3 steps that explain a failure to act...
fI have always had an innate desire to solve problems. When I see something that doesn’t make sense, my instinct drives me to ask, “Why is that happening?”. Thankfully I have been able to quickly zero-in on why, but it was only recently (relatively speaking) that I was shown something that explained my natural thought process.
It’s very simple and consists of three simple steps. So, next time somebody is not doing what you need them to, SUM-up the situation and ask yourself, in this exact order:
(S) See it - Do they See it or the situation in the same way?
This requires you to be very honest with yourself. Were you completely clear? This could be something macro like a clear job description or vision statement, or it could be that they simply misunderstood. Try not to jump to conclusions here, why not just ask their initial thoughts on their approach? You will soon find out if they’re on the same page. If they're not, make it clear. If they are…
(U) Up to it - Are they or the situation Up to it?
This isn’t just about their skill set (although that’s vital); it’s also about time and resources (space, software, materials, help etc.). Ask them, “Is there anything that you need to complete this?”. If there is, then either find a way of providing it or convince them that it isn’t required. If you are sure that they are able, then you are left with only one reason…
(M) Motivated by it - Are they motivated to do it!
Yes, I’m being serious. If someone is both on the same page and able to do something, then the only reason for not doing it is because they don’t want to. This sounds like I’m suggesting that they are being petulant; I’m not. There are many reason for a lack of motivation. Your job as a leader is to find out which one applies to the person in front of you. Again, don’t jump to conclusions here. Listen to what is being said and how it is being said.
Many years ago, I was confronted with someone not performing. Having confirmed that the request was clear and knowing that they were capable (from previous experience), I had noticed some significant push-back citing inconsistent reasons. As I delved into the reasoning, they became unreasonably agitated. None of this made sense and was completely out of proportion. I then asked, “How are you doing in general?”. They broke down and confessed that things at home had been terrible. Their lack of motivation was not wilful, they were simply finding it hard to maintain their work-life balance.
The questions above, don’t just apply to the work-place. They will explain why anyone is doing something unexpected.
Try it out on yourself. Next time you find yourself procrastinating, ask yourself those three questions, in order, and be very honest with yourself. Once you understand the reason, it’s generally very easy to fix!
