Others may not know what you know

It always amazes me when I find examples of where someone thinks others know what they know, , , but more often it’s not quite the case.

Don’t take for granted that just because you know how to do something, everyone else will know how to do it as well. It is simply not going to be true.

Let me give you an example. I taught my IT Manager Institute to a group of senior managers from a large consulting company a few years ago. Each of these managers had many years of management experience and the senior guy had who they all reported to had been managing longer than me, , ,over 25 years.

When I talked about getting newly hired employees off to a fast start, everyone in the class agreed this is always what we want to do. But, when I showed them the sample New Employee Orientation / Start-up Checklist I created early in my management career to help me do this, they were amazed, , , and this seems to be the reaction in almost every class.

The most senior manager in the class leaned over to a senior manager with 15 years of management experience from another company and asked, “Do you have anything like this that you use?”

Her answer, “No, , , wish I had something like this ten years ago.”

They were both impressed with what I would consider to be one of the simplest and most basic tools I have. It amazed me that they weren’t using something to help them with the orientation of a new employee because it’s sort of a basic thing we have to do, , , and you want to do this part well.

The fact is that even though this just seems like everyone should have a tool like this, , , most don’t, , , so don’t assume others know what you know. This goes for your employees, , , assume they know everything or have the tools they need and you are going to have some bad surprises. Inspect, coach and teach your employees to insure they know what to do, how to do things, and have the tools they need to succeed.

If you have seen any of my management tools, you know they are as simple as you can get, , , but they help me manage my technology organizations more effectively, with less stress, and best of all with less effort.

The New Employee Orientation / Start-up Checklist is as simple as can be, , , and we all need something like it if we hire new people, , , but very few who have attended my class seem to have a tool like it.

New Employee Orientation / Start-up List

CLICK HERE to download the New Employee Orientation / Start-up List.

So why do I have these simple tools and others don’t? Reducing the effort it takes me to do something is why I usually develop a tool.

You see, , , I’m lazy, , ,

Before I lose you, let me explain. Anyone who knows me knows I’m not actually a lazy person, , , but when it gets to repetitive things or administrative work, , , I don’t really want to be spending my time on these things, , , so I tend to develop a tool that eliminates a lot of the hassle factor.

You know “hassle factor”?

We want to eliminate as much “hassle factor” in our lives as possible !!

Other reasons are to develop a tool that helps you or your team be thorough and consistent when you support your Users, , , little things like checklists to insure we “dot the i’s and cross the t’s”.

Take a close look at the things you have to do today and ask yourself the question, “Are there simple tools I can develop to make this effort easier, higher quality, consistent, or less stressful?” If the answer is YES, then develop a tool to help you manage the situation better.

Lastly, share your ideas with others and don’t think that just because you know something, others do as well.