Your rescues feel like progress
Readtime: 2.5 minutes
The belt had slipped off. That was all that was wrong with my washing machine.
It broke the weekend before last, and I had it fixed this weekend. In between, I'd researched new washing machines and was expecting to spend £900.
Darrell, the engineer, knew it was the belt within about 20 seconds of turning up.
There were no parts to pay for, just the £119 call-out fee.
I was so happy. My cleaner was even more happy, because she didn't have to take my clothes to the laundrette again.
I'd effectively saved £800.
But the more I thought about it, the odder it seemed.
Before the washing machine broke, I had a washing machine that worked. After it was fixed, I had a washing machine that worked. The only difference was that I was £119 down.
So why did it feel like I'd won something?
I think it's because the moment it broke, my benchmark moved. I stopped comparing against a washing machine that worked, and started comparing against a £900 bill.
Against that, £119 felt like a bargain.
I was celebrating an £800 saving on a bill that never existed.
Why fixing things feels so good
You probably know the feeling at the end of a week at work spent putting out fires. Maybe you rescued a deal at the last minute, won round an unhappy client, or talked someone good out of resigning.
It can feel like one of your best weeks.
I think it’s because your benchmark changes. The moment something goes wrong, you stop comparing against how things were and start comparing against how bad they could get.
So fixing it feels like progress, even when you've only got back to where you started.
The work nobody thanks you for
But the benchmark only moves when something breaks.
Nobody gets this happy about a washing machine that just works.
The same goes for the work that stops things going wrong in the first place. Nothing broke, so there's no moment of relief.
There's a paper by MIT's Nelson Repenning whose title makes the whole point: "Nobody Ever Gets Credit for Fixing Problems that Never Happened".
That includes the credit you give yourself. The week you spent heading off a problem will probably feel less satisfying than the week you spent fixing one.
The people around you tend to notice what gets celebrated. If the person who rescued a deal gets a mention in the team meeting, but the person who spotted and solved a potential problem doesn't, you'll probably end up with more people wanting to be the hero.
But if rescue feels that good, and it's recognised and rewarded as well, it can take time and energy away from making actual progress. Which we all know feels much better.
So, a question I’ve got for you this week:
When did someone in your team last get thanked for something that didn't go wrong?
Thanks for reading.
Mostyn
P.S. In case you missed it, I'm writing a book called Outsized Leadership, which is out in May next year. The Inner Circle is where I'm sharing what's going on behind the scenes and asking for your advice on things like draft chapters (no obligation, you can just be an observer).
You can join us here and get immediate access to the email I sent on Saturday about how this isn’t’ the book I expected to write.