Volunteer Firefighting…in Your Office
Have you ever had a complaint that you thought had been heard but change was never implemented to address the issue? Have you stopped to ask yourself “why?” “Why was change not implemented?” “Why did they not hear me?” “Were my concerns not valid?” “Am I just a Whiney McWhineface that no one takes seriously?” The answer is…maybe. But, beyond that, say you had a legitimate concern. Why didn’t they listen?
Chances are, it’s because your gripe is marinating on a to-do list that’s about a mile long. Sure, it’s important — it may even be imperative — but if everything is a fire you’re eventually going to run out of firefighters.
Ready for a crazy piece of advice? Be a volunteer firefighter. Acknowledge, asses, and advise the head firefighter— your supervisor — on what you believe is the best way to address the issue. Overwhelming? It’s simple. Break it down into a step-by-step process and implement this approach each time:
1.) Acknowledge. Determine the problem and its root cause. Consider the “why.” Is this part of a larger issue that will need to be addressed? If yes, delve deeper — there’s no sense in putting a band-aid on a bullet wound — you can utilize the same approach on a grander sale. If it isn’t part of a larger issue, congratulations, you just completed the first step of putting out the office fire.
2.) Assess. Brainstorm potential solutions. Assess and analyze any potential risks or drawbacks associated with each solution. Is the solution a bigger threat than the original problem?
Examples of solutions that may not be acceptable to a supervisor include one that costs more to implement than any potential loss caused by the initial problem, a solution that drastically affects the workload of an employee, or one that has the potential to negatively affect the energy and environment within the office.
3.) Advise. Select the best solution and outline to your supervisor how you would ideally implement it. Include a detailed description of the process. If the solution requires money or manpower, try to provide an estimate of the associated cost.
Helpful Tip: Be cognizant of your body language and tone. Don’t approach your supervisor aggressively. Maintain a neutral stance, while positioning your solution as a quality, well thought-out fix to something they understandably don’t have time to deal with or is outside of their radar. Do not take it personally if they decide to not go with your suggestion.
While this process doesn’t guarantee success, it will drastically improve the odds while also positioning you as a proactive problem solver. Good luck!
Have a topic you’d like to discuss? Email us at info@aesplacement.com and we’ll feature it on an upcoming blog!