Dealing with people can be difficult. There will be days where you yourself are not having it or those around you seem like they are determined to make any and every interaction you have with them completely unproductive.
Whenever this happens, arm yourself with information and tools to move that person and the project forward. There are some common issues that we all deal with at work that are really frustrating.
Tip 1: One key reason people are indecisive is because they are worried about making the wrong choice. This can be amplified when someone is given too many choices or too much creative freedom. If you're working with a person who has a history of indecisiveness, give them what they need in order to make the decision well in advance. If it's in your power and there's room in both your calendars, schedule opportunities to discuss their options and your recommendations. Weekly meetings are a great way for a team to talk about goals and how to achieve them. This will not only help those who can’t decide on the best way to take on a task, but also ensure that task best ties to the company's over-all goals.
Tip 2: If you're the indecisive person, give yourself plenty of time to think over each outcome when possible. Being indecisive is not a bad thing. It gives you valuable time to think about the facts and explore other avenues of thinking. If you know you're going to have to make a call on something soon, ask for information in advance, do some research, ask questions. Schedule opportunities to discuss options with others who can help you reach clarity. It is important to remember that asking for help or guidance is a sign of emotional strength and not a lack of intelligence. A study showed that individuals who ask for help on a simple task are not viewed as any less competent, and those who ask for help on a difficult task are viewed as more competent.
Group. Norms.
What: If your last few meetings haven't gone so great, if tensions are high, people are sensitive, or if it's just one full hour of mass chaos, establish group norms that will be enforced during the meeting will help add some structure back.
How: These group norms don’t have to be extensive; they can be simple like "One person talks at a time," "Electronics for emergencies only," "Start and stop on time." Establishing (and maintaining) some form of group norms that everyone sees and agrees on will bring out desired behavior and make it more routine over time.
Why: People can't meet expectations unless you set them first. Setting out expectations means that people will know right away how they should be engaging and participating leading to a more productive outcome.
So there you have it. If you're experiencing indecisiveness or troublesome meetings, try these tips to make your workdays even better. Let us know how it goes on social media!