Some team members repeatedly resist the same feedback. They prefer to hang onto their self-view that the behaviors that derail them are not at issue.
Others lack all awareness about what they do that negatively impacts others. They prefer their own wise counsel and pay little attention to what others suggest. As a result, they are particularly difficult to lead and often fail to grow. Good leaders must find a way to get through to them.
Data is sometimes the best answer.
Data, when collected and presented well, is undeniable. It sets the record straight like nothing else can. Data is the tool good leaders rely upon when team members dig in and won’t acknowledge what everyone else knows about their performance and behavior.
Data, gathered from credible sources, is hard to dismiss. Even the most recalcitrant team member pays attention to the din of multiple voices. Think of it this way. When 12 people who know you well tell you that you walk and quack like a duck, you do. There is no escaping the reality laid bare by data.
In many cases, only an overwhelming amount of data can get team members to finally see what others do. So, the best leaders collect, collate, and present it in a format that resolves any dispute.
To ensure the point is made, they will typically collect more data than they even need to. Rather than fighting over competing realities, good leaders know that a plethora of data is often the answer to finally changing a mind.
Presenting that data in an objective and unemotional way is an important part of the process. By methodically asking others for their views in a structured format, leaders can build an unassailable case.
Telling the resistant team member that collecting data about them is in everyone’s best interest is usually met with acceptance. Strangely, their deep conviction in their own narrative and view often betrays them. Many will expect the data to confirm their views, not negate them.
Good leaders let the facts speak for themselves and hold those unwilling to accept those facts accountable to the collective perceptions of others. So, the next time a team member refuses to acknowledge who they are or what negative impact they are having on others, consider collecting some data.
Perception is a reality impossible to deny if it comes from many places.
