Eric asks the questions that make us wrestle together with the ‘big picture’ issues.
Why Two Engines Can Be Worse Than One
In response to an alarming number of helicopter crashes, the U.S. Army once built a helicopter with two engines. In theory, this backup engine would reduce the number of crashes. If one engine went out, the pilot could simply turn the other engine on.
In practice, however, the dual-engine choppers actually had more serious accidents than single-engine versions. It turned out that having the option of engaging the second engine was diverting the pilots’ attention from the immediate challenge – landing safely. At the first sign of an engine malfunction, the pilots were taking their focus off flying the aircraft as they attempted to switch between engines. The second engine proved to be a dangerous distraction rather than a helpful option.
Performance Principle: In a crisis, too many options can cause paralysis. When you are coaching individuals who have an immediate problem, help them to pick one strategy that they will stick to for the short term. This keeps them focused and gets them working toward a solution. Later, the strategy can be modified or even abandoned. But often, people need to work rather than think their way out of trouble.
Questions to Consider:
- What obstacles you can remove from the path of your team? What top performers most want from their leader is someone who helps them to overcome obstacles to their success.
- Are your people paralyzed by too many potential solutions to a pressing problem?
- How can you help your people sort through the possible approaches to a crisis and stick to one strategy that will get them moving forward?
