Is the Problem Your Employees or You?
Summary
- When I was in catering, I learned the importance of getting things right by making a mistake with cookies. They turned out dry, so I tweaked the recipe.
- I learned that adjusting on the fly can lead to waste, as 250 cookies became useless due to a deviation from the original instructions.
- This experience taught me to consider whether poor outcomes are due to bad instructions rather than blaming others.
- It's crucial to reflect on our own guidance and leadership before criticizing employees' performance.
Video
How To Take Action
I would suggest starting small and being open to feedback when you're trying something new, like when I tried to improve cookies by tweaking the recipe. It's about making little changes and seeing how they work. If you're running a business or working on personal growth, remember to think about the steps you're taking and how they could be better. To do this, keep a journal of the changes you make and the results you get. This can help you see what works and what doesn't.
If you make a mistake, take a step back and ask yourself if the plan was wrong or if it was just a bad day. Sometimes, things go wrong for reasons we don't expect. So don't be too quick to blame others or yourself. Instead, look at what the instructions or guidance were. Then, try again with what you've learned.
For example, if you're working with a team, make sure the instructions you give are clear and easy to follow. If the results aren't what you expected, instead of thinking your team isn't good, first look at the guidance you gave. Maybe the instructions need to be clearer. Talk with your team to understand where things might have gone off track, and work together to find solutions. Listen to their input because they might have ideas on how to do things better.
Lastly, remember that learning from mistakes is valuable. Each time something doesn't go as planned, it's a chance to grow. Keep your changes simple, use what you learn, and always think about how you can improve the instructions or help you're giving, whether it's to others or yourself.
Quotes
"When people are like, 'Oh, my employees suck,' I'm like, 'Do they suck or do the instructions that you gave them suck?'"
– Leila Hormozi
