Here’s a goal that I think is worthy of us all moving toward in terms of our management culture. 

It’s when a department manager is on the sales floor and sees an employee in a different department needing some reminding or redirection i.e. something going on that shouldn’t be, and they will step in and address it.

I’m sure we all see how this could be really helpful and I’m also sure how we might all have some unsettling feelings wondering how this would work or if it is even achievable.

Well, here is what I want to say.  Yes, it is a lofty goal to have a strong culture that supports this; and yet, even if it’s not fully achievable right now, all the effort moving in this direction is time well spent. And all steps, albeit even when they’re small, are accomplishments that can stay in place and serve our culture well.

So, where do we start?

First is clarity.

Clarity means that as managers we are all on the same page. We understand and support our standards, policies and procedures and have done the work to make sure they are clear and well defined.  We all see the rationale behind them and the part they play in running a smooth operation reasonably. We see how this structure aids our ability to support staff development and bring their talent forward.

Once there, we each need to show that we are willing and able to uphold these understandings in our own department. No way around this. And that includes managing our own behavior to these agreements. Our peers need to see that our actions are in sync with the team. 

Next comes trust. Trust that fellow managers will adopt and be active in this interdepartmental program. This is where the rubber meets the road. Trust doesn’t happen overnight.  It’s usually built on two steps forward and one step backwards. It takes a lot of communication and group reflection of how things are going and a willingness to honestly give and receive feedback.  Patience and understanding of the fact that we’re all coming from different places, and nothing is going to be perfect is the key.  

Also, trust that we will support each other’s actions when a staff member comes to us complaining or indignant or confused about why a manager from a different department spoke to them about an issue.

This is going to take some time and commitment to get our culture used to this and as I said, this is all time well spent.

How’s that unsettling feeling going?

Yes, this is a big goal. Yet through working together on a shared goal such as this, we learn and grow in what I like to term a “caldron of sharing”.  It will get hot and swirling but what comes out is a new togetherness that can’t be achieved in any other way. 

This is the way I see it.

Good luck and here’s to our efforts of working together and continuing to define and experience what unity is all about.