I was grabbing a cup of coffee in the break room this morning, when our company’s director of Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment (QHSE) asked me what I thought was the biggest challenge facing our employees.
I was caught off guard by the question and I knew that if I didn’t come up something it would appear that I was “out of touch” with my people. I paused for a minute and finally it hit me; communication between management is usually the biggest challenge within any organization.
Think Like a Leader:
- What is the biggest issue facing you and your employees?
- What is the solution to this issue?
- What action can you take to resolve this issue?
I explained to the director that I am very proud of our company’s safety management and environmental programs. In fact, I would argue they are among the best in the world. Unfortunately, these programs are not effective if employees do not fully understand how to use them.
While our company’s QHSE policies and procedures are comprehensive, the policies can be very challenging to learn. This is why it is so important to ensure that management within each level of the organization has a thorough understanding of what is expected. No mater how great a company policy or procedure may be, it can easily be undermined if it is not properly communicated throughout the ranks.
Think Like a Leader:
- Are new polices effectively communicated in your company?
- How could communication in your company be improved?
- What action can you take to improve communication within your company?
Be prepared to face the tough question asked by company management. I was lucky that I was able to come up with something so quickly; even better, I was able to offer him a recommendation for improvement. I’m confident this left a favorable impression on him.
The questions I ask above are what I wish I had asked myself prior to my conversation with the QHSE officer. I challenge you to answer them yourself; you never know when you might be put on the spot!
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