What are you tolerating . . . and what can you do about it?

As a restoration business coach, every day, I work with clients, and at least a couple of them share that they have a frustration with another person in their organization. It could be a direct report, someone they report to, or in some cases, even the owner. Unfortunately, many people just decide to tolerate whatever is bothering them. The most common reasons are: they feel regardless of what they say or do the person will not change, they've had a conversation with the person already and nothing good came of it, they don't want to hurt the person's feelings, or they just aren't comfortable with conflict. By the way, most people don't love conflict! So, what can you do about it this type of challenge?

Let's use the example of someone who reports to you that is not doing a "good job". Over the years, I've found that in many cases, there isn't a document that describes what success looks like. Do you have clearly defined expectations of the activities and results for the role this person is in and are they in writing? If not, that's the first step.

Once you have defined the clear expectations, have you met with the person to share the success measures? Are you meeting with the person on a regular basis to hold them accountable and offer support?

For example, if you have a salesperson on your team and you feel like they aren't doing a good enough job, as the leader, would you agree that it's your responsibility to share with the person what they need to do in terms of their daily activities and what results you expect them to have based on those activities?

Clear expectations along with accountability are critical to success.

Back to the title of this article, "What are you tolerating" in your business and what can you do about it? In some cases, you may just have someone on the team who doesn't get it, want it, or have the capacity to do it, what "it" is, however, it might just be a case of getting clear about what you expect and using your leadership skills to encourage and support the team. Who can you help - today?