Ever Better Today:
Season 2 Episode 63

 Over-Functioning

Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in!

Notes from this episode are below.

Do you tend to over-function? Or under-function? Or do you tend to function at the right level?

If you're over or under-functioning, stop and think about how you can break your cycle. 

 
 

What does it mean to over-function or under-function?

 

When a person tends to perform a task, solve a problem and exert excessive effort to do things that are not their responsibility.

This often happens when a manager jumps in to do work for their team rather than letting them figure out how to complete it. This limits the team’s ability to grow their skills and problem-solving abilities.

Over-functioning

 

When a person is unproductive and avoids doing the work that they should be responsible for. This can happen as a result of being teamed with an over-functioning person. It can be learned behavior or someone’s natural state.

Under-functioning

 

Over-functioning from a parenting perspective. You are a “Helicopter Parent” if…

  • You directly confront your child’s teacher about bad grades or reprimands.  

  • You accompany your child on their job interview 

  • You sit next to your child and give them notes while they interview for a job over Zoom.  

 

Consequences of over-functioning from the book Resilient Leadership 2.0.

  1. Failure to scale.  Companies won't scale because teams can't develop needed skills. Employees won’t learn how to move through risk and uncertainty and create solutions on their own.

  2. Burnout. People who over-function tend to wear themselves out, which can lead to poor health. Under-functioning people who feel that their jobs are threatened as a result of working with an over-functioner, may become ill, too.

  3. Under-developed sense of responsibility. When a parent is always there to bail out their children, they never learn to take responsibility for their actions—a consequence that is damaging to our society.


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