“Be sure to follow these blueprints just the way Segun has drawn them”. This was the instruction and this was exactly what Hassan did. He had worked with Fadipe for a while now ,so he got the memo and he knew what was expected of him and that was the issue. This is a working environment ,when you are given an instruction ,you are expected to carry it out and give a feedback, but I guess that wasn’t the case for this guy. He went ahead to make the model and that was it, case closed.
“The model doesn’t work,” he snapped .Hassan made sure that the model was ready on time and Fadipe took it for the contract presentation on the set day but was met with embarrassment as the model was not working. Now he is very pissed, but justifiably so and wondering why Hassan gave him a model that doesn’t work for a big contract presentation, but is very set on getting to the bottom of the issue, summons Hassan to his office. “What the devil happened, Hassan?” Hassan scratched his head and in his defense says “Sir ,I did exactly what you told me to do”,Fadipe is in no mood to let him off the hook that easy ,goes on to ask,” you mean to tell me that you didn’t check the model before giving it to me”?
Hassan is adamant and insisting that he did exactly what he was asked to do and nothing more, murmuring he says ” Sir ,if you want to speak English ,speak it well, if you don’t know how to speak it, leave it”. You didn’t say to check the model ,you only said I should make the model .I did not know that you were expecting me to check the model. Now it dawns on” Mr Boss” that Hassan did not get the information he passed across to him as expected and this has jeopardized their chances of bagging that contract because the goal of that communication was obviously defeated.
Meanwhile, Fadipe who initially blamed Hassan for bringing his mommy issues to work and getting him a query from the guys at the top finally realizes his mistake of not checking in with Hassan for feedback and again he understands that when people say they understand what you said ,you should make sure they actually did understand what you wanted to communicate ,which unfortunately wasn’t the case here, yet again.
Communication is very crucial in a working environment and can make or mar your business if the right communication channels are not implemented .Leaders should endeavor to communicate the goals of their organizations effectively through the right channels. Cases where you are to give instructions, confirm you are on the same page with the other party, as we have seen in recent times that a colleague or employee affirming that they understand you when they are given instructions is not efficient in itself until the carry out said instructions satisfactorily. After all, actions the say speak louder than words.
