“Yes, there’s more,” I responded. Emily and I had been talking about competence in the workplace. Our discussions had led us through stupidity, incompetence, competence and mastery. “Just because your team becomes competent, does not necessarily draw superior performance.”
“But you said incompetence was the reason for most failures in the workplace,” Emily protested.
“I said there were two factors that determined success or failure, and competence is one of the factors.”
“So, what is the other?” Emily asked.
“Necessity,” I replied. Emily sat back knowing she was in for another brain stretch. I smiled and she leaned forward ready to listen.
“Let’s say you had a team that was perfectly competent to perform at a high level, yet the results were lacking. What would you consider to be the problem?”
Emily thought briefly. “I would say, it’s probably attitude or motivation.”
“Consider that accomplishment, producing results, can be traced back to two factors, competence and necessity. If we know that competence is not the factor, how could necessity explain the shortfall?”
“Do you mean that people only do what they have to do?” she asked.
“Exactly. People only do what they have to do, to get what they want or to avoid what they don’t want,” I replied.
“So my people will only do what I want, if I make it necessary for them to do it?”
“If only we had that power,” I said. “We don’t get to make that decision for other people. Only you can make that decision in your life, to do what is necessary, to get what you want. The successful manager is the one who taps into that necessity.”
“But, I am not sure I know what my people want.”
“Even more important,” I interrupted, “Do you know what you want? As a manager, what do you want? As a manager, what are the things you have to do? These are not things you might like to do, or things that might make you a better manager. These are things that you have to do, to be the kind of manager you want to be. It is only when those things become necessary that those things will become ingrained into your personal discipline to make you who you are.
“As a manager, what is necessary? What do you have to do to be successful?” -TF
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Our next Management Program is scheduled to begin October 30 in Fort Lauderdale.
Session 1 – October 30, 2006 – 3:00-6:30p
Session 2 – November 2, 2006 – 3:00-6:30p
Session 3 – November 6, 2006 – 3:00-6:30p
Session 4 – November 13, 2006 – 3:00-6:30p
Thanksgiving Break
Session 5 – November 27, 2006 – 3:00-6:30p
Session 6 – December 4, 2006 – 3:00-6:30p
Visit www.workingmanagement.com