So, how do we fix it?

We don’t! Faced with the reality of this math, we know that we can’t fix this problem; we can’t keep everyone informed on all the issues. Instead, our intent should be to communicate to each employee the information they need to achieve their goals. The extraneous stuff is the fluff that bogs them down.

The way to communicate this goal-focused information, of course, is to follow a management system like the one we described in Chapter 6. At a minimum, you should conduct a regular (monthly at least) GMT meeting that focuses on plan-versus-actual for the company, conduct weekly one-on-one meetings that focus on individual goals, and instill a culture that values goal attainment and accountability.

Quite simply, you and your staff must learn to live with imperfect communication. Make it clear to everyone that it’s impossible for them to know about everything that’s happening (even though some of them really want to know this!).

But make it just as clear that you have a system in place that will provide them with the information they need to achieve their goals. They’ll love that part.