Thackeray William Makepeace Doctor Roszgi and his young friends. Thackeray William Makepeace Doctor Rozzgi and his young friends Formula for an effective problem
The Central Bank once again raised the rate, but forgot to explain how this will help improve the economic situation in the country. And this is not only a problem for the Central Bank: in order to combat the crisis more effectively, citizens must understand what exactly the government is doing for their well-being.
The ability to explain one's actions has always been a weak feature of the Russian state. It seems like they did everything wisely, but either forgot to explain, or decided that everything was already clear, or didn’t consider it necessary at all. There are many examples of this - starting from the monetization of benefits, continuing with the war of 08/08/08 and ending with the current healthcare reform in Moscow.
It’s up to the United States to explain its actions to both its own people and its allies. Only later it turns out that they lied outright, but by that time Saddam had already been hanged, and all the secrets had been extorted, and in essence there was no longer an independent Iraq.
Some cultural and progressive officials sometimes try to explain their movements, but it would be better if they remained silent - the fecal-anal allusions of Medinsky and Kapkov confirm that the joke about the laundry and the Ministry of Culture is eternal, but they do not add respect to them in society at all. And it’s also somehow not very pleasant to hear a statement about one hundred rubles per dollar after the New Year from an official.
But both Kapkov’s sad forecast and the initiatives of State Duma deputies - either about redenomination or generally about replacing the ruble with a new currency - arise for one simple reason. The agency, which should regularly speak on this topic, is silent or issues comments so incomprehensible to the majority of Russians that it would be better to remain silent too.
Silence of the Central Bank
There can be no doubt about the professionalism and vast experience of the head of the Central Bank, Elvira Sakhipzadovna Nabiullina. She has been in the government since 1994, worked at the Center for Strategic Research, developed Putin’s economic program for the 2004 elections, and headed the Ministry of Economic Development.
But there is one point in her biography - “she doesn’t like to communicate with journalists.” And as a result, the actions of the Central Bank, inexplicable for citizens without an economic education, cause bewilderment at best, and panic at worst.
A professional economist does not need to explain why an increase in the Central Bank’s key rate should reduce inflation - loan rates rise, demand decreases, and prices rise more slowly.
The average person remembers that the refinancing rate was high during years of high inflation, and only after inflation slowed down was the rate reduced. The key rate and the refinancing rate are different things, but again, who understands this except specialists?
According to Nabiullina, a high rate is a means of combating inflationary expectations, but not a single explanation of this, made in human language, could be found either on the Central Bank website or in the official comments of the head of the Bank of Russia.
It turns out that from an economic point of view everything was done correctly (probably). But the lack of a clear explanation leads to exactly the opposite results - the ruble continues to fall, bread rises in price, and panic intensifies.
Comments by economists who do not share the position of the Central Bank also do not add peace of mind to either citizens or the ruble.
Vain words
The most consistent opponent of Elvira Nabiullina's economic policy is presidential adviser Sergei Glazyev. Speaking on Thursday at the business forum “Russia. New strategy,” he, in particular, said: “The Central Bank is acting inadequately: instead of lowering the interest rate, and this is a necessary condition for replacing external loans with internal ones, it raises the rate and actually cuts off the real sector from sources of loans and aggravates the effect of its policies economic sanctions." According to Glazyev, the Central Bank is leading the country to disaster. At the same time, he especially noted that this is a private opinion, and not the official position of the presidential assistant.
The director of the Institute of Globalization Problems, Mikhail Delyagin, expressed himself even more harshly at the same forum: “Nabiullina is the most expensive woman in the history of the Russian Federation; this year alone she cost us 90 billion dollars and will cost us more. But the most expensive person in the history of the Russian Federation is still Mr. Kudrin. In 2008-2009, it was he who controlled our financial policy, it was his plans that included a smooth devaluation, which was elevated to a first creation, costing a quarter of a trillion dollars.”
But the root cause of Bastrykin’s statement is, again, Nabiullina, who did not react in any way to the instruction made in the president’s message to deal with currency speculators. When bankers are silent, prosecutors begin to speak.
And Bastrykin spoke primarily about the fight against insider information, the use of which in the United States, by the way, can lead to a very long prison sentence. But they heard him say “they’ll put everyone in prison.”
Be able to explain
The crisis will intensify - alas, there are no prerequisites for improving the situation in the economy in the near future. The crisis will pass, as all crises have passed. But citizens’ perception of the crisis can and should be softened.
There are facts: the lack of clear comments about what is happening on the part of the monetary authorities is increasing the panic. Divergent comments and public showdowns by representatives of different departments are intensifying the panic. Intervention in the economy by security forces (even in words) increases panic.
To solve these problems, not much needs to be done - first, find Nabiullina a good speechwriter who can explain the actions of the Central Bank even to a schoolchild. If the head of the Bank of Russia herself is not ready to communicate at this level, it is necessary to hire a press secretary. By the way, does anyone know the name of the current press secretary of the Central Bank?
