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Ever seen a situation where there is a disconnect between management and the field? Can you imagine a situation where leadership thinks they have made a simple change but the people charged with implementing the change think direction just changed 180 degrees – again?
During a recent trip, my fishing buddy and I were discussing why a client’s team seemed dysfunctional. We knew management was frustrated that employees didn’t grasp the vision and know what to do next. From talking to people in the field we knew they wanted to do the right thing but they felt like direction was changing so often that they couldn’t keep up.
We knew the answer involved setting a vision, articulating it and sticking to it. It included setting clear expectations and giving people the resources they needed to do their job. It also meant trying to bring management and team members closer together so that there is clear communication, mutual understanding and freely flowing information.
As we talked about how to make this happen, I decided there was a lot of similarity between the client’s work environment and what was happening in my right hand. In my right hand was a 9-foot fly rod with 20 feet of fly line whipping back and forth above my head.
 An accomplished fly caster (aka someone other than me!) is a beautiful sight. With a simple flick of the wrist 20, 30 feet or more of fly line with a #20 fly attached can change direction in a nanosecond. While the rod handle may move six inches, the fly 20 feet away will suddenly change direction 180 degrees and begin traveling 40 feet the other way.
Standing in this beautiful setting I decided that our client’s management team was the reel sitting at the rod handle and the team charged with implementation was the fly 20 feet away. Every time the president made a “minor” adjustment, the poor team got whiplash and was hurled in another direction.
If I cared about the fly on the end of my line, I should try to make those direction changes less dramatic, and reel in a little line so the arc is smaller. I should plan my casts better so that I only swing that fly back and forth once instead of over and over.
The same is true in a company. If we shorten the “distance” between management and team, the team is better prepared and in tune with management. Reducing the distance means defining and sticking with the vision and goals. It means explaining the vision and goals – not just the “what” but also the “why”. It means more forethought and less “back and forth”. Finally, it requires management to understand the consequences of their actions. A “small” change in the executive suite will be amplified many times and become a “large” change in the field.
When I am engaged in change, the fly line serves as a simple reminder. It helps me think about the impact my actions will have on others who may be far from the epicenter of the new idea. Perhaps the image will work for you as well.
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