How to load a dishwasher properly - Blair McPherson

There is a correct way to load a dishwasher. You can’t just cram everything in any old how . If you want clean dishes and cutlery you must stack systematically not over fill, put bowls up side down, cup and glasses on the top rack, plates evenly spaced on the bottom, cutlery items evenly spread between the sections in the basket. It’s much the same with organisations.

 

strategic organisation (efficiency) and operational delegation (empowerment). The analogy suggests that how a leader "loads"  their team  their structure, culture, and processes, determines the cleanliness and efficiency of the final output.

 

A common mistake is trying to cram too many tasks into the organisation ( one more bowl ) without considering capacity. This leads to burnout just as an overloaded dishwasher, results in items not getting clean.

 

Regular maintenance of the dishwasher is required for optimum efficiency. Salt needs to be added providing some abrasion to remove the stubborn and difficult plus the rinse aid needs topping up at regular intervals in order to ensure the sparkle and shine. Remember to add the dishwasher tablet which acts like HR does for an organisation because without it the dishwasher cannot do its job effectively.  Just as a tablet removes grime and food residue, HR resolves interpersonal conflicts, disciplinary issues, and toxic behaviours to keep the workplace functioning smoothly. A tablet protects the dishwasher components from scale and buildup. Similarly, HR ensures legal compliance with employment laws, health and safety regulations, and company policies, protecting the company from prosecution and penalties. Finally like the filter in a dishwasher HR helps clears out the waste.

 

Disputes about the best way to load a dishwasher are very common with in house holds just as differences of opinion arise in organisations about operational efficiency and how best to organise resources to get the best results. Where do you stand on the pre rinse or not to pre rinse debate? Do we appoint people who already have the necessary skills and experience to hit the ground running or do we invest in training and development ?

 

Instead of arguing over how to stack (methods), the leadership team must focus on the outcome (clean dishes). Modern dishwashers are designed to handle dirt. Over-managing teams ("pre-washing") wastes time and resources, just as scrubbing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher is redundant. 

 

A CE who takes the time to "empty the dishwasher" (perform, or at least understand, lower-level tasks) fosters a high-engagement, service-oriented culture.