If you want something done right…
February 24th, 2008 | by Mark Fusco |If you want something done right, do it yourself!
We’ve all heard that at some point in our lives — we’ve probably muttered it ourselves in the direction of our source of aggravation a time or two as well…why isn’t he getting it? Out of frustration, we usually just take over the task and do it, unnecessarily increasing our own workload and possibly adding an unwarranted burden to our deadline.
However, let’s think about this for a minute. If someone is seemingly just not getting it, is it a sign that the subject of your frustration is truly dense, or could it because of the role model leading him? What if we took the statement, “if you want something done right, do it yourself” and turned it inwards to ourselves, approaching it instead from the viewpoint of a “do as I do” standpoint?
For example, from our very earliest days of childhood, we all learned and reflected back the model of behavior and environment presented to us. Positive role models, environments and balanced control usually get things accomplished. Constant nagging and lectures on correct behaviors by our parents and other senior people, however, are largely ignored because of the negative feelings attached to them.
For me, the idea of this came while working at my study, and having my children tug constantly at my arm for something. My response would be, “just a minute, let me finish this” or “I can’t right now”. Invariably the situation would turn around a mere few hours later, when I would have to tell the kids numerous times that it was time to go to bed. Their non-verbal response, as they were dazed by the glow of the television monitor, being the same “let me finish this first” as I had unwittingly taught them earlier. Except in this case, I was the boss, and they had no choice but to comply now.
So what’s the bottom line? If you want others to buy into your great idea, then be excited and knowledgeable about what you’re selling. If you want things done now, lose the phrase “just a minute” from your own vocabulary. Create and constantly build a “One Another” culture, setting expectations not with words and compliance dictates, but rather with your own behavior and responses.
Do unto them, as you would have them do unto you, and you’ll get things done more efficiently, effectively and effortlessly.
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This post is a rework of an article originally posted at Squint in May of 2006.