Creating Successful Conditions

Creating Successful Conditions

We've all either seen or heard of the leader that must be involved in every decision. It gives a sense of control and managing the way they want exactly. More commonly referred to as micromanagers their teams typically, experience little growth. Everyone is spending their day in the current state and not thinking about the future

When a person ascends an organization, they reach a level where the only decisions they make are big ones. Decisions that impact the masses. These decisions take significant focus and effort. The person cannot be overwhelmed with small decisions that get in the way

Insightful leaders choose to pare down decisions to focus on key ones. Former President Obama and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg share fame in their consistent attire that does not change very much. When asked about why they wore the same thing every day, each referenced that it was removing one more decision from their day so that they could focus on more important things.

Think of your daily cognitive load of decision making as a $100 budget. Maybe each small decision takes only $1 and the bigger decisions cost $20 to $50 of effort to solve. It would behoove anyone to conserve their budget for the decisions that make the largest impact.

Performance Conditions

The conditions that surround people make an oversized impact on the individual. There are numerous examples of identical twins separated at birth and each living to their environment. It sets their direction positively or negatively.

Good conditions raise people up to new levels. Similarly, bad conditions push people down. People can still overcome bad conditions and low performers can still fail in good conditions. It is just less likely.

If you’re leading a team, you are looking for statistical advantages. Advantages that would increase your team’s chances of succeeding. This makes a necessity of designing work conditions and environments. This starts with observing what helps and hinders your team’s work.

Removing Temptation

When finding those performance hindrances sometimes the easiest solutions is to simply remove the temptation. The classic diet example where a person removes the unhealthy snacks in the house. The temptation is gone, and they would be forced to go to the store if they really wanted the treat. But by that point the person typically gives up or they reach clarity during the drive to the store.

What are the bad habits around the office? Where is the temptation, and can you remove it? For example. gossip is a major bad habit and time drain. It is built on the temptation of the unknown. As a leader you can remove it by being open and transparent, gives nothing to gossip about.

More commonly, personal devices are becoming the hindrance to team performance. People find it easy to escape into social media for a respite only to find them sucked into rabbit holes of lost time. On extreme cases you will see companies shutting down certain websites from company computers or the banning of having personal devices in the office. That does remove the temptation but is also lessens employee trust and creates the opposite environment of a high performing one.

Breaking Bad Habits by Making Them Impossible

There are some office bad habits that are easier to break once they are removed completely. As you cannot do that which is impossible. By removing the option, you are removing the temptation.

An extreme diet example consists of the individual that wants to lose weight, yet they can’t quit eating. They in turn have their jaw wired shut making it impossible to eat. Extreme yes, but the option of eating is removed.

A company I worked with had trouble getting out of meetings and completing work. They decided to make a rule that wouldn’t allow meetings on Friday. They programmed Microsoft Office so that meeting rooms and appointments couldn’t be sent out on Friday. It was a rule that couldn’t be broken, and Friday became everyone’s favorite day again. 

Designed For Success

We’ve covered how to fix problems, but what about performance levers? Performance levers are the actions or items you can take to increase or decrease performance. They are the variables that you can move things from good to great.

For example, Google would serve a free breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the office. It would help keep people at the office with gourmet food. People were more apt to work late and spend longer hours in office, but as the company grew it became an entitlement that lost its power.

Observe with your team. Ask and see what gets their best performance. Then experiment and try those items out. Some can be long term improvements; others can be short term performance boosts for stressful periods.

Different Types of Office Areas

Architect David Dewane has a desire to break up the open office. To put people through what he calls the “eudaimonia machine.” Here people transverse through different environments during of their workday to maximize their experience and support better work rhythms.

His office starts with a grand entrance. Not one to rush through but one that typically holds a gallery to inspire. Next the employee moves into the salon. A place to grab a coffee and where to socialize. Next the employee moves into a collaborative work area of an open office setting where they can connect with their team.

The employee then transitions to the library. This is their opportunity to research in preparation of going to the fifth stage, the deep work chambers. This is the non-disruption area where progress is made. Lastly, the employee traverses a contemplative area, typically a garden or natural habitat where the employee can mentally process the work they have completed and what they will complete the following day.

References

Three Rules For Making A Company Great

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