“First, do no harm” is an honored concept in the field of medicine and yet it can just as appropriately be applied to management. The manager or employee who focuses solely on producing results and does not devote enough attention to reducing unnecessary problems has probably failed to appreciate the full extent of the mission.
Most of us have seen this approach. A manager snarls at employees to achieve a single task and consequently reaps lower morale and productivity in a wide range of responsibilities. A sales representative satisfies one customer while thoroughly disrupting a series of sensible procedures.
That’s why it can be important to discuss what is not wanted as well as what is desired and crucial to clarify that appropriate treatment of people will be just as significant as the technical success of the mission. The greatest offenders of First, Do No Harm are the technically proficient souls who enrage or irritate coworkers and think that those byproducts don’t matter because the technical objective was achieved.
Major projects sometimes need a “people impact” equivalent of an environmental impact statement. This can simply serve as a reminder that achieving the mission involves strengthening the team as well as producing the widgets or making the sale.
No comments:
Post a Comment