Results & Relationships On The Front-Line

by Randy G. Pennington

The need for continuously improving results is a fact of life for today's successful municipal government, and enlightened leaders recognize strong relationships as an integral piece of the of the productivity puzzle. Organizational credos, values statements and annual objectives articulate the need to satisfy a variety of stakeholders from throughout the community. Intent on ensuring that everyone receives appropriate attention, organizations frequently implement a steady stream of new programs. Each is designed to improve results and enhance relationships with some stakeholder group. One middle manager described it this way:

"The management philosophy here used to be 'MBE', Management By Exception. Then someone read a book on MBO and that become our management philosophy. That lasted until someone found out about MBWA and then everyone began doing Management By Wandering Around. Now we just do MBBSp;Management By Best Seller."

Strategic initiatives in areas such as quality, customer service, empowerment and teams have contributed to improved results and relationships in both the public and private sector. However, the list of organizations experiencing less than satisfactory results with the latest brand of MBBS continues to grow; leaving us to contemplate the real key to achieving results and building relationships at the front line.

I checked in with an experienced and respected supervisor I know to get his views on the subject. His name is Bill, and he was producing good results long before organizations began hiring outside consultants to help them implement new programs. He works in manufacturing, but the parallels to running an effective city operation are striking.

I met Bill at the plant for lunch. He wanted me to see the changes that had been made since my last visit over ten years ago. Technology has advanced to the point that the machinists on staff are more like computer professionals rather than the "get your hands dirty" jobs of the past. A few of the "old timers" were still there, however. Bill told me they had kept up with the changing job environment thanks to the company's continuous learning policy.

The machines were not the only changes. Quality improvement team reports hung on the walls. Charts gave everyone feedback on quality ratings, production goals, customer satisfaction and new business that had been closed. Three tread mills in the corner were being used by employees while the company nurse provided nutrition and health information. It was obvious that a great deal had been invested in new programs and processes.

Bill, however, was just the same. I could see him walking through the plant from the window in his office. He stopped and spoke to everyone. The quickness of his step and the smile on his face said he was having fun. His short conversations, I later discovered, ranged from overtime schedules to plans for expanding the plant to his opinions on last night's ball game. In every instance, Bill looked each individual directly in the eye, never interrupted their questions and always kept a genuine smile on his face.

After the normal catch-up conversation, I asked Bill about the changes I had seen. He admitted some personal difficulty in making the transition. The new technology, employee involvement and quality of life initiatives had forced him to re-think his beliefs and stretch his abilities. "But," he said, "it has been worth it. Our team has never functioned better. And, thanks to the changes we've been able to make, company performance is up, our employee base is stable and we can do some really good things for people."

The conversation over lunch turned to the manager's role in achieving results and maintaining relationships. I told Bill that I had seen him walking through the plant. A big smile came over his facep;a sure sign that he was about to teach me something. Bill said, "People are the one area where things really haven't changed. They have different backgrounds and interests, and a few of the younger ones haven't had strong families. But, people are pretty much the same."

"One thing we have done right," he said, "is use the new programs and processes to help individuals be successful. We finally came to believe that the majority of our employees want to do their best. Once we decided to help them win, they took care of our customers, suppliers and the other stakeholders."

I asked how he knew so much about the individuals in the workforce and what it takes to build a relationship and get them to produce better results in these competitive times. Bill said, "the same way I have always done itp;by being a manager they can trust and respect."

The lesson was both simple and profound. Being trustworthy, genuinely wanting others to succeed, sharing information, giving honest feedback, encouraging excellence and listening continue to be the foundation for success in organizations. Managers daily exhibiting those behaviors create an environment that fosters trust, loyalty and commitment. They make it possible for organizations to become integrity-driven in their products, services and relationships. Management fads come and go, but the principles of encouraging people to achieve results and building strong relationships never change.

© 1996 by Pennington Performance Group; Dallas, TX. All rights reserved.
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