Now Hear This…We Hear You!
We’ve all heard the line “too big to fail,” but what about the lesser known, “too small (or insignificant) to succeed.” Although, that’s not a statement articulated in the news, I hear business people refer to it frequently. It’s heard in things like “they don’t care about this department,” “we’re not considered the profitable part of this company” or “we’ve mentioned these issues ‘til we’re blue in the face, let’s get real, nobody cares.”
Now, it could be that such comments represent idle belly-aching or a passing-of-the-buck. But, it’s also possible that they are very real business issues, both troublesome and persistent, generating frustration for people on an ongoing basis. Either way, any recurring claims of perceived obstacles are best explored and addressed. If it’s simply a case of whining, address the person or persons. If it’s a legitimate problem or issue, address that.
Repeated roadblocks to one’s personal performance and ability to be successful have a corrosive affect. Over time they kill motivation.
Not simply because they’re a pain in the neck to deal with, but because unaddressed, they can send a message of organizational indifference or worse, neglect.
Anyone in business knows there are obstacles and weak spots—technology gaps, process holes, outdated procedures, disengaged/underperforming personnel and limited resources. In fact, much of business activity is conducted in response to such issues. That’s not what I’m referring to here. What I am referring to are the recurring issues perceived as unacknowledged and/or unaddressed by leadership. These are often the issues that can cause a team, group, department or division to question their importance and value to the organization as a whole.
This is where communication is key. The act of acknowledging perceived obstacles or issues and letting people know what’s going on in response to them is critical.
Even if no solution is available, the acknowledgment has ballast. In essence, simply communicating what is being experienced and how, if at all, it is being addressed.
For problems without definitive solutions, the same holds true. Acknowledging the situation, expressing appreciation for people doing their best in light of the circumstances and communicating updates regularly. These relatively simple acts of communication make a tremendous difference. For the people within the company, it says “we hear you and we’re paying attention.”
The more leadership expresses sincere “we hear you, we’re paying attention” messages, the better.
For you hardliners, this is not about mollycoddling. This is about listening and reducing the opportunities for people to fill in the blank with hypothesis, generally unsubstantiated and often negative. Listening, addressing and communicating are the elements of leadership. Being aware of what’s going on and speaking directly to it, are the elements of conscious leadership.
Get clear about the recurring issues that are thwarting or stalling performance in your company and address them. If you need help getting clear and moving forward, contact us.