Why Managers & Leaders don't do what they know they should!

While completing a new course for a neuroscience certification program I am taking, I was reminded of a really important concept…

We can know what is needed and even how to do it, but it doesn’t mean we will do it. 

The Challenge

When it comes to performance and leadership development, much of the knowledge on what we need to do and how to do it has been around a long time. Thought leaders have been researching, writing, and speaking on these topics for decades. Most leaders and managers, at a minimum, have probably been exposed to this knowledge one or many times in their career. Many are even actively aware of what they “should” be doing. 

• Why then do workplaces continue to struggle with engagement and performance?
• Why do they keep having to downsize when results fall short?
• Why are people more stressed, burnt out, unhappy and struggling with wellbeing more than ever?
• Why are people perpetually frustrated with workplaces and managers inability to demonstrate these basic and required capabilities and practices?
• Why, as managers and leaders, do we not do the things we know we should? 

Throughout my career, I continually encounter managers and leaders who aren’t acting on what they know works to create results. HR and Talent Management leaders tell me of their struggles with getting managers and leaders to do the things that will truly make a difference for their employees.

Managers & Leaders know what they should do and how to do it but they often just don't actually do it!

Take myself as an example. I’ve been training on peak performance practices for over a decade. I read at least 30 self-development books a year and hundreds of research articles. I’ve written multiple books and researched every element of performance I can get my hands on. I, too, have to confess that even with all this I still fail sometimes to do all the things I know are needed to create results. 

• I fail to take the time to ensure we have written expectations in place and talk about them regularly.
• I struggle to provide regular feedback.
• I love learning but often struggle to translate that learning into long-lasting behaviors that change my life. 

Why does this happen?

I asked myself this question as I was taking the online course taking about the importance of embodying our performance practices. When I say embodying, I mean translating our learning or knowledge into a long-lasting physiological, neurological change that becomes just part of what we do. This part is actually the hard part. This part requires us to take action consistently, learn from others, challenge our current practices, and transform how we live.  

The reality is our bodies prefer not to change because staying the same is so much easier and takes so much less energy than the energy required to build a new skill or capability. As a result, unless we are forced to make a change, most of us just don’t follow through consistently enough to experience long-lasting results. We might do it for a little while, but we don’t do it long enough to rewire our neural pathways. Then, we fall back into our old default pathway of operating because it’s more comfortable. 

What do we need to do differently?

I guarantee that if people consistently follow peak performance practices, they will see massive results. But most training courses last a few days and then you’re on your own to integrate it. They are crammed with knowledge to give value during a short period of time. Which ironically leaves people feeling good about the training, but the results are rarely impactful long-term. 

Most training courses pack lots of knowledge and information into a short period of time to demonstrate value but fail to be impactful long-term.

If we truly want to change our results, we must get to the root to truly create long-lasting change. Most programs focus on the behavior that is creating the result or action.

We must go much deeper:

• We must get to the thoughts creating the behavior.
• Then, to the feelings that are creating the thoughts.
• Then, to the emotions that led to the feelings.
• All the way to our physiological response that triggered our emotions.
• We must understand our internal intelligence (our neurons in our body) and what each area has responsibility for doing.

Then, we can access our inner wisdom and make changes at the root - in our physiology. We do this first by consistently applying exercises, activities, reflection, and integration of wisdom to get to actions. Then, we must be held accountable and be challenged to keep consistently applying those actions so long-term change or transformation of capability can occur. 

My purpose is to help create this change!

As I reflected on this, it occurred to me this is the cornerstone of the value we are trying to bring to people. I have created a program, little by little, over many years, that incorporates not just the knowledge but the practices, support, and accountability necessary for success. If you want to truly get greater results, you must be willing to actually do the work to make it happen. It’s not hard, but it does require a system and process. It requires a challenge, consistency, and accountability. 

Our Evolving Future Leaders to Peak Performance Certification Program does all of this to ensure successful outcomes. I guarantee if you complete all the elements of it, you will see increased results in your life at work and at home. Which is why I can confidently offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee! We aren’t bringing earth shattering information (although we do include the latest in all performance and neuroscience practices), what we are doing is helping people, especially leaders and managers, to implement lasting transformational change that will create results.