How to get people to produce different results

Today I’m going to talk about a phenomenally difficult problem - how to get people who work with us to produce different results.

We all face times when people are not as productive as they need to be, or maybe they’re facing a quality or schedule problem. The model we have in our heads says, ‘To get different results, we need people to change their actions.’ Because actions produce results, right? And by changing their actions we expect their results will change for the better.

But does that work? Hmmm. Try this little example.

You walk into your teenager’s bedroom, see a huge mess (the result), and tell them to clean it up (the action). But they don’t. Or they do it with no commitment. And the mess is there again half an hour later. Yet you keep telling them over and over for years to clean their room, or punish them or incentivize them, somehow hoping this time it will work! That is madness. We need another way!

I’ve been working with managers trying to reduce incidents, injuries, and near misses on work sites in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and India. They say,

‘We’re constantly telling the workers to wear their harnesses, to secure their tools, and wear helmets (the action). Every day. But there are always some who won’t comply. And sometimes people get hurt! (the result)’

But this approach doesn’t work!

When you tell people to do something, at best you get compliance when they think you’re looking. At worst, you get resentment, resistance, and the need to constantly police them. And the results don’t improve.

There is a better way.

We must look at what is behind people’s actions, to understand what causes them to do the things they do. That means finding out how they see the world. Because most people act rationally in accordance with their perceptions.

These managers started talking to their workers to understand them. Many of these workers have no contract and put in very long hours. They have little savings and are under enormous time pressure from their bosses and customers to get the job done. In their mind safety slows things down so they will never make more safe choices.

When we understand people’s perceptions and drivers, breakthroughs start to happen. These managers are now including their workers in their thinking, slowing down schedules and putting pressure on the contractors to improve working conditions. The workers begin to see they and their mates matter, and safety improves.

If you want to improve the effectiveness of a team, find out first how they see the world. Be prepared to be surprised! It’s the key to improving results.

I hope you find this helpful. If you want to discuss how you can influence better performance please get in touch. I also made a video about this, you can check it here .

Otherwise, see you next time.

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