Slippery Departments

​
“People lack not strength but will.”
Victor Hugo

One of the common frustrating factors for managers is working with the so-called. “Slippery departments”. Such departments, in whose answers every third word is “it depends”. The managers in these departments that find it difficult to take a firm stand. And when they take it, they often change it. Even before the day is over.

But of course, the real problem is not the existence of such slippery departments. The real problem is the skill level of the different managers to work with such slippery departments.

I ask in the training rooms managers how they “help” this problem to exist. Some answers are:

- We “help” by not escalating to the highest possible level;
- We “help” by doing the work that another department has to do;
- We “help” by avoiding direct debate;
- We “help” by accepting the non-taking of a firm position by other departments;
- We “help” by hoping that things will get better when the manager of the other department gets transfired.

Transfired = Transferred + Fired

This so-called “Slipperiness” can exist for a variety of reasons. But it cannot last long without the “cooperation” of the people who complain about it. The point is to turn complaints into a desire to solve problems, not into vicious circles that result in learned helplessness.

Originally published at https://www.equinox-partners.bg.