Have You Communicated the Why

At some point during any new Infor EAM implementation there comes the time that we must ask, “What information do you want to capture on a work order?”

The answer has been almost everything between, “As long as they create a work order,” to just about every field that exists. Any of these responses can be correct, but whatever is the standard for data capturing it is more important that those inputting the data know why they are doing so.

One additional field can seem like too much if it is not deemed important by the person doing the work. That is why it is critical to any implementation to communicate “the why” to end users.

If you know why you are doing something and understand why it is so important extra work will not seem like a chore. Think about your childhood. Why should I make my bed? If your parents explained why as well as Jefferson Sturkey did in this a-Minute, maybe you would have been happier to do this every day.

Communicating the why is one of the lessons explained in The Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. In the chapter titled, “Hold people accountable, but don’t hold their hands” they explain that by detailing the why you will make your team accountable to themselves and not just to the rules that have been imposed on them. And, ultimately self-accountability is more powerful and more efficient than micromanagement.

Communicating the why will make your team more successful and more self-reliant. So next time you are kicking off a project or task, make sure you communicate the why with your team.

Until next time…we are Advoco, make every minute count.

About Colin: Colin Whitney is a Solutions Architect with Advoco and looks forward to helping others achieve their EAM goals. He is a graduate of both the University of Iowa and the University of Georgia. When he is not working he enjoys getting outside and watching college football. Questions? Send Colin an email!

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