Learning and behavior change are such huge topics that I wanted to share a concrete, workplace example of it with you \u2013 one that you can most likely relate to in some way, shape or form.<\/p>\n
I want you to imagine two people; an employee and their manager.<\/p>\n
Employee:<\/strong> \u201cI\u2019ve come across this problem and don\u2019t know what to do. Can you help?\u201d<\/p>\n An employee has identified some sort of problem in their role and is asking their manager for some help in solving it.<\/p>\n Manager: <\/strong>\u201cNo problem \u2013 I have come across this before. You can solve it by doing X, Y and Z\u201d<\/p>\n The manager is rushed off his feet and hands the solution to the employee quickly so they can get on with their priorities.<\/p>\n So, the employee puts the solution in place and the job is done!<\/p>\n Result, yes? While the problem has been solved in this example, something else has happened too. The precedent has been set that the employee asks the manager and the manager provides the answer. This isn\u2019t too much of a problem when you are managing one person, but when you\u2019re managing more than that, your time is going to disappear very quickly!<\/p>\n The manager created the habit, the employee learned the habit.<\/p>\n Not only does it set an \u2018ask-tell\u2019 habit, it also means that the employee doesn\u2019t always learn the solution or answer. It\u2019s actually the \u2018figuring it out for yourself\u2019 part that cements the learning and makes it stick.<\/p>\n We\u2019re all guilty of \u2018giving the answer\u2019 at one point or another \u2013 it\u2019s the easy way of getting something done and is, in some cases, absolutely the right thing to do. But in terms of developing a team of proactive, self-motivated individuals, who support you in your role rather than hinder you, a different habit needs to be learned.<\/p>\n What the manager really wants, is the employee to come to them with the answer. And this is where the unlearning<\/strong> comes in. The manager needs to unlearn the \u2018telling\u2019 mentality (giving the answer) and learn to question the employee to help them find the answer themselves.<\/p>\n Through being asked effective questions and having a less transactional discussion with their manager, the employee will cement their learning and start developing the habit of \u2018approaching the manager with the solution\u2019.<\/p>\n So, to summarize, a better dialogue could look something like this:<\/p>\n Employee:<\/strong> \u201cI\u2019ve come across this problem and think I have an appropriate solution\u201d.<\/p>\n Manager: <\/strong>\u201cOkay, great. What do you intend to do?\u201d<\/p>\n Employee: <\/strong>\u201cI intend to do X, Y and Z.\u201d<\/p>\n Manager:<\/strong> \u201cHave you considered A and B?\u201d<\/p>\n Employee:<\/strong> \u201cYes. I will deal with that by doing C and D\u201d.<\/p>\n Manager:<\/strong> \u201cWould you be confident in going ahead with this if I wasn\u2019t here today?\u201d<\/p>\n Employee:<\/strong> \u201cYes, I have thought it through thoroughly\u201d<\/p>\n Manager:<\/strong> \u201cWell, go ahead then!\u201d<\/p>\n Breaking set behaviors, especially ones like this, is no mean feat. It takes time, commitment and an understanding on both parts that a change in behavior is for the better.<\/p>\n Changing behavior is a learning journey; one that genuinely improves businesses and helps them to develop high performing individuals and teams. The change in behavior explained in this post has such a significant impact. An increase in proactivity, trust, productivity, accountability, ownership, initiative \u2013 so many of the positive characteristics we want employers and managers to have.<\/p>\n