Amanda Setili* lists some reasons why some projects and initiatives might languish and even get a permanent place on the shelf.
The biggest obstacle to your progress is often something you can’t see, hear or even name.
It is not something tangible and obvious. The biggest obstacle is a quiet unwillingness — perhaps even reluctance — to do the things that you need someone to do.
You ask IT to create a better system for collecting payments from clients and nine months in a row they have told you to wait “just one more month”.
The special project team tells you it is in the last stages of development, but week after week there is just one more hitch to be sorted out.
The reasons why this happens vary widely, but the essence of getting someone to do what you want basically comes down to three things.
Do they have the ability to do what you want?
You can’t expect a media buyer to audit financial results, and you can’t merely ask someone to double their performance.
Pure and simple, the other person may lack the capability to do as you wish, and there are times when this could be too embarrassing to admit.
The first step is always to do a reality check to determine if someone has the skill, experience and knowledge to do what you wish.
If you determine they lack the skill, you have several options. You might, for example, help the person learn a new skill or you could turn to a different person or group.
Are they convinced they will receive significant value by doing what you want?
This element has two parts. The first is that they see the value to them of helping; the second is they judge the likelihood is high that this value will actually be realised.
In other words, they believe in the benefits you might be describing to them.
“If we can get this new initiative launched, we’ll all be stars and get promoted for sure.”
On many levels, each of us wonders: What’s in it for me?
Too often people get a bit jaded. They have heard promises and rosy predictions for years, and these optimistic scenarios seldom come to pass.
You may need to confront the possibility that others simply do not believe in your assessment.
By asking — and answering — questions, you may be able to cut to the heart of their doubts and concerns.
It is difficult to confront an objection before you are aware of its existence.
Are they convinced that the cost of doing what you want will be reasonable?
To put this another way, how much risk is involved? If it takes five minutes to do someone a favour, most of us would do it.
If the cost is taking so much time and energy that it threatens all your other priorities, most of us would shy away.
Think of an entrepreneur who wants to recruit others to help build his fledgling enterprise.
If he asks you to quit your job and work for months without a salary, you would be taking a huge risk.
However, if he asks that you give him a few nights a week until he gets some seed capital, you might perceive that to be a reasonable risk.
Look for ways to lower the perceived risk that you are asking others to take, and bear in mind that others may see risk where you see none.
Not everyone is confident launching new initiatives and changing the way things “have always been done”.
*Amanda Setili helps successful leaders and their teams agree on what needs to change and how to make it happen. She is author of Fearless Growth: The New Rules to Stay Competitive, Foster Innovation, and Dominate Your Markets. She can be contacted at setili.com.
This article first appeared at setili.com.