For example: 'Remember the email you sent to so-and-so at 10:13 last Friday? There's an error in your third sentence. Here, I printed a copy to show you.' That's what I'll tell you. After I started doing this, everyone became much more attentive to details.
If you want to be a manager who is meticulous about details, you should systematize your daily work with documents. If important information is recorded, there will be much more clarity in the boss-subordinate relationship. Simply talking about expectations and job performance is not enough. If you write down all the details, you can go through each step with any employee in detail: 'Are you sure you understand? I'll write this down. Look. Do you understand this too?'
Written documentation or methodical control techniques also help create a sincere desire to meet jointly developed expectations. When you say something and then record it in a journal, you 'immortalize' what was said in a tangible form. Of course, such written documents do not have legal force, but they have an important effect. Both parties participate in creating a written document that can be referred to later and that carries more weight than anyone's memory. Knowing that all expectations are set out on paper, a person is unlikely to forget the commitments they have made.
Sometimes you and a subordinate may remember differently what was said, what was discussed, and when it happened. By documenting conversations in writing, you can easily resolve such disputes. In addition, your notes will help you justify special rewards or punishments, because you can cite specific facts of work as a reason, and the records will serve as evidence. In the case of formal disputes, this is even more important. If you are accused of bias or any other complaint is filed, people from HR and legal departments will want to know 'what's in your folder.'
And you will be able to tell them that you have detailed records of all regular conversations with all subordinates. This documentation will help you substantiate your version of events.
Moreover, methodical control techniques are the key to continuous quality improvement. Constant evaluation and feedback will help you review and change instructions: 'You did a good job on A, B, and C. You worked strictly according to the algorithm. You followed all instructions. You followed all rules. Great job. Now let's talk about D. While working on D, you did not complete steps 3, 4, and 5. Why? What happened? Let's talk about how you can complete steps 3, 4, and 5. And now let's talk about E. While working on E, you missed the following details. Let's go back to the task list and see how to handle these details.' Ultimately, this process of reviewing and changing work instructions is also key to growth and development.
In the real world, growth and development occur in accordance with the development of basic trends that include control and revision, when a person's specific actions are constantly subjected to thorough and impartial evaluation, and he uses this information to change his work accordingly. To make this possible, you must evaluate his work in writing.
I was training a group of sales managers who at one point fiercely protested against regular written documentation of work information. Then I asked them to describe the system their salespeople use to track customer contacts. It turned out that they require salespeople to keep detailed records, including accurate notes, dates and times of conversations, about every communication with clients and potential clients. Why did they insist that salespeople keep such detailed records? 'Because these conversations are really important,' they replied. 'If you don't track calls to customers, the next calls will be ineffective. You won't be able to sell anything, that's the law that control and revision speaks about. The ability to refer to specific episodes of past conversations helps you control the current conversation.'
In other words, they require salespeople to be meticulous about details using methodical control techniques. The same is true for the core tasks of any competent professional. Imagine a doctor or nurse giving a patient medication without noting it in the medical record. Imagine a banker cashing a check without debiting the required amount from the correct account. Just as salespeople need to refer to previous records to ensure successful sales, any professional should consult records of their previous activities for successful work.
You must be able to refer to records of your subordinate's current work. What specific expectations, goals, deadlines, and requirements were set? What was discussed? You should be able to check everything against written documentation. I sincerely advise you to use the techniques that control and revision includes in your work.
Candidate of Economic Sciences A. G. Seleznev