MOTIVATION – Are You Part of the Problem?

MOTIVATION –  Are You Part of the Problem?


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2011

Are you Part of the Problem? Well are you? 

Coretta Scott King writes “It doesn’t matter how strong your opinions are, if you don’t use your power for positive change, you are indeed, part of the problem.”

Man, oh man, I can sure relate to this! For the past few weeks I have been sorely challenged by someone who pays lip service to bringing about positive change but who is so blinded by her title (of manager) that she blocks every attempt  to make a change that she hasn’t personally thought about or hasn’t been discussed to death with her in an attempt to get her approval.

Quite frankly it’s exhausting!  It’s been seven weeks of ‘exhausting’ and I am no closer to the goal than when I started.  I am seriously very close to finding someone else to run with the idea. I have no doubt that I am not the only person to have experienced this and I am equally sure that this will not be the last time I experience it either.

You see, this woman, let’s call her Alice, has now become a part of the problem instead of part of the solution, to bring about change. Everything has to be in her time, as part of her criteria and with her own agenda and to make matters worse, she also does not communicate effectively, so if she has a query or is not sure of something, instead of making a call to ascertain what/where/how/when, she does . . .  yeah, you’ve got it, absolutely nothing because “someone was supposed to have told me”!

In the meantime, several weeks of opportunity have gone by, nothing has happened and nothing has been resolved and we are still doing this really weird dance around her!  Yes, I am sorely tempted to walk away and find someone else – someone who understands what I am trying to do and someone with the same code of conduct, same set of ethics and the same intention to make a difference and be a part of the solution. I wonder if her Board of Directors will see the situation in this light when we meet this afternoon and I tell them of my decision.  I wonder if they too will become a part of the problem or if they will stand up and be counted, and be a part of the solution too . . . . ?
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Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za