We were sitting in a doctor’s brand-new office. The Physician’s Assistant came in and was quite grumpy. “The examination table is placed wrong relative to the window. The sink and power plugs are all in the wrong places. And the room is set up so I can’t move anything around to optimize my examinations.”
“If only they had asked me, it would have been so simple to do it right.”
Later we were in the treatment room and the Head Nurse was rubbing her aching back. “The protection cage is set at the wrong height, it’s going to have to be moved up a foot since I can’t spend all day bent over like this.” Moving the cage will also require moving the overhead lighting in the ceiling. “And, it sure would be nice if the laboratory was set up so we could monitor the patients without having to constantly turn around.”
“If only they had asked me, it would have been so simple to do it right.”
If only. Why didn’t the partners ask? Did it matter? The lesson is simple. You need to have the involvement of all the people affected by decisions. Everyone wants to be respected.
There is only one way people know they are respected. You know you are respected when and only when your opinion is solicited, understood, and considered before decisions affecting you are made.
“If only they had asked me” is the saddest phrase a manager can hear.
