ANOTHER BUDGET MEETING

Last Friday was supposed to be the Budget Meeting of the company for the year 2011 (although, it should have been scheduled before the end of 2010). Managers were discussing about the Sales Forecast so as to project the annual Production Schedule and as per the needs arise adjustment in terms of labor and machinery can be prioritized in the budget.

Much of my dismay was the aggravating disappointment expressed by the President. He expected a more elaborate and deeper discussion of data and proposals. After two hours of running into circle of instructions and expectations, the meeting was called to adjourn. Meeting rescheduled. 

I may not be in the right place to discuss or to express my ideas in that management meeting but I can't help but to take notes on how things were done on the upper level of the company. I am negatively amused on how they assessed things and issues right through.

• They talked about EFFICIENCY. Efficiency in terms of production and delivery lines is something to be stringently dissected. It will serve as the determinants for a more productive activities of the company. Purchasing of a new machinery with a pre-determined quality and addition of labor force can be few of the possibles aftermath if efficiency is determined correctly. But in the case of that meeting, everyone is talking about 100% Efficiency! Is it possible to have a 100% efficient delivery or 100% efficient production? Unfortunately, no one will argue and take stand that his/her process is 100% efficient due to the fact the anything discovered or invented has rooms for improvement to reach a nearly perfect efficiency.

• Misleading BASIS and FORMULA. The first presentation on the meeting concerned Finished Goods Warehousing and Delivery. The manager talked about the capacity of his warehouses and delivery trucks but one thing he kept on insisting is his 100% efficiency. As part of the audience, I was skeptical to accept the data he provided. I didn't even got the chance to ask him on how he came up with such figures. But thanks to our President, he gave it a blow. He asked questions after another. He highlighted few tools to use. With that scenario, clearly the manager did not know what he is talking about yet he was so persistent on clarifying the figures just to make it believable.

• Intellectual interpretation of data. This was my major disappointment to the said management communication. Sitting on the left of the President was our Comptroller. After the first manager presented his data, the President asked the Comptroller on how he will interpret the figures. I don't know if he really understood or he really took time to study the data but his answer was so lame, such an elementary interpretation. Right through his face, the President told him to have a more elaborate and deeper interpretation due to the fact that he holds such high position. Indeed, it was such a strong blow to the Comptroller's ability that on the most possible way will have a negative impact on his capacity. As far as my insights were concerned, he should have been more proactive and opinionated. He should have done his assignment.

In my perspective, the management holds the power in the company. They have the ability to move people in a better direction.  They have the position to nurture the company and help the President to think strategies that will have a bearing in  achieving its full potential.

Well as for the small people like us, we are hoping that they are in the right state of mind to lead the company towards a greater success. They have their ideas and we also have ours.