“I need this information”..err…why?
I’ve just had an intense debate with a senior marketing manager who was explaining why he needed so many reports from a new system.
He demanded a huge amount of information that he couldn’t possibly use and 90 percent of which was focused on the past!
I said we should be providing him and his team with the right information at the right time in the right format to enable them to work effectively, efficiently and positively for the organisation.
Hence the information should be prioritised to focus on
- Key indicators he was going to act on
- Information he and his team could use to actually improve their marketing activities!
(If he needs anymore one off reports/research then the system has amazing ad hoc reporting tools – but let’s not print off 60 pages a week!)
One example…..he wanted a breakdown of every offices advertising spend over the past 6 months against the same period each year going back 3 years! When I asked him why…he told me he then asks each regional director to provide him with a report explaining the variances….I then asked him how this helped the organisation market and sell ……he got angry with me.
Now, I know you need some form of reporting and analysis of the past…. but my point was that meanwhile the world and market is changing and surely his job was about marketing and the future…not getting left behind!
He would be better off in the finance department…….although I know lots of accountants who think like me and are changing their departments to support the business….!
So what’s the point here?
You should think about what you do with information and how this really helps the business move forward.
- When you provide information or report to someone else – go to see them, sit down and ask them
- “what do you do with this information?”
- “is is the right information?
- “what would be better?”
- “what would happen if I gave you less?”
- “how does this information help the organisation move forward?”
- You get the idea…..this is especially important if it’s your boss!
- When you request or receive information/reports – do the same….someone is spending time and money providing this to you!
Do be afraid to use the shredder
