I have a water bottle that says, “The biggest risk you can take is to do nothing.”
Every time you let an employee decision slide, every time you wait on making an important purchasing decision, every time you avoid a tough conversation with a colleague… there’s a cost – and it’s higher than you think.
You might think you’re playing it safe by waiting. You hope the situation might resolve itself if given enough time. You just don’t have the time and energy to deal with this right now. The problem is, the universe doesn’t work that way.
There’s a huge cost to inaction – and it’s probably bigger than you think. Worst case, something that could have been dealt with early on as an issue has now become (very) personal for you both. I had a business partner who brought their spouse into the business. I knew in my gut this would be a tough dynamic, and it was. We ultimately elected to separate, and what would have been difficult and expensive became very expensive to untangle after the fact. The often-unseen cost of inaction is that you miss a big opportunity because you didn’t get to it – you left it for someone else to in and snatch out right before you.
Here are some common (costly) inactions:
- Not dealing with a “C” or “D” employee, or
- Not holding your team accountable for their KPIs, or
- Letting an important decision slide with a business partner, or
- Kicking the can down the road on your strategic plan or succession plan
And here’s how to break the avoidance habit:
- UNDERSTAND what you are avoiding and why – what’s the worst that can happen if you have that conversation? More often, we don’t have the conversation out of fear that we’ll look bad, be seen as mean, or be embarrassed publicly.
- Do your HOMEWORK:
- What’s this person’s communication style- Fast or slower paced? Honor that. Detail person or high level? Honor that in your communication, too.
- How are they likely to react? Put yourself in their shoes to understand how they may be feeling – no one likes to feel targeted or “caught.”
- Use accountability tools like the Circle of Reason (c) to collaborate on a solution.
- PRACTICE what you want to say. So often we stumble at the beginning and end of tougher conversations – memorize how you want to open the conversation, so you don’t have to think about what to say – you’ll just say it. Here’s an opener to get you started: “Hey Joe, there’s something we need to talk through. It’s important. I’m hoping we can get the issues out on the table so we can come up with a solution that we both feel good about.”
- SCHEDULE a time for the conversation so you can both be prepared.
And then take a deep breath and dive in. Don’t expect perfection – make sure your heart is in the right place, and the odds are you’ll both be fine in the long term.
Want to learn more? Check out your planning resources at MakeMoreWorkLess.
As clients of The Benefit Works, you get significant discounts! Susan Thomson, CEO and Licensed Coach, ActionCOACH Business & Executive Coaching Proud Member of TEMPO Madison
Direct: 608-441-5374
Email: mailto:susanthomson@actioncoach.com