Is there a task your team consistently fails to do? It might be a simple task, but one that is important to their work. Do you feel like a broken record because you keep reminding them they didn’t do it?

It’s easy to focus on what’s not being done, rather than what is being done. The message you send, though, is that you’re blaming the team for failing. When people feel blamed, they’re more likely to feel judgment or shame, neither of which will lead to better outcomes.

Focus on those who are doing the task. Acknowledge them for having done it, saying something like, “Sam, I noticed you did ‘the task.’ Thank you. Good work.”

Often, problems aren’t about the people. There’s something in the environment causing them to miss the task. Ask your team some powerful questions to get them reflecting on what’s happening. Then, watch them fix it.

You’ve got this.