Dream Builders Blog

Leadership/Frustration and Blame

Frustration is just part of being a business leader!  Or is it?

"Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment.” -  Dale Carnegie

             You probably would not be surprised to know that many business leaders have experienced the same aggravations and anxieties that you have faced in your company.  While the list can be varied, the front-runners on the list of annoyances for business leaders tend to be: people, time, and money.  But just because frustrations are universal, there is no need to hang your head in defeat.  There are things that you can do to control and often completely eliminate irritating situations from your workplace.  Before you begin, keep in mind that you are not alone in your struggle to conquer these issues.  Remember, in most aspects of life, we tend to perceive situations and their consequences as worse than they actually turn out. 

Move forward by following these steps:

1. Be Objective.  Stay objective and resist jumping to quick conclusions.  Take this opportunity to remove blame from the equation entirely.  Do this by refusing to assign blame to yourself or anyone else for the situation. 
2. Look for the cause of the situation.  When faced with a frustrating circumstance, use that objectivity to investigate what you are truly dealing with in that situation.  Make sure you are focused on the cause of the issue and not a symptom of what is happening.
3. Identify what is missing from how you deal with an issue that allows it to continue.  Keep in mind, it isn’t about assigning blame.  It is no one’s fault.  There is just a missing piece to the puzzle that allows this result happen.  What is needed in this situation?  Better instructions?  More follow up? A way of tracking the results?  Find what is missing and you are ready to start fixing it.
4. Consider your options.  What alternatives do you have for handling these circumstances in the future?  What questions do you have about those options?  What resources do you need to build the discovered solutions? Who needs to be involved?  Be thorough and creative exploring your options. 
5. Implement the solution.  Clearly communicate the details and steps included in the designed resolution to those involved and impacted by the issue.  Get the others involved in both how to fix the problem and why it is important to fix it in the first place. 
6. Follow up.  After the new procedure or solution is in place, check in to ensure it is working properly.  If your new efforts are not providing the relief and results as intended, do not hesitate to revisit steps 3 and 4 to explore other avenues to uncover what is missing and how to best gain the desired result.

Why is it important to eliminate certain frustrations and blame from your organization?