“I am pretty sure that Isaac is a Stratum I and that’s why he is having difficulty with his new responsibilities,” Nelson explained.
“Isaac’s not doing well?” I asked.
“No, I swear, I have explained things to him a dozen times. He always says that he understands, but when I look at the work, he is like a deer in the headlights. Definitely Stratum I.”
“And if you are wrong?”
“I might be wrong?” Nelson tilted.
“What if he is just not interested in the work he is assigned?”
“But that’s the work I gave him to do,” Nelson replied.
“Just because you gave it to him, doesn’t mean he places value on that work. And just because he underperforms, doesn’t mean he is a Stratum I. Your assumption may lead you down the wrong road. Here are some better questions that are more helpful.
- Does Isaac have the right skills for the assigned task? Is there some technical knowledge that he needs to know and has he practiced enough to gain the required skill?
- Is Isaac interested in the work? Does he place a high value on its completion?
- Has Isaac been effective in completing tasks with a similar Time Span?
A manager’s most important aspect is too know the strengths and weakness of each of their associates