Bank Robbers Who Make Deposits
Rural drivers are dangerous. We own both sides of the road. Chances of meeting a driver coming the other direction are low.
I’m more likely to meet a deer than a car when I drive home from a meeting. If there’s a car in front of me, it’s rush hour.
Stop signs are optional in the country.
Compensating for bad:
Sometimes I drive through intersections without slowing down. But usually I employ the slow-and-go method.
I compensate for bad driving habits by occasionally giving my wife a head-jerking stop. She doesn’t expect me to stop. When I do, it’s a surprise.
After stopping, I sit for a few seconds, even though no cars are in sight.
I’m “making up for” all my violations. I’m like a bank robber who occasionally makes a deposit.
Compensating for habitual bad isn’t effective.
Try saying, “But I stopped really good last time,” to the police officer.
Eliminate the bad:
Since bad is stronger than good, eliminating bad is powerful.
What bad things does your team need to stop doing?
What bad leadership habit have you drifted into?
Adding good:
It’s helpful to stop doing bad, but there’s more. For example, you aren’t encouraging people when you hold back an insult. (Even if you do pat yourself on the back.)
Replace an insult with gratitude. That’s encouraging.
You might feel like you’re kind when you don’t yell, but you’re only halfway there.
A small shift:
When we get away with bad habits, we begin to think they’re OK, maybe useful. But the truth is people are tolerating you.
Dangerous habits:
- Hiding in your office.
- Not saying please. (I don’t mind asking people to do things. But “please” sticks in my throat.)
- Frowning. You frown way more than you should.
- Not asking questions.
What bad leadership habits are easy to slip into?
What small shift might help leaders get back on track?
Frowning. You frown way more than you should. I make attempts to keep the frowns discrete only I can see. In that way if I practice enough (and I do a whole lot) I’ve gotten them out of me, no one sees them but me and I feel better. Call it self venting.
Thanks Roger. I can imagine going to the mirror and frowning awhile. 🙂
What bad leadership habits are easy to slip into? Thinking the individuals you work with know what needs done without guidance, make no assumptions and guide them with what is expected. If we don’t convey what is needed, how can we expect results? Trying to do everything yourself without using all your resources can be on overloaded stigma, we are not the only one on the ride! Maintaining open communications with those you work with is mission critical.
What small shift might help leaders get back on track?
Reflect on the good things you do and move them past the bad things we do.
Reminisce what’s Important and restructure what is not! Learn to eliminate fluff and stay focused on the actual project.
Thanks Tim. Lots of great insight.
Reflect on the good. I think we have to tell ourselves to remember the good. There are just so many issues and problems to deal with that we don’t have time to remember that three is lots of good around us.
“Yes I robed the bank, but its OK, I tithe-ed the money” 🙂 Rationalization seems OK in the moment, and ridiculous looking backward, likewise with our own habits, are (another place) where others who come along side add so much value.
Thanks Ken. That’s funny, but true. Somehow if we can find some good that comes out of our bad then we can justify our bad. Sometimes we even encourage more bad with this thinking.
I think in the workplace and in general life, we don’t say “Thank you” enough. Simple gestures that recognize each of the team member’s contribution is critical for long term dynamics. It takes a village to do life’s work – we don’t reach our goals alone.
Thanks Kishla. I’m with you. It’s the simple things. “Thank you” isn’t the hard one for me. It’s “Please.” Ugh!! I feel like a supplicant.
Then say “I would appreciate” instead of “Please”. Now you aren’t a supplicant (please do this); you are expressing a preference.
Thanks Jennifer. I appreciate that.
Showing along with telling your fellow employees that they are appreciated can go along way !!
Take sometime everyday to tell someone that they are appreciated.
Please & Thank you’s need to be re-enforced into our culture.
Thanks Jon. I love that you suggest something completely attainable. “Tell someone.” You don’t have to tell everyone…just for today, tell someone. 🙂