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Example situation
You have asked a team member to check invoice totals before confirming them. Errors continue, while the daily dashboard and team celebrations focus on how many invoices each person closes.
Our recommendation
Observe an invoice check. Check understanding, skill, time, and access to information. Change the conditions preventing accurate work, including conflicting targets or recognition, then observe the next attempt.
If you are the manager
Ask the person to show how they check an invoice. If they cannot compare the totals accurately, demonstrate that part and observe another attempt. If the calculation is correct but the source information is unavailable, arrange access.
If the person can perform the check, examine the work conditions. How much time does it take? What happens when checks reduce their daily total? Who gets recognized, and for what?
Resolve the conflict with the person responsible for the target. Allow time for the required checks. Recognize the action when you observe it: “You compared the order with the invoice and identified the duplicate charge before confirmation.” Use recognition the person welcomes at a time that suits the work.
Observe whether checks occur more consistently in comparable work and whether errors decrease. Recognition reinforces checking only if checking increases. If work has not improved, reexamine the conditions preventing accurate checks.
If you are the team member
Tell your manager: “Checking against the order takes longer because I have to request access each time. Can we arrange access before the invoices are assigned?” Ask for a demonstration if you are unsure how to perform the check.
If quality and speed expectations conflict, ask which takes priority and what should change in the workload. Try the agreed change and bring an example of whether it helped. If you dispute the feedback itself, examine that disagreement before agreeing to practice a correction.
The responsibility behind this situation
New Manager Guide Reinforce what you want repeatedLast Updated: