156 PART II Bridging the Knowing-Doing Gap
He knew what he was talking about. And he explained the solution, which had to do with how deep the bit could be inserted into the screw head. We listened, then asked, “Okay, what do you suggest?”
He replied, “We need to go tell the supplier what the problems are.” Well, I was nervous about it, but I decided to charter a plane to fly Jimmy and a couple other guys to the plant in Virginia where theymade the bad screws.
Jimmy got the problem fixed, and it sent a powerful message to everyone here. He became a leader instead of a maverick simply because we gave them the forum and allowed him to have some ownership.2
A Workout-style meeting can be quite effective if management truly wants to hear the truth. But it takes tremendous fortitude to stand in front of a large room inviting criticism.
A warning: Workout can be misused. If Workout becomes a ticket that you need to have punched to prove you are a good leader, people will pick up on that insincerity. If the leader holds a Workout and everything seems to go well, but afterwards nothing changes, Workout will turn into a joke. Only use Workout if you are prepared to listen deeply to what people say and then act on it.
Slap-Your-Head Obvious Solution
If the potential problem was obvious, you probably wouldn’t have gotten into this mess. You would have picked up the warning signals long ago.
Lack of Knowledge and Lack of Skill
Business schools don’t usually teach us to work with resistance. Intense Level 2 fears and Level 3 distrust can be frightening since you are the target for the anger, rage, and confusion that gets released.
I urge you to reread chapter 3, “Why People Support You and Why They Resist.” And then read it again as you reflect on a meeting that went bad, or an encounter in the hall that made matters worse. The better you understand the reasons why people support or resist you, the more options you’ll have. And then practice trying to bring out the positive side of Levels1, 2, and 3 in relatively safe situations. There is no shortage of opportunities to practice at work, while shopping, traveling, and maybe (but very carefully) at home.