No, you’re not at the wrong blog. Managing people is not something I usually write about. However, when I’m not writing novels, I do a fair amount of reporting on business and HR (as in human resources) issues.
I’ve read more than my fair share of articles on how it’s important that all staff understand the business goal, feel like they are responsible for the image the organization shows, and feel empowered to make decisions.
When I finish working, I don’t necessarily think of my home in a business sense or my children as staff. However, when it came to Halloween decorating, I could have used this mindset. The picture is the skeleton that we got as a yard decoration. Awesome, right? Very creepy and full of the Halloween spirit (hopefully figuratively and not literally).
It’s five pieces (two arm bones, two leg bones, and a skull), each attached to a spike you plant in the ground. After we bought it, I told my children to put it anywhere in the yard that they wanted.
I gave them those directions and nothing more. Management experts will tell you that is where I made the mistake. Because all I did was give them a simple instruction with little guidance. While I verbally told them to put it anywhere they wanted to, in my mind, I was saying, “Put it anywhere that makes sense.” I didn’t say, you need to look at the yard as a whole when you finish and make sure this looks appropriate.
I did not expressly tell them they could move other things in the yard. That would have made sense, as there was something else in the yard (we’ll get to that in a second). While I assumed that they would feel empowered to move things as needed, I didn’t say they had permission to move things. I also didn’t assure them they could ask me questions if they had any. Finally, as the mangaement experts will tell you, I didn’t make sure we were all clear on the goal–to make the yard look both festive for Halloween and appropriate.
So, about three hours after given the task to place the skeleton in the yard, I happened to wander outside to discover this:
Oh my! You see, social justice signs and Halloween displays do not mix. One might get the impression that despite the sign, we do not, in fact, believe that Black lives matter. That skeleton absolutely casts doubt on the sign.
I immediately moved the sign to the other side of the yard, and hoped not too many people saw the display together. This, my friends, would be a management fail in anyone’s books. The Black Lives Matter has been in the yard since early summer, and I hadn’t really thought about the fact that it was in the yard until I saw the two together. But clearly the kids didn’t feel empowered to move things or make executive decisions about the overall look and feel of the yard.
After I took the picture, had a talk with the children, who did actually recognize the skeleton might be too close, but weren’t sure what to do. Clearly, I should have reminded them to let me know if they had any questions.
So, from now on, I’m going to give a little more management think through to tasks assigned to the child staff. Clear goals are a must, along with clear expectations that they’re empowered to make certain decisions.
I’m good until Halloween is over, but the next obvious question is, How do Black Lives Matter signs fit with Christmas decorations?