Copyright (c) 2008 Pamela Scott
This article is directed to the CEO, but it can help anyone in a management position communicate more clearly with staff.
Glenn, owner of a midsize professional services firm, describes his situation: “Every January I give a state of the company address to the troops. The usual stuff: how we did last year, where we’re going this year, how excited/optimistic/cautious I am about the future, and so on. And for the next 12 months, every year, managers and staff ask me where we’re going, how we’re doing, etc.
“What am I doing wrong? I keep telling them what they want to know, but nobody seems to get it.”
What’s going on
This example demonstrates why communicating effectively is so tough. Think about these points.
Nobody – and I mean nobody — has the same perspective as the CEO. The CEO sees how myriad pieces come together. He or she is really alone in this position.
Managers have been told what’s going on, but they are human beingsthey have their own concerns. They each have their own turf or silo to take care of and be held accountable for.
The general staff know what they do on a daily basisget in by 8 a.m., out by 5:30 with luck, make calls, take care of the project, do good work. But they lose sight of the company’s strategic goals and plans for the future.
What to do so they get it
Start with asking yourself some critical audience analysis questions. What do they (your managers, staff, and/or stockholders) . . .
- Already know?
- Want to know?
- Not want to know?
- Need to know?
- Not need to know?
When the CEO speaks, it’s like hearing the booming voice of the wizard in “The Wizard of Oz.” Everyone is wary, particularly in a tough economy. So the CEO has to think through the perspectives of everyone in the audience and figure out to deliver the message. This applies whether it is a small firm or a multistate firm with hundreds of employees.
No one can read minds. Clear communication from the CEO is absolutely essential for a firm to be successful.
The Challenges
When addressing a large, diverse group of people, you have multiple needs to meet.
1. Some listeners/readers want a history of how we got to where we are. This is a favored approach for many left-brained types. So, you tell your story from a chronological standpoint. “In 2006, we were here… In 2007, we…”
2. Upon hearing that, other folks will think, “Here we go again. Same old, same old.” And they will stop listening. These are likely the folks who want the big picture: “Where are we going in 2008? What new markets are we looking at? What new and exciting opportunities do we expect to find?” They are looking to the future and new possibilities.
3. You also have the group that wants to hear the logic behind these plans. This group can come across as challenging the CEO and his thinking. Their challenges can come across as micro-managing or as if they think the CEO weren’t thorough in his thinking. For this group, the CEO needs to enlighten them on the thinking behind your decisions.
4. Then there are the folks who always want to know about the impact on the people.
What’s a CEO to do?
Sit back and think about your audience and your message. Start with what you want the outcomes to be from your speech or presentation. Some call this reverse engineering; I think of it as starting from the end and working backwards.
To begin your message, set the framework for what you are going to talk about. For example, “I want to take the next 20 minutes to recap where we’ve been, where we are going this year, and what we expect a couple years down the road.” I’m being very loose in my wording. You would be more specific in terms of “couple years.”
Set the tone of the message. “Last year was a mediocre year. We’re expecting similar outcomes this year. However, we are putting things in place to ensure the firm grows in the next couple of years.” Keep it simple. Be specific. But this is not the place to quote your P&L.
Then tell them the story.
A. Since you have given a framework for your comments, which makes the folks in No. 2 above happy, you can go to No. 1 and give the history and financials.
B. Tell more now about the future and expectations. Remember to convey the logic behind your decisions to keep the folks in No. 3 above at bay.
C. Focus on the impact on your people, point No. 4 above. What opportunities do you expect? What new education or training can they take advantage of?
D. You’ve heard it before: Tell them what you told them. Recap, highlighting the points you most want them to remember. Listeners and readers always remember the last point they heard before they remember anything else you said. If you want to downplay information, put it in the middle of your speech.
The CEO as Storyteller
The CEO needs to be the Chief Storyteller. Take time to craft a story that conveys your message in a way that your staff can understand.
Remember: Numbers may drive the business, but people drive the numbers.®
Pamela Scott
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/ceo-tips-for-getting-staff-to-understand-you-489856.html
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Why do wait staff deserve to be tipped over other people who work just as hard for the same ammount of money?
I understand that wait staff wages are low, but for one thing I don't see why should it be the customer's job to pick up the employer's slack just because the employer is too cheap to pay his or her staff a decent wage and for another there are plenty of people who work as hard as wait staff work for dirt cheap wages and don't get a cent in the way of tips.
