Page 193 - Everything I Know About Business I Learned

Communications

Then as a team, my staff and I evaluated the pros and cons
behind the decision. In almost every case, we all came to the
same conclusion. All of us internally at least, could justify the
decision and how we got there, which included giving the oper-
ators the opportunity to express the strengths of their organi-
zation. And there was another very valuable added aspect.
Because the individuals in the field, closest to the operators who
might question the wisdom of a decision, were part of the pro-
cess, it gave them the rationale, the “why,” to explain intelli-
gently the transaction. All too often, those in the field, closest
to the action, are seldom given the reasoning behind a decision.
This kind of process has application in a number of different
organizations in a variety of scenarios. For example, an organ-
ization looking to fill a position can ask candidates for their
pitch, as can an organization interviewing new vendors and sup-
pliers. Allow them to “strut their stuff,” and you gain another
163
opportunity to learn more before arriving at a decision.

Responding to a Need
The best resolutions are often derived from talking things through
with your team. Back in 1992, as regional vice president of
McDonald’s, I chaired the meeting of department heads with my
group, and we grappled with the realization that we were not
going to meet our profit plan—an often recurring struggle that is
familiar to many corporate officers and businesspeople within
their business lives. In our usual fashion, we reviewed the usual
key metrics that were our goals for the year. And when we all real-
ized our dilemma, we took the time for each of the department
heads to review how that person might contribute from his or her
respective department. All of the disciplines represented were not
directly linked to solving an immediate profit crisis . . . and yet,
each contributed in his or her own way. In a surprise to all of us,
we discovered our solution from one of the least likely areas: real