In praise of memos.

a personal file of stimulating ideas, little-known facts and daily problem solvers

Properly used, the memo-can be a powerful communications tool. Besides making things clearer, memos establish a record and contribute to more effective business relationships. With a memo you can be

absolutely sure a request and due date are as clear as possible. You can avoid lengthy, time-consuming conversations by clearly stating the facts in advance. If the recipient of a memo has questions, he can come back to you. The purpose of a good memo, however, is to preclude questions through careful thinking in the first place.

As a record of your activities, memos can be especially valuable. They are particularly handy when a new person joins your department, for they comprise a ready record that can bring the new person up-to-date on recent developments.

The memo has another important function: Accountability. If something goes wrong, chances are someone "goofed." This is not always true -- only 99 percent of the time. Memos, properly used, thus establish accountability 99 percent of the time when things don't work out as originally intended.

Rightly used, memo permits a person to fulfill another's request effectively and efficiently while taking up a minimum of time in passing along the information.

An additional advantage: The memo can be helpful when you must deal with people who, no matter how hard you try, just don't seem to be your type. A memo limits that danger area of personal contact, while at the same time giving them all they require from you in a usable form.

Of course, how memos help you get ahead depends on how good they are. They needn't be literary gems. But they do have to be clear, understandable and to the point. The best memos include a clear statement of purpose -- why it was written.

Finally, the memo should state what is expected of the recipient and by what deadline, for we all tend to function more smoothly when we know what is expected of us.

5 TESTS FOR SPOTTING INITIATIVE

Choosing the right person to do a job is one of management s recurring challenges.

But how do you separate the doers from the daydreamers?

Here are five questions to ask about any potential "doer."

Does he present problems or solutions? "My former assistant invariably came to me in the middle of an assignment to tell me about a difficult problem he had run into. He proposed no solution, not even a poor one," recalls a vice president of manufacturing of a business machines company. "In other words, he was asking me to use my time thinking of possible solutions."

"The woman I have now also brings difficult problems to my attention, but she offers a possible solution or two. Usually one of her solutions does the trick. However, even when none of them has sufficient merit, they start me thinking about other answers."

Listen carefully the next time a subordinate brings in a problem. If he also brings a reasonable suggestion or two, you probably have a doer in your office.

Does he use available resources? One of the most frustrating experiences in assignment-giving is to have the assignee return again and again for help he could have obtained elsewhere.

If you find yourself responding in some of the following ways, you can be almost certain you are dealing with a non-doer:

"But the answer can be found in the file on this matter."

"My secretary could have told you about my schedule for next week."

"That point is covered in the minutes of the meeting."

On the other hand, if your subordinate rarely comes in with questions while working on a project; if he gets as many preliminary answers as possible; if he has made it his business to learn your point of view -- keep him in mind for important assignments in the future. He knows how to do his job as well as how to give you more time for yours.

Does he know the facts? Watch for the subordinate who always is first with the answer.

The vice president of a paper manufacturing company had several people of approximately equal rank reporting to him. From time to time, he would ask them to bring in recommendations on various matters. Invariably one of them came in to report ahead of the others.

It soon became apparent, however, that the speedy sub. ordinate habitually neglected his homework; his recommendations rarely squared with the facts. The vice president concluded the fastest man was the one he could rely on least. The doers took time to study the facts. They were somewhat slower but considerably more sure.

If, in making far-reaching decisions, you rely to some extent on the recommendations of others, choose individuals who show great respect for facts.

Are his reports in proportion to results? A doer usually lets his actions do most of the talking. Dalliers, dawdlers and day-dreamers learn to camouflage their lack of achievement in torrents of words.

The head of a large editorial services company asks for oral reports in these terms: "Please skip all the background, the plans you made, the strategy you followed and the hopes you have. Just tell me as succinotly as possible what you have accomplished so far." If the answer is "Nothing," the time can be constructively spent in suggesting what the subordinate should do. If, later, the results are still invisible, it's time to put someone else on the job.

A written report may tell a great deal about the reporter. If it is clearly a long-winded picture of a negligible result, take a careful second look at the reporter before assigning him another task. He may be excellent at writing reports, but mediocre in the runs batted-in department.

Does he get discouraged easily? When a subordinate is talented at explaining why tasks cannot be accomplished, he may be the fellow who can't accomplish them.

If an individual shows signs I of discouragement at the first obstacle he encounters, look out. He is going to need more encouragement than you have time to give him.

As a rule, doing goes hand-in-hand with a positive attitude. When the salesman thinks he can sell, his chances of making the sale increase. When the traffic manager is determined to find cheaper routings, he won't give up until he has done so. Whatever the mission, the person who believes he can accomplish it is more likely to do so.

This should not be construed to mean a doer is an irrepressible optimist. But he does size up a task with a view toward completing it. That gives him a decided advantage over the person who finds almost every task difficult and every difficult task impossible.

HOW WELL DO YOU DELEGATE?

1. Do you and your people agree on what results are expected of them?

2. Do you and they agree on measures of performances?

3. Do your people feel they have enough authority over their people?

4. Do they feel they have sufficient authority concerning their resources?

5. Within the last six months what additional authority have you delegated?

6. What more do your subordinates think should be delegated to them?

7. Is accountability fixed for every delagated responsibility? Is your follow-up adequate?

8. Are you accessible when your people need to see you?

9. Do your people fail to seek or accept additional responsibility?

10. What interferes with the effective use of your management time?

11. Do you bypass your people by making decisions that are part of their jobs?

12. Do you do things your subordinates should do? Why?

13. How could you best improve your delegation?

14. If you were incapacitated for six months, who would take your place?

15. Have you ever asked your subordinates individually the question, "What could I do, refrain from doing, or do differently that could help you do a better job?"

GUARANTEED WAYS TO KILL IDEAS

The manager who doesn't want to encourage new ideas doesn't have to. There are ways of discouraging people who think they have something worthwhile to contribute. Try these. When anyone comes up with an idea:

Ignore it. There is no better way to intimidate the person with an idea than to greet it with stony silence.

Laugh it off. "That's a good one. How long did it take you to dream that baby up?" Guaranteed to kill any idea at birth.

Point out it's never been tried before, so it can't be very good.

Point out it's been tried before. This is particularly effective with newcomers. It makes them feel like outsiders.

Mention what it will cost in terms of time, money and personnel. The fact the expected savings are several times the cost will then pale into insignificance.

Kill it with technology. "Not bad, except that if we adopted your idea, we would need three pulsating oscillographs to trace the effects of reduced rheostat control. You'll have to admit that's out of the question in view of the present state of the art." Sure.

Postpone it. If you can't kill the idea on the spot, put off its adoption. A few well-timed postponements and even the originator will admit that it's old hat.