Why are the people at my new company so hopeless at their jobs?

Dear Aunty B,

Why can’t people do their jobs properly?

I have come into a business only to find that it is a complete mess and I am running around fixing everything. This happened at my last company and I actually left after five years to become CEO of this company so I could be a proper leader and not run around wiping everyone’s bum.

What do I do to make sure that I don’t repeat the last five years and become frustrated and burnt out?

MH,

Melbourne

Dear MH,

Ok. I’ll be nice because you are new and you are clever enough to be able to go in and see some things that instantly need fixing. But you have four months. After that, you have to stop! Why? Well, you are your own worst enemy.

Your job is not to fix things. It is to set a plan and then identify the problems preventing you getting there – and having the right people in place so they fix the problems. That’s the difference between running the joint and running a bit of the joint. Some people never progress from chief bottle washer to chief – and that is their own fault. So, as much as you think you are acting like a leader, you are not. Read this from our sister publication LeadingCompany. You will see what I mean.

Be smart,

Your Aunty B

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