Author and Lets See Labs founder Gareth Gwyn discusses a new report that indicates why having leaders demand “100 percent” from their employees isn’t the right move.
In the past, you may have heard companies and some leaders ask for a “100 percent effort” from their employees – but little do they realize just how bad that can be for them in the long run.
Per a recent Harvard Business Review article, while the idea of motivating them with a “100 percent push” sounds good at first, this is actually a sign of bad leadership – especially when it comes to employee burnout and, in some drastic cases, full-on abandonment of their jobs.
Writer Greg McKeown believes in the theory of asking employees to give “85 percent” instead, as going “full-on” with a job will result in “ultimately less-optimal results.” To heighten this, he uses a runner as an example. Sure, they can get off to a fiery start as they begin their race – but they burn through most of their energy doing this and, as a result, lose momentum at the end.
He also noted how employees can get more work done correctly and efficiently following a 40 hour work week instead of, say, a 50 hour one. “Aiming to work maximum hours nets you less than aiming to work optimal hours,” he notes.
With the right level of leadership, the 85 percent rule can take greater effect. It would allow employees to maintain efficiency, but without pushing them to the so-called “brink” by working them too hard. That means doing away with high-pressure terms such as “ASAP” and “urgent” in communications.
But is this something that can be achieved, especially in today’s tough business climate? Gareth Gwyn believes so. She is the author of You Are Us: How To Build Bridges In a Polarized World. In this book, she discusses real stories based on candid accounts of stereotypically vilified and victimized individuals, which, in turn, provide insight into uncovering our opportunities for inner change.
In addition, Gareth also created Let’s See Labs an enterprise focused on the sociocultural transformation of individuals through a number of interactive means. These include film, writing and team workshops; and with these, people can unlock and uncover what lies at the common heart of leadership.
Gwyn’s expertise and knowledge in all things empowered leadership should make her a great subject for this topic. We welcome her to our program!
Q&A:
- First off, why are some companies so driven on getting “100 percent” out of their employees? Are they simply worried about meeting quotas or worried their companies may lose money if they take a more “lax” approach?
- Why is this a bad move when it comes to employee morale? The wear-down and quitting rate amongst employees? A clear message about the employer themselves? A bit of both perhaps?
- Do you agree with McKeown’s theory about taking more of an “85 percent” approach to getting work done within the company? What do you think would be the best way to go about applying this, or does this depend on the business?
- You’ve been an advocate of strong leadership for quite some time. Do you believe with the right leadership, any company could revert to some form of this “85 percent” rule? Even the high-end corporations, like Amazon?
- What advice do you have for companies that may not consider trying the “85 percent” approach just to see how it fares with employees?
- In your latest book, You Are Us: How To Build Bridges In a Polarized World, you focus on a number of individuals that have seen their fair share of hard times, but have learned so much since that time. Tell us how this can relate to this particular subject, and what motivated you to do the research to learn more from these individuals to tell their story.
- You also developed Lets See Labs, a series of online courses that can help people make the most out of leadership, and teach certain fundamentals to get attendees better prepared for the business world. How did you go about putting these courses together, and whom do you believe would benefit the most from them?
- Where can we learn more about your book and the Lets See Labs workshops?
The book is available for purchase here on Amazon; and you can find more information on everything we do with Let’s See Labs over on BuildBridges.US.
About Gareth Gwyn…
Gareth Gwyn is committed to establishing a new global vision of leadership founded on self-inquiry and restorative practices. She is the author of You Are Us: How to Build Bridges in a Polarized World, a book woven with real stories that explore how we can each help bridge our cultural divides regardless of who we are and where we came from. She is also the founder of Let’s See Labs, an organization that produces films, writing, and team workshops that facilitate sociocultural transformation at the individual level by embracing creative polarity. Gareth earned her MA in Digital Communication at the School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
CONTACT: To schedule an interview, contact Jerry McGlothlin of Special Guests PR Agency at 919-437-0001 or geraldmcg@outlook.com.
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