Multiple Bosses...

Well summer is just about “officially” over! I know Labor Day has normally been the unofficial end of summer activities, but let’s face it, as soon as school starts summer is pretty much behind us. Years ago, school did not start until after Labor Day, so Labor Day typically marked that transition from summer to fall. AND let’s face it, college football starts September 1st which definitely marks the beginning of fall.

The end of summer means that lots of our outdoor activities start to slow down. My kids always seem to have strong opinions on what activities we do during the summer months and their opinions do not always line up with each other. This creates a situation where deciding who to listen to can be a challenge.

I was thinking that this is a lot like many of our projects that have multiple bosses. The question is: How do you manage to keep everyone moving in the same direction, on the same schedule and with the same goals? We have found using the 3C’s (Collaboration, Compromise and Communication) is an effective process to keep a project moving to a successful completion.

• Collaboration: Find the things you agree on and then agree on them!

• Compromise: Identify the things you do not agree on; roll up your sleeves and go to work to find a compromise you all can live with.

• Communication: Develop a process to keep all the stakeholders in the loop; be diligent to use the process and always be respectful of other ideas.

Having multiple bosses on a project is not a bad thing. But having multiple bosses going two different directions can make a building project much more difficult. By collaborating, compromising and communicating, your next project can be a success. If we can be of help, give us a call.