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BernardHill

Perth
Western Australia
0416 295 691
Consultant.

BernardHill

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The First Thing You Need to Do.

September 18, 2014 Bernard Hill

'To ask a manager about specific tasks which she/he assigns to a subordinate comes as an unfamiliar experience for most - and the managers find replying equally strange and awkward until they get used to it.'

- Elliott Jacques, Requisite Organisation

 

The first thing:

Find out your boss's Widget.

Ask your boss: 'What do you have to do, and by when?' (That's her Widget.)

Then ask: 'What are you relying on me to do and by when for you to do it?' (That's your Widget.)

(If her answer is the same as what's in your employment agreement or duty statement, that's a bonus.)

Then ask: 'What does your boss want you to do and by when?' (That's what your boss really cares about and therefore you should care about it too.)

Go away and think about your boss's answers. (If Elliott Jacques is right, you may need to give your boss some time to answer.)

If there's anything stopping you from giving your boss what she wants - tell her.

Then make your Widget.

Do your job.

It's that simple.

 

You've also made your first good decision.

You've undertaken a deliberate process of inquiry that has advanced you towards where you want to be.

You don't know where you want to be?...

 

Perhaps that was the First Thing you should have decided? - where do you want to be?

(It was still a good decision - it prompted you towards deciding where you want to be.)

 

What if you do all of that, make your Widget, and your boss isn't happy? Then you've misunderstood your boss. Your decision has helped you to readjust your understanding about what the boss wants. The sooner you start making Widget decisions, the sooner you'll learn whether you're making what your boss wants.

The boss is always right.

 

If you're someone's boss, invite them to have the same 'What do you need to do by when' conversation with you. Including inviting them to define for themselves where they want to be.

 

If you, your boss, or your workers have not had any of these conversations - then there's the source of every problem.

This conversation rarely happens.

It's all assumed.

Which is a lot of the reason why 81% of Australian workers are not engaged.

 

It's not too late.

In Decision Making, Leadership, Learning, Widget, Words Matter
← The Only Way to Learn.Trust: The Best Way to Manage. →

'Making good decisions is a crucial skill at every level. It needs to be taught explicitly to everyone in organizations that are based on knowledge.' Peter Drucker.

Contact me to help you equip your organisation with the crucial skill of good decision making.

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Bernard Hill

Full time husband and father of two girls.     Part time Consultant, Legal Counsel, Facilitator, Workshop Presenter.                       Occasional Air Force Squadron Leader.              A conversation with a 12 year old girl remains my best lesson in Leadership.

30 years of assisting military commanders, judges, entrepreneurs, an abbot, bishops, vice-chancellors and chief executives to make decisions, and making lots of my own, have taught me the principles of making good ones.

I want to share with you what I know.

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Email: bernard@bernardhill.com  


'The way I work is not the way that you work. What I have to offer is me, what you have to offer is you, and if you offer yourself with authenticity and generosity - I will be moved.'

- Charlie Kaufman


2019 ENGAGEMENTS

Bespoke Workshops Including:

  • Duty of Care

  • Good Decision Making

  • Leadership in Education

  • Policy Makeover

  • Complaints Management

Tailored to suit your organisation.


"The Good Decision Making Workshop               was one of the most impressive professional development sessions I've attended.  

I highly recommend it to all leaders, managers and their teams."

- Professor Tony Travaglione PhD                            Pro Vice-Chancellor                                              Curtin Business School


 
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