Just as Christmas leftovers shouldn't be reheated more than once, old 'New Year Resolutions' shouldn't be reheated again and again. If it didn't get done last January, why should it happen this time?
Instead of rehashing the same resolutions, first look to remove whatever stopped progress last year. In other words, release the handbrake before stepping on the gas.
When people resolve to create Committed Action – the kind that really shifts the needle – they face a (moderate) upfront investment of time, effort and thinking. A little voice in their head often pipes up. That voice needs to be challenged.
It might say:
- "I pay them, so they should Just Flipping Do it"
It would be a wonderful world if humans would just do what they should do – as long as I can define what that is! We can argue about should, but we have to manage what actually is. - "Fred ‘gets it’ without me having to do all this"
Some people get it straight away. Some people will never get it. The interesting and highly profitable group is those who could get it if only someone would join the dots up for them. - "This is unnecessary because some people just want a job"
Maybe, but not any job at any cost. In those cases, a relationship with the direct leader is still crucial. - “It’s too much work"
Not if you think about it as an investment that will pay you back many times over.
The C.E.O. Roadmap lays out a straightforward three-step approach to creating Committed Action. The three steps are:
- Invite CURIOSITY
- Encourage EXPERIMENTATION
- Transfer OWNERSHIP
The C.E.O. Approach
There are many tools and techniques for moving through the roadmap. Here are my go-to's for each step:
The C.E.O. Roadmap and the tools that go with it are explained in my book: Committed Action: The three-step method to inspire your people to take ownership and get results. Click to gain access to a free chapter, plus other tools and insight
Copyright Andy Bass 2022.
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