find the question marks. turn them to periods or exclamation points.

A hack I like for cutting malaise, sparking action, and averting dead end conversations is the “cartoon punctuation” test.

Everyone you work with, each of your people, walks around at all times with a cartoon punctuation mark above their head. It’s either a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point. 

The folks with periods are the ones who know what’s happening, know what they’re supposed to do, and have some sense of why they are supposed to do it. The period is the symbol of their quiet resolve.

The folks with the exclamation points have the clarity of the ones with the periods … plus some zest. They know what they’re doing and they’re enthusiastic about it. Yay!

The folks who need your attention are carrying question marks. They are confused about one of those core questions: what are we doing? What’s my part of it? How’s it going? Why are we doing this?

Sometimes it’s really obvious what someone’s punctuation mark is. They have a cartoonish facial expression. When you look at them, you see a mask of resolve or engagement or confusion. 

Other times, it’s less obvious. You’re in a team meeting and things feel flat. You’re in a 1:1 and there are awkward pauses and listless exchanges. 

In ambiguous, uninspiring moments like this, leaders who pride themselves on their empathy can fall into the trap of trying to take on some piece of their people’s “Inside Job.” They look for an emotional solution when a practical one may be needed. 

It’s striking to me how often what folks really hunger for is clarity. The root problem isn’t sadness or status or friction with colleagues. They have a big cartoon question mark hovering above their head

You have a special ability to turn the question mark into a period or an exclamation point. You’re the leader - you either know what’s going on, what this person’s role is in it, and why it’s happening or you can make the decisions that deliver those answers. (Sometimes the decision is “Give me a rough draft of your own answer to these questions - I’ll probably green light it.”)

Seek out your folks with question marks. Give them the information they need to leave the conversation with a period or an exclamation point.

-Eric