I visited a few clients via Zoom this week and noted that one center’s to-do list had not budged since last week, and the proprietor, who is paying me, did not get to his to-do list either.
Over the last several weeks, I was a pain in the butt, nudging them ever so softly to “get ‘er done.” The soft approach was not working.
I realized that the soldiers would not feel that if there were no sense of urgency from the top, the soldiers would probably feel the same and “rest on their apathy.” which was his responsibility to eliminate. So, I called my friendly proprietor back and discussed a new strategy HE had to implement to get it done.
He had to set a new pace of urgency because, I told him, if you surround yourself with some people who get it done, the odds are that other people will get the message that they are being left behind.
He agreed, and we discussed several options in detail. He latched onto one we reviewed and one he kept returning to; have a team competition, separate. the staff into two teams and create a contest about which team would complete the most tasks in the next week.
Excuses would push you back. BS would push you back. “The dog ate my homework” would not be accepted anymore, and he promised to clarify that in his next meeting.
He also had tasks; his job was to get them done as fast as possible and tell the staff that he was completing them at every chance.
It was up to him to set the pace.
There was no prize. No incentive. Each task completed would get you a point. Weekly reports would be posted by the time clock detailing which employee completed his designated tasks.
At some time in the future, maybe in 4 to six weeks, we would call a meeting and issue a prize to the team that was ahead.
Maybe. We said they should only get rewards for going above and beyond and not just doing their job.
Because at the end of the day, if you do not set the pace, who will?
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