Updating Your Manager,Author: Anthony Kerwick,Contributors: Rob Koczkar, Paul Meehan,bc,March 1998,Copyright 1998 Bain & Company, Inc,1,updatingyourmanager,Focus of effective meetings Objectives of an update Effective updates: Process Flow Dos and donts,Agenda,2,updatingyourmanager,Highlight range of key content areas of effective updates Provide guidelines on how to structure an effective update Give advice on the content and messages in an effective update,Module Objective,3,updatingyourmanager,Plan the work,Do the work,Assess the implications,Communicate the answer,Document the work,Manager updates are a fundamental step in the Bain manufacturing process,Team process skills BRAVA,Core concepts Business research skills Bain computing and mobile computing Excel and PowerPoint training Market research,Core concepts,Updating your manager,Caseteam file management BRAVA,Bain Manufacturing Process,4,updatingyourmanager,Focus of Effective Updates,Receive direct feedback and input from your manager your hypothesis your analysis your data and methodology Ensure that your prioritization fits in with the overall workplan,Communicate client perspectives Call attention to critical incidents and client issues Role play client meetings and other interactions,Communicate your works place in context of overall project Give feedback to/receive feedback from the rest of the team Brainstorm ideas, problem solve Raise and resolve team-related issues,Manager Updates - from face-to-face to voicemail - provide opportunities for two way communication relating to value addition, client, and the team,Value addition/analysis,Client,Team,Update content,5,updatingyourmanager,Agree in advance on managers degree of involvement in the workplan what is the best time to update routinely? at what points can manager add the greatest value? what are the key approval points requiring manager involvement? what constitutes a “red flag” or requires early warning? Err on the side of over communication, especially early-on conduct frequent, but succinct, updates until told otherwise Understand managers preferred communication media and accessibility: phonemails, telephone conversations, face-to-face meetings Establish mutual boundaries for caseteam work contact telephone calls/faxes at home under what conditions? Determine ground rules concerning basic business etiquette what constitutes punctuality, both for meetings and work deadlines? is food a norm at meetings? what degree of formality is expected in each business situation,At the outset of your caseteam relationship, you and your manager should mutually establish ground rules and communication norms,Communication Norms and Ground Rules,6,updatingyourmanager,The first step in ensuring that manager updates are effective is to be absolutely clear on objectives. Potential objectives depend on the perspectives of the participants,Confidence that the work is on track Insight into where value lies Insight into client hot buttons/concerns Feedback as to specific actions he or she can take to provide assistance or remove roadblocks client meetings frameworks analytical approaches VP updates information sources,Ideas and advice is my hypothesis leveraged? is my data collection methodology as efficient as possible? is my analysis correct? am I managing team/manager/client relationships as effectively as possible? Information and context how does my work fit into the whole? is my value addition sufficient and leveraged? Communication of help needed meeting coverage pre-wiring other air cover Direct feedback and coaching,Potential objectives for the manager,Potential objectives for the consultant,Update Objectives,7,updatingyourmanager,A good update has six steps,Clarify objectives,Review agenda,Answer-First summary of key issues,Communicate progress/analysis,Discuss other issues,Summarize next steps,Effective Updates: Steps,8,updatingyourmanager,Effective updates include objectives, agenda, key message, activity review, related issues, next steps, and closure,Update Elements,Notes,Examples,Updates objectives,Off-slide, mutually agree on what you both expect to accomplish,Pat, at our first caseteam last week, you asked me toIn the half-hour we have together, I would like to present the results and also call your attention to a concern the client has aboutDoes that sound about right,Agenda,Set agenda items,Good. I suggest, then, that we do the followingAnything else,Answer-First summary,Communicate the short term answer,First of all, as we suspected, the insurance business is indeed diluting Panamerica Communications market value.,Effective Updates: Process Flow (1 of 2,9,updatingyourmanager,Effective updates include objectives, agenda, key message, activity review, related issues, next steps, and closure,Update Elements,Notes,Examples,Communication of activity what milestones were reached? what insights gained? what has changed? what has happened which could affect timeline? workflow? deliverables? client