Don’t Let Them Leave Their Monkeys!

Don’t Let Them Leave Their Monkeys!

“People are leaving their monkeys at your door, and that’s got to stop.” These words were spoken to an executive leader by the CEO of that company I have recently encountered. Needless to say, the meaning of his words was a bit confusing at first, “Leaving their monkeys?”, she thought to herself. The issue he was referring to was obvious, and the metaphor was humorous to say the least. She was caught off guard for the moment but after upon further scrutiny, the metaphor related to management and delegating authority and responsibility for task completion.

Peter Gruber in his book, “Tell to Win” explains that the best way to connect, persuade and triumph is with the hidden power of a story. In my opening, the missive about the CEO and one of his executive leaders references such a story. The “monkeys” being referred to in the metaphor were problems, challenges or tasks that colleagues decide your input is required to come up with a solution or to complete the task. The problem is that they left the “monkey” or task with you to deal with or complete. Peter goes on to explain, that monkey is their problem. They’re trying to leave it with you. Your job is to discover where the monkey is. They’ll hide it or dress it up but remember you’re the zookeeper. So, make sure when you walk them through the issue, task or challenge and they leave your office (so to speak) they’ve got their monkey by the hand. Hence the statement, “not leaving their monkeys at your door”.

“Leaving their monkey” occurs all the time in business especially when multiple levels of management exist. If another employee brings an issue or concern to you, they either consciously or unconsciously leave that problem with you. Do you accept the monkey? It depends. If it’s your manager or supervisor, you identify the issue and come to an agreement that it is something that is being transferred to you for your completion or did they just need your input. It is not uncommon for a person who has learned the art of delegation to assign responsibilities to you or in some cases a task. However, if it is coming from one of your direct reports, make sure they “don’t leave their monkey” with you. Learn from your supervisor. When done effectively, the result of problem solving, and solution finding can be optimized.

Delegating and/or empowering your staff to solve problems and manage challenges to their own solutions is a skill. Here are some ideas to implement to encourage the initiative to problem solve and promote autonomy:

• Promote a Problem-Solving Culture:
  • Create an environment where employees are encouraged to take initiative and explore solutions on their own.
  • Recognize and reward employees who demonstrate effective problem-solving skills and autonomy.
• Set Clear Expectations:
  • Clearly outline each employee’s role and the scope of their responsibilities, emphasizing their role in solving problems within their area.
  • Let employees know when it is appropriate to seek help and when they should attempt to solve problems independently.
• Implement a Coaching Approach:
  • When employees come to you with problems, ask guiding questions to help them think through the issue and potential solutions rather than providing answers.
  • Offer constructive feedback that helps employees learn from their experiences and improve their problem-solving skills.
• Encourage Ownership and Accountability:
  • Allow employees to make decisions and take ownership of their projects, including the associated challenges.
  • Foster a culture of accountability where employees understand the importance of taking responsibility for their actions and outcomes.
• Establish Feedback Mechanisms:
  • Conduct regular check-ins with employees to discuss progress, challenges, and successes, providing an opportunity for them to reflect on their problem-solving efforts.
  • Maintain open lines of communication where employees feel comfortable discussing issues and seeking guidance when necessary.
• Lead by Example:
  • Model effective problem-solving behavior in your own work and interactions with employees.
  • Express confidence in your employees’ abilities to handle challenges, reinforcing their belief in their skills.
• Be Patient and Supportive:
  • Acknowledge and celebrate progress, even if it’s small, to encourage further development and confidence.
  • Offer support and guidance when truly necessary but ensure it’s in a way that empowers employees to handle similar issues independently in the future.

By fostering a culture of empowerment, accountability, and continuous learning, you can help employees develop the skills and confidence needed to solve their own problems. Implementing these strategies will not only reduce the dependency on management but also lead to a more resilient and adaptable workforce. If your supervisor comes and leaves his monkey with you, well that’s just because he is delegating and assigning the responsibility to you, the executive zookeeper. Learning how to more effectively delegate responsibility to your team is critical to not becoming overburdened, lose sleep and avoid stress.

In the opening missive, one can see how frustrating the lead executive was once she realized that all the problems that were being left for her to address, the monkeys, could create an overwhelming burden to her. In essence, visualizing all these staff concerns as monkeys became a great illustration of “problem dumping”.  There is no good reason for you to have employees’ monkeys running around your desk distracting you from the productive work that you need to do.  Focus on your productivity and help your staff focus on theirs.

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