Management Information |
Knowing versus Doing - Execution In The Workplace
Have you ever worked with someone who always seemed to have the answers; who always seemed to know what should be done; who could always quote the experts view on a certain situation, but for some reason, just couldn't perform as expected? Working with a client last month I was struck by the fact that my client was already very knowledgeable about the issue that we were discussing. As we talked through the situation it was clear to me that my client was well read on this subject. He also recounted for me several situations where his peers had similar issues and exactly how they were handled. While many of my clients are either new in management, or have recently been promoted to a new, more challenging position, that was not the case with this individual. This was a seasoned leader; an experienced executive who had been in his current role for several years. He knew what to do. He knew why he had to do it. He knew what would happen if he did not act. Yet here we were discussing a fairly routine issue that he should have handled without a second thought. He was not struggling with what he needed to do. Rather he was struggling with actually doing it. He had a fear of the results of his actions. He had a fear of confrontation. He had a fear of action and struggled to do what he knew he needed to do. Even more surprising was that he did not immediately recognize the struggle. During our first discussion of this issue, we talked about what the situation was and how it should best be handled. We agreed on the action steps and the timeframes for action. Several weeks later the same topic came up again and I was surprised to find that he had not taken the actions agreed upon. In fact, he was very interested in discussing the theories around what should be done and the expected results. You could see and hear that the discussion energized him and that he was proud of his knowledge and his ability to understand and articulate the concepts. But he could not, or would not act. A leader who does not take action is like a guard dog that growls but won't bite. The growl may fool the burglar for a while, but eventually he will just ignore the dog. It should come as no surprise that there is a big difference between understanding what to do and actually doing it. Whether it be in life, sports, or business we often know the right thing to do and how it must be done. But actually doing it can be a different thing altogether. Especially when what has to be done is unpleasant. Good managers and leaders know that doing unpleasant things, and making unpopular decisions are a part of their responsibility. The difference between successful and unsuccessful leaders lies not in knowing what to do, but in doing the right thing at the right time. If you find that you know what needs to be done, but struggle with actually doing it, then it may be time for a good hard look in the mirror. It's not enough to know what must be done if you don't take action. Knowledge without action is empty leadership. You may be able to fool yourself, but you won't be able to fool the people who are looking to you for hope and direction. Dave Meyer (Coach Dave) is a Business and Leadership Coach who believes that "Great Teams Are Built On The Foundation Of Great Leadership. And Great Leadership Is Built On the Foundation of Great Trust." With over 25 years of successful leadership experience, Coach Dave provides his clients with practical, time tested advice on how to build aand lead a team that produces consisnte, outstanding results. Certified by the Coach Training Alliance, and the Institute For Motivational Living, Coach Dave is an expert in providing leaders with tools they need to succeed in life and in business.
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
Performance Evaluation: How To Create Change STEPS TOWARDS GIVING A GOOD APPRAISAL INTERVIEW: Give specific feedback. Statements such as, "You're doing a good job" and "You'd better shape up" are almost without value unless accompanied by specific feedback on what the employee is to continue doing or to stop doing. Communicating Effectively In The Workplace: Four Vital Steps Ineffective communication is a major, yet avoidable, obstacle to business productivity. And yes, it can be avoided. Problem-Solving Success Tip: Look For Sponsors And Solution Owners Look for sponsors and solution owners rather than problem owners.Everyone participating in the situation owns the problem, like it or not-and nobody likes it. Project Management - I Want It ALL The knee-jerk response to prioritizing requirements is to mark everything as a must-have . "I need everything before the product becomes generally available. Summertime Blues It's hard to believe the year will be half over in just a few weeks. All the planning you did is either turning out great, coming along slowly but surely or hasn't really gotten off the ground because other issues keep getting in the way. How to Use an HR Consultant Bringing an HR consultant into your organisation can often be the only way to get a particular objective achieved. It may be a project that needs to be delivered such as a recruitment campaign, a compensation & benefits review or the implementation of an HR information system. A Renewed View of the Modern Business Culture Life can sometimes be unexciting if not refreshed by the will to create according to one's own conscience and freedom. Often, the power of passion fuses into unexciting or appealing activities. Organizational Techniques - Tickler and Chron File One of the biggest problems we encounter in our consulting with businesses, and our students is time management and organizational techniques. This article will concentrate on some good organizational strategies. The Supervisors 14 Essential Truths For Communicating With Direct Reports One amazing, but sadly true, fact of today's advances in communication tools is that we really don't communicate much better than in the past.Indeed one recent study determined the number one advancement in communication tools was the availability of cheap on-line airfares. Innovation Management - Reducing Hierarchy Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas. Make It Easy to Reply - Voice Mail That Works If you are like most business people, voice mail has both simplified and complicated your life. On the good side, it helps you exchange information. What One Thing? A few weeks ago I asked my readers what the most important issue was in their business. Hundreds responded with a variety of answers, but one of the most common was, "How do I get everything that needs doing done?" Happily, I have an answer for this question, but like many things in life, it carries both good news and bad news. Hiring for Success Hiring someone new to work in your business is one of the most critical decisions a business owner makes, although it is not always given the justice it deserves. If a position is vacant, or additional staff are needed, recruitment decisions are often driven by the pressure to get someone in quickly, rather than waiting for the best person to fill the job. Learn About Commercial Collections Agencies Fees As with any other service, there are good and bad commercial collection agencies. Beware of any agency that offers you cut rate commissions far below the accepted Commercial Law League rates, offers you kickbacks on commissions, or makes outlandish promises about recovery success. Communicating In Chaotic Environments How do you, or would you, communicate in a chaotic environment?That question was put to me by a reader who works in big, frantically-paced telecommunications company. Many projects operate at the same time, and many connections exist among the project teams. Motivation - It Starts with Acknowledgement Acknowledgement is about recognition or attention fromanother person. It can be physical such as - a pat on theback, a touch or a handshake. Problem Solving the Problem Solving Meeting We go to meetings to share information, to report on project status, to make decisions, to get the free lunch, and because we were invited. (Sorry that I digressed). Too Much Time Treating Symptoms A man drives down the highway each day on his way to work. On Monday he gets a flat tire. Managers' Biggest Blunders Nobody's perfect, including the boss. Managers, we polled recently, acknowledged making a number of mistakes, from not recognizing staff accomplishments to inadequate communication to poor hiring decisions. Hiring and Retaining Good Employees Hiring good employees is not only important to business, it's essential. Employees are the heart and soul of a business; they are the mechanism that makes a business run; they are the breath of life that enables a business to be something more than an idea. |
home | site map | contact us |