In my previous post, I addressed a common mistake we all make by operating based on false assumptions. Now let’s take it to the next level. Let’s look at how you contribute to problems with your staff.

“How do I get my staff to answer questions on their own rather than coming to me all the time?” an advisor had asked me. Underlying this question was an assumption that his staff did not think for themselves. I helped the advisor to formulate a new underlying assumption, one that was verifiably true: “My staff can and do think for themselves.”

Now for the more challenging part:  “What are you doing to contribute to situations like this?”

When you examine your contribution to difficulties with your staff, you often unravel a dynamic. You sometimes find you are inadvertently contributing to problems that you think your staff is creating.

For instance, if you think your staff doesn’t think for themselves but tolerate their asking you questions throughout the day, then you are contributing to the very problem you are blaming them for creating. If you habitually answer questions from your staff that you want them to answer on their own, then you’re teaching them to come to you. From their point of view, why not come to you?  It saves them time and protects them from making mistakes.

If you have a problem in your office, consider what part you have played in creating it. Look first to yourself, not to blame yourself or take it on as your responsibility. But look to yourself to discover how you are reinforcing an unwanted behavior in your staff. Are you tolerating a bad behavior? Are you not communicating what you want? Are you not reinforcing people when they do something right?

So next time you have a problem with your staff, remember that the only person you can really change is yourself and ask a simple question, “What’s my contribution?