Decide to act

I've spent the last couple of days at a first aid course (which I recommend by the way, everyone should know that stuff) and one of the things they emphasised was that the first thing that needs to happen in any emergency situation is for someone to recognise an emergency exists and then decide to act.

We talked a lot about this in psychology courses at university too - it's frighteningly common for someone to be in trouble and for all the people who could have helped to do nothing. We talk about 'safety in numbers' but the reality is exactly the opposite - the more bystanders there are, the less likely anyone is to do anything. After all, "someone else probably already has"...

Side note: If you're ever in a situation where you need help and everyone is standing around staring blankly, single someone out of the crowd: "You, in the blue jacket, go call an ambulance." Once they're singled out they're usually happy to help.

People also seem to have an incredible hang-up about 'interfering', especially if we have some impression that the problem is within someone else's family. The family violence issue we're talking a lot about in New Zealand at the moment is a good example of this.

But I'm not planning on writing a post about first aid or group behaviour, as interesting as they are. I've been thinking that the same type of behaviour seems to appear in other situations too - including at work. Sometimes it's all too easy to identify a problem, think to yourself "someone should do something about that" and then go get a coffee. It's easy to assume that, since the first requirement for a management position is mind-reading abilities, all managers will know immediately if something isn't happening as it should.

But maybe, just maybe, you are the someone who should do something. And maybe, just maybe, your manager can't read your mind and, because no-one else has talked to them either, doesn't know there's a problem. Is it possible?

Many people are, quite rightly, concerned about becoming the person who always whines about everything. Be assured that I'm not advocating that at all! People who complain about every little thing that it's possible to complain about drive me just as mad as I'm sure they drive you. Please don't do that :) What I am suggesting though is that, sometimes, there are genuine issues which need to be sorted out so that everyone can move forward and get the job done faster/better/more happily and those issues shouldn't be left for the magical 'someone' who will fix everything. You're someone aren't you? Why don't you do it?

Call me an idealist if you will, but here's how I see things: if you have a manager whose job description includes anything along the lines of 'team leadership' or 'ensuring efficiency and well-being of staff' then that person's job is to make your life easier. If you let them know what, in your work life, needs to made easier then you're helping them do their job. How nice of you :)

Again, don't bug them too much! Your manager is just as human as you are, which means they can get just as busy and stressed as you can. Don't just roll up to their desk and start your lecture - ask if you can make a time for a chat. Then you can grab a meeting room, close the door, and lecture to your heart's content for the half an hour they've set aside. It's not that difficult, and doesn't take much time, to respectfully and clearly state your concerns and finish with "I just thought you should be aware. Let me know there's anything you'd like me to do."

If you're still wondering whether to act or not, consider this: if you're having issues with something chances are that someone else is too. They're just assuming that someone else has already said something, that their manager has read their mind and that they shouldn't interfere. Do that person a favour and go sort things out for them.

Final note: remember that the step before 'decide to act' is to 'identify an emergency exists'. Make sure the issue you're having really is an issue and really is something that can be changed. Sometimes you just need to grit your teeth and get on with things, that's just life. If you're not sure which category your issue fits into, go talk to someone anyway and ask them whether they think it's worth doing something about.

Old cliched quote which is still true and rather appropriate:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage
to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.