Much has been written about the Great Resignation, quiet quitting, and the anemic work ethic of younger generations. Blame is squarely placed on the identified patient – the worker. I don’t believe workers are inherently lazy. If workers feel lethargic or a sense of ennui, it’s usually based on a lack of inspiration, direction, and support from management. These feelings can lead to paralysis or avoidance.
One of the most important and difficult jobs of a leader is to keep people within the organization engaged. Inspiring and motivating people is very difficult. Phil Jackson is probably the greatest NBA coach of all time, and I would argue, one of the great leaders of our time. He was able to lead, manage, motivate, and inspire legendary athletes, getting them to take direction, accept supporting roles, and work together as a team to win championships. In fact, Jackson won 11 NBA championships with different teams, each of which included some very strong personalities to say the least. George Washington lost more battles than he won, but he won the Revolutionary War in large part because he was able to keep the Continental Army cohesive and focused on an innovative concept – self-governance.
Certainly, having and clearly communicating a shared vision is important. Your team must believe in the aspirational goal you’ve set. To get collective buy-in, you need to articulate what’s at stake (either a vastly improved reality or avoiding catastrophe). Leaders must layout a path to success (steps, timelines, and milestones) and ensure that everyone understands the importance of their role and contribution.
Of course, people will complain about or report all sorts of problems along the way. This is one is always late to work. That one always delegates work to everyone else and then takes the credit. Blah, blah, blah. Whenever anyone approaches you with a problem, that’s not the problem. As a leader, you must accurately diagnose your patient (your team, department, or organization). Be certain you identify and solve the root cause of the real problem.
Patients visit their doctor to complain about a headache, but the headache is only a symptom, not the illness. What is causing the pain? It could be stress, caffeine withdrawal, eye strain, sinus pressure, a tumor, or an aneurism. Proper diagnosis of the underlying issue is critical. Prescribing new eye glasses for an aneurism is not a wise or effective plan.
There will always be many underlying complications, factors, and symptoms causing any number of issues on your team or throughout an organization. If someone is always late, maybe they are not properly motivated. Perhaps roles and responsibilities are not clearly communicated, creating frustration. There could be a problem with another employee creating a hostile work environment. Maybe they don’t feel challenged enough. Maybe they need continuing professional education to learn new skills and take on more responsibility.
Successful managers must possess and demonstrate both critical and creative thinking. Critical thinking to accurately diagnose problems. Creative thinking is required to develop a plan to resolve the issue. Often, getting to know your staff and understanding what motivates their behavior is the key.
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