Australia's online magazine for entrepreneurs & SMEs

Am I the problem?

Friday, 25 July 2008

By Naomi Simson

If you know me, you know I love to talk (luckily I even get paid to talk from time to time). What is not good is when I talk way too much and distract my work colleagues.

Now the evidence is here, according to the Good Weekend number cruncher John Croucher: “Proportion of surveyed Australian workers who say that disruptive, talkative colleagues are their biggest distraction – 44%”. Which means it is their colleagues that are stopping them getting on with the job. (Another big distraction is mobile phones ringing at work – I’m guilty of that one too.)

I have just been away with the family for school holidays – (camping trip in the Kimberley’s). I came back and was delighted at how much had been achieved. Version 7.0 of the website was launched, without a hitch. New people employed, new office layout, and everyone busy on achieving the FY09 plan. How delightful for a business owner to be off air (no mobile or internet for more than two weeks), and the rhythm of RedBalloon to keep going.

There had been some comments previously from my team, about how people have a chance to get a lot done when I’m not around, but the evidence was overwhelming.

I’m not saying that I don’t have a place… but I must be aware of the impact of me being around. Dropping by someone’s desk and saying – “Had you thought about…” – they have it handled. Trust the process. “Management by walking around” doesn’t have the same meaning in a smaller business where people have access to you already.

One of our team left in December last year – and until he left I did not realise how disruptive he was. He would come down stairs and ask, to no one in particular, “do you want to go for lunch today?” at 10am – then 16 people would look up from their desks…. UGH.

Open plan offices are great – but we must respect that people need time and space to just get their job done. “As the leadership team goes so goes the rest of the organisation”, so I’m going to be watching that I’m not the biggest distraction. We have a plan, I’ve shared the vision, each person knows their part and is busy delivering on it.