If someone is on your team but isn’t commited to working with you, then the best thing that you can do is offer them an ultimatum.
The best way I can think to describe it is this. If you are holding a water balloon in your hand (I know it may have been a while, but work with me here 😉 ) and you want it to go somewhere, it isn’t going to move unless you apply some kind of pressure to it. If you squeeze the bottom of the balloon, it will do one of two things.
- All the water will travel up through the balloon in the direction you’d like it to go.
- The balloon will explode all over you and then you can throw it away and be done with it.
Now to bring this back to dealing with people. If you give them a bit of a squeeze (ask them if they are in or out) they will make it clear what their intentions are.
Offer them the option to leave or stay, but don’t let them sit still. Squeezing them a little bit and forcing them to decide to commit or leave is going to be the best thing that you can do for them, because without commitment, they aren’t going to be any good for you or your business or even to themselves. They would be misplaced.
What are your thoughts? Got a better method to deal with slothful partners? Fire us your thoughts in the comments below.
Keeping your success in focus,
-Coach Kolansky