Taking Care of the Tools to Do the Job

When work stalls, the answer is usually simple. Nine times out of ten, it is not politics. It is not strategy. It is the triangle: Money. People. Time.

If one side is short, the whole thing leans.

Not enough money? You need more time or people.

Not enough people? You need more time or money.

Not enough time? You need more people or money.

It is usually the first question worth asking.

Why This Question Is Fundamental

Gallup ask twelve questions to measure engagement. But this one?

“Do you have the materials and equipment you need to do your job right?”

It is one of only two that sit right at the foundation of work. Because without it, nothing else matters. No vision. No strategy. No stretch goals.

If people do not have what they need, they get stuck in stress, hacks, and workarounds. And that is wasted energy. Like a sales rep trying to hit targets without a working CRM. Like a builder waiting on the right materials but being told to push ahead anyway.

Care Is the Difference

This is why the question sits inside a Team Health Check. It is not just a survey item. It is a test of care. Care shows up when leaders do the basics:

• Tools that work laptops that don’t freeze mid-call.

• Processes that fit workflows that cut admin instead of adding it.

• People in the right roles not leaving one person carrying three jobs.

That is when the triangle steadies. And teams move.

The Takeaway

When things feel jammed, do not spin on it. Check the triangle. Check the fundamentals by asking simplest question of all: “What do you need to do your job right?”