BE CLEAR, BUT OPEN TO CHANGE.

Byline: KEN LLOYD On the Job

Q The company where I work brought in a consulting firm to determine ways for us to operate more effectively. As a result of their findings, the company is implementing numerous changes, many of which do not seem to be effective at all. There has been minimal communication with us throughout this process. Is there anything we can do now? D.E.

A It would be sadly ironic if your company retained a consulting firm in order to operate more effectively, while overlooking the fact that one of the best ways to do so is by supporting employee ideas, inputs and communication. In this type of situation, the best first step is for you to discuss your specific concerns with your manager.

Be forewarned that you may be initially perceived as resistant to change, insecure and something other than a team player. Hence, before your meeting, be sure that you and your associates review the changes in a businesslike way and approach the meeting with questions rather than answers.

It is possible that the consultants applied a technology to your organization that does not fit its needs, culture or objectives. At the same time, it is equally possible that your company needs these precise changes in order to survive over the next several years, and you should give them some time before passing judgment. At this point, the best approach is for open communication and open-mindedness on all sides.

Q I just attended a company-sponsored training program on time management, and one of the major points was that as a general rule it is better to turn in a project on time if it is 80 percent complete, as opposed to turning it in late but 100 percent complete. How does that sound to you? D.N.

A As a general rule, that sounds 100 percent wrong. Time management does not mean turning in substandard work on time. In fact, it is difficult to argue that any project should be 80 percent complete.

A better guideline for time management is to have a clear understanding of the priorities of your various projects and to know which ones can be temporarily set aside in order to complete a higher-priority project on time. And if you still find that a higher-priority project is running late, rather than turning it in at that 80 percent level, go to management and discuss the situation, the sooner the better.

An 80 percent figure is often mentioned in discussions of time management, but differently from the way that your training program approached it. There is a so-called ``80-20 rule'' postulating that this ratio is found in many work situations. For example, 80 percent of the problems come from 20 percent of the employees, 80 percent of the complaints come from 20 percent of the customers, and so forth.

From the time management standpoint, this ratio can help you in the planning process, but it does not mean to turn in work at that 80 percent level.

Looking at the bigger picture, the message from your seminar is that quality, accuracy and excellence are less important than timeliness. Although timeliness is important, it does not do anyone much good to arrive at the wrong destination on time.

Q I am being given the worst assignments. They are the most tedious and boring, and they offer the least opportunity for growth. When I discuss this with my manager, he brushes off my comments and says that all of the work in his department is important, and he tries to match skills with assignments. How should I deal with this? A.F.

A The managerial brush-off is never a good sign. You are approaching your manager with a serious question, and he is responding with platitudes.

However, your first step is to look at yourself to see if you may be the source of the problem. For example, have you developed the skills necessary to complete the assignments that you seek? Or, could it be that the assignments are challenging enough, but you have been through the drill so many times that you are bored with them?

If you are truly the recipient of the less-than-desirable assignments, and you honestly believe that you have the skills and abilities to carry out more challenging work, you should meet again with your manager. Rather than expressing dissatisfaction with a particular assignment, ask your manager what you specifically need to do to receive a different type of assignment. The next step is to follow his recommendations and let him know that you are doing so.

If he continues to hand you marginal assignments and platitudes, perhaps it is time to seek out a work situation that truly matches assignments with your skills.