Management

The job of a manager is to create systems, train staff in those systems and monitor those systems for success.

What tends to happen is that systems do not get created, team members are not adequately trained in the system or given clear expectations, or the system is not looked after once it is created. This then leads to confusion, lack of accountability and stagnation amongst the team.

For success to happen the manager needs to be actively involved with the team and the processes to see what is working, what is not, and how things can be done more efficiently. It is the job of the manager to make sure that the systems that are created are working appropriately and that the entire team is functioning as a cohesive group. If this is not happening, then the manager needs to find out why and fix it.

If the problem is the lack of an organized process that is leading to confusion among the team, then a system needs to be created and explained to the team to provide clarification on expectations. If the systems are in place and are not being followed, maybe the system itself is poor and needs to be changed, or perhaps the team members are wantonly disregarding it. If this is the case then there needs to be a conversation revisiting job duties with clear expectations and clearly defined repercussions for not doing what is expected.

It could be that the team is following the system, but it is out of date and no longer an effective means of operation. In this case, talk with the team about what would work better and work to create a system that is going to improve team efficiency and productivity.

Constantly monitoring the processes in place and actively working with the team to make things better will create an enjoyable work environment that boosts productivity.