In the book Atomic Habits by James Clear, he discusses the concept of motion and action. The idea is that motion is planning, strategizing, and learning activity, and action is the behavior that delivers the outcome. Additionally, there is a GAP between the two that gives a “reason to act.” So what does this have to do with creating a functional, creative, motivated, and profitable team? As a leader/manager we are or should be in motion most of the time, and we desire the action of our team(s) to be supporting the actionable goals of the business. However, the reasons for the actions or lack thereof could be very different for each team member.
As a leader/manager or team member, every action or nonaction you take has an equal or opposite reaction. I have witnessed in my own business that when I put appointments in my calendar, I am able to keep track of my business and commitments. When I do not put appointments in my calendar, I forget, disappoint clients, and lose business. I have witnessed other businesses that implement a motion (strategy) and laid out the STEP GOAL (action) for success but did not spend the time necessary to communicate, collaborate, and create the GAP (reason to act). In both cases, the reason to act/not to act (GAP) will differ for each team member. I propose that one emotion FEAR gives team members the “reason” to make a choice to move into sync with the goals of the team or not.
If you have read this far, you are probably thinking one of three things:
- What in the world is she talking about? There is no room for FEAR in business.
- I am so fearful at work, but I hide it from others because I don’t want to be voted off the island.
- I am now going to leave this article and scroll through other articles on social media.
In any case, I believe FEAR is the biggest unspoken destroyer of a business team and is the root cause of not moving from motion to action.
I am sure you are now asking, “How do I know if it is FEAR that is causing issues with my team?
The Answer: BUILD TRUST AND LISTEN
- Take time to understand who the individuals are and what they like and dislike.
- Know something about their family.
- Ask the deeper questions that require more than a YES or NO answer.
- Lay out the strategy and your goal. Give more than the length of a meeting for feedback to address issues and create genuine buy-in.
- Create a space for the mitigation of concerns.
This concept of Motion and Action and identifying the Reason to Act is powerful. If this resonates with you now that you have a “reason to act,” please set up a free discovery consultation, and let’s explore how Cultivate Consulting can move your business from Motion to Action.
