This week I wanted to look at how our perspective in approaching a project or task can dramatically affect our ability to complete the work. In the first post looking at this concept, I demonstrated how striving for perfection, as opposed to aiming to make things better, is actually counter-productive as it limits the perspective to our own experiences.
Of course, there’s another factor that can impact our motivation and subsequent productivity in taking on an idea or fostering some form of change. In this case, I’m referring to those instances when we view these opportunities as something that’s “too difficult to implement” or which “we lack the resources to pursue” and subsequently, we end up doing nothing about it. As I’ll show in this piece, what we need in these cases is to re-adjust our perspective from one where we’re facing a single issue or challenge, into one where we tackle the individual parts of the problem. This will create an environment where we gain concrete, visible results that will help us push forward with the process.
In order to better illustrate this idea, let’s refer back to the example of developing a new product, as used in the previous piece on perfection. When we consider that the creation of a product involves initial design, testing, making adjustments, implementation, marketing, distribution and future refinements/improvements, the idea of starting this process becomes more daunting, if not overwhelming. Invariably, this is the moment when most ideas or solutions get benched because we perceive the path we’d have to undertake as being too hard or time/resource-consuming.
In order to overcome this perception barrier, what we first need to do is to divide this one problem or issue into a series of smaller parts where the final outcome for each would be concrete, easily seen, and which would serve as a stepping stone for the next part of the process. These smaller parts would also need to be categorized in terms of ease of execution; from tasks that could be easily completed to those that offer a greater challenge or risk. By taking on this approach, we gain the following advantages:
1.Fuel the motivation of your project team
By dividing up the process into smaller, more manageable parts, you don’t have to wait until the end of the project to feel some sense of accomplishment or success. Instead, the completion of each part will provide the team with a sense of motivation that they’re capable of tackling what seemed to be a challenging goal.
2. Start with easy tasks and work your way up to more difficult ones
Categorizing the different parts in terms of difficulty will allow your team to start work on the easy aspects of the project, on those that require minimal time and resources. This way you can get that first set of wins fast in order to gain the drive you need to tackle those problems that offer greater challenges or risks. Also, by breaking down the process into what will essentially be building blocks for moving forward, those tasks that at first glance appeared to be a challenge will now seem to be more manageable.
3. Create a sense of investment and drive to push on
Once you have your team working on those easy parts that offer those quick wins, there will now be a greater sense of investment in the process, if not a greater desire to see the whole process through to the end. Having those wins under their belt – along with the fact that they’ve already invested their time, resources, and talents into the project – will foster this inner drive to push on, despite the remaining challenges left before completion.
By changing how we visualize a process or project, we can easily move past those initial hurdles that can hold us back from taking on a new approach, or developing a new product or service. Giving ourselves the opportunity to feel a sense of accomplishment early on – and often – can go a long way in helping us face those challenges we see ahead of us, turning them from a path filled with obstacles into a journey filled with wins.
So what about you – what ideas or approaches did you find worked in overcoming those initial feelings of trepidation in pursuing a new project/idea? I look forward to hearing your comments and insights.
Tanveer – one thing I like about things that seem impossible is that they seem impossible! I realize that 99% give up 99% of the time, but if I keep going, I’ll get the result and essentially make the impossible possible. I know it sounds strange, but I get off on making myself say: “What? I actually did that? That’s amazing”
I think of Eleanor Roosevelt who said: “Do the thing you think you can not do.” To me this means that as soon as we act, as soon as we face the thing we cannot face, it becomes less daunting.
John, you’re absolutely right that the major key to implementing any idea or solving a problem is to just start tackling it head-on and assess how we’re faring as we go along. Of course, things become more dicey when we struggle to figure out where we exactly we should start or if we inadvertently begin with the hardest part of the equation.
By recognizing that any idea or problem has its easy and difficult parts, though, we can better manage what approach we take going in and get that momentum started which we’ll need as we hit rougher waters.
As for your willingness to tackle those things that seem impossible, sounds to me like you welcome opportunities for personal growth and self-exploration, as opposed to looking for guaranteed life wins. A good way to live a healthy and fruitful life.
Thanks as always, John, for coming by to share your thoughts. 🙂
Thanks for sharing the post!
Tanveer, I loved the way you have continued the conversation on the previous topic and linked it with the current one.
Your tip on breaking problem/initiative into smaller pieces is a gem, because it always works. From my past experiences in managing difficult projects, I can say that one of the ways to fuel motivation in the team is to “lead from the front”. I did that a couple of years ago by taking a difficult piece of work myself and setting the right example first. Once they see commitment in you as a leader, they will easily follow the example. Second most important thing that has worked for me is “communication”. The idea is to never let your stress/pressure pass on to the team members. When team knows that there is someone to protect them, they would walk that extra mile to get the initial milestones achieved.
Regards,
Tanmay
Thanks Tanmay; I appreciate that. It's nice to hear that the connection between these two pieces was well received. Something I'd like to do more on this blog is create weekly theme pieces so that an issue can really be fleshed out and examined from various angles.
I also appreciate your kind words about this approach I mapped out here. My own experience has shown it to be very effective, if not also building team confidence when other problems surface down the road.
You bring two excellent points about the role of the leader in this process – that of being the role model and an effective communicator. Of course, these two attributes are important also in everyday aspects of leading a group, but if they are developed and nurtured when dealing with a challenging project, it will certainly become a natural habit in those calmer waters.
Thanks for pointing out these great points, Tanmay. I appreciate your sharing your insights in this discussion. 🙂
Another great blog Tanveer.
Recently I was working with a new client whose leadership style was forcing actions through as if a sergeant major on a parade ground. Needless to say his people sweat and sweat the big projects!
Hopefully his personal development will lead him to understand to focus on his people first. Then any project, however big or complex, will be elegantly and enjoyably achievable. Especially using the reframe of how to eat an elephant you outlined… bit by bit!
Thanks Sharon; I appreciate that. 🙂
It's always sad to hear about people in leadership roles thinking that the only way to lead others is either with a carrot or a stick. Certainly that approach will only serve to compound the difficulty perceived in taking on any given project or issue.
In those circumstances, it's important to remind leaders that they're supposed to work with their team, as opposed to simply viewing them as people who work for them. As you pointed out, such an approach will help to make the tasks or problems not only easier to accomplish, but also more satisfying and rewarding for all those involved.
Thanks again Sharon for bringing your thoughts to this discussion. 🙂