Say WHAT? Unhappy people are the best? Really? Sounds super confusing, right? Well, let me give you a bit more context, so, hopefully, it’ll make some sense.
Life of a scale-up is a constant change. Your company grows, things that used to work before ain’t working anymore, and there are still plenty of things to figure out and implement. I’ve covered previously some of the biggest challenges most scale-ups face. And what do we know about change? It is tough, difficult. Some people hate it and do everything to avoid, sticking to their old habits.
But in the scale-up world, if you want to succeed, you cannot avoid changes. You, as a leader, most likely understand it very well. At least I hope you do, otherwise, your life will be pretty miserable.
If you drive the change, you do need to find an alliance, people who would advocate for your proposed change and help you to implement it. And in most cases, those who are settled and know everything that used to work in the past, are quite happy in their little bubble. For them, there is no need to change anything, because it brings the risk of leaving their comfort zone.
Of course, there are happy peeps, who just love changes, and constantly striving for better, more optimal, leaner operations. They do exist, but pretty rare.
And there are those who acknowledge the problems and the need for a change and they don’t see it happening and might even lost their faith. These are your unhappy people, who can change the world. They are gagging for a change and all they need is just some hope, push, and support.
How do you find those unhappy people
If you know the team, then you already know them of course. If you are new to the company, then you’ll have to do some work.
Start with reviewing previous performance reviews, and feedback people received. Look for people who showed traits of demotivation, or who used to express their judgement of the environment, management etc. Have a chat with the management team. Most likely they were criticised by a few less favourited guys on the team. This is the initial list you can start working with.
How do you work with unhappy people
You’ve got your list of several gloomy peeps, now what? How do you turn them into the driving force?
It all starts with a conversation.
Just have a chat. Share your discoveries, like the impression they have in the company. Ask for the causes of their demotivation or unhappiness. And listen. It can be that they are just unsatisfied with everything in general. Then save your energy and move on. But if they love the team or the idea behind the company, but feel paralysed by the current state of things, this is a good sign.
Here are several questions you can ask to get a better understanding and see if it is not too late:
- What would you change, if you had all the power, time and resources?
- Do you still believe that there is a chance to change the situation and turn things around so you get your motivation and happiness back up?
- Are you up for the challenge to stir things up?
Those conversations are tough and energy-draining sometimes. But you can learn a lot from them.
What do you do then
Now it is your time to act. Give it some thought. Come up with a plan and a strategy. Get your primary circle to buy in. Get the board aligned and excited. Share the plan with the company and start execution. This is when you involved your unhappy peeps and let them make the change.
It can be that you are not an expert in a particular area and need some help. Just check in with your “unhappy squad”, and say something like “Hey Bob, I really loved the chat we had the other day. It got me thinking about XXX you mentioned. I do agree that we really need to do something about it, but I’m not quite sure how to tackle it. I would really appreciate your input on this matter”. You’ll be surprised how enthusiastic people get and willing they are to help you.
So don’t try to solve everything yourself. Take it to the team from time to time!
Conclusions
It’s great and always desired to have a happy crowd around you. To feel loved, respected, and looked up to. If you are in this state, most likely you are not being pushed by your surroundings, meaning you are not growing anymore. Get your unhappy people’s radar on, have an open conversation with them, get uncomfortable, and you’ll move mountains.