TACKLING CHALLENGES BY LEADING PEOPLE WELL

Roy King, April 2022

What do leaders do when individuals, departments or teams under them are STUCK?  Every day organizational leaders face the challenge of investing their energy wisely to keep people engaged and accomplishing work vital to the mission.   Leaders must root out paralysis or people wasting their work on low priority busy work.

The first step is to surface 3 to 5 specific challenges limiting the effectiveness of the work.  Are these people problems?   Are they organizational problems?  Every challenge often has a single or combination of simple root problems which can be addressed once they are clearly identified. 

 Based on my experience the answers are found by considering these 4 root causes.  I have listed them according to the frequency of this being a root problem.  Leaders serve the people they lead by helping them diagnose and then addressing what is hindering them from being fruitful in their work. 

1. Is this a relational breakdown?  People lack UNITY.
   1. Are they expected to compete or to collaborate?
   2. Are they a team with a history of working together or do they require assistance building trust and understanding each person’s strengths?
   3. Is there unresolved conflict, hurt and disappointment polluting the environment?
   4. Do they need understanding and models of relating with both grace and truth?
      
2. Is there a lack of providing certain resources?  People lack EMPOWERMENT.  
   1. What decisions can they make to acquire resources without getting permission?
   2. How do they get permission for additional resources beyond their level of permission?
   3. Do they understand there is a shortage of additional resources and they will need to stir up a high level of creativity to meet the challenge with what is at hand?

3. Is this a lack of effective communication?  People lack CLARITY
   1. They need to know WHY we are attempting this work.  They need a clear PURPOSE.
   2. They need to know WHAT we are seeking to accomplish.  They need clear GOALS.
   3. They need to know HOW we will approach the work.  They need the RATIONALE for the timeline and expectations.

4. Is this a system or structural problem?  People are CONFUSED.   
   1. They  lack a clear circle of personal RESPONSIBILITY AND understand the interplay of others ROLES and contribution.
   2. How does their work IMPACT other departments or individuals?
   3. Are they being asked to consider VOLUNTEERING  to join the team or are they being ASSIGNED? 

Does this article stir up questions or arouse a need for coaching to assist you in leading?  Contact:

roymking@gmail.com  // royking.org  //