“So that’s how we should approach the solution!”
“Now that you mention it, that makes perfect sense!”
These are reactions I often hear when I discuss a roadmap for solving problems with clients.
In fact, many companies have misconceptions about how to approach problem-solving.
In this article, I would like to explain three common misconceptions to watch out for when addressing challenges in store management.
1. Are You Trying to Improve Communication Simply by Holding More Meetings? (The Communication Misconception)
We often hear about communication problems between store managers and staff, or between stores and head office.
A common response is, “We’ll hold more meetings and discuss things together.”
Of course, there is nothing wrong with this approach in itself. However, before moving forward, there is one important question to consider.
When communication is already poor, can people really speak openly and honestly with one another simply because they are sitting together in a meeting?
My recommendation is to combine meetings with regular, everyday conversations.
For example, after a meeting, take time to check whether everyone has understood the discussion in the same way. Have informal conversations during breaks in the workday or use phone calls and emails to ask questions whenever something is unclear.
Remember that communication improves through the accumulation of everyday conversations. These interactions build mutual trust and make meetings more meaningful and productive.
2. Are You Trying to Improve Management Skills by Conducting Training Alone? (The Employee Development Misconception)
Training is highly effective for systematically teaching management skills. However, no matter how many management training sessions employees attend, their actual management capabilities may not improve very much.
Why is that?
One major reason is that employees often do not know how to apply what they have learned in their day-to-day work.
The key is to establish a system that combines training + OJT (On-the-Job Training) from the outset of any employee development initiative.
In other words, after employees learn something in training, their supervisors must teach and guide them how to apply it in actual workplace situations.
Only through this process can employees truly acquire the skills and knowledge, allowing what they learned in training to take root.
This training + OJT approach is not limited to management development. The same principle applies to any area of employee development, whether it involves customer service skills, KPI management, or other capabilities.
Keep this approach in mind whenever you design an employee development program.
3. Are You Trying to Motivate Employees by Improving Your Performance Appraisal System? (The Performance Appraisal Misconception)
When companies want to improve employee satisfaction or reduce turnover, I often hear comments such as, “Our performance evaluation criteria are unclear, so we need to establish a proper appraisal system.”
However, the lack of a well-developed performance appraisal system is rarely cited as one of the main reasons employees leave their jobs.
The key point here is that while the performance appraisal system itself is important, how it is operated and implemented is even more important.
In terms of relative importance, I would put the balance at:
Performance appraisal system (structure): How it is implemented = 20:80
For example, suppose the problem is that performance evaluation criteria are unclear. Even if you create clearer and more specific criteria, this alone will do little to improve employees’ sense that the evaluations are fair and reasonable.
What really matters is whether promotions and work assignments are consistent with those criteria, and whether employees receive proper feedback on their final evaluations.
These are all matters of how the system is implemented.
To ensure that the system is operated appropriately, you must also develop the supervisors responsible for conducting evaluations. Provide evaluator training and follow it up with OJT to strengthen their evaluation skills.
Is your company's OJT system functioning effectively?