Any decision that may have an impact on the foreign exchange market must be clearly and clearly explained.
And, of course, any attempts at insider information should be followed by a real deadline with wide coverage of the process in the media.
When the United States was experiencing the Great Depression in the 1930s, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt addressed citizens weekly, explaining what was happening in the country.
In 2011, Vladimir Putin spoke approvingly of Roosevelt’s broadcasts: “The main goal is nationwide psychotherapy to instill confidence in the country’s citizens in the future.”
Now is the time for psychotherapy. Of course, Putin himself has many other things to do, so perhaps it is not he who can address the citizens personally. But in any case, this should not be some new television commentator (the current ones are already doing a good job), but a direct participant in public administration who is trusted and who knows how decisions are made at the highest level.
If the actions of the government, the Central Bank and other authorities remain incomprehensible to the overwhelming majority of citizens, then sooner or later they will believe the one who gives the simplest explanation of what is happening. And this explanation is unlikely to be pleasant.
Life is about tasks. They are everywhere: big and small, important and not important, urgent and not so urgent.
My wife asks me to book tickets for the New Year, I ask my subordinate to prepare documents for the transaction. If I don’t book tickets today, tomorrow they will cost more. The employee does not prepare the documents on time - the deal will be canceled and the company will lose money.
The success of a project or company depends on the results of completing tasks. Hence the first problem of any business is the execution of tasks.
The manager wants his subordinates to complete tasks clearly and on time. If a task is not completed or completed but incorrectly, the employee is to blame. The task execution machine malfunctioned. The car needs to be replaced. This is the psychology of a leader. And I thought so until I realized that the reason for the unclear execution of tasks was not the employees.
They are not robots, but smart, thinking, creative and responsible people. I chose them for the team myself. The problem is with me: I, like many managers, do not pay enough attention to setting goals.
Formula for an effective problem
The formula for an effective task that employees take on with joy and zeal consists of six simple rules.
1. Identify the problem
Behind every task of a leader there is pain.
If I ask a subordinate to do something, it means that I need it for some reason. But managers do not consider it necessary to explain this to their subordinates. As a result, the employee thinks that the boss just wants to burden the subordinate with routine tasks.
Related article: Rules for setting goals
For example, I ask a manager to analyze a lead report. The main job of a manager is working with the client. Analysis distracts from the main work. The manager stupidly collects data and makes a report anyhow, just to quickly get rid of a routine and unimportant task.
A correctly posed task is a problem that the employee must solve in the best possible way and creatively. This is not an order or a direct instruction.
By solving problems, rather than stupidly following orders, an employee develops. He comes up with unconventional ideas that help the company move forward.
2. Describe the meaning of the problem on a business scale
If an employee does not understand why exactly he is preparing the same analysis, he will do it poorly. Explain what will happen to the result of the work after.
Marketing specialists will work with the analysis of the report. Based on the collected data, they will adjust the product’s advertising campaign, which will attract new customers. Conversion will increase, the company will grow.
This way the employee will feel the importance of the task for business development.
3. Formulate the essence and conditions of the problem
Describe the result you want to get. If necessary, conditions and restrictions. Give your manager clear time frames.
Count the number of leads for the last three months. I need to understand whether conversion has actually decreased. If yes, then at what point? Make a list of possible reasons.
4. Explain deadlines
Managers often set a deadline for a task, but do not explain why this particular date is important. As a result, for the employee the deadline is only day X, by which routine work must be completed.
Related article: Where to look for performers to delegate work
The analysis is needed by Monday. In three weeks we begin a large-scale advertising campaign. Marketers will need time to adjust sites.
You explained to the employee the reason why the task must be completed within a certain time frame. He understands that the work of other people depends on the completion of a task, and takes a more responsible approach to solving the problem.
5. Motivate
The worker receives a salary. Managers often think that this is enough motivation. But that's not true. Employees do not always understand why this or that task fell on their shoulders. Explain your choice to the manager.
A marketer can analyze the data. But I would like you to do it. You know your clients better and gather more complete information.
The subordinate feels special, a hero, a superman and is eager to fight with enthusiasm.
6. Put the task in writing
If you set the task correctly, but did it orally, and the employee wrote it down in a notebook under dictation, something will definitely be lost. After you have discussed the task orally, create a written summary.
Forming a habit
Knowing how to set a task so that it is completed is half the battle. We must constantly apply knowledge in practice. This is impossible without automation. You'll have enough for a week or two. Then urgent matters will appear and you will not describe the task in detail. Once - no big deal. But where one time is a hack, a second and third will always appear. Soon you will spit on this disastrous business, and again turn into a distributor of orders for robots.
Something must constantly remind you of the correct setting of tasks so that the scheme becomes a habit. Megaplan helps me. Task setting form - automatic reminder.
The name of the task is always the desired action. What should your employee do? The answer to the question is the correct formulation of the problem.