It can be tempting to walk around something that’s not working. Especially if it’s not your something.
A broken chair, a dirty bathroom, an argument between colleagues, a project thats late.
The funny thing is that a single event, say a waiter drops a plate of food in a restaurant, gets attention but if it’s repeated it gets pushed away. We stop going to that restaurant.
Incidents may get sympathy but systemic problems get blame. And avoidance.
Fair enough, our attention spans are short.
Where there’s a regular mess, there’s always a deeper problem.
So maybe there’s an opportunity in a mess?
Especially at work…
In your job there are likely things you regularly slip up at, or those around you do.
Machines that break down, areas that are messy, points of disagreement, things that are always late.
Not one-offs, but regularly.
If you find a problem that’s not getting attention you’ll find a problem that’s not getting solved.
If it became a regular problem the solution is likely a regular one too.
Maybe you can make that your problem.
If you want to be a leader, looking for problems to solve is great practice. Leaders don’t get to choose problems that come between them and their objectives. They have to get good at solving unique issues that come to them.
The trick is to not just find the one off answer.
Try to seek a long term systematic solution.
The machine that breaks down may need regular maintenance or redesign. The messy area needs more frequent cleaning. Frequent disagreement points to communication or target alignment problems. Lateness can be a capability or resource issue.
As a worker, a part of a team, you can’t solve all those issues. But you can think about how they’d be solved. Not just fixing the symptoms but fixing the cause.
And you can start by helping with the symptoms.
Why can’t you help fix the machine, or call someone who can? What’s stopping you from cleaning up someone else’s mess? Or intervening in an argument? Or offering help to someone who’s behind schedule?
Why can’t some of those things be part of your schedule?
“…where there’s a regular mess, there’s always a deeper problem…”
Do you go checking for signs of equipment not working? Or wait for the breakdown?
Do you clean up the bathroom when you use it or leave it for someone else?
Do you try to resolve disputes or enjoy the drama?
Do you give any time to others who aren’t keeping up?
Strong leaders didn’t start gaining skills after they become leaders. They started early in their jobs.
So can you.
Go looking for something that’s not working, and work out how you can help fix it.
Even if it’s not “your” job.
Don’t wait for the fire to be a firefighter, build fire prevention into your routine.
If it became a regular problem the solution is likely a regular one too.
Any regular problem at work is an opportunity to practice a great leadership skill.
Where’s the mess?
.
.
“I might be wrong, but at least I’ve thought about it…”