One of the things that always happens in our Roundtable for Leaders’ peer mentoring programs is that someone always comes up with some great saying, life lesson or words of wisdom. At one such meeting last month, Lauralei Heggie, Director of Audience Development & Strategy for the Star Media Group, chipped into a conversation we were having about how to manage “problem” employee behaviours with this great quote:
“You never have the full story about anything.”
Lauralei picked this up from a news man she’d crossed paths with in publishing and, as great as a mantra it is for journalists, it’s a great one for leaders too.
It’s easy (I think), when frustrated by underperforming employees, to immediately start focusing on the problem and forgetting about the person. In my experience, most people don’t go into work every day with the deep intention of screwing up. Most people want to go in, do a good job, get paid and go home.
In our high production, results-driven workplaces, remembering to look beyond the problem to the full scope of the situation is something that we can all be well reminded to do.
Happy leading!
