I learned to swim in the spring fed rivers of Oklahoma. There were rules. You made sure the water was deep enough to jump off a cliff. You watched out for swimming poisonous snakes. And you ‘read’ a snag in the river before entering (or not) with a canoe. But, in Colorado I would learn things were a bit different.
When my husband and I participated in a guided river rafting float, we were given specific instructions. How to stay secure in the raft when going over class rapids. How to pull someone back into the raft if they fell out. And heaven forbid if you did fall out, how you were to lift your feet up, so as not to get a foot caught under a large rock. An issue we didn’t have with the gravel sized river rocks of Oklahoma.
The instructions were specific. The instructions were memorable. And when I found myself three feet in the air bouncing out of the raft on a class 4 drop, the first thing that came into my mind was - FEET UP!
We need instructions. Clear. Concise. Memorable.
While companies have missions, values, and core competencies – they often lack clear cut instructions.
Inspiration doesn’t always equate to instruction.
Every company has a different way of doing things. The exclamation points vary. We can’t expect new people – especially young professionals – to know these things automatically.
I often hear leaders complain that team members aren’t working to the standards they expect. But, how are they to know if you don't spell things out?
• triple check work
• ask for clarity
• leverage those around you
• surface issues
• solicit feedback to grow
• challenge for great
What’s your list?
• Create one (make sure it is brief enough to be memorable).
• Discuss it regularly (what each item means, and what it doesn’t mean).
• Demonstrate and support the actions every day.