I re-learned a lesson this past weekend. It was the same lesson that a friend recently re-learned, too. That lesson is this:
Good leaders INSPECT what they EXPECT!
r re-learned that if I don’t inspect the health of the individual components of my team, my systems, and my processes, that I can be responsible for big losses in productivity, in wasted effort, and in total team shut down. In my case, my lesson had to do with the performance of my team that failed me in a time of need.
I was happily going along and simply assumed all was going well until it was too late. I had a complete systems-failure that jeopardized my entire project and my incorrect assumptions led to a massive crash in productivity. It also led to my having to dismiss my entire team. All of them. Gone. Although I had team members fail on individual levels, it was my lack of inspection that caused the loss. I was not a good leader and individual components of my team are now gone requiring me to get new ones at great expense.
It was all my fault. And I take full responsibility. I did not inspect what I expected.
My Friend’s Lesson
In the case of my friend, she confided in me that she, too, is in the middle of a massive failure that is causing a huge loss in productivity and a large systems-failure. Now in her case, the burden of blame is far less on her than it was on me. She was not nearly as responsible for the failures of her team members as me because key observation tools from her superiors were not made available to her.
Nevertheless, the individuals involved on her team were breaking down and she was unaware. Perhaps she had other, less obvious or formalized tools available that she didn’t pursue that if she had, she could have preserved the integrity of her team. She got the tools later on, but it was too late. The damage had occurred. Now, she is suffering, her team is suffering and there is going to be great pains and expense to remedy this situation. It will also cost her group to lose 31% of their team.
She did not inspect what she expected. Poor team…
In the case of my friend, she works in an inside sales environment that requires some TLC because the employees are recent college graduates and these millennials need more oversight than veterans. They work in an environment in which their productivity and effectiveness is measure against specific goals and metrics. Well, those production numbers were falsified by numerous individuals and fraudulent behavior became rampant in absence of close scrutiny and regular inspection. The reported results were fabrications. Productivity and real results suffered. Had these fraudulent behaviors been inspected earlier, it would not have turned out like it did.
Ahh, the lessons we learn and learn and re-learn…
Back to my lesson that I had to re-learn. You see, I had a total systems-failure and I was let down. I suffered. People suffered.
So what was my situation? What was my team that failed? What was my system?
My system was my aging lawn mover. That’s right: a machine. The individual components of which I speak are not people in an organization, but they are the parts of the lawnmower (components of my team) that needed my TLC; the air filter, the oil, and the lawnmower blade. And I failed them.
My Lesson
I broke my lawnmower at the exact wrong time and it cost me. You see, I failed to inspect what I expected. I expected the engine to run by burning gas and breathing air. I expected the oil to stay put and do its job. I expected the blade to be sharp and effective. But since I didn’t employ basic preventative maintenance through inspections, I broke it. Completely.
I didn’t inspect the condition of the air filter. Over time, the engine sounded sick and sputtered. It couldn’t breath. I didn’t inspect the oil level or condition of the oil. Over time, it was beginning to smoke by burning the oil. I didn’t inspect the blade. The blade was in need of replacement. It was cutting funky swirl lines in my Bermuda grass. So, like my friend, I got to the inspection process too late.
I found a clogged air filter and easily cleaned it: the engine ran well. Score! I added more clean oil: no more smoking. Double Score! I found a nasty looking steel blade that hit one too many rocks and bought a replacement blade. Unfortunately, in getting the old blade off, I got frustrated because I got cut a few times and it took enormous effort to get the blade off. But, when I finally did get the old one off and the new one on, the fourteen dollar 21″ mulching blade looked great and seemed ready to go.
Alas, I would soon be getting a sharp looking lawn!
Oops…FAIL
In my haste to get started with my freshened piece of equipment, I failed to properly tighten the new mower blade. Perhaps I didn’t want it on too tight. But I didn’t double-check an important element of my “teams” components. I DIDN’T INSPECT FOR PROPER tightness of the mounting bolt for the blade. Consequently, I started the mower; it ran for 30 seconds; and then the wiggling blade bent the shaft coming from the engine.
Engine stopped. Engine broke. Engine kaput.
I was a day or two late and $400 too short. I had to make an unplanned purchase of a brand new lawnmower. Happy Father’s Day, I guess…
My failure to inspect important components on a machine is similar to my friend’s failure to inspect the working components in her sales team. Without proper inspection of what we know to have the potential to fail, we can pretty much guarantee loss, damage, and pain. In the big scheme of things, lawnmowers are cheap. Replacing team members is very expensive.
So, what elements (people, processes, or practices) are presently working for you that you should be inspecting more closely? Where are you being lazy, or excuse-filled to the point that the inevitable crash will come and cause pain and loss. What tools are available now, and what can you do to get new tools to help you inspect what you expect?
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Tom Schulte is Executive Director of Linked 2 Leadership and
CEO | Recalibrate Professional Development
He can be reached at [email protected]
Image Source: likecool.com
