Even if it all feels warm and wonderful, your team needs you to remove roadblocks. If they’re frustrated with stupidity in the organization, they’re frustrated with you. Sure, they appreciate the check-ins about their kid’s soccer victories. And they want you to prepare them for the next promotion. But, if you’re not out there with them doing some basic blocking and tackling, I’d venture to guess, they’re frustrated. Be a backer, and remove these three common roadblocks.
Three Roadblocks Your Team is Longing For You to Remove
Roadblock #1:
You’re clear about what you want, but your colleague in the other department is sending an equally strong message to his team leading them in another direction. Your team wants to achieve your vision, and feels your urgency, but they can’t resolve the conflict without involving you–and the other team feels the same way. The conflict is getting more intense because no one feels empowered to reach a compromise. Both teams worry that any level of “giving in” will tick off their boss.
- The Roadblock: Lack of Leadership Alignment
- To Get Results That Last: Meet with your peer (and include a few key team members as appropriate) and align on a path forward. Hold metaphorical hands and send a clear messages to both of your teams about what needs to be accomplished and how they must work together. Anything else will waste precious time and energy, and make them question your leadership tenacity.
Roadblock #2
You know what your boss is asking for doesn’t make sense for customers, employees, or shareholders.
- The Roadblock: Your Boss’ Idea is Going to Hurt the Business
- To Get Results That Last: When you let this go, you’re hurting the business, and seriously damaging the relationship with your boss you’re looking to protect. Trust me, your boss would much rather you take him off-line, in a private conversation and explain your concerns (listen carefully, she may have more information and an alternative perspective), than have you make a stupid decision.
Roadblock #3
Your team feels like they’re operating in the dark. They do the best they can to guess what the stakeholders want, but when they present their strategy, it gets shot full of holes and creates frantic rework.
- The Roadblock: Unclear Expectations
- To Get Results That Last: Identify the key stakeholders and discuss their vision and expectations before your team gets to work. If gathering them all in the same room (or phone call) isn’t wise or practical, do it one-on-one. If expectations aren’t aligned it’s better to work that out before the work begins. (See #1.)
When you remove roadblocks, the team feels like you’re on their side. Work gets done faster and with higher quality and less stress.
Great points, Karin!
Miscommunication is one of the most difficult things to take on when it comes to getting over roadblocks. Sometimes it’s best to have one of those dreaded all-employee conference where each team leader explains in their own language what is expected. That way, the miscommunication can be nipped in the bud by giving everyone an opportunity to weigh in and reinterpret what they think they heard….