A team member approached me a few months ago and told me, "I'm bored and I need some change".
Jack is a very experienced team member and one of the best I had on my team, so my mind started racing towards the conclusion "Jack wants to quit". Personally I don't believe in persuading anyone to stay and I strongly feel that an individual wants to quit because he does not feel for his team or the organization anymore and what's the point of holding on to such an individual who works half heartedly?
Both of us were quite for a moment, I think he was waiting for my reaction, and I was fighting the thought and my conclusion that Jack wants to quit, what if my conclusion is wrong? I was not sure. I had learnt and resolved long ago, that I will not jump to any conclusions and will ask for more information or clarifications when in doubt, and this is what I did.
I asked Jack to elaborate... he said, he is been doing the same thing over and over again for the past few years and he is finding it difficult keep up with the output requirements because of boredom. He admitted that he has started taking more breaks in the past few weeks and does not know what to do. He was aware that his performance was dropping and needed help.
I thanked my lucky stars that I did bring up the subject of "him quitting"... it was a good decision to ask him to elaborate on his statement.
I was thinking at the back of my mind, can I give him another assignment? is there some other team I can deploy Jack? does Jack possess any other special skill that can be used by other teams? All my questions had the same answer, "NO".
Now I had no choice but to motivate and inspire him to go on and fight the battle. For this, I had to understand more on this situation.
Here's the dialog that followed
Q: What NEW techniques/tools have you learnt in the past One Year?
Jack: None
Q: What NEW techniques/tools have you learnt in the past Three Years?
Jack: None
Q: So, all tools and techniques you use today are what you learnt more that 5 years ago?
Jack: Yes, it is true
Q: What is the standard that you follow to get a task done?
Jack: Jack describes the standard procedure that he follows to get each type of task done.
My Thoughts: I was surprised that Jack used to follow the exact same procedure each time that he would encounter a certain type of task or needs a certain result. Jack's life was very mechanical. He knows exactly what is to be done and he can close his eyes and perform that task. This is probably why he was quick and efficient. Systems and Processes makes the team efficient, but I realized, that our system was not taking care of boredom. Good Management principles talk about job rotation but this project was no assembly line! and I was not talking to a skilled labor!. A Knowledge worker was sitting in front of me, and I had to do something quickly or risk losing Jack forever. How many people have come up to me and said, boss, I am bored. In my entire experience, this was the first instance. So, I was to rely on my expertise!
Here's what transpired subsequently...
Q: Do you know the meaning of the term "Improvisation"?
Jack: No, I am not aware.
Q: Do you agree with "a problem can have many solutions"?
Jack: Yes, I do.
Q: If you want a certain result, have you tried different ways to reach the result?
Jack: I know how to achieve a certain result, and I use my set of techniques for this.
Q: Do you like your job?
Jack: Yes I do.
Q: Do you like the team and the company you work for?
Jack: Yes, I do. That's why I have come to you.
My Thoughts: Jack likes his job, the team and the company, he has not tried anything new in the past few years and has been leading a very mechanical work life which has led him to Boredom. So, the situation is salvageable, in my opinion. All Jack needs is a new "perspective" in his work life.
I told Jack that his problem of boredom at work can be solved by using a technique called "Improvisation".
Improvisation means "doing things differently and more efficiently each time for achieving the same or similar result!".
I explained to Jack, "make small changes to the process you follow for achieving the desired result each time you encounter an opportunity. Try and see if you can improve efficiency by cutting down unnecessary steps in the process. When you discover a more efficient technique, teach others in the team so that the whole team can benefit from this learning. When you teach others all you know and when people look up to you for solutions, you would always like to stay a few steps ahead of them, so you will try and discover something new. Improvise in the available time, do not lose sight of your goal and deliveries".
Further I encouraged Jack to start something new after office hours, like join a gym, pursue a new hobby, take some music lessons or just learn cooking. This would give Jack something new in his life after office hours so, he does not take work pressures home and has something different to think of and do when he gets home. Jack went back to his desk and started working on his new project!....
Today, Jack is rejuvenated, his performance has improved, he has joined the gym and started cooking. He has better relations with his coworkers and has grown in popularity.
My conclusions:
1. I will not be motivated if I don't want to be motivated - Jack chose to be motivated and approached me for help, he could have just walked away.
2. I am employed to get a job done. Employment helps me earn my bread, butter and the jam. It is my duty to stay motivated in my job for as long as I can and deliver.
3. If I am unable to stay motivated, I will escalate the matter to my boss an seek help.
