Smart people can make dumb decisions when they don’t consider the consequences of poor leadership. These are the side effects of when you are seduced by a goal or a whim, without thinking about what could go wrong.
Like water dropped into a still pond, suddenly things change and they can change unexpectedly. From employee morale to retention, big problems can be unleashed. Here are three examples of what can go wrong:
The Downside of Achieving Goals
Let’s say you challenge your sales department to double second quarter sales of a product. Your team rises to the challenge and achieves the goal. They’re celebrating but some of the people down the hall will soon be in tears.
The problem is the consequences of the goal were not considered. While success can be good for one department, it can create problems for others.
For instance, your shipping department may not be able to quickly process the sharp increase in orders. You may not have enough of the product, so your customer service crew is now having to perform damage control to upset people.
Your goal was admirable but you didn’t think about how it would impact your entire organization. To prevent this scenario, keep everyone in the loop about your goals and make sure they can be supported by the entire business.
Making Exceptions to the Rules
Most organizations have existing policies. Sometimes you’ll be put in a tough situation, where you’ll be tempted to bend the rules. While there are times when this is a good move, you need to fully consider the consequences of poor leadership.
Remember that every decision you make will be seen by all. If you’re saying, “Yes,” to some requests and “No,” to most others, then you’ll upset employees.
People will accept rules if they feel like they are being fairly applied. If it seems like the Wild West, then your employee culture will suffer.
If you need to make exceptions to the rules, make sure you clearly explain why you’re choosing to go against established policy. If there’s a chance your decisions will seem shady, then they’ll be resented.
Always Asking for More
Some leaders believe their job is to inspire their teams to work harder. This can work, in the short-term but eventually people will be working about as hard as they can. There’s a ceiling for their productivity, unless you make an investment into something, like new software that can make them better.
“Why am I always asked to do more?” is a question people will ask themselves when they feel like you think their best is never enough.
Soon, your push for greater output will have many looking for new jobs. You’ll lose productivity when employees leave and you can’t expect their replacements to perform at the same level when they start.
Instead of demanding more, ask employees how you can make them more effective at their jobs. This takes more time than asking people “To just work harder,” but it will produce better results. It may also require you to increase your investment in people or adjust budgets.
When employees feel like they’re invested in their future, they’re more likely to work harder.
Ken Okel Performs Virtual Keynotes Too
