Jean Roberts

There are a number of tools critical to the management role and function – and the same tools can be used to declare and wage war, or to create and maintain peace.

The tragedy is that internal warfare at worst destroys and at best renders a manager’s role and function ineffective.  Staff with management potential can ease back and do less, lose their initiative, adopt a siege mentality and ‘speak only when spoken to’, or leave when other employment is found.  So much for succession planning!

 It’s the manner in which tools are used – or abused – that determine war or peace! 

Managers usually work at three levels within their organisation:

1. with those to whom they report, and are accountable, and
2. with their peers, i.e. other managers, and
3. with their staff, i.e. those who report – and are accountable – to them.

 The sad fact is that war can be declared within a manager’s staff or team without the manager’s knowledge or intention.  Therefore, recognising signs and symptoms of war is as valuable as the tool itself.

 More about these three levels when we look at Tool No. 5: Structure.

 Tool No. 1:        Information

Information is often referred to as the ‘life-blood’ of any organisation.

A manager is required to manage a variety of information from many sources, as well as oversee the processing of information by people within his/her span of control – which includes approving information for wider circulation.  Information can be processed, applied, altered, added to and often discarded through a series of procedures and processes in different ways by different people.    Therefore, consistency can be a challenge.

If information circulates appropriately, easily and well – knowledge and understanding will increase.

If information is stifled, circulated in a way that contributes to a negative use of power and authority, or is deliberately misinterpreted and misquoted – then we have a war-zone mentality with severe abuse of the ‘life-blood’ of the organisation.  The effect can be tragic.  The organisation can destroy itself from within.

It takes courage to demand information which you know should be freely available.  It takes courage to challenge people who are using information as a tool of war.    Intended or unintended abuse of information is one of the primary tools of war: conversely, strategic use of information can be a primary tool of peace.

When information flows freely, regularly and in sufficient and understandable and relevant detail, people can develop greater confidence in their roles and responsibilities – as well as in their manager.

The effectiveness of a manager can depend upon her/his effectiveness with the tool of information.

 Information can be mis-managed, which can:

1. cost money and time,
2. cause frustration and despair,
3. generate hostility and lack of trust,
4. contribute to defensiveness and counter-productive attacks,
5. distance the manager from others in the organisation,
6. distance the manager from her/his staff,
7. further complicate an existing undesirable circumstance, and/or
8. contribute to the very problems the manager may be working hard to redress.

 Un-managed information:

1. is ad hoc in nature, interpretation and use,
2. has no clear or accepted policy and procedure for its use,
3. carries no obvious accountability,
4. creates mixed and misleading expectations,
5. can lead to confusion, embarrassment, distrust,
6. can lead to reduced job satisfaction, low morale, and lack of personal and professional credibility, and/or
7. can damage the professional reputation of a manager and his staff.

Mis-managed or un-managed information is open to abuse, to mis-interpretation, and to negative and disruptive use of power and control.

To manage information effectively and efficiently, a manager needs to:

• treat information as a valuable and valued resource, product, or service, and
• clarify expectations and requirements as to availability, status, flow, processing, storage, access, back-up retrieval and disposal.

A Manager must ensure that:

1. one person is responsible for the content and quality of each piece of written or electronic information moving within or from her/his span of control,
2. each piece of information is carefully and strategically managed to and from each position and each level, and
3. every person within her/his span of control is able to manage information to and from her/his position effectively and efficiently.

 To manage information effectively, a manager’s staff must be able or be helped to:

1. express themselves adequately,
2. convey exactly what they intend and need to convey,
3. assess and compare information,
4. check – and then decide whether to trust – the source and the content, and
5. appreciate and accept the results of their own management of information.

Managers need formal information to be able to function effectively and efficiently, and to achieve their agreed objectives.  They also need informal information for support, sharing, feedback, floating of ideas and initiatives, inspiration, or removing stress and distress.

Managers need an appropriate and reliable  system (not necessarily expensive!) for the management of information.  The system needs to positively empower his/her people in performing their responsibilities as effectively and efficiently as possible.  (A quote here from Peter Drucker:  ‘effectiveness’ is doing the right thing: ‘efficiency’ is doing the right thing right)

If you would like to discuss information as a tool of war and peace in the world of management, please add your comments below.