Remember human nature
It may sound obvious but when thinking about your organisation, it's sensible to have a clear-eyed view of human nature.
In operations we have a tendency to work too much in the abstract realm - that is, to think in terms of org charts, systems, processes, etc. It’s not that this isn’t important, it’s just that these abstractions have their own internal logic which we can get caught up in. We always need to come back to the underlying reality of work and organisations, the messy, human context in which everything is done.
Here are some way markers I find useful:
Theory Y
People are largely well-intentioned. Other people are in fact basically like you. They are driven largely by the same set of basic needs - for belonging, for a sense of competence, for self-determination. They are the heroes of their own story, in the way that you are of yours.
Forgetting this is a very easy trap to fall into when you see people doing things which you find foolish or annoying. How could they do that? It must be malice, or indifference, or lack of talent. But that misses the point.
You generally act in good faith, doing what seems to you to be best in a particular circumstance. Other people are doing the same. So when they ‘misbehave’ the helpful question is not “what is wrong with them?”, it is “how did this behaviour come to seem like the right thing to do to them?”. This is the more helpful question because it surfaces deeper and more powerful routes to change.
This doesn’t mean that we should blindly accept other people’s behaviour. But it does mean we should give them the benefit of the doubt.
Forer Statements
Self-awareness is an important part of being a good leader and manager. But self-awareness can easily lead to self-criticism. Our faults show up like they’re under a spotlight (or under a 10,000 Lux SAD lamp). We could maybe cut ourselves a bit of slack if we remembered that certain characteristics are not personal failings, they are just human nature. The Forer Statements are helpful in this respect (and also can help us understand others better). For instance:
You have a great need for other people to like and admire you.
And
Some of your aspirations tend to be pretty unrealistic.
Your brain is for having ideas, not holding them
I’m a big fan of Dave Allen’s ‘Getting Things Done’ - or at least, some if its guiding principles. One of which is illustrated by a story that goes something like this:
We are very good at remembering that we need to buy a light bulb when we are in the garage and it’s too dark because one has blown, but very bad at remembering it when we are in the supermarket.
In other words, your brain is good at having ideas, but not at holding them. It is therefore a good idea to build an external system that you trust that does this for you. This is a great way to reduce stress: not having a load of things you’re in the middle of and trying to keep track of. Write them down - but more than that, write them down somewhere that they will be front and centre next time you need them.
But also - remember that other people will be like this too. Design systems to support them in their natural, context-driven forgetfulness!
