Episode 93 - Is the Problem Worth Tackling?

<h2 data-pm-slice="0 0 []"><strong>Summary</strong></h2> <p class="">People will bring complaints about colleagues to you as their leader. How do you figure out if an issue is worth tackling? There is a simple question that can help. </p> <p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true"> </p> <h2><strong>Transcript</strong></h2> <p class="">Hello and welcome to episode 93 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we tackle one of today’s biggest leadership challenges. This week we explore how to figure out if a potential issue between staff is worth tackling. This week’s podcast is going to be even shorter than usual, but I can assure you it will save you countless hours.</p> <p class="">I’m sure you’ve had this experience as a leader before - if you haven’t, it’s only a matter of time before you do. Someone in your team, let’s call them Jan, comes to you to discuss an “issue” they’re having with a colleague - let’s call the colleague Steve. Jan wants you to do something about this problem with Steve. Maybe Jan thinks Steve is talking too loudly on the phone, or heating something obnoxious in the microwave for lunch, or there’s some kind of vague personality clash about Steve smiling too much, or Jan just thinks Steve isn’t pulling his weight. You ask Jan whether she has discussed the issue with Steve directly. “No”. You then ask Jan whether she would be comfortable to have that conversation with Steve directly. “No”. And now we’re stuck.</p> <p class="">What is our role as leader at this point? The general principle is simple - we should encourage the person with the issue to talk directly to the person they are having an issue with. But what if they don’t feel comfortable doing that, and still want you to do something about the perceived problem. And what if the perceived problem sits right on the fence. It can be challenging to know when to intervene and when to just let things slide. </p> <p class="">There is a question to ask at this point that can save everyone a lot of time and confusion. It’s simply this