A New Cleaning Service and Lessons in Assigning Work
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We called them the "B Team" because their names were Bertha and Beatrice. They cleaned our house from right after we moved to Charlotte until a couple of weeks ago. Alas, they became victims of their success.
They did good work, and so their clients told their friends and soon the B Team had lots of business, too much, in fact. They started over-scheduling which made them work faster. The work wasn't as good. They broke things. After several discussions of the issues, we parted company.
That left us with the task of finding another cleaning service. Finding that new team reminded me of several things about assigning work.
No one cares about your house as much as you do. It's just the way the world works. To get results that work for you, begin by knowing what really matters to you and what your minimum standards are.
No one does everything well. Be prepared to make adjustments for anyone who works for you. That, too, is the way of the world.
No one can read your mind. If you don't tell people what you want, they will either try to guess or do what they think is right or do only the things they enjoy. Not one of those is a good outcome.
No one will understand everything you say the way you understand it. After you've made your desires clear, follow up to determine if the work is getting done the way you expect. Adjust as needed.
Boss's Bottom Line
Being a boss is a pursuit of individual and team excellence, but it's also the art of the possible.
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Good reminder, Wally, about being strategic concerning growth. When we get greedy to grow and forget what really matters we often fall from grace, and fall hard.
I remember a quote from anthropologist Gregory Bateson when he warned too much of anything becomes toxic, too much oxygen causes brain damage, too much water becomes a flood, and too many cells multiplying is known as cancer. Good images to remind us to think about what really matters.
Sylvia Lafair
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That's a good point, Sylvia, thanks for sharing the Bateson quote.
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Thank you for posting this very practical set of 'guidelines'! I find that the points you have mentioned here not only apply to work, but they also apply to other relationships. Making yourself clear and being accommodating is essential for sustaining any kind or relationship.
But when it comes to work relationships, it is essential to know when you're being too accommodating. It is ok to give in sometimes and settle for less. But if you find yourself having to adjust too many times, it is time to take a closer look at the situation.
- Girish (http://www.beyondhorizons.in)
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Thank you for the kind words. You're right, relationships need to work or they must be changed or abandoned.
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This post really resonates with me! It's a fact that competent management doesn't just need to happen at the big company, it's important in every aspect of our lives... from work to the person who helps clean your house. And so true that no one is good at everything so you either have to make your peace with what the other person offers or find someone else. I would only add that once you've made your expectations clear and followed up, you hopefully reach a place where you can trust the other person to meet your expectations without following them around checking everything. That's a nice place.
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Thanks, Laura. What you describe is what happens in the best situations. You get to a point where you can trust a team member to do what's expected without close supervision. That gives benefits for both of you. The team member can get more control over their work life and you can use the time you used to spend on close supervision to do something else important.
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Hi,really very nice guidelines are provided by you here. I like them also. I'll also try to follow them in my best. I want to read more regarding cleaning services so please keep up such posts in near future also.
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