anyone knew it, some names are being pushed up the chart behind the scene and there isn't a need to update anyone on this matter. This brews doubts and distrusts among departments and forms closed-door communications that are obviously unhealthy to any organisational growth.
So you may ask, what has organisational charts got to do with corporate goals? My point is, if the most basic chart isn't something that a company wants to share, what makes you think that the corporate goals will be communicated to all internal stakeholders? When internal stakeholders don't even know what the company is trying to achieve, how are they going to make sure their daily functions are aligned with the objectives?
I am a firm believer of transparency and open communication within an organisation. That is why I adore Jacinda Arden very much. She makes sure her messages are well-communicated to every internal stakeholder i.e her citizens regardless of their societal ranks and titles.
Despite having just a few years of experience as a team leader, I saw the importance of communicating the team goals to each member. I had my lesson when one of my team mates wanted to resign because she felt her work was not bringing her anywhere. That was when I recalled the fact that she's a smart individual (which was also why I decided to recruit her) who would question the rationale behind doing certain things and want to give her input on how she can run it better in her own way. I wasn't actively sharing certain information on our objectives and where our team ought to be heading because I thought she doesn't need to know. It was only after I learnt how to practise open communication did I gain true comrades who would stand by me to get the work done for the results we wanted.
Undermining a member's capability by denying him/her the access to information on the key objectives yet expecting this person to be satisfied doing his/her part of daily routine doesn't help to bring us any further. Yes, this may be the easy way out and a fuss-free solution because you don't need to answer doubts and hold a FAQ session. But you will have to expect one of the two outcomes- a team of contented 'yes' men who do not question why we need to do certain things or an unstable team with high staff turnover rates.
You may argue, organisational goals should be kept confidential. Well, it is up to you how broad or detailed your communication plan has to be. The key is, there has to be one. If it is a plan that can be overturned by competitor within a day, that only goes to show how 'strong' your company is and may be a good reminder that you got to be stronger. If you are worried any one of your staff would go around leaking the goals, then just keep it as a family business and don't hire anyone external. The bottom line is, trust your people to do the job for you.
Reference:
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/management-by-objectives.asp
In quite a few companies I have been to, which I shall not name, have unmeasurable 'goals' that made all employees run about carrying out their day-to-day work without knowing the exact purpose or where that would lead them to.
"Because we have been doing this way"
One of the common issues in companies that have long histories and loyal staff is that, they are set in deep routines for the work processes that carry them from one stage to the next and before they even realise, the job is done. Smooth operations are indeed highly valued in any organisation but it can be dangerous if there isn't anyone who from time to time, take a moment to pause and ask, "hey wait, why are we doing this?"When people start to work 'automatically' like robots, a catalyst must be needed to stir up a little to act as a reminder that we need to keep evaluating and improving. At any point of time if you ask any of the employees why we have to do certain thing and his/her answer is a standard "because we have been doing it this way", that is a red flag that things will remain slow and stagnant. Even robots get upgraded and regularly serviced, what more humans with a living brain?
"Non-managerial employees do not need to know"
I used to think having a clear organisational chart to show who's in which department and doing what function is the basic that all companies must have. Apparently not!Some companies have the charts only listing the departments or functions without employees' names on it. This undermines the importance of every single position from the bottom to the top in each department. Who doesn't know you need 4 wheels and a car body to make a vehicle? But what matters is really the type of gear, steering wheel, a break paddle, engine and the long list of other parts that make a vehicle run and run fast. Without a detailed list breaking down to each employee's jobscope and duties, chances are that you get either duplicate functions or breeding parasites who act like their capacities are maxed out when in fact, the top doesn't get a clear picture of what they are doing. This not only inhibits the long term organisational growth, it also impedes the daily operations because when someone leaves, no one else has clear idea what kind of candidate can fit the role best to replace immediately.
On the other hand for some companies, they have a nicely done chart with names neatly filled but at the end of the day, that chart is only there to serve as reference for the top management and doesn't get circulated to anyone below the management. This may be a sign of unfair appraisal systems taking place where merits don't really matter and favourism comes into play. Before anyone knew it, some names are being pushed up the chart behind the scene and there isn't a need to update anyone on this matter. This brews doubts and distrusts among departments and forms closed-door communications that are obviously unhealthy to any organisational growth.
So you may ask, what has organisational charts got to do with corporate goals? My point is, if the most basic chart isn't something that a company wants to share, what makes you think that the corporate goals will be communicated to all internal stakeholders? When internal stakeholders don't even know what the company is trying to achieve, how are they going to make sure their daily functions are aligned with the objectives?
Open Communication on Key Directions
I am a firm believer of transparency and open communication within an organisation. That is why I adore Jacinda Arden very much. She makes sure her messages are well-communicated to every internal stakeholder i.e her citizens regardless of their societal ranks and titles.
Despite having just a few years of experience as a team leader, I saw the importance of communicating the team goals to each member. I had my lesson when one of my team mates wanted to resign because she felt her work was not bringing her anywhere. That was when I recalled the fact that she's a smart individual (which was also why I decided to recruit her) who would question the rationale behind doing certain things and want to give her input on how she can run it better in her own way. I wasn't actively sharing certain information on our objectives and where our team ought to be heading because I thought she doesn't need to know. It was only after I learnt how to practise open communication did I gain true comrades who would stand by me to get the work done for the results we wanted.
Undermining a member's capability by denying him/her the access to information on the key objectives yet expecting this person to be satisfied doing his/her part of daily routine doesn't help to bring us any further. Yes, this may be the easy way out and a fuss-free solution because you don't need to answer doubts and hold a FAQ session. But you will have to expect one of the two outcomes- a team of contented 'yes' men who do not question why we need to do certain things or an unstable team with high staff turnover rates.
You may argue, organisational goals should be kept confidential. Well, it is up to you how broad or detailed your communication plan has to be. The key is, there has to be one. If it is a plan that can be overturned by competitor within a day, that only goes to show how 'strong' your company is and may be a good reminder that you got to be stronger. If you are worried any one of your staff would go around leaking the goals, then just keep it as a family business and don't hire anyone external. The bottom line is, trust your people to do the job for you.
Reference:
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/management-by-objectives.asp
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