Don’t Focus On The Past

Summary

• When a company grows quickly, a lot of things change, including people's behavior.
• Before, I used to tell people where they went wrong without giving clear directions on how to improve.
• Now, I focus on telling people what I want more of, instead of just pointing out mistakes.
• If someone does something inappropriate, I bring it up but do not dwell on it or make them focus on their past errors.
• Clear direction and focusing on future actions are essential in helping people improve.

Video

How To Take Action

I would suggest implementing clear communication strategies. Instead of just pointing out what employees or team members are doing wrong, tell them exactly what you want more of. For example, if someone is not meeting performance expectations, explain the specific actions they can take to improve.

A good way of doing this is by having regular one-on-one meetings where you discuss recent performance and set clear, actionable goals for the future. Focus on what they did well and point out areas they can enhance, giving them a roadmap to success.

When addressing inappropriate behavior, mention it briefly but don’t dwell on it. Instead, pivot the conversation to what you want to see moving forward. This helps them focus on positive future actions rather than past mistakes.

For small businesses and entrepreneurs, start by writing down the top three behaviors or outcomes you want more of from your team. Share these with everyone during team meetings and incorporate them into your feedback conversations.

For personal growth, apply these strategies to yourself. When you recognize a mistake, think about what you can do differently next time and commit to those actions. Write down specific, clear steps you need to take to improve.

By focusing on clear directions and future actions, you create a more positive, growth-oriented environment. This approach not only helps in correcting behavior but also boosts morale and encourages continuous improvement.

Full Transcript

you know going through this process right now because the company's growing quickly we're hiring a lot of people there's a lot of moving parts and pieces A lot changes and so when things change people also change their behavior because the circumstances change and so sometimes the people change there's a couple key things that I I think that I've realize as I've become a better leader that I didn't used to do my past when somebody wasn't performing well I would tell them where they went wrong but I would not give them super clear direction as to what to do better this might look like hey you're kind of a dick when you do X Y and Z can you stop doing that but when you tell someone to stop and you give them no direction this person literally can only focus on the past and so now what I do is I tell people what I want more of I ask them like if something happens where it's like hey that was inappropriate like obviously I have to bring those things up but I don't dwell on it or try to get them to focus on it