As managers today, we often latch onto a key indicator to tell us how we are performing in a particular area. The project status reports say the work is on time. The sales numbers are meeting expectations. The employee retention numbers have been low and stable for many months.

Often we are lulled into a false sense of security based on our favored report or metric. While we rest in the comfort of the positive information, the situation is actually deteriorating and, ultimately, won't meet expectations.

A simple story about a new sandwich shop will illustrate this situation. Ryan bought a franchise that has proven their model for a popular and profitable sandwich shop. Ryan chose to manage the shop himself relying on his business education and work experience coupled with years of helping in his father's deli.

After the grand opening and initial marketing blitz, the shop was hitting its targets and seemed to be on target to exceed all expectations. Ryan got into a daily routine of scrutinizing the food and supply orders and reviewing the sales numbers. From his office in the backroom, he had a laser focus on keeping costs in line and ensuring that the shop met sales goals.

After nine months, he started to see a steady decline in sales. During the first 6 months, his team was excited and proud to be involved with the new shop. As time passed, they paid less attention to the details. Trash piled up on tables. Their refreshing and enthusiastic attitudes dimmed. Sandwich orders were routinely messed up. Tomatoes were left off. Everything but no onions was delivered as extra onions. When customers pointed out their concerns, Ryan's team listened, but didn't do anything to solve the problem. The result was customers that didn't come back. People were so satisfied with the opening that it took a couple months for their dissatisfaction to hit Ryan's sales report.

Ryan sought the advice of his father. His father quickly diagnosed the problem and succinctly summed it up with the advice, "Get out of the office and inspect the dining room." Ryan had fallen into the trap of relying on a couple of good key indicators, but he didn't do anything to ensure the numbers were telling an accurate and complete story. He needed to get out in the dining room. He could have seen the trash, observed the pattern of customer complaints, noticed the team's attitude, and, most of all, he could have taken action to keep the customers coming back.

This situation, although simple, is analogous to many that managers face in numerous different businesses. We tend to get comfortable and don't do enough to "inspect our dining room." Better yet, managers will hide behind the "I don't want to micromanage" excuse. Inspection isn't micromanaging. It's simply ensuring that what you've been told is reality.

Good managers find ways to make sure they have accurate information. Average managers will read reports and ask questions to formulate their answers. Good Managers will inspect their dining rooms to make sure the reality syncs with the reports and the answers. Good managers will:

* Regularly ask the customers how they are doing
* Observe their team working
* Occasionally, do the work to gain first hand understanding of the issues
* Observe their team in key meetings
* Avoid reacting to anecdotes and demand facts for support
* Challenge others to explain conclusions in more detail
* Build safe environments for giving feedback, challenging each other, and suggesting changes
* Know who gives them accurate information and who masks the real situation
* Review deliverables themselves to verify the quality

Many of the key areas that we should regularly inspect seem obvious. For example, inspecting our quality or compliance standards, making sure the reviews have been completed, etc. Real inspection takes on a wider and deeper perspective. To demonstrate this point and test how well you are inspecting, read the following questions. For each question, ask yourself if you would bet your monthly salary on how accurately you could answer each of the questions.

* Are all my customers happy with our performance? If not, what are the real issues they face?
* Does my team face any major process or technical issues that they aren't telling me about?
* Is everyone on my team happy with their job?
* Does everyone on my team clearly understand what is expected from them?
* Does my team think that I'm a good manager? Do I know all the areas they would like to see me improve?

If you weren't willing to bet your monthly salary on your ability to answer each of these questions, start inspecting your dining room NOW!

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Characteristics of Good Managers