The Parable of The Raven
by
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With that said, these are the 7 principles or “ropes” from this parable that will guide you to developing the skill of effective decision making as to things that you should not do (skip) or should do (jump).
An Understanding of Your Level of Authority and Delegation. As a member of the management team or as a key team member who has been empowered, know what authority you have and to what extend you can exercise it. Don’t assume that because you have been delegated a responsibility that you have ALL authority to do whatever you please. Clarify with your supervisor or authority figure what you can and can not do and when you should coordinate with them before taking a critical action on your own. If you are delegating to someone, follow the same principle.
Personnel Selection. There is not substitute to getting the right people to work with you. The key is know what the right person looks like, acts like, talks like, and believes like. Selecting the right person is more than just selecting the person who has the highest credentials or education, although they are a significant part of the consideration. Just as important is the person’s motive for being on your team and their desire or belief in the mission of the organization. It would take far too much time in this book to go over ALL of the points in how to select the right person as this is my area of specialty and a significant part of my doctoral dissertation but Dr. John Maxwell’s book, “The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork” will give you a basic roadmap for how to begin thinking about who you need and why you need them.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate! When critical decisions are to be make, you must communicate a lot BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER the decision is made. In the first part, your intent is to gather information, perspective, and insight as to the problem, alternatives, and possible alternative and repercussions of intended actions (Systems Thinking). The second part is to secure understanding and buy-in to why the decision needs to be made and to communicate the decision. The third part is to solicit and provide feedback and new/additional information in a timely manner regarding the decision, corrections, or changes that need to be made. No one likes being kept in the dark as to what is going on if it affects them directly. Meetings are one of the most valuable tools a manager/leader has IF they use it effectively. (I’ll give you some tips on meetings a little later in the book.)
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About the Book
Whether you are a new supervisor for the first time, or an MBA graduate on your first job out of college, or the young entrepreneur of a market penetration business, or a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a large corporation, one of the most challenging problems or issue you will be challenged to deal with is those that are “people-focused”. 90% of all major problems that authority figures face that affect productivity, morale, and teamwork are “People” problems. So whether you are new to the business of managing and supervising people or an experienced professional with little-to-no time to “train” subordinates or junior executives, the principles presented in this book will give you a solid foundation for dealing with some of the most difficult "people issues" in any type of business.
This book uses a short story in the form of a parable to teach five critical principles for dealing with the really troublesome and often organization-destroying people problems: 1) Learn the ropes to "skip" and the ropes to "jump" associated with the art of critical decision making, 2) Learn and understand the factors that impact a person’s desire to make a dedicated, personal commitment to an organization’s mission or vision. 3) Learn how to use the Johari Window Model to open or unblock communication channels and to effectively address issues of trust and integrity. 4) Learn how to effectively deal with the tough and touchy dysfunctional communication problems most commonly associated with organizational grapevines: Rumors, Gossip, and Backbiting. 5) Learn to use the most overlooked tool in developing others for management and supervisory positions – how to organize and conduct meetings effectively. This book will allow you to develop and master these skills in "record time" to promote your development as an effective supervisor, manager, or team leader.
About the Author
Dr. Robert E. Kasey is the key principal of H&K Training and Consulting, a management training and consulting consortium of business professionals specializing in organizational development and human capital development. They assist private and nonprofit organizations in developing mission statements, establishing training programs, successfully implementing major organizational culture and managerial control changes.
Dr. Kasey specializing customizing training in the areas of organization culture, leadership, customer service, team development, conflict management, and persoality conflicts. He has conducted training seminars for such organizations as the International Association of Administrative Professionals, the N.C. Education Administrative Professionals, the N.C. Association of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Administrators, the Carolinas Association of Government Purchasing, the City of
Dr. Kasey has over twenty-five years of adult education experience. He teaches business courses extensively for several prominent colleges/universities:
Dr. Kasey holds a Master’s degree in business management from