Managers Should Make Their Reports Relevant

Probably the biggest weakness in the relationship between in-plant managers and their bosses is the reporting process: What to report and when to do it. In an article in IPG's extensive archives, Consultant Ray Chambers offered a strategy to help managers create more relevant reports.

Too many in-plant managers use a shotgun strategy in reporting their activities, Chambers wrote—that is, they gather all the data they can find and fire it up the chain of command. The logic seems to be that the boss will pick out what he/she wants to read and discard the rest.