When you motivate someone in your firm to undertake a particular initiative or task, what happens? Does that person willingly respond, working with you to ensure that what you want to happen, will indeed happen? Or, does the person come up with all sorts of excuses not to do it?
The latter can be discouraging, even for the thickest-skinned leaders and managers. Some of the ‘true’ reasons for resistance and/or avoidance could be that these employees:
1. Don’t know how to do it
2. Are lazy
3. Do not believe in the value of doing it
4. Need much more supervision
5. Are already overwhelmed, and do not want to be set up for failure
So let’s say they expressed excuses (which may typically be centered around #5, because that’s the only excuse they were willing to admit). Then, as a manager or leader, you worked with them to either:
A. Remove responsibilities from their workload (by giving it to someone else competent, preferably someone that does not require supervision), so that they will have time to allocate to the new task.
B. Help them to re-prioritize, and actually eliminate items from their plate (not delegating to someone else, but literally removing the task/responsibility).
Perhaps one method you used to remove their objections involved technology as a time-saver. You reduced the amount of time it would take the person to complete their tasks. As a result, you assumed that they would use the surplus time for the new activity.
But let’s say that even when that person clearly had more available time, they still would not engage in the new initiative or task. Now what?
I can speak candidly about this from the “avoider” viewpoint. For one snapshot in my career, I experienced a situation where I was hired to accomplish some specific goals, but it turned out that I avoided doing what it took to accomplish those goals. So yes, while I was ‘productive’ to some extent, my productivity only slightly contributed to what I was actually being relied, and measured, upon. So what did it take for me to snap out of it, and finally take it upon myself to step up to the plate and deliver on their expectations of me? In this particular scenario, the answer: competition and peer pressure. Another professional joined the team (at a junior level relative to my own) at a time when I was not delivering fully. I could see immediately that she was vyying to be a star, and as such, had the potentional to surpass my own performance in short order. My ego kicked in; I was not going to let someone less experienced outshine me. Her presence motivated me to no end. And, she became a good personal friend as well. I truly believe I have her go-getter personality to thank for getting me off my bum and back into my own realm of stardom.
The question is this: what other methods do managers and leaders use once the ‘road blocks’ (i.e. I am overwhelmed already with my current workload) are removed and there are still no results? How do those managers and leaders provide the proper tools and support and motivation to get the individual to deliver? Please feel free to direct message or post your thoughts to share.