Are you passive or proactive?
Since I started swimming seriously as a teenager I’ve been going to the gym. 99% of the time the gym attendants would sit at their desk, usually watching the tv in the corner. I’d see people doing their exercises, often with bad technique, which at best reduces the impact of their work, at worst could cause injury. Very seldom did the attendants ever come over and offer assistance or advice to the people with less experience than themselves.
It seems much the same in business. People may look at others, be they colleagues or customers, and see them making potential mistakes but so often will refrain from suggesting potential alternatives, instead sticking to the bare minimum, until of course things break down and everyone becomes stressed as a result.
If this describes you then make today day zero. From this point on, if you see something that you feel could be done better don’t wait passively for things to break before you raise your concerns. Be proactive and make sure things are right from the off.
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The problem is, how do you go over and offer people help when quite often they think they know what they are doing and don't want to listen? I suspect the truth could be that after attempting to help a number of gym users the staff learn their lesson and wait to be asked for help.
That is their job though Rob. The gym is perhaps a slightly more frivolous example, but in the corporate world if you’re a consultant hired as the expert, and you sit by passively watching a client make mistakes, just because they havn’t asked your opinion, then for me you’re not doing your job.