According to @LollyDaskal "The loafer passively assumes that things will just work out by themselves, instead of tackling problems and working toward solutions."
We all know people in our organizations like this. They get by without a care in the world, just expecting that things will get done, and they usually do, but by someone else. The rest of us stress out trying to get those things done, by first worrying if it will get done, then worrying how it will get done, then worrying about actually getting it done.
Well, there is something that you can do about it, but it is not what you might think. Your first inclination might be to just get things done yourself, as the adage says, "If you want something done right, then do it yourself." However, this will only perpetuate the problem. Enabling others around you by doing the work yourself only serves to validate this behavior and it will only be a temporary fix. To solve this problem, one must first decide who should be the one doing the work. If there is someone in the organization that should be doing the work then you can certainly take the initiative to create the optimal conditions for that person so that they get it done. It could be that they need a structure to get it done or a time limit. They also might just need to know that it is an important task to be completed. Sometimes, we assume that others will know what items we think are important, when in fact, they do not, or cannot prioritize correctly.
Expectations should also be set and be explicitly given. "Check ins" or updates might be needed for some. You should know your people well enough to make that determination. To complicate things more, there are definitely times when there is no "positional" leader that can make the determination on who should be doing the work. It is then that either someone takes charge or the group makes a decision on who should do the work. Here is when "the loafer" could find his way back into the discussion, because the loafer will assume others will just do the work. Sometimes, it takes a courageous conversation with someone to let them know that they are the one who needs to do this work. Those conversations are difficult, but essential in a healthy organization. We all have unique expertise that help us lead given certain circumstances. These are the moments that help foster good leadership.
Another challenge with the idea of the "loafer" is that I might not realize that I am "the loafer". This can occur when I think someone else should be completing a task, when in fact it should be me. Unless someone confronts me and tells me that I should be doing something that I am not, the only way to identify when I am being the loafer is to constantly check in with what I am doing, and what else I need to be doing. Self checks can go a long way to ensure that I am not the loafer and that I am doing everything I can to ensure success of the organization. The person who has the most influence in making sure I am not the loafer is me. It goes back to a previous post on not being "too provileged" as I said, "When leading any organization, one must always do four things that are vital to ongoing success; be proactive, ask questions, actively try new things and reflect on progress. These habits will ensure that I will not be the loafer, nor will I feel "too privileged" to work hard.
How Leaders Can Get More Done Through Others: How Micromanagement Can Kill Productivity and Creativity
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