You can tell a lot about any company by how the managers interact with the people who actually keep the company in business. Managers have a powerful tool which is often hated by the bean counters. It is the employee lunch. Just find an expensive place to take the team to lunch and start listening.
When you're in an exceptionally busy work environment with phone calls, voice mails, and e-mails driving reactive behavior, there is little time for the type of conversations that really create a successful team. A manager can gain tremendous amount of information and leverage by taking the time to do informal lunches with employees. You can easily break down barriers without losing your authority.
I have found these informal meetings to be exceptionally useful in understanding what is really going on outside your door. It's also a wonderful opportunity to get everyone on the same page and focused on the key objectives of the business.
People will share information in an informal setting that they are highly unlikely to provide in an office setting. The opportunity to hear issues, resolve them, and excite your team is a good reason to fight the bean counters over any prohibition on employee lunches.
In fact I think most employee lunches end up being more productive than many meetings organized by well intentioned managers who have little more to deliver at a formal meeting other than an agenda. Real meetings aren't just talking heads, they're interactive. If you have to change the location of your meeting to a restaurant to get a good interactive one, it's well worth the hassle.
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