Sources Of Information

Introduction

One of the key challenges for management is access to necessary, accurate and timely information for decision-making.

Eight elements to ensure that you are getting this information:

i) welcome all news (irrespective of its possible source and/or impact; don't have a culture of 'shoot the messenger of bad news'; don't be judgemental; receive all news in a positive frame of mind)

ii) right mix of information sources (talk to people at all levels of the organisation and outside the organisation; hierarchy can interfere with information flow - details may be filtered and/or sanitised
"...people around you may not want to look bad, and so may strive to paint the most optimistic picture of what is happening. Talking with people across and up and down the organisation ensures that you have a better handle on what is happening..."
Michelle Gibbings, 2023e)

iii) beware of gatekeepers (2 questions:
"...Do you rely too heavily on a few information sources in your organisation/team? Is your support team/person filtering who you meet with and what you read?..."
Michelle Gibbings, 2023e

While your support staff can act with good intent, they can make it hard for people to see you, which can lead to you not getting all the information you need)

iv) walk the floor ("...Walking around the office and having random conversation is often an invaluable way of discovering what is happening. It is also a way to build rapport and relationships with people..."
Michelle Gibbings, 2023e

NB In the current hybrid working environment,  technology options such as Zoom, etc enable informal catch-ups.

v) constantly be alert for the weak signals (sometimes the weak signals can be hiding deeper issues and/or emerging trends
"...weak signals are all around us; to notice them, you must keep your eyes open to what is happening around you and be naturally curious and questioning..."
Michelle Gibbings, 2023e

Trust your gut instinct and keep asking questions.

vi) encourage differences of opinion (involving people with different perspectives and from diverse backgrounds so that one engages in a broad analysis and debate before deciding;
"...Out-of-the-box thinking often comes from unexpected quarters..."
Michelle Gibbings, 2023e)

vii) don't silence dissenters (these people often ask probing questions and have a different perspective which will encourage examination of the issue from multiple perspectives)

viii) embrace the learning (acknowledge mistakes, understand what causes them and act quickly to address them; setbacks, mistakes, failures, etc are treated as learning experiences)