People who don't care.
I remember one old episode from my life, which then strongly hooked, and similar continues to cling to this day. The task was to implement an IT product. The decision was made long ago by the management and the product itself was at the final stage. I needed to define further functionality with main users. In such cases, you often have to work in a brainstorming mode - what comes from the collective vision always adds value to the ideas of the owners and the development team. Meetings drag on for a couple of hours, people argue, interrupting each other, you even have to use special moderation techniques and rigidly regulate the discussion. But this time the audience was silent.
My job is to turn ideas into reality. But if they are not? What to convert?
It was necessary to provoke discussion in any way.
Professionalism that brings no value
She began to throw her ideas - everyone sat in silence, began to tell stories from life - not a single spark, a couple of jokes also did not break the ice. There was no resistance to get emotionally hooked on, there was no criticism, there were no clarifying questions ... as if there was no life.
Then I started asking questions, addressing specific officials - they answered very briefly and to the point. They weren't stupid or unprofessional, but their professionalism did not bring value. It was then that I first heard a speech in which the entire emphasis was shifted to the point at the end of the sentence. Linguistic discovery, not otherwise.
What is wrong with these people, where and when did they lose your enthusiasm? The owners of this company were from the old school, but quite experienced and respectable managers, they treated people with care. It is difficult to say where and why the infection started.
Finding a solution
After the meeting, there was a sediment and I had to ask familiar business trainers for a long time how it would be possible to involve them. All tips were divided into 2 categories:
1) Change the whole team urgently.
2) Don't take too much on yourself - you're not a motivational speaker. Calmly lecture like a university professor and run from there until you become the same. You can break resistance, ice and even ignorance, but you will not do anything for someone who does not want to want.
Suddenly, the zombie apocalypse ceased to seem like a fantasy.
At that time, I made the right decision, which later completely transformed the company and gave it a new life. The correct decision, which I am not proud of.
And I'm still searching for a cure for burnout. Is there any hope? Or is this disease so dangerous and toxic that it can only be burned out by replacing the entire team? What would you do?
