Adaptation is normal: I do it, you do it, they will do it!

I’ve spent my last couple of weekends assembling furniture. The reason behind that is straightforward: cost reduction! The cost of hiring someone to assemble the unit is almost the same price as the furniture itself!

The decision was solely cost-driven. I was not going to do it for the sense of achievement, ownership, accomplishment, or any of that. That said, the goal was clear from the beginning, getting it done, as fast as possible, as easy as possible, with the least cost possible! Sounds familiar?

It should not be that complicated, I did assemble furniture before, and it comes with clear instructions. Besides, if everyone can do it, then I sure can! I have a college degree! How hard can furniture assembly be?!

As you open the instructions manual you find the first note that this is a two people job not one. But it will only be me, am I going to stop work and wait for a colleague or a neighbor to come help since this is the instructions? Or I will just go ahead and sacrifice some time but get it over with? You guessed it right, I adapted.

“Who is the idiot who wrote those procedures!!!” Yes, I said it, more than once, with a lot of frustration and disappointment on how the instructions look easy, while in some cases it does not provide sufficient details on different orientations or parts that looked similar, or people who are left-handed like me and can struggle with mirror imaged objects! All that was in a few pages of assembly instructions! Sounds familiar?

Not only was the procedure unclear, but also unrealistic sometimes! There were parts where the screwdriver is not even fitting! “How on earth are they expecting us to do this!” and yes, I did find ways to make it easier for me even though it was contradicting the instructions!

Now add that frustration to the statement: “Dad, are we going to finish my bed tonight like you finished my brothers’?” Which is a constant reminder of the goal to get things done fast!

What does this have to do with safety? Here are my takeaways:

• If you have not done the job, you have no clue what people face!
• Adaptation is normal! I do it, you do, they will do it!
• Adaptation will bring trade-offs! Did I have the right tools all the time? Is getting the job done worth trying a tool that is not fitting? Have I got injured? No, but I got a couple of fingers hit by my hammer, was it a fair price to get the job done?
• The goal is always clear! Get the job done, faster, cheaper, and easier as much as possible. Is safety part of the goal or is it a bonus?
• Instructions are not ideal! Never will be!

As a leader, you need to ask yourself: Am I considering all the above when I ask my team for a task? Am I aware of all the challenges they face, or do I just see the end product? Am I able to improve the process or learn from the insights the people had when faced with such cases?

Think about it as a leader because it is always easier to assume that if it was you, you would have done better. The reality is, it is never you!