A few years ago I took piano lessons for about 4 months.

It changed my life.

That might sound sarcastic given the abbreviated amount of time spent, but I’m being quite serious.

I ended those lessons because of a scheduling conflict, not because I learned it all in 4 short months, but two simple instructions my teacher used have stuck with me since.

Slow down. Do it again.

I hadn’t read music in years when I started these lessons and found that trying to read music for two hands was a real challenge. I would invariably encounter sections of the simplest music through which I would stumble and she would calmly tell me to slow down.

It turns out that I could read and play almost anything IF I slowed down enough. It may have been painfully protracted and an absolute chore to listen to, but I was able to execute every note in the correct sequence IF I gave my brain enough time to process the flow of instructions.

And when I would finally find the tempo at which I could play the music successfully she would interrupt my celebration by asking me to do it again.

Doing it once isn’t proof of mastery. You have to be able to do it over and over again to prove that.

These are powerful phrases we can use with those we lead.

When they struggle, look for the equivalent of slow down so they can rehearse the steps and build new grooves in their brain. When confronted with our own incompetence we often consider giving up. Slowing down is the alternative that helps us reconsider our ability to overcome that incompetence.

It’s the difference between I can’t do this, and I can’t do this YET.

Monitor their progress and ensure they are doing things correctly. You don’t want them reinforcing the wrong actions. It’s like lifting weights: form is the first priority. You don’t add weight or reps until you can do the motion correctly. 

When they are able to complete the task/project/presentation, give them a high five, but then find an opportunity for them to do it again. Mastery comes from repetition. 

OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTION: Consider your team and identify opportunities to use slow down and do it again this week. Who needs someone to help them improve their presentations? Who needs someone to offer feedback about their email communication? Who needs help navigating conflict? Help them slow down. Help them do it again.