How many of us know of someone or ourselves have put off a trip to the doctor, dentist, or car mechanic? Maybe we think, if one does not pay attention to the issue, maybe it will go away. The reason for this irrational behavior is fear. The problem exists, but our fear of learning what it is driving people to turn away from what they might discover.
This emotion is a significant inhibitor to the discussion of results. The best way to overcome this issue is to have regular meetings that discuss outcomes in an instructive rather than a destructive fashion. Peter Drucker wrote that leaders are either forming or deforming those they lead. Results are agnostic, and we supply the emotion. When leaders review the information and give feedback in a positive, nurturing, and informative way, it creates the environment for change.
The tired and old “get it done” or “Hold Accountable” means of leadership must get relegated to the dustbin of management history. Accountability is vital but only after a process that is instructive, honest, and uplifting. In the end, the goal of any plan is to achieve success. The modern workforce demands style as well as substance in getting there.
