November 2024 Part 7: Three questions for field staff

Here are three questions managers should ask their staff:
1. What is the purpose?
2. Is this the best way to do it?
3. Is there a better way?
Ask these three questions repeatedly. Even if you get an answer right away, don't let that be the end of your questions. Ask the person in charge at the site to think about it again before answering.
If you don't get an answer for a while, be patient and wait. Sometimes it's important to be patient and wait for the field staff to come up with an answer of their own accord.
If they don't try to think of an answer when you ask them, you may need to change the people in charge.
When the answer comes back, the manager should not immediately criticize or evaluate the answer. First of all, accept it and try to change the way you work based on the answer. Then test it to see if it works.
The workplace is a living thing. And all the answers lie there. Managers should abandon the arrogant notion that their ideas are correct, get to know the workplace, and seek answers there.

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