2.The pace of business today is formidable, with information and parameters changing constantly. How do you keep your team motivated and moving towards their objectives when there seems to be so many other things that require their attention?
Business KPIs are not really as balanced as they ought to be, and employees today are paying heavily for this paradox.
For example, there are a lot of ambitious and talented people out there, and with it comes a great deal of competition. With our hyper competitive societies, you do see people driving themselves and their families into really compromising situations. That is not a healthy nor sustainable way to run an organization for the long term. At the same time, we live in an age where we stigmatize failure. I see failure as an essential part of learning. Sometimes projects go pear-shaped, but it does not mean that I will let go of that project manager. I prefer to view it as an opportunity for us to grow together and a valuable lesson learned. One of my earliest managers at ABB said that the learning curve is steepest during difficult times. It is during those moments you have an opportunity to learn the most from the situation and other stakeholders.
Ultimately, not everything is of equal importance. There is a lot of information that you might want to work with, but not everything requires the same amount of focus. If my colleagues have a tough time prioritizing their work, then I can come in and help. I will help them remove things that are taking up their time, so they can refocus on their key tasks. I also ask them to switch off their phones after work; and most importantly take the time they need to rest and relax. We are only human after all, so it is impossible to demand that people give more when they have nothing left for themselves.