In If Only, I hope we touched a nerve with our line about firing poor performers.
In Styles Vary, Quality Doesn’t, I shared the three qualities that will earn someone a place on my team.
Before you complain that busyness doesn’t define productivity: we get it. Simply being busy doesn’t benefit any organization. Being busy because you are engaged, choosing what you do, and doing the right things, benefits everyone.
Our boss often says, “If you want something done, give it to a busy person and they will get it done quicker and faster.”
People flourish in productive busyness. People wither in too much downtime.
Know the signs. Are your team members having long, personal conversations in the mornings, at least two times in a week? Do find yourself reserving workers’ time or task load “in case something else comes up?” Are you filling a position on your team just because it’s vacant, and you think it’s better to have somebody than nobody?
Too many leaders focus on hiring more people in order to simply grow staff or build redundancy. Along the same vein, leaders will invest their energy and relationships into protecting positions in a resource-constrained environment. Grow responsibility first. Organize your tasks and people for purpose. If what you do is valuable then your staff will grow around the valuable contribution – not the other way around.
It’s time to re-focus your efforts on forming and nurturing a small team of high performers who embrace your culture and love your mission.
You will be surprised at what a few dedicated people with the right attitudes can accomplish.
I’ve made the mistake of simply filling gaps more than once. When the fit is wrong, opt for the gap. Otherwise, the poor performance and distraction will hurt the unit and the mission. A leaky battery will still light a flashlight but it ruins it at the same time.
(I know we don’t always have this choice. I was a PAD commander, I know you need to deploy with a unit at full strength, and I know the recruiters will send you a body if there’s a vacancy. Be creative and deliberate on what you consider a “team” and how you develop it.)
