Simply Lisa

I miss the energy and pace of Olympic short track. Skaters at the line, primed to go, skate tips in the ice, bodies into position, leaning into the start, the gun is about to fire and then . . . false start. A false start affects everyone as all of the skaters are sent back to the starting line to set up again.

False starts and racing go hand in hand like reaction and organizations. In organizations, reaction affects everyone. It is possible to send everyone back to the starting line in an organization - but it rarely happens. Something occurs, a leader reacts, the race is on, and folks, it's an all out recipe for disaster.

The Costs of Reaction

Organizations experience breakdowns each and every day. Although they may not be visible organization wide, make no mistake, they are there. They occur when what was heard was not what was said, what was determined was not what was intended, what was intended was ignored, what was reasoned was unreasonable, or the classic statement,  "nothing said I couldn't do it" is uttered.

Can you see it now? Managers at the line, primed to go, skate tips into the ice, bodies into position, leaning into the start and then  . . . reaction. A situation quickly progresses to finger pointing, blame and then the situation moves behind closed doors (only reactive managers allowed) and efforts are underway to do whatever it takes to ensure "that" never happens again.

At best, organizations that permit reactive leadership end up with people fighting for position, doing whatever they can to get to the finish line first - any way they can - and here's the kicker, ditching personal responsibility, accountability, and respect for the individual along the way.

A Giant Pause Button

It doesn't have to be that way.

In his post, The Space Between the Stimulus and the Response, Michael Hyatt writes about his personal experiences and finding the space that exists between the stimulus and the response. He writes, "This space is like a giant pause button. We don't have to react to every stimulus. Instead, we can pause, reflect, and chose our our response. This is precisely what makes us human."

See, if an event is the stimulus and reaction is the response, there is another way. The great thing about this is that anyone, yes, anyone, can hit the pause button and take time to cool down and not react or respond in defense, ego protection, or anger. 

Making the Right Choice

Although there is not a red starting line across the front lobby, the proverbial starting line is always present in an organization.  Feeling the urge, ready to pounce? Don't.

Hit the pause button, head back to the starting line and create some space. In this space is the power to choose. Choose well.

Photo credit iStock Photo

Defense! Defense! is great for a sports team, but can be bad for an organization. Organizations are a sum of many parts and to ensure organizational success, it is imperative that everything, and everyone, functions at their best.

When you are going for the gold, defensive employees are bad news.

On Defensiveness

Defensive employees can be impossible to reason with. They can be blinded by ego or anger and driven by an insatiable need to be right. They can perceive questions as threats and lock horns at the first hint of a challenge.

Collaborative problem solving comes to a halt, organizational goals are subordinate to personal agendas and when allowed to continue, the repercussions of defensive behaviors are felt across the organization.

On Diamonds

There's no denying that every organization has a defensive employee (or two) and that they are a problem however, if you look hard enough at the crabby, stone age rock heads, you can uncover a few gems. 

Watch for the employees who attempt to or are able to respond with a level head to retorts by defensive employees. Watch for the ones who see through the bluster and who do not get into the muck. Take a look at those who take the high road and know when to sort through the junk, when to steer clear of the madness, and when to simply shake their head and sigh.

They may not get it right all the time but they are aware and they are trying. Find them, dust them off and shine them up. Encourage them and mentor them. They are your diamonds in the rough.

In Closing

Although organizations can uncover some gems when dealing with defensive employees, they don't need the defense present to do so. It is poison to your organization and must be addressed directly. Some employees will respond and others will not. 

For those that don't, send them to the mine to pound rocks, to your competitor to poison their organization or to any other place of your choosing . . . as long as it is outside of your organization.

You need to make room for your diamonds to shine.

Photo credit iStock Photo