“Hey Boss. I don’t know how to do/change/make this task/product/sale. Can you do it for me?”
Sound familiar? You rise to the top, through management promotions or as a business owner, and now that means taking responsibility for every little thing around you. Frustrating, isn’t it?
And yet no matter how many times you discuss this with your team, and they agree to work smarter and take more responsibility, the outcome remains the same – another ball gets tossed your way.
Common Symptoms
- Staff are often busy, but you know they’re not being as productive as you would like
- Most tasks you delegate end up back on your desk anyway – you might even have stopped making an effort to pass them on
- Some key team members are unfairly pulling the weight of others
- People say they want responsibility, they want to grow (or they want a payrise), but are unwilling to take the initiative
- You’ve tried both positive support and strong management tactics, but nothing seems to change the team
Coaching Helps
Issues arising from team responsibility are among the most common in business today – sometimes an independent party is all that is required to air any grievances and change behaviour for the better.
It’s not always easy finding the right balance in a business or management environment. People have to seize the initiative without flying off the rails; they need to find you approachable and allow you to hold them accountable as well; they need to deliver real commercial outcomes while not aggressively destroying the workplace environment.
Having worked with over 2,000 businesses in Australia, Shirlaws has developed a series of business frameworks which drive team agreements and actively create, reinforce, or change a team with a culture of responsibility.
If your arms are tired and the thought of one more juggling ball could drive you crazy, contact Shirlaws, attend one of our Events, or learn more about our workplace training and business coaching options.
