Do you accept everyone’s monkeys?
What in the world is a monkey? I know about the swinging in the trees eating banana type but at work? Ohh, you know what they are.
Ever been trying to get your work done and someone stops by your desk and shares a challenge that is really easy to fix but they ask for help. You say, no problem I can do that I’ll take care of it for you. MONKEY.
How about your lazy relative that waits until the last minute then calls you to ask if you can come over right now and help them move out of their apartment. Oh, I guess so. MONKEY
How about at the meeting where everyone is struggling with who can take on this issue from the department you use to work in and you say. Oh, I know how to do that, I’ll take that one. MONKEY.
How about the deadline you have and a person on the team is struggling with their excel spread sheet. You know a little excel so you say. “Let me finish that real quick so we can turn this report in.” MONKEY.
You don’t have enough time to finish others peoples work because they waited too late to ask for help or are too lazy to get things done on time. I know it is harder and more time consuming to teach, train and hold people accountable but you must! You cannot keep enabling people to under perform or not hit deadlines as you fix everything. It is also terrible for you, your department and your company.
So try something new over the next 2 weeks. Every time someone stops by and ask you for help, make sure you give the monkey back and let them carry it. Help them, coach them, and train them but require them to do their own job. Hand the monkey back! We have to!
Management time: Who’s Got The Monkey
Harvard Business Review, William Oncken, Donald Wass