Stop Wringing Your Hands

Jim’s reports are late. Kathy hasn’t done the job she said she was going to do. And Billy can’t seem to operate a computer to save his life.

You’re wringing your hands. You’re worried the organization is going to fall apart.

In reality, you need to stop wringing your hands.

Worrying does nothing for you or your business

What Wringing Your Hands Says

When your team doesn’t get their work done, that’s a scary thing. Their lack of work says they haven’t been productive.

This can even reflect back on you. Some may look at you and say that you’re not doing your job. You’re not leading your team effectively.

At this point, wringing your hands seems like an appropriate response. You’re worried and scared.

That’s exactly what wringing your hands tells those who observe your behavior.

You’re showing an outward sign that things aren’t going right. And you’re nervous.

Why You Shouldn’t Wring Your Hands

There’s nothing wrong with showing fear or nervousness. Every single person on the planet experiences these emotions.

Be open about your emotions. Yet you shouldn’t wear those emotions on your sleeve.

By wringing your hands, you’re saying something is wrong and you don’t know what’s going to fix the problem. This type of behavior doesn’t exude confidence to those you’re leading.

What To Do Instead

Sitting around and wringing your hands doesn’t get anything done. Jim, Kathy, and Billy won’t get any closer to finishing their projects or doing their jobs better.

All wringing your hands does is release some nervous energy.

There’s no forward momentum. There’s no progress. And we can’t have that when there’s things to be done.

So, instead of fretting over what’s already happened, we need to get to work. We need to ensure things are getting done.

You need to begin asking Jim where the reports are. If they’re not ready, ask what needs to be done to help him accomplish his task.

You need to go to Kathy and see what’s holding her back. Ask her point blank what’s going on. Then offer her a solution to finish the job.

You need to talk to Billy and see why he’s unable to use the computer.  Help Billy understand how a computer works and how it helps him get his job done. Offer computer training to help him along.

Do you see what has to happen? Instead of worrying over the problem, you need to step into action. You need to begin working to resolve the issue.

And, if the issue cannot be resolved through coaching, guidance, or training, you have to consider what else needs to be done.

Question: What do you do instead of wringing your hands over a problem? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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