Today, I encountered and issue at work that I and my coworkers encounter often, and I have realized that it's one of those situations that is easily resolved if people just get over who's fault it is, an focus more on fixing whatever problem there is and moving on. But to often people in my position and the people opposite are so focused on who is to blame they make it so much worse and the problem lingers and at times the negative attitudes towards each other linger as well affecting later circumstances.
Shortest version allowed.
Got call today, had 2 reps working on a project that myself and store asst manager agreed upon just 6 days ago to be executed this morning. Unknowingly to all parties due to lack of company communication, this specific store cancelled the project. My reps completed project and was wrapping it up when @ 2 pm when the head store manager came over to inform my 2 reps what they had just done should not have been done, and it needed to be put back to how it was. My rep called me telling me this, and after listening to them vent about the waste of time, and who was blame for this waste, she then gave the store manager the phone who then griped at me for about 5 minutes. I tried to explain that it was an easy fix, and we could fix it today. I gave my reps directions to correct situation. 15 minutes later they called back saying they could not execute correction due to store management so unhappy they would not allow access to fixtures needed. Basically store personal where still griping about the problem that occurred.
Since I was not far from the store I went over there. I politely listened to the store manager again gripe about this issue, and even though no ONE person was really completely at fault, all parties in hindsight could have prevented the error if they took proper actions, but we all know what hindsight is.
So after listening to all this and accessing the situation in person, I responded with one thing. Give me 1 hour and it will be corrected. I then proceeded to direct and work with my 2 reps and undo what it took them 5 hours to do, and then communicated to management the fix was in place. Store manager then decided he needed to vent again. In all his venting I realized all he wanted was to make sure I knew it was all my/my companies fault. And though I never really accepted the blame, I accepted his criticism and moved on.
I have found this is the case in everyday life for many of us. So often so many people have disputes, and all they really want is to pass on the blame. And though accepting blame and responsibility for errors is needed in life, and crucial for growth, for it to be so important that we all will not rest until the other party takes the blame in every situation is really stupid, and a waste of energy.
I have found that about 5% of life situations really require one party to take the blame and responsibility, and the other party to be aware of that acceptance. The other 95% should really be a situation in which both parties should just accept an error occured and make a decision on how to correct that error, and usually that decision needs to be one of personal responsibility. Meaning what do I have to do to correct, not worrying about what the other party's responsibility is. If and when we do that I have found the situation gets resolved much quicker and the attitudes going forward are much more positive.
I have found this to be true in both personal and professional relationships.
So a challenge I have given to myself a while back is this, do not worry so much and who is at fault, instead worry about what I can do in fixing said problem, and assessing and responsibility I had in creating said problem. If I had responsibility in it, then react to that. Otherwise, move on to the next thing. DO NOT worry about the other parties responsibility, especially if I have no say in it. Cause really in most instances I do not have a say in another responsibility, even though I like most people tend to think we do, we do not.
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