If you've ever been frustrated by the inability of those around you to get even the simple things done right, then this blog is for you.
Confession of this Blogger: I am a visionary. I love to talk about what is possible. Cheerleader, Dreamer, Out of the Box, Artistic are some expressions my friends would likely offer to describe me if you asked them.
So it was with surprise that I received a request to speak and facilitate a week of “Organize Yourself” seminars in Eastern Canada during the month of May and even more shocked that it would turn out to be one of the most powerful weeks I've had on the road facilitating people's growth (including my own).
If you asked my wife to describe me: “ Organization “ would not be the first word out of her mouth! In fact, that is HER strength. (Tip to the Wise: If you have a weakness, its not always best to spend 2564 hours working to overcome it, instead, just marry someone that has that trait as a strength! From a company perspective: I'm not suggesting you marry a coworker .. just that you marry the strengths and weaknesses of your team together to save the team time and create a fabulously happy one)
I agreed to facilitate this week of one day sessions with a great deal of reservation and those itsy bitsy self-judgemental gnawings of hypocrisy in my gut. As I received the materials for the course, I hesitantly opened the pages, expecting them to shine a spotlight on my blindspots in the areas of Organization and Time Management. To my surprise however, as I flipped through the course, there wasn't anything that I DIDN”T KNOW that I was supposed to do. It was that revelation that allowed me to successfully tailor and deliver this material to have a powerful impact on the audience and yes ... myself.
The question of the hour was:
"If I knew WHAT I was supposed to do.. WHY wasn't I always doing it?"
And so each course day began with:
“Today we're going to discuss 957 ways in which you can become better organized. NONE of it will matter, if you don't understand the WHY you want to do it. If the Why is please your Boss, I'm not sure it will cut it. If you came to check off a “To-do” on your performance contract, I'm not sure that will cut it either...”
So often leaders in organizations run themselves ragged trying to pound the “What to do's” in their employees and are disappointed with the results of their efforts. If as a leader, you are frustrated with employees who don't seem to get the “What to do's”.. try standing back and get after the Why's. We often assume that “Pay-Cheque” and “It's your job” should cut it. We all know they don't. Money is far from the number one motivator of your employees. So often, the primary barrier to success has nothing to do with the knowledge of how to do something, but instead the lack of desire to do it. Just think of the piles of laundry waiting for you at home, the dishes in the sink, the weeds in the garden.. Why should our team be any different then we are?!
As we not only tackled the what to do's of “Getting Organized” that week, but also the "Why we always don't", it was awesome to see people's faces and attitudes transformed.
It only makes sense that when corporate and personal goals align, the path to success is a lot straighter. So take some time and listen to individuals on your team. Then help them understand how the corporation's goals help them fulfill their personal ones. You'll have just built the single most important foundation for your team's success!
David Benjatschek is a Professional Speaker/Trainer known for his Freedom House Leadership & Communication Series. You contact David through david@marketbeamer.com
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