Q. I can’t believe that I had to ask three times before my sales guy picked up the phone, made the call, and we got a new client. Seemed like a simple request. I am tired of repeating, cajoling and handholding; there has got to be an easy way: What am I doing wrong?
A. It sounds as if you have trained your team: “If he asks a third time it’s serious. Don’t do anything until he starts yelling.” Sounds crazy, but people create their own rituals about how things work. The not-so-good news is that current employees indoctrinate new employees. The really bad news is that your uneven response may be the root of the problem: Sometimes you ask them to do something, but most times you give up and do it yourself. Now is a good time to put the genie back into the lamp. Here are a few tough questions:
- Are your guys competent? When you ask them to do the work can they do it? Note that this is a yes-or-no question
- Are you encouraging your team to take initiative? How?
- How much latitude do they have to get bring their personality, style and approach to the job? Do they have to do the work following strict roles?
- When emergencies occur, what happens to how you communicate? How do you shift dates and deadlines?
It seems as if it is time to let your team take flight. Just point them in the right direction and if the headwinds are too strong—help them out.