Aim for Behaviour, not the outcome
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By Adi
Solution Architect and Founder of ARC
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Hello and Welcome to all new and old subscribers of ARC’s Leadership Campfire.
Every 15 days, we’ll be in your inbox sharing stories, ideas and frameworks related to the vast concept of Leadership- and how you can apply them to become better leaders in your workspace and your life!
Here is an idea that might help you to Pause and Reflect.
One Idea. Every 15 Days.
Aim for Behaviour.
At first glance, it seems simple, but it’s rooted in a deeper understanding of human nature. We’re not machines, after all. Each of us brings unique motives, behaviours, and ways of working to the table.
The typical workflow looks something like this:
Input → Process → Output
For machines, this process is black and white—clear-cut commands, no room for deviation. But for humans, the “process” is anything but straightforward. It involves a whole spectrum of behaviours that influence the outcome. A spectrum of factors- beliefs, values, experiences, fears, dreams, feelings, thought patterns, and moods—shape human behaviour and, ultimately, the outcome.
This idea is captured well in the concept of the human iceberg. What we see, behaviour, is just the tip of the iceberg. As leaders, one of the most valuable skills we can cultivate is the ability to navigate beneath the surface. It’s about recognising and working with the invisible aspects of a person, the deeper layers below the sea level.
Let’s consider an example.
An organisation wants to boost efficiency by 30%. If they focus solely on cutting protocols and speeding up actions, would it be holistic? Likely not. Because there is also the human being in the process.
It would be worthwhile to explore the behaviours that are leading to lower efficiency and which of them need to change. With that, the furthering question is also about what are the factors (feelings, motives, fears, stories etc.) below the iceberg that are leading to this behaviour.
Leaders and OD consultants need to address these factors for the behaviour change which would eventually lead to better efficiency.
Hence, a behaviour-based strategy is more desirable here since it delves into the core of how we operate.
While dealing with humans, let’s aim for behaviour and not the outcome.
PS: ARC is proud to be a partner for the AEE APAC Conference, where 7 ARCians will be presenting.
Have you bought the tickets for it?
ARC (Adi Raheja and Co) is a decade-old consulting firm in the field of Organisation Development and Leadership Development. Clients partner with us for some of the most innovative and impactful interventions to develop leaders, teams and culture and strategy. ARC’s main purpose is to Bring Humanness back into Consulting. |
