ETB;IFWYE stands for “Expect the Best, Inspect For What You Expect.”
To succeed in our work life, we must get things done, accomplish tasks, complete projects. Often we must work with and through others to accomplish our goals. A frequent and significant failure point that I observe as I attempt to manage, mentor, teach, and lead others is insufficient follow up. Instructions are given, commitments made, promises spoken, and often even reports of completion made but the end result is not up to expectation and the lack of quality is not discovered until it is too late for effective remedy because no one in charge took the time to go out and take a look.
Unfortunately, the world I see when I go out in the field and inspect is often a lot messier than the glowing impression I can get if I make the mistake of staying cocooned in my all too comfortable office, blissfully shuffling paper, and relying upon second hand information.
There was a time when “management by walking around” (i.e. Getting out into the real world and intermingling with frontline workers and talking directly to real customers) was all the rage and I still believe it is an excellent use of time.
Murphy’s Law (What can go wrong, will go wrong) happens all too often. Get out in the field and take a look, eyeball it personally, take it for a test drive, trust but verify.
As always, I share what I most want/need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier