Welcome to Merge's Monthly Mega Minute — a bite-sized, yet substantial and practical, nugget of information that you can use immediately to enhance your professional and personal success.
When a senior manager asks you the time, don't describe how a watch works
I've always said that it's important to modify your approach when you're communicating upward. And I was reminded of it recently when I overheard a leader in a client organization giving advice to one of his staff. He said, "When a senior manager asks you the time, don't describe how a watch works". I chuckled to myself because it was such an apt description for the deep pit that so many subject matter experts stumble into.
As managers rise in the leadership ranks in organizations, by necessity, they need to focus more on strategic issues and less on the minutiae. So they count on the subject matter experts around them to study the details and make recommendations. However, when people are specialists or authorities in their areas, there is a predisposition to "vomit data" — to share everything they know about a subject or topic. But the reality is that, almost always, the degree of knowledge an expert has is far more detailed and comprehensive than what is required for a senior manager to understand the situation and make a decision.
So when communicating upwards to senior management, seek to present information in concise statements that are brief and to the point. Respond in succinct sound bites; think bullet points. When it comes to communicating upwards, your ultimate objective should be to keep senior managers in the loop, but without giving them the extended version.
As always, I would love to hear about your reaction to this Mega Minute. Do you agree? Or do you have a different perspective? Please share your thoughts on the blog at www.turningmanagersintoleaders.com/blog and tell us whether you are the one delivering the information, or the one receiving it.
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