“Its Easier to be Stupid” – Larry Winget

While I was preparing for my MBA class last week, I got an email from Larry Winget on a recent blog post entitled “Its Easier to be Stupid” in which he makes the case for how much easier it is to not do something, or to let others do things for us, than it is to do them ourselves.  During the class, in which we were discussing the work it takes to be a good manager, Larry’s email came to mind and I mentioned it to my students.  I pointed out that for many of us in the room, “it’s easier to be stupid” and continue doing what we are doing than it is to do the real work that is required for success and effectiveness.  As Larry points out, its easier to blame than it is to take responsbility.

We know when we are cutting corners, but its easier to cut them than to do what is necessary to make them right.  How many of us have complained “there’s no leadership”, but then don’t offer any ourselves?  And how many of us have said “yes” to something we know at the time we aren’t going to do rather than deal with the upset of saying no at the time? Managers know that performance can’t improve without feedback, but then find it easier not to give the feedback and blame poor performance on the employee than do the work of developing constructive feedback.

It takes practice to be good at something.  In fact, to be a world class expert requires 10,000 hours of practice.  Few of us are willing to invest that kind of time at something.  Bobby Knight, the basketball coach, is suppose to have said “Everyone wants to play on a championship team, but no one wants to come to practice.”  This is another form of “its easier to be stupid”.  Management, particularly good management, takes work.  Few people are naturally good managers and leaders.  It takes practice, which apparently most of us, myself included, are not always willing to invest.

Larry’s right, it is easier to be stupid.  But, contrary to the comedian Ron White’s assertion, it is possible to “fix stupid”.

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Top Management Challenges: Are We Being Victims?

Many of us confront challenges at work. Some of these are easily resolved.  Others are more persistent.  One reason challenges persist is because we don’t accept any responsibility for them.

I recently gave an assignment to the managers in my MBA class on management in which they were to identify their top three persistent challenges.  In giving the assignment, I told them to identify challenges they had been unable to alter or resolve or couldn’t see a way to alter or resolve.  These were challenges they said limited their success and satisfaction at work.

After completing the assignment, I asked them to indicate into which of eight categories their particular challenges fell.  Since some challenges could pertain to more than one category, they were to indicate all applicable categories.  The results, listed in order from most to least frequently mentioned (% of respondents) are:

1.  Poor Planning (67%). There are frequent changes in priorities and assignments, and things are not well thought out in advance.

2.  Difficult People (63%). People are unresponsive, uncooperative, or just plain hard to work with.

3.  Lack of Teamwork (61%).  People with whom I need to collaborate or coordinate my work do not communicate with me or others as needed.

4.  Poor Quality Work (44%).  The work I get from others is incomplete, inaccurate, inappropriate, or simply wrong.

5.  Work Overload (40%).  I have more to do than I can get done in the time available and telling people I am full, unavailable, or can’t do it doesn’t seem to matter.

6.  Insufficient Support or Resources (40%).  I do not have and do not get the support or resources I need to get my work done.

7.  Lateness (39%).  I get things late from other people.

8.  Other (25%).  Any challenge not covered by the above. [People said such things as “poor communication”, “lack of accountability”, “poor management”, and “seniority issues”.]

What is interesting is that the students believe they have these problems because of “them” (e.g., other people).  It is because of “their” lack of motivation, commitment, accountability, etc., that the issue persists.  The difficulty with this belief is that it makes students victims.  It denies them the possibility that many, if not all, of their particular challenges can be significantly reduced, if not eliminated, through appropriate communication.  Appropriate communication requires a willingness to consider oneself at least partially responsible for the persistent challenge.

One way to move from being a victim to being responsible is by authentically asking and answering the question “How does the way I communicate (or don’t) contribute to the persistence of this situation?”  It’s a tough question.  But without it, all we have to look forward to is the continuation of our persistent challenges.

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