|
Jeff Colvin
Management Consultant & Founder of Link,
a Management Consulting Group
|
The
vacation is over and you are suddenly faced with the stark reality
of a heaping in-box, a number of key decisions to be made, and a
line of people that wish to talk with you. Waiter, another Mai Tai
please!
Sorry, it isn't a bad dream, it is called reality shock and all
of us go through it when we return from a wonderful escape of a
week or more of non-business activity.
First of all, be glad to know that you were missed. No, you are
not indispensable, but you do provide a key function in the organization
that needs your attention. Second, the business is still running
and there is time for you to catch up without killing yourself.
Third, there are people that have filled your role while you were
gone that can support you now.
Try this prescription as a response to your triage situation;
data, opinion, action. Return to the key indicators that you have
established and evaluate the state of your business from a factual
standpoint of performance. Identify those areas that need immediate
attention and those that you wish to reinforce the positive results.
Now seek the opinions of trusted employees that have filled in
during your vacation to understand the rationale behind the data.
Get the "story" from at least two different sources and
construct an appropriate set of responses to address the negative
performance indicators. Discuss your strategy for recovery before
you act.
On your path to regain control of the daily work, make the time
to thank and reinforce the personnel that generated the positive
performance data. Also seek their opinion on what worked well and
how to incorporate those activities into the routine. (Maybe some
of these people should continue playing a portion of your role -
even while you're not on vacation.)
Solicit their strategy for future action as well.
You went on vacation to get revitalized and to provide yourself
a new perspective on the business when you returned. Use these immediate
first few days back to your advantage. What can you see that you
couldn't before, because you were too close to the routine? What
did people do, or not do, that you can build into future behaviors
or process changes? Were the controls, roles, and goals you put
in place adequate and secure, or do they need to be upgraded or
changed?
It would be wonderful if no one noticed you were gone and there
was nothing in your in-box, but this is unlikely. Instead, be glad
that you provide a vital role for the organization and know that
you are needed. And now that it feels good to be home again, remember
the highlights of your vacation and be refreshed, and remember to
continue to run your business as if you were going on vacation again
tomorrow.
Management Tips: Welcome Home - Back to Reality!
Winding Up
- Its not going anywhere - neither are you
- It's ok to feel like this
- Set a slow pace and begin ramping
- Avoid the detail, keep the perspective
Act versus React
- Get data versus opinions (stories)
- Use key indicators to check reality
- Involve others in next steps
- Hold accountability where you left it
Reinforce +/-
- Understand and stop the negatives
- Find and stimulate the positives
- Learn from both
Remain Revitalized
- Take a fresh look at business processes
- Evaluate the planning of your absence
- Know that you are a key contributor
- Remember key highlights of your vacation - make your own Mai Tai
Jeff Colvin (Jcolvin@linkllc.com)
founded Link, a management
consulting group in 1997 whose mission is dedicated to the Systems,
Structures, and Behaviors that make people and companies successful.
Link's bottom line focus on process improvement is achieved through
the facilitation and training of cross-functional teams to address
key strategic goals. Learn more about Jeff
Colvin & Link...
| 
