When you are building your team you will inevitably run into people who will want to lower themselves to where they see others operating. They will use the phrase “why should I when they are not” or something similar. Attitudes like this are a death cross for managers. Attitudes like this will prevent your team from ever being great.
When you have a member on your team who says things like “why should I when they are not” it usually indicates they think what you are asking them to do is too insignificant to matter. Help them see how all the little things add up to become the big things. Show them how the little habits of mediocrity prevent them from expanding the habits of greatness.
Sometimes when they say “why should I when they are not” it will indicate that they think they are the team not of the team. What I mean by this is that they are acting as a team of one, not as a small but important piece that makes up the greater whole. Help them understand that their attitude of “why should I when they are not” removes them from the team and puts them on an island by themselves. Help them understand that being a part of a team isn’t like Survivor where you are rewarded for being the last remaining team member standing all alone.
What makes the attitude of “why should I when they are not” most amusing is that while they go about their day thinking and demonstrating that behavior they are asking to be promoted or for more responsibility. They want to lead something, manage something, or be assigned to that new highly visible project. When they don’t receive those things they start to feel like they are shunned and then develop a victim mentality. They never connect that their attitude of “why should I when they are not” and their inability to do the little things right prevent them from getting responsibility for the big things.
Build a team of people who individually want to do what others won’t. Get each team member to strive to be what others don’t want to be. Inspire each member of your team to stop following the example and to start setting the example. Show them how the little things ultimately determine how they do the big things. Help them understand they need to do what others aren’t because they are going where others aren’t.
If after an honest and diligent effort you are unable to lead someone to want and do these things have the difficult conversation and let them go. Let them go to the mediocrity that they are so hungry for. Letting them go will remove the invisible poison that is undermining the greatness you know your team can become. Removing them just may be that final roadblock that allows the team to continue the journey.
Last updated on September 14th, 2020 at 06:39 am
