| We've all had them, intelligent, talented, and educated | | | | positive directions or changes management can make |
| employees, who have been assigned certain tasks on | | | | to help bring the task to completion? |
| which they never take initiative, or never finish - but are | | | | If the employee may be concerned with the |
| always one step away from the great breakthrough | | | | consequences of failing or succeeding at the task, then |
| that will make all this talk without results pay off. | | | | address those issues and be clear about what the |
| Procrastination is simply continuing to put off doing | | | | consequences actually might be. If the employee is still |
| something, a decision or an activity, for whatever | | | | uncomfortable with the task, it's time to assign the task |
| reason. But you may not want to lose that intelligent, | | | | to someone else. |
| talented, and educated employee. People procrastinate | | | | If the employee believes the task will not be |
| for a variety of reasons. On the job, reasons may | | | | recognized or rewarded, explain the importance of the |
| include any one or combinations of the following: | | | | task to the company's bigger picture and as above |
| Fear of failing or succeeding. The employee may be | | | | discuss real outcomes. |
| concerned with the consequences of failing at the task | | | | If the employee is distracted by the physical |
| or the consequences of outstanding achievement | | | | environment or other people where they are expected |
| which might bring more workload with higher | | | | to perform the task, see if you can limit distractions or |
| expectations. | | | | move the location for task performance and make |
| Negative belief about the end reward. Past experience | | | | sure the employee is not having to multi-task for other |
| tells the employee that hard work on this type of task | | | | people when working on the problem task. |
| will not be recognized or rewarded, so why bother? | | | | If the employee believes or knows the task is simply |
| The work environment, including other people. For | | | | too large, your first action should be to go over the |
| some tasks, the physical environment where the task | | | | task with the employee and determine if this task is |
| assigned may be too noisy, quiet, bright, dull, hot or cold, | | | | really too large or difficult for the person assigned or if |
| or the other people around may be demanding too | | | | that is a misperception on the employee's part. If you |
| much attention on other tasks. | | | | believe the task can be completed by the employee, |
| The belief or knowledge that the task is too big. A | | | | brainstorm solutions with them, help them break it |
| task can be assigned that really is simply too large for | | | | down into achievable chunks, and set deadlines. |
| the employee to manage. For example, an | | | | However, the task may actually be too large for one |
| administrative assistant who has been in charge of | | | | person or that particular person as in the example |
| inter-office communications, business letters, etc. might | | | | given above with writing policies and procedures. If this |
| be given the task of writing company policies and | | | | is the case, decide which solution will be the best |
| procedures. As time moves on and the scope of such | | | | course of action. Should you assign a team to the |
| a project sinks in, the employee may start to doubt | | | | task? Can you spare that kind of manpower, and do |
| having the ability to accomplish it or know they can't | | | | you have teamwork down? Should you hire a |
| complete the task. | | | | professional consultant to work with the assigned |
| Tips to help managers overcome procrastination | | | | employee, at least to a point where it becomes a |
| problems | | | | manageable task for the employee? There are lots of |
| The first thing the manager or task owner needs to | | | | options here. |
| discover is the reason for the procrastination. Talk with | | | | After these types of positive action on the part of |
| the employee about the reason for the problem, then | | | | management are taken, the employee should be |
| give them direction for completion or make necessary | | | | motivated to stop procrastinating and finish the task. |
| changes in the task assignment. What are some | | | | |