People who are great at getting things done ARE NOT excited to take on new responsibilities.
A Doer’s lack of enthusiasm to take on responsibilities makes them seem like a foot-dragger. In reality, they have a specific set of concerns you must answer before they commit.
Dorando Pietri – 1908 London Olympics
Doers are never half-hearted once they commit to get something done.
The big three:
There are three types of people on your team.
- Doers finish things.
- Dreamers start things.
- Feelers prioritize relationships.
Everyone has a primary strength, a secondary capacity, and an area of weakness.
An example:
Suppose you’re 70% Doer, 25% Feeler, and 5% dreamer.
- You love getting things done.
- You are reluctant to disrupt established patterns.
- You are slow to try new things.
An uncertain Doer is a foot-dragger.
3 concerns – experience, skill, and values:
Doers need to see how a proposed commitment connects to their experiences, skills, and values.
Doers won’t start until they believe they can finish.
- How does this project align with what matters? Doers despise busywork.
- How have their experiences prepared them to complete proposed projects?
- What current skills apply to future challenges?
A committed Doer is an unstoppable dynamo.
Successful leaders know how to answer the reservations and concerns of undecided Doers.
5 tips that ignite Doers:
- Minimizing a Doer’s concerns will drain their enthusiasm and increase their reluctance. Take them seriously.
- Don’t blow smoke. Doers have highly tuned BS detectors.
- Ask, “What needs to be in place before you jump in with both feet?”
- Provide training before they go. Dreamers enjoy learning as they go. Doers enjoy learning before they go.
- Interpret a Doer’s reluctance as an opportunity to clarify the path forward.
What questions might Doers need to answer before they give wholehearted commitment?
How might leaders ignite the passions of Doers?
