Sometimes in the rush of work, it’s easy to give abbreviated or incomplete instructions. Sometimes this is adequate to get the job done, but frequently it leads to incomplete or undesirable work results.
If you’re a boss, it’s really worth the extra effort to make sure you’re giving clear instructions. You’ll be more likely to get the results you want. And the people you supervise will be better able to achieve the results you want — while deriving a sense of satisfaction for work well done.
How to know if your instructions are adequate? Ask! You can say “do you have any questions about what the assignment is or how you’re supposed to carry it out?”
If you’ve got a boss whose instructions are unclear or who omits important details, you can ask clarifying questions to get the information you need to carry out an assignment. For example, you could ask “what’s the deadline for the first draft” or “when does the task force need to have completed its work” and so on.
Of course, making sure that there’s a good communication when instructions are given is really the responsibility of both parties. When both parties are acting in good faith, there’s a good chance that a clear understanding can be developed about the details of an assignment. But, there is no doubt that confused communications lead to decreased employee morale, while good communications are likely to increase it. So, a small amount of effort here is likely to have a big impact on employee morale!