Knowing the Answer Isn't Enough

I know a lot of smart people. Heck, I think it’s fair to say that I’m a pretty smart guy myself. I went to graduate school with some of the smartest people in the country, and I know a lot of really smart leaders. 

And yet being smart and having a head full of information isn’t a good predictor of leadership success by itself. Sure, it’s a hygiene factor in that it’s a necessary ingredient for success, but where the rubber meets the road is getting people to change their behavior.

For example, you can have the cleverest strategic plan in the world, but if you can’t get your team excited about executing it, then it’s literally worthless. So how do you as a leader get people to change their behavior?

For starters, it really is true that radio station WIFM (What’s In It For Me) is the most powerful one in the world. Healthy people are searching for ongoing happiness. In addition, they have loved ones that they want to take care of. They may wish they could change the world and be all things to all people, but they know for sure that they need to focus on the things that they can control to make their world a happy one.

There are only two ways to change human behavior, and they are pleasure and pain. Sure, you can try the pain route by shaming your team into changing their behavior. You can tell them, “you’re lucky to have a job” or “you should be loyal to me or you’re not a good person,” but the team members who can take you to the next level are smart enough to recognize those tactics as the shallow, self-serving manipulations that they are.

Instead, offer your team members things they really need and care about like fair pay, respect, interesting and challenging work, and credit for achievements. Then watch them change their behavior and excitedly help you achieve your business goals. Hey, just let somebody try to stop them…

Don’t be a stranger. (770) 993-1129. tdockery@TheResolveFirm.com