Does This Help You?

So, have you done what the sign says this week?

Banging your head against the wall (or any hard surface) rarely helps anything...except it may take your mind off of what is currently bothering you because now you have a headache!!

Here's the deal:  stop and think about what you may have done to create this scenario and STOP it!

Sometimes you may not have created the situation, but you can control it or create the steps to stop it in it's tracks.

Example:  if you are implementing a change, make sure you have over - communicated the outcomes, responsibilities and potential roadblocks.  Make yourself available to follow up on the change implementation throughout the process, listening to those involved to help massage what needs to be smoothed over or corrected.

In this world, we deal (mostly) with humans.  We can sometimes feel that we have asked for the same thing a million times or people should just know - common sense sometimes is not that common - and our own description of common sense may well be different than everyone else's.  Everyone has their own set of experiences they draw from - so how you said what you said or expected without saying it, can definitely lead to interpretations.  Here's what to do:

• ask if the expectations are clear
• ask them to repeat the plan, and the steps
• ask if they can handle it
• ask for a set feedback and follow up time - how long will it take to get this done/in place etc.
• let them know you are there for support and more questions as needed

This even applies to daily job tasks that you feel may be slipping....sounds insane, I know...so take your time to ensure you have done everything you can to ensure success.  At the end of all this, if you are still banging your head, it may be time to look at the capabilities of whoever is on your team and determine if the fit is right.