Axiom #9: Gnats and Sledgehammers

Since I am from the south, I have plenty of pithy maybe even pregnant sayings. It just comes with the territory. I have had dozens of folks tell me I should be writing these things down. Some are easy to grasp their meaning, such as “Don’t look at me like a calf at a new gate.” Others take a bit of time to grasp exactly what is being said like, “Ain’t no flies on me.”

One saying that I have translated into a leadership principle is “Don’t kill a gnat with a sledgehammer.” The point is pretty obvious. Be careful of overkill. Do not use a machine gun when a flyswatter will do. Use the appropriate means of dealing with a situation. Choose the correct tool for the job.

I am sure many folks reading this are thinking, “Well, you certainly have a penchant for stating the obvious.” Maybe. But I cannot tell you how often this is violated from leadership perspectives. How often do we make grand announcements and proclamations on a global scale when a simple one on one conversation would have done quite nicely. Have you ever seen a ball coach chew a player out publicly in order to “make a point?” When you witnessed that, have you ever wondered why he did not have a private conversation with the player? Relationships go a lot further that way usually.

Years ago in a place where I was working, one of the employees made the mistake of leaving the window to their office open at night during the fall. The office was a bit chilly the next morning. Rather than just going to the person and saying “Hey Jack, last night you forget to close the window and it was pretty cold in here this morning. Be careful.” The company passed a full edict about the importance of closing the windows to your office at night. Was that the appropriate tool for that event? Maybe. Maybe not.

In another environment where I was the senior leader, while working on a Personnel Policy Manual revision, we made a big decision. I was seeking some flexibility in dealing with employees and their individual situations. One of my team members was a labor attorney. She made a suggestion that really got our attention. Why don’t we take the entire 20 page policy and break it down to what is really needed, vacations, sick days, etc. She said, “Anything you put in print you are accountable for.” With her advice and our agreement, we took the entire policy down to a 6-8 page booklet. It covered all that was legally necessary in our state and allowed me flexibility. I know this does not translate to all situations, but in our case we were seeking the appropriate tool.

It has been said, “If all you have is a hammer, the whole world becomes a nail.” Perhaps that is why some leaders only use harsh means to motivate; it is the only tool in their arsenal. They have only been trained in the proper use of a sledgehammer, so it is what they use to get the job done. I recognize, there are times when someone needs to be called into account for their actions, but should that not be the exception rather than the rule?