Mike Hohnen

And whoever's on top of us, whatever level we are on, has a certain tendency to exercise a pressure on us, downward towards us, which is, you could wrap it up in all sorts of fancy paper, but it's called more productivity. We want to see more output for less input. Please turn it up. which is basically a task orientation. And then there's a pressure from below us.

And whoever's on top of us, whatever level we are on, has a certain tendency to exercise a pressure on us, downward towards us, which is, you could wrap it up in all sorts of fancy paper, but it's called more productivity. We want to see more output for less input. Please turn it up. which is basically a task orientation. And then there's a pressure from below us.

The people who are below us, they have a different pressure. They are exercising a pressure towards us for a better relationship. They want more attention. They want to be seen. They want us to be involved. They want an emotional connection with us one way or the other. And they try and drive that. The problem is that when we then look at our calendar and all the stuff on the to-do list

The people who are below us, they have a different pressure. They are exercising a pressure towards us for a better relationship. They want more attention. They want to be seen. They want us to be involved. They want an emotional connection with us one way or the other. And they try and drive that. The problem is that when we then look at our calendar and all the stuff on the to-do list

What do we give the priority? Well, because the guy upstairs, you know, he has he can be nasty or she. So we keep on then value picking the task versus the relationship problem or the relationship thing that we could be doing. Having that conversation with that person, going for a walk with somebody who we know is in trouble with whatever they're doing.

What do we give the priority? Well, because the guy upstairs, you know, he has he can be nasty or she. So we keep on then value picking the task versus the relationship problem or the relationship thing that we could be doing. Having that conversation with that person, going for a walk with somebody who we know is in trouble with whatever they're doing.

In that sense, it's built in in the way we think about what do we value in work? What do I as a manager value in the next level below me? I level somebody who gets their stuff done, who delivers on time and all of that stuff. And so in that sense, it has this lopsidedness. And the other thing that's built into that cake is that when we recruit, who do we recruit?

In that sense, it's built in in the way we think about what do we value in work? What do I as a manager value in the next level below me? I level somebody who gets their stuff done, who delivers on time and all of that stuff. And so in that sense, it has this lopsidedness. And the other thing that's built into that cake is that when we recruit, who do we recruit?

What is the kind of personality that we prefer? Well, in my world, the hospitality world, who is the young, bright waiter who gets promoted to assistant shift manager or something, team leader or whatever? Well, it's that waiter who's really well organized and who gets his stuff done and who ticks off the boxes and clears up in the evening. It was very, very... who's in fact really task-oriented.

What is the kind of personality that we prefer? Well, in my world, the hospitality world, who is the young, bright waiter who gets promoted to assistant shift manager or something, team leader or whatever? Well, it's that waiter who's really well organized and who gets his stuff done and who ticks off the boxes and clears up in the evening. It was very, very... who's in fact really task-oriented.

And who gets promoted assistant manager? Well, it's the team leader who's really task, yeah, okay? And so suddenly you see that there is a trace all the way through the system where everybody who gets promoted to the next level gets promoted primarily because of their task capabilities. They are really good at getting things done.

And who gets promoted assistant manager? Well, it's the team leader who's really task, yeah, okay? And so suddenly you see that there is a trace all the way through the system where everybody who gets promoted to the next level gets promoted primarily because of their task capabilities. They are really good at getting things done.

And I go crazy in the hospitality business when I see this because it's supposed to be a people business. And somehow we get lost in that. But it gets worse because if you then think about it, when we are pressured, when we are under stress, when the heat is turned up, then we all have a tendency to gravitate towards what we feel comfortable doing.

And I go crazy in the hospitality business when I see this because it's supposed to be a people business. And somehow we get lost in that. But it gets worse because if you then think about it, when we are pressured, when we are under stress, when the heat is turned up, then we all have a tendency to gravitate towards what we feel comfortable doing.

And so if you've structured your system with people who are most comfortable doing tasks, then the more the heat gets turned up, the more they will take refuge in the tasks instead of getting out of their bloody office and facing the problem, which is having that conversation with that person, helping that person grow through the next level or whatever it is.

And so if you've structured your system with people who are most comfortable doing tasks, then the more the heat gets turned up, the more they will take refuge in the tasks instead of getting out of their bloody office and facing the problem, which is having that conversation with that person, helping that person grow through the next level or whatever it is.

So first of all, you have to break the waterfall, as I call it. Even if your boss does this, you have to stop doing it. That's a fundamental mentality. You need to make up your mind that you want to do that. And then when I coach people around this, then they always present this to me as a problem. This is a problem. How do I solve this?

So first of all, you have to break the waterfall, as I call it. Even if your boss does this, you have to stop doing it. That's a fundamental mentality. You need to make up your mind that you want to do that. And then when I coach people around this, then they always present this to me as a problem. This is a problem. How do I solve this?

Because my boss is pressurizing me and this is what they want. And I know I should be paying more attention to taking care of the people. But I mean, I still have to deliver. So I have to say to them, it's not a problem. It's a polarity. You need to get better at managing that polarity. And you have to see it as a polarity and not as a problem. Because as a problem, it's not solvable.

Because my boss is pressurizing me and this is what they want. And I know I should be paying more attention to taking care of the people. But I mean, I still have to deliver. So I have to say to them, it's not a problem. It's a polarity. You need to get better at managing that polarity. And you have to see it as a polarity and not as a problem. Because as a problem, it's not solvable.