Reliability is one of those amorphous characteristics that is sometimes neglected in the work place. We see it in different ways. One team member may be reliable in terms of making deadlines while another is reliably late. One person may be reliable in completing tasks while another is reliably inconsistent.
Obviously, leaders want to emphasize the positive aspects of reliability. They also can’t ignore the negative factors, though, and need to emphasize to team members how this can be career limiting.
This topic came to mind while working with the executive assistant of a client who I’ll call Kelly.
Kelly is working with me on logistics for a future program and as of today everything is set and confirmed. Kelly has spoiled me a bit, since this is different than working with assistants of other clients.
Notice that I didn’t talk about any hard skills, but they are evident by the results. This example showcases Kelly’s great organizational skills and efficiency, highlighted by her reliability.
When you scan the skills of your team, who merits the label of reliable? If your team flounders with reliability, you need to take action to reverse this immediately. The reputation of your department or your company can be negatively impacted by inattention to this.
Like any habit, this can be developed by strengthening it daily. People may groan about having one more thing to focus on, but this is a biggie and well worth the effort.