So I’ve got a thing about Leaf blowers, so I’m going to get this off my chest by using it in this month’s leadership Blog! Bear with me.
Here’s the proposal - Leaf blowers are things in organisations and teams that shouldn’t be held onto. They should be removed. Introduced by someone at some time that thought it was a good idea... and yet they still exist! They are still in the DNA of the team, maybe in the processes, the roles, the culture or even in the purpose and strategy of an organisation.
So what is it about leaf blowers that are so painful to be around? You’ll have to stick with me on this metaphor!
What is it about leaf blowers that are so painful to be around?
Leaf blowers are things that aren’t needed, they are getting in the way. Their function and form is no longer purposeful because;
They absorb resources that are scarce and costly
They are designed in a way that is dangerous to the environment around them
They prevent people exercising themselves in a healthy way.
They are noisy and distracting to those around them
They often just move the problem around and never solve it
They interfere with things that are naturally useful to the environment
Now the point of this is not to be trying to hit the top line of B and Q but it is a rallying cry for working with things in a natural way and flow in an organisation. As we head towards Spring it is an excellent time to challenge the infrastructure and wiring in your business so you can identify the things getting in your way and what you don’t need for the year ahead.
Challenge the infrastructure and wiring in your business
So where are your leaf blowers? They could be embedded in your:
Behaviours
Roles
Processes
Objectives
Part of your vision
How to spot them is to listen out for the noisy parts of the business that feels hard or flat of energy. Areas that are stuck or have persistent complaints. Places where performance is hard to drive or inconsistent. Great organisations have a natural flow and ease to them and great leadership is about providing the space for this ease and removing blockers to it. As businesses grow they tend to layer new ideas on old, new ways onto the previous, thus creating complexity and confusion when clarity and simplicity are most needed.
Every now and then it is good to do an inventory check, and a spring clean to ensure your organisation isn’t cluttered with the redundant and the inappropriate. Unfortunately taking time to reflect, look around and untangle things gets marginalised for the new plan, the new employees, the new products and changing markets. It needs us to prioritise energy, time and clear thinking, and the worst of it is sometimes we are so close to it we can’t ourselves see where the leaf blowers are hiding!
The need to be moving forward quickly can stop us from clearing the path. At Gather Coaching, we love spotting the leaf blowers in businesses and teams. So if time is short, and spotting isn’t easy feel free to contact us for a chat about where your noise is coming from.