What ailments are you causing or ignoring?

In many ways, organizations simulate a unique life form. They begin or are born when people come together. They can grow and thrive over time, maturing and getting stronger and larger as more people come together to use their products and/or services. I also believe organizations can experience ailments, often caused by the same people who came together to start or maintain the organization. Some of these ailments are minor and isolated, others begin small but can combine to destroy the organization; although almost all are curable if remedial action is taken.

I am outlining a few of the workplace ailments I have experienced and sharing them as precautionary prescription for you to recognize and take action.

Going through the motions sicknessSymptoms:  Workers who come in exactly on time, do what is asked and nothing more, do not share opinions or ideas, and stay in the same job until the job doesn’t exist anymore. Cause: Lack of encouragement and inclusiveness, zero potential for advancement, and dull boring work. Cure:  Nurture people’s development, become genuinely interested in them and their goals and desires and listen.

CellitisSymptoms:  People juggling and almost dropping their phones when surprised by a co-worker or supervisor. Distracted or inattentive people play online games or watch TikTok instead of working. Cause:  Boring work, lack of engagement, insufficient supervision or dedication. Cure:  Cell phones are a great tool; however, often they are not the tool required for someone’s task or priorities. Instead of banning cell phones,  train and motivate people to focus on goals and tasks; then find what they “are doing right” and praise them.

ProceduralrigiditySymptoms:  The prevailing response to any new process or symptom is the phrase “That’s not how WE DO THINGS AROUND HERE.” Cause:  Past successes have ingrained a superiority complex and an arrogance that stifles new thinking and growth. Cure:  Loss of status, the realization that standing “pat” means moving backward, and leadership to explore new and better ways.

“Are you fucking kidding me” promotionsSymptoms:  Management at any level promoting a “favorite” or someone everyone in the organization knows is useless except for management. Cause:  Management that does not watch or listen to the interaction of its workers and managers. Promotions are based on opinion rather than empirical evidence and collaboration with front-line staff. Cure:  Managers take leadership postures and ask questions, listen to the responses, use their feedback to collaborate and make better decisions, and appreciate how the “team” will respond to any promotion.

The myth of Multi-tasking Symptoms:  Expecting and believing that people can do more than one task well at any given moment. Cause:  Years of mistaken belief that we can do more than one thing at a time. For example, a cook may be able to prepare several meals during a set period; however, their focus is on one dish at a time which they leave while they check on other things. Cure:  Appreciation the definition of multi-tasking is actually the ability to do one thing well at any given moment, be able to be interrupted, and then return to that task without losing their work or reference point.

Siloed evaluations – Symptoms:  Reviews that lack any link or connection to previous reviews or any concrete plan on how to achieve the goals outlined in the evaluation. Cause:   Annual evaluations are solely completed because HR says they must be completed. Goals and assignments that are not necessarily consistent with the organizational mission or vision. Cure:  Planning and preparing reviews for people that begin with the organizational mission statement and its goals how they affect the person being evaluated and how that person can help impact and deliver those outcomes. Every review builds on the last and its success is measured in the next.

Mushrooming Symptoms: In the dark covered in shit may grow good mushrooms but it is no way to treat people. People are frustrated, stressed, have low morale, and often are thinking of or seeking other employment. Cause: Organizations fail because they lack clarity and transparency or don’t share the “rules of the game” with their people.  .  Cure:  Trust your people, share as much information as possible, and enlist their help in finding solutions.

Fostering stupiditySymptoms:  For example, punishing people who don’t take sick days by not allowing them to carry them forward. Few organizations even thank people for their dedication. Or, telling staff their bonuses are reduced or eliminated but paying out large management bonuses or the owner purchasing a vintage sports car they drive to work each day. Cause:  Not considering the “law of unintended consequences” or considering what is fair. Cure:  Appreciate costs are more than financial and collaborate with more than yourself when deciding policies and processes.

More is not always betterSymptoms:  Having too many people for the requirements of the organization. Cause:  Failing to balance the needs of the organization with the needs of its people. In retail and food services, the effect of too many people is reduction of hours and/or staff reduction. Cure:  Establish benchmarks for staffing based on key performance indexes and be cognisant of market conditions. Protect people’s income – don’t hire too many salespeople or McDonald’s staff.

Do you or does your organization suffer from any of these workplace ailments? Maybe it does and maybe there are even more that are not in this brief list. Few of them are fatal in themselves to your organization; however, just like in your own life and your own ailments, failing to take remedial action as symptoms occur can cause these ailments to grow. Not taking action, or curing the illness can stifle your organization, consume resources needed elsewhere, drive customers/clients/staff away, and ultimately can cause your organization to fail and die.

Learn to recognize the symptoms, discover the causes, and implement the cures.

Good luck,

Paul.

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