A friend of mine used to have a dog that loved chasing squirrels. The problem (for the dog) was that he was incredibly bad at catching them. I remember watching as that dog chased squirrels up the tree, and then proceeded to bark at the top of the tree…while the squirrel ran right down the tree, past the dog, and out of the yard.
Although the squirrels were right in front of his face, that dog never caught them. Why? He was so focused on where he thought they were, he couldn’t see what was right in front of him.
You may laugh at the dog (or applaud the squirrels), but I see a direct connection with many businesses today. Businesses are busy chasing their own “squirrels”–They search for more customers; They hunt down new business partners; They frantically look for new ways to get ahead of the competition.
Security is a hot topic right now. It seems like I hear about a new data breach or hacking attempt every week. But, while we usually hear about the external attacks, the internal attacks (which typically go unreported) are far more dangerous.
As a manager, do you sometimes have trouble with employee performance? Do you sense dips in motivation from time to time? Before confronting them, first analyze your management methods. Leaders have an enormous effect on employee productivity.