[Myung Dae-sung's True Colors of Communication] Is That an Important Issu...

[Photo credit=Pixabay]

[Columnist Myung Dae-sung, Korea Lecturer News] When I give lectures, there is one of the concerns that leaders bring up most frequently.

I keep pointing out the same problem, but the team member's behavior doesn't change.

That is a perfectly relatable point. From a leader's perspective, it is bound to be frustrating. Repeating the same things and facing the same problems again is tiring for anyone. However, if you listen a little further, a question suddenly comes to mind.

Is that really such an important issue?

In fact, the case of one team leader was exactly like that. He continuously pointed out a team member's attitude and habits, and in the process, his emotions were becoming increasingly heated. The nature of the issue was not wrong. However, it was necessary to reconsider whether it was a matter important enough to determine the organization's performance. So, I asked this in return.

Is the part you just mentioned a core issue that absolutely must be changed?

A moment of silence followed.

This scene is repeated in many organizations. Problems clearly exist. However, the 'importance' of those problems is not sufficiently examined. What is important in leadership is not the ability to discover problems, but the criteria for selecting what to consider as a problem.

Organizations are filled with numerous inconveniences and shortcomings. One might dislike a tone of voice, or the way work is done might differ from one's own standards. If one starts scrutinizing everything from the format of reports and the details of attitudes to small habits, there is no end to it. However, the moment one makes an issue of every single one of these things, the organization quickly becomes exhausted. Criticism increases, tension rises, and relationships become increasingly rigid.

In the end, only one thing remains. "Leadership where emotions take precedence over work"

A leader is in a position where emotions cannot be excluded. Just because it is a company, people cannot work without emotions. On the contrary, emotions are a crucial factor that determines the atmosphere and engagement of an organization. However, leaders must make a distinction.

There is a difference between emotions being important and emotions becoming the standard.

The moment emotions become the standard, the magnitude of the problem is exaggerated beyond reality. The focus of criticism shifts from work to people, and the organization gradually begins to lose its direction.

Therefore, leaders must ask themselves this question.

Is this really an important issue?

How much does solving this problem affect the nature of our work?

Criticism that follows without asking this question is mostly wasteful. Of course, this does not mean that everything should simply be left alone. Actions that undermine public standards, attitudes that damage organizational trust, or issues that directly impact performance must be addressed clearly. However, in other areas, other options are available. One can negotiate, one can wait, and sometimes, showing respect leads to a better solution.

Leadership is not about setting everything right, but rather about deciding what not to set right. If you start expending energy on unimportant issues, you lose the strength to handle truly important problems. And organizations feel that difference acutely.

“What does this leader consider important?” The answer to this question ultimately becomes the direction of the organization.

Whenever I give a lecture to team leaders, I ask this at the end.

“Is the problem you are currently holding onto really an important one?”

Columnist Profile

Columnist Myung Dae-sung is an expert actively engaged in various topics centered on communication and organizational culture, including leadership, communication methods that move people's hearts, the power of attitude, wise workplace life, semi-retirement strategies, and writing. He has lectured at Samsung Group, KB Securities, NH Nonghyup Bank, KG Group, and Sungkyunkwan University, and conveys messages regarding empathetic leadership and communication that bridge generations.

As a writer of 15 years, he enjoys the process of exploring relationships between people and creating new connections through conversation. Observing phenomena, asking questions, and refining the essence of relationships into language is his long-standing habit and greatest strength. Based on these insights, he writes books and also serves as the CEO of Book Hero, a publishing house that creates “writings that resonate in the hearts of a million people.”

Major works include *The Power of Attitude That Makes Me Strong*, *Harvard Debate Class*, *Etiquette Is Necessary in Office Life*, *I Am Starting Work as a Team Leader Tomorrow*, *The Art of Maintaining Appropriate Distance*, *Office Life Etiquette*, and *The Semi-Retirement Revolution*. Some of these books have been published in Thailand.

주요

기사

명대성 칼럼니스트