It's your choice whether you tip or not. Just don't go to a restaurant that includes the tip in the bill and you'll be fine. But, if I were you, I wouldn't not tip and then go back to the same restaurant, you never know what could be in your food.
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Good question. I don't live in the USA and it amazes me that you guys don't pay your wait staff enough to even live on. Either everyone should live on tips or nobody should. I mean, it's not even tipping because it's expected at every place. What happened to tipping being because of GOOD service?
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Well, I agree with you, but until the waitstaff decides they are tired of having to depend on tips and put a stop to this practice, it's going to continue. Truth be known, most waitstaff make much better wages than the average low paid worker doing equally hard work, so the practice will never cease, unless the public refuses to tip and we know that's not going to happen
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Waiting tables is hard work and any waiter that is even trying to serve you well should be tipped well. That is one of the positions that are expected to live off their tips.
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In my oppinion wait staff work for themselves. The little pay the employer pays them is for the the side work they do, making coffee, cutting lemons, etc etc.. They make their living by giving good service to the customers. If they don't give good service,they don't get paid. I know of some restaurants that actually charge wait staff to work in their establishment.
Also, if the owner of the restaurant had to pay each waitress even as little as $6.50 per hour, the cost of your meal would be a lot more. Trust me.
There are a lot of jobs that are suplemented with tips, not just wait staff.
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You obviously have never worked in a restaurant, especially a fast-paced one. If you are a customer and you are pissed about picking up "the employer's slack" – don't eat at restaurants. Yes, there are other staff who work as hard (or harder) for cheap wages. However, many of the wait staff either help the other staff (washing dishes, washrooms, cleaning kitchen, etc) or many wait staff share their "tips" with them. Just so you know, not all restaurant owners are "cheap". I worked as a wait staff for a number of them. We got free food every day. I once worked in a chinese restaurant. Even though my wages sucked, the owner prepared all his staff anything we wanted from the menu – and many times authentic chinese cuisine every day. The two-sided coin…
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Wait staff only make money when they work hard, that is the idea. You are the reason they have to work hard, not the employer. You could be served your meal by a fat, miserable slob and would you enjoy your meal? Anyone could serve food but it takes skill to do it right and people should be paid for it. You are the one on the receiving end, not the employer. The employer hires people that seem to fit the job and enable them to serve you. In a way you are the boss, what you ask for you should get and you should pay the person who does it for you. People are demanding and thoughtless when it comes to how they treat servers unless they have worked in the industry. Why should the employer pay more if the worker doesn't have to work? On a slow night no one makes money.
The fact that this is an issue bothers me. If you don't want to spend money then don't go out. There are plenty of people who enjoy spending their money on going out to eat and like to take care of the people who take care of them.
didn't mean to offend anyone with the fat, miserable slob bit. just meant to say that good servers and bartenders maintain their appearance and work hard to please their customers. they should be appriciated!
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2.13*40.00 = 85.20
ok we will say average minimum wage is 6.00
6.00*40.00 = 240.00
240.00-85.20 = 154.80
Now here is the messed up part!!!!!
State and Federal Regulations Stipulate that all employees must make minnimum wage. And must be taxed that way as well so an average sever working 40 hours a week must have full withholding taken out of there houly pay as well. Tips are relied apon for basic living needs Yes there are people working just as hard as servers do but most are paid at least the Federal Minnimum wage if not more Cooks were i use to work were paid 8.00 per hour or more depending on experience This is not the employers fault that servers are paid so low this needs to be a wide spread policy change
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3rd Shift at a Waffle House. (and yes i still have all my teeth)
You're assuming that server's wages are low because their employers are "cheap". If that were true, everyone's wages would be low. You're also assuming that you'd be paying less over all if not for the tipping system. Also not true. If servers were payed higher wages, you'd be paying higher menu prices.
I'm not defending the tipping system. I think it's antiquated and demeaning. But don't resent it because you think it's costing you more. It isn't.
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I like to tip good waiters. For me, its a form of courtesy and allows me to give them a meaningful pat on the back for making my meal enjoyable.
I like to tip cash, too, since I feel that money earned by the sweat of ones brow is ones own, all of it. I will not be morally outraged if the money becomes invisible.
You'd have to give me an example of another trade or profession where the workers are allowed to be paid as little as waiters. Minimum wage law covers everyone else, as far as I know.
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You'll end up paying for that service whether or not it's in the form of tips. If restaurants payed their employees without passing the costs down to the consumer they would go out of business.
Also, tipping encourages good service. Most servers will go above and beyond what's actually required of them in hopes the customer will tip them well.
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