How to help your staff overcome complacency
Most people prefer things to continue the same old predictable way. If change is to take place, such people will probably argue that it should happen at some later date - when their routines will not be affected. Such complacency needs to be transformed into a sense of urgency. Otherwise your organisation will stagnate and you won’t get the staff support you need to make changes. You can overcome staff complacency if you...
1. Set high performance standards.
Does your staff have enough to do? They may appear to be complacent, but it could simply be that they are content to cruise, given the amount of work they have. Never accept low performance standards. Set and check productivity, revenue, sales, and other performance targets, and set them so high that staff cannot afford to rest on their laurels. Goal-setting literature often places too much attention on words like 'achievable' and 'realistic'; these words have been interpreted by some employees as suggesting a ‘softer’ approach to performance standards. Your organ-isation's standards must encourage all employees to extend themselves.
2. Insist on S-T-R-E-T-C-H goals.
It’s not hard for employees to accomplish goals expressed in easily 'achievable' terms - such as 'contact five new customers each day'. Avoid statements of minimum acceptable competence; these soon become accepted as maximum standards. Make sure that you have a say in what are acceptable goals. You will find that employees will appreciate your involvement.
3. Make employees accountable.
The success of the entire organisation should be the aim of all employees. Even if your staff have become used to focusing on their own individual divisions or departments - almost as if their area is all that matters - encourage them to think in terms of being accountable to the wider organisation. If the organisation prospers, they too will share in the recognition.
