Here is a sample exchange between two managers to illustrate the importance of clear and concise communications:
Stacey: So, how do you think things are going on this new request process?
Heather: Good, but your team hasn’t been sending us the info we need so we have a growing backlog.
Stacey: I’ve been checking the requests submitted on SharePoint and they meet the requirements that we discussed.
Heather: Technically, yes, but we cannot run our search for relevant transactions if you don’t select the right technician in your request.
Stacey: Well, we have been picking from the technicians that we discussed back in June when we populated the Sharepoint list. Are you saying that the list is out of date?
Heather: No, the list of technicians is still valid, but the type of transactions handled by each technician has changed. I forwarded the new list to you a few weeks ago and your team is still selecting the wrong techs.
Stacey: Ok, I vaguely remember the list, but I don’t remember that I needed to communicate this to my team in order for their request to be considered. Is that why our requests are being held up?
Heather: Yes, I told my team that they are only to work on requests that have the correct transaction-to-tech combination. It was part of my meeting notes, on page 4 of 8, I believe.
Stacey: Well, I’ll have to go back and read those notes. I sure wish we’d this conversation weeks ago. Why can’t we just eliminate the tech assignment field from the request form and then you can assign the task to the appropriate tech based on your department rules?
Heather: I guess I can do that, but I don’t know how to change the SharePoint form and every time we go to support, they ask us to fill out a change request that has to be approved by the department heads that share the project budget.
Stacey: Well, if can you start assigning them to your technicians, I’ll take care of the SharePoint change request. That way, we can resolve some of the backlog and get back on track. Also, maybe we need to rethink how we’re tracking this request process because I thought this backlog was just because your team was behind.
As you can see in the above dialogue, Stacey thought that she understood Heather’s expectations based on previously agreed requirements, but she didn’t understand that there was a business rule linking transactions to technician, which was based on a list provided by Heather.
Heather did not understand that her extensive meeting notes obscured an important business rule that became an obstacle to moving things through the pipeline. Finally, neither manager took time to ask questions about why a backlog kept growing.
Please comment on ways that you have seen clear and concise communication in action. Learn more about Norwood Consulting Group’s services and contact us for more info.
