Born to Run - The Individual Call to Progress

The only way forward is progress, a rousing sentiment. But I have seen the opposite be the way forward—regress. Falling behind, disastrous choices, infighting, broken processes…shall I continue? We likely all have experienced some of this. Do we forego the pithy sentiment about progression?

The objective motivator is the individual contribution by each, not by all. Sentiment becomes watered down when it’s generalized to all. We all know that “Hang in There” cat poster (thank you to that awesome show, The Middle, for memorializing it for posterity). When delivered to the whole, it is simply positive sentiment without real direction. However, when delivered to an individual, it becomes personal. What do I need to do in order to hang in there? The individual delivery is meant to be thought-provoking and encouraging.

When it comes to progress, the same objective can be offered specifically. The only way forward is progress as an individualized objective pushes the receiver to consider what that person can do as well as what is needed in order to do so. That’s progress. Walking into a department and saying, “Do Better” is generalized. A manager should not expect a team member to rise to the occasion after such a broad admonition. The path of least resistance is to say to one’s self, “I am doing the better. It’s everyone else.” And that is most often the end of the line of “motivation.”

Instead, if a department needs to do better, seek to address the individuals. The opening mandate to all may set the stage for what’s to come, but it’s the one-on-one dialogue that will bring to light those reflective considerations.

“Joe, the organization needs us to do better. What do you see as being an area of improvement we should address? How can you help to address that suggestion, and what will that take for you to do so?” This might be the purest way to start an individual check-in. And lest you think that each person will automatically say, “Oh, it’s me. I am the problem and will change my evil ways immediately,” (we’re so bitter, aren’t we?) it may take a moment or two for someone to get beyond the reason why it’s actually Marty’s fault that everything is crap. With some gentle, consistent questions, Joe will begin to think personally. “Well, Marty is part of the problem. I can see that we’ve become less motivated to do a great job. We have become okay with a passable job.” Those we-statements are code for I-statements, often done due to a lack of organizational trust or out of fear from previous interactions. Meet that person in those illuminating moments by affirming the perspective and asking to understand more deeply.

It is not easy for a first-time supervisor to draw out such reflection from a team. It takes practice. If you are a first-time manager, give yourself some grace.

And to those of you who get asked about progression and how you can participate, participate. Talk to your supervisor. Be gracious, thoughtful, and innovative. You do not need to be a doormat to do that. Focus on what you can do first. Or, I guess you could respond like Axl from The Middle, “…Together we are awesome. But alone, only I am still awesome.”