What one thing can you do…

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://blogs.informa.com/leaders/2008/1 ... an-you-do/

…to make a difference to morale and the ability to get the job done in these tough economic times?

I was talking to Andy Cosslett yesterday about the speech he will be giving to Leaders in London next week. He is CEO of IHG, the world’s largest hotels company (Holiday Inn is one of their brands).

He said he spent two days working in a Holiday Inn a while ago and came back with a list of things head office could do to make life easier for people on the front line, delivering the service, running the business, making the money (because that’s what the front line do).

It was stuff that ‘head office’ does that slows and frustrates the people who deliver value. They work at such a pace in hotels, for example, Andy said, yet they told him examples of how the corporate system just slows them down. So, he came back with a long list of fixes.

It reminded me of when Allan Leighton spoke to us at Leaders in London. The Chairman of the Post Office had turned up at the crack of dawn at a depot, unannounced. He asked the depot manager what was the one thing he (Leighton) could do to make the manager’s life easier.

The manager said that his posties came into work at 4am or earlier and that the coffee machine had been broken for over two weeks. The requisitioning process to get a coffee machine replaced took so long that his crack of dawn staff had had no access to coffee for all that time.

“They lose confidence in me as a manager, and I lose credibility, and it looks as if I have no interest in their welfare. That’s terrible for morale”, said the depot manager - or something like that: I don’t have my notes in front of me, so I’m paraphrasing.

“What do I need? I need a new coffee machine!”

So, Leighton went back to his office and arranged for every depot manager to have a £200 (or something like that) contingency fund to cover emergencies or situations where the central system just couldn’t deliver what the depot manager needed with enough urgency.

So, what can you do that is low cost but absolutely important in sending the right signals out to people who may be suffering low morale, and/or that removes a frustration or problem for them, and that shows that you are still fighting their corner?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

At last confirmation that within RM the main point of concern among managers is.

Coffee

[F0zziebear]

Congratulations on becoming a global moderator!

First Line Fix was an example of where the Head of a business has an idea, but it's poorly executed. Most of the budget wans't in place. What it could and could not be used for unclear etc. Some call it a gimmick, personally it would have made sense if it could have been used properly.

Goiing back to the first point about role inflation. Global moderators, vice presidents of sanitation (bog cleaner). nyone ever seen when Homer Simpson creates his IT business from home. I think we this import from America needs stopping and people get job role names that mean what they say.

Viva la Revolution!

[dvbuk55]

At last confirmation that within RM the main point of concern among managers is.

Coffee

First Class observation - but if anyone can tell me where to get one of our coffee machines for £200 - the bloke who comes to bugger ours up every week probably earns twice that. I kid you not within 10 minutes of leaving the machine it will say "Call operator" - ahole actually left the water pipe disconnected - it took 4 days for someone to come to push a plastic pipe on a fitting.

[Yahoorsur]

Congratulations on becoming a global moderator!

First Line Fix was an example of where the Head of a business has an idea, but it's poorly executed. Most of the budget wans't in place. What it could and could not be used for unclear etc. Some call it a gimmick, personally it would have made sense if it could have been used properly.

Goiing back to the first point about role inflation. Global moderators, vice presidents of sanitation (bog cleaner). nyone ever seen when Homer Simpson creates his IT business from home. I think we this import from America needs stopping and people get job role names that mean what they say.

Viva la Revolution!

Yup,a very good idea hamstrung by the desire of the budget holders not to spend any of the money,the budget was never held at the local office,you had to apply to Edinburgh or wherever to get the money,and the restrictions placed on it seemed to be made up as they went along,one example that comes to mind was applying for a computer and printer,'fine but we'll have to get it from our IT dept' at a cost of £2300,WTF

[BELIAL]

The Chairman of the Post Office had turned up at the crack of dawn at a depot, unannounced. He asked the depot manager what was the one thing he (Leighton) could do to make the manager’s life easier.

I might have suggested Hara-kiri

[brothermagrew]

The Chairman of the Post Office had turned up at the crack of dawn at a depot, unannounced. He asked the depot manager what was the one thing he (Leighton) could do to make the manager’s life easier.

I might have suggested Hara-kiri

Tut tut BELIAL you could have put it in its polite form (seppuku).

[DGP1]

The Chairman of the Post Office had turned up at the crack of dawn at a depot, unannounced. He asked the depot manager what was the one thing he (Leighton) could do to make the manager’s life easier.

I might have suggested Hara-kiri

Tut tut BELIAL you could have put it in its polite form (seppuku).

I thought Hara-kiri was a person

[BELIAL]

Nah thats Mata hari kiri.gaijin

[axeman]

did'nt lateone say that ...'whats the mata harri name me one thing the foot soldiers want' ......................... a coffee machine 'o great one' provider of earthly goods