UMW College of Business Dean Lynne Richardson
College of Business Dean Lynne Richardson’s latest column in The Free Lance-Star discusses the importance of preparing employees to back each other up in their roles and responsibilities. Read WHEN REDUNDANCIES ARE GOOD.
I had been in my first dean position about two months. There were three staff members in my office supporting the administrative team. One of the members, Joyce, was on vacation for the week when I asked one of the others, Laura, if she would take care of something for me the next day. She immediately said, “That’s Joyce’s job,” and pulled out a two-page document of responsibilities in the office.
It was a “who does what” list. She showed me that Joyce’s name was beside the item I had asked her to do. I was a bit astonished. While I appreciated that they had figured out all of the tasks, I was a bit concerned that work would not get done when the responsible person was out. Read more.