Water Cooler Management

You’ve probably heard of Management-By-Walking-Around. When I was an administrator at Fuller Theological Seminary, we came up with a new term-“Water Cooler Management.”

The two programs for which I was responsible were merged into one office operation. An excellent team was forged, but one problem remained: the water cooler. Half the team had had their own office water cooler prior to moving into our office.

Early in the transition, members of the transplanted office group approached me requesting a refrigerated water cooler. “We’re a little short of space in this office,” I replied, “and besides, there’s one just across the hall.” However, wanting to be a good participative manager, I delegated this decision to the combined staff team: “You do the research and make the decision.”

A week later they came to me with a recommendation to buy a certain model and handed me the papers to sign to implement their decision. Again I expressed my reservations about the project, but I signed the papers.

Several days later, I walked into the office and saw this water cooler boldly bubbling in the corner. I didn’t like it. From my perspective it turned a professional reception area into a staff lounge. So I told the staff how I felt-reiterating that we really didn’t need the water cooler and that it failed to fit the “professional ambiance” of the office. Basically I was saying they’d made the wrong decision.

A woman who had worked with me for several years-one who hadn’t even supported the water cooler-took me aside.

“Walt,” she said, “you’re acting out of character from what you believe and teach. Did you really delegate the decision?” In a loving way, she asked if I were playing some parenting game, expecting the children to make my decision. When they didn’t, it looked as if I were pouting.

She was right! Without saying so, I had delegated the decision as long as it was done my way. That was bad management, not delegation. When I delegated the water cooler decision, I had transferred to them the authority to determine the outcome. It was their decision. But my behavior now denied I had delegated the authority.

Fortunately, someone cared enough to call me to abide by my own stated management values. I apologized to the staff and acknowledged that I was out of line. It was their decision, and I would support it.

Ever after that, when someone would delegate incompletely, we would refer to it as “Water Cooler Management.” And in the reception area of the Doctor of Ministry office, there remains a monument to complete delegation.

-Walter C. Wright, Jr.

Regent College

Vancouver, B.C.