It’s when an employee can get the work standards and expectations softened because they’ve expressed some kind discomfort or unhappiness.
I mean things like, “The work is too boring.” or “It was too much of a hassle.” or maybe “I’m just not very good at that so I asked so and so to do it.”
There’s a million various ways to say, “This work is not my preference.”
So, here’s the trap.
We think we might be the cause. That we are somehow running a boring department or that we’re meanies making the work too challenging…etc., etc.
Then we go rushing about trying to solve their discomfort. — moving things around, trying different combinations of ideas and on and on.
We have now gone down the rabbit hole. Our focus has now been taken hostage and redirected toward softening standards so the employee’s personal preferences can be met.
When really what we basically need to say is something like, “I hear you’re bored (challenged, hassled, or whatever is going on), that’s okay. Sometimes we will find ourselves bored (challenged, resistant). Let’s talk about how you can still complete what needs to get done today.”
We can accept how staff are feeling, and still uphold what is needed so standards and expectations stay in place. We can also always be on the lookout for better ways to support staff in the work they do.
What we don’t want to do is have an employee’s emotional resistance become a driver for lowering expectations. That’s the trap.