Engaging Hearts And Minds
Article | Accountability Insights
Working at an offshore natural gas compression station, a work crew neglected safety protocols while doing crucial “hot” work in a confined space. Heat sensors that should have been turned off before proceeding immediately set off alarms and shut down the entire compression station for two hours. The flow of natural gas came to an abrupt halt. Producers feeding the compression station were shut down and customers waiting onshore for the natural gas were shut out as excess natural gas at the compression station was released into the atmosphere. It was a costly mistake with lasting negative effects that could have been easily prevented if the work crew had brought their “hearts and minds,” not just their “hands and feet,” to the work.
Whenever people put nothing more than their “hands and feet” into their work, expectations go unmet, morale declines, and results plummet. Consider the following telltale signs that might indicate a lack of “hearts and minds” commitment in your organization or along your Expectations Chain:
| “Hands and Feet” | “Hearts and Minds” |
|---|---|
| • People make sure they complete the task at hand, sometimes even when it does not make sense to do so. | • People make sure they get the result, even increasing the amount of personal effort needed to achieve it. |
| • People easily fall into the “tell me what to do” mode. | • People don’t solely wait for instructions, but show initiative. |
| • People demonstrate less creativity in solving problems. | • People get energized by solving problems creatively. |
| • People typically don’t speak up because it’s not worth the effort. | • People push back if something does not make sense to them. |
| • People define success by the amount of time and effort they expend. | • People define success by the results they get. |
To deliver on Key Expectations, you need a high level of commitment and ownership from everyone along your Expectations Chain. Learn more about how to engage the “hearts and minds” of your people by joining the Accountability Community at www.partnersinleadership.com, where you can review actual client case studies.
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