BFA #020 | Optics Management 👀

What's happening Fraud Fighters?

I talk about optics management all the time. Honestly it’s something I find myself bringing up in conversations almost daily. It's not just a buzzword, but a significant element that shapes our personal and professional interactions, relationships, and ultimately, our reputations.

It's only fair that I share this concept with you all, as it holds the potential to become an incredibly valuable tool in your arsenal. Whether you're a seasoned executive, an emerging leader, or someone who simply wants to cultivate better relationships in and out of the workplace, understanding and practicing effective optics management can make a substantial difference.

Let's investigate further.

Read Time: ~4.11 Minutes

Protecting Your Role

If I could teleport back to the inception of my managerial journey, there's one priceless piece of wisdom I would impart to my younger self – the absolute necessity of safeguarding your role.

So, why would fraud managers require such safeguarding?

Private discussions take place behind the closed doors of your office, particularly during difficult times. If you're not effectively demonstrating your work, especially when your team members are underperforming, your competence as a manager may be questioned.

Instances that can diminish faith in managers include:

• Major adjustments that significantly affect investigation output

• Unestablished trust between a manager and their boss – for instance, when a new executive joins or a manager transitions to a different team.

• Underperforming team members blaming the manager for their failures

Without a system to highlight their contributions, a manager can easily become the scapegoat when things take a downturn.

To avoid this, you should develop a system that

• Promotes effective self-management

• Ensures accountability among team members

• Safeguards their contributions

Similar to how team members need a system to prioritize tasks and follow up on crucial matters, managers require a system to track each member's developmental focus and handle pending follow-up tasks.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

But how can you tell if you need to improve your system?, Here are a few questions I think about:

• How often do I struggle to remember follow-up tasks from one-on-one meetings with my team?

• If my boss requested an immediate conference call to update on the developmental areas for each of my team members, could I do it with minimal to no preparation?

• If someone asked a team member and me about their developmental areas, would our answers align?

If you're spending too much time grappling with remembering your team members' development areas or tasks needed for their progress, or if there's a discrepancy between your understanding and your team member's, a self-management system could be the solution.

People mirror your actions.

We all have that one manager we think of that was never prepared (and on-time if we’re lucky). I’m sure you’re thinking of one specific person…

Turning up unprepared for a one-on-one might signal to your team that they can slack off or show up unprepared for meetings.

If you are well-prepared and follow up on action items and development planning, your team will reciprocate your approach.

Also, if your team is not making the most of your one-on-one meetings – they're not completing tasks or sharing emails or calls for guidance, etc – and you're letting it slide, you're not doing anyone a favor.

By maintaining a system to monitor action items and key points for one-on-ones, you’ll:

• Elevate your expectations from your team – the principle of "inspect what you expect". If you don’t verify your team’s completed work, they may question the purpose or disregard the tasks altogether.

• Spot problems early – if team members have repeatedly missed action items in past one-on-ones, it needs to be addressed.

• Encourage a culture of confidence among your team – without a method to track progress and development, you risk losing your way. A system that keeps tabs on team development, the next steps for growth, and past progress can foster confidence within your team and strengthen your partnership.

Minor enhancements can greatly contribute to gaining control over life.

Some of the most stressful encounters with team members have provided the best lessons for me.

But I think you can tell, it didn’t happen by accidentally

It was the system.

The Art of Optics

Optics management is all about how your actions, decisions, and communications are perceived by others. It influences your personal and professional brand, playing a crucial role in how you're seen and understood. It's not merely about what you do but about how what you're doing is interpreted. This idea extends from major corporate decisions all the way to individual behaviors and interactions.

When effectively managed, optics can build trust, enhance credibility, foster better collaborations, and create opportunities for growth. It can shield you from misunderstandings or misinterpretations by ensuring you're viewed in the best possible light by your peers, superiors, or external stakeholders.

However, the key to optics management isn't about crafting a false image. It's about authenticity, clear communication, and being attuned to the perceptions and feedback of others. It's about being proactive, maintaining a consistent professional persona, and being able to adapt based on changing circumstances and feedback.

Understanding and applying the principles of optics management is a tool that can serve you well, regardless of your career stage or aspirations. As we navigate through our own fraud fighting journeys, it's worth keeping in mind that it's not just what we do that matters, but also how we are seen doing it.

See you again next Friday in your inbox.

​Brian