Tuesday, 24 September 2013
The 4 Enemies of Improving an Organisation
Change is a common word these days in consulting and it generally refers to the human element - the culture of the organisation. Getting that organisation's culture to change is a path fraught with challenges.
There are the four main enemies to changing an organisation.
Internal Expertise
Many companies struggle to improve because they are blindsided by their own brilliance. That is, they often believe that only they understand the business, only those within the sector can help and only those with long backgrounds in this industry can possibly add value.
Many companies struggle to improve because they are blindsided by their own brilliance. That is, they often believe that only they understand the business, only those within the sector can help and only those with long backgrounds in this industry can possibly add value.
Take a moment to ask yourself what the three main selling points of your company are.
Now imagine your company has suddenly gone under. But you are fortunate enough to secure a similar role with your main competitor.
Now, honestly, ask yourself what the three main selling points of your new company are.
See the similarities? It might be uncomfortable to realise but approximately 90% of all business issues are the same, whether it's selling onions or designing jumbo jets.
Quite often the answer can be found outside the sector, not because their is expertise in your product or service, but because the fresh set of eyes can be truly objective.
Complacency
Business school texts often speak of 'buy-in' being the essential first stage to any transformation programme. Engaging with the relevant stakeholders is a top down drive. Nothing new there, right?
But rather than try to encourage the buy-in, why not work towards providing a culture of innovation and restlessness? 3M are famous for providing time to innovate (it gave us Post It notes) and Google has had the 20% allowance.
Constantly looking to improve without destroying the dedication of staff is a skill that can always be worked upon.
The Peter Principle
How many managers have you worked with or under who, frankly, shouldn't have been there? It's frightening how much time a lot of these overpromoted people dedicate to avoiding being uncovered, often at the cost of others.
However, listening to those at the coal face can prove invaluable. They have the day to day knowledge of the business problems, often technical, which require solving. Often they feel unrecognised but offering the channels to communicate and listening to the constructive suggestions can often alter situations for the positive.
Aversion
Some senior staff are unwilling to make changes. They feel that stability is the bedrock for success. The trouble is, markets are constantly changing, channels to market are opening frequently, marketing techniques are altering - the list goes on. If a set of processes and procedures are working seamlessly, at what stage will they require reviewing?
Welcoming improvement is never a barrier to success. Just talking about is, though.
Xalen is a consultancy which specialises in executing strategy.
Sunday, 22 September 2013
8 Tips For Organizational Change Management
Driving change in most organizations can be (and is) difficult. This is especially true when the organization is used to doing things one way. I have worked in some companies where making decisions and changing business operations was easy (okay, as easy as it can be). These companies were usually pretty small and didn't have a lot of rules or red tape to wade through to get to the other side. On the other hand, I have worked for some pretty large companies where it was nearly impossible to make changes.
Change management is the approach used to change or transform a person, team, or even company to a desired goal or state. Change management is usually referred to in project management processes wherein a project is established and accepted. However, I am referring to change management in an organization where the culture of the organization (i.e. employees) may need change to either keep up with competing companies or to keep up with the changing industry.
A common misconception from many people I've met who are not in the wireless industry is that wireless companies must be able to change very quickly because the industry is ever-evolving. I've only witnessed one company that was able to change quickly and that was only because the company was small enough to be able to initiate change rapidly. Most wireless companies, independently owned wireless retailers included, are difficult to change as a whole. Whether the change is in specific processes, organizational structure, or even something needs to be added or detracted from the business, changes will have an impact on the organization as a whole and needs to be thoroughly researched and properly implemented to get the most buy-in from the organization as a whole. Every situation and possible outcome should be thought of and addressed throughout the process.
First, identify what needs to change and why. If several things are identified as "needed changes," if there aren't specific (and compelling) reasons for the change, then just don't do it.
Second, a realistic assessment of the organization should be conducted. Things to look for would include: who the change affects, to what degree the change affects certain departments or employees, what their anticipated reactions will be to the change, and the readiness of the organization to change.
Third, key individuals in the organization should be consulted with to get a feel for the organization and the support the change will receive through key players in the organization.
Fourth, if buy-in isn't obtained by the majority, then the plan needs to address how to get the organization ready for change.
Fifth, create a plan. Yes, that's easier said than done. The plan should include things like: a description of the change, reasons that benefit certain departments and the organization as a whole (if the change is that large), how to involve everyone in the organization in the change (including obtaining feedback about the change), and several ways to make the plan flexible.
Sixth, communication and ownership are key in change management. Communicate all of the details to the organization and find specific key people to give ownership of part of the change (usually for their area or department). Once ownership is established the organization should begin to see change fairly quickly.
Seventh, address concerns, questions, and comments by individuals at every level of the organization in a timely manner. Keep an open mind to the ideas and thoughts of all employees and be flexible in the ability to change initiatives if they aren't working with the organization's employees overall. Just because we want to do something one way, it doesn't mean that it's always the right way (or the easiest). Plans don't always go the way we want - be prepared for that.
Eighth, change management doesn't end when the goal is achieved. Creating permanent change and a positive culture takes time, dedication, and hard work. Ensure all employees feel valued and are included in future changes as needed.
If conducted correctly, organizational change management will help the organization reach the end-goal and even surpass it as the organization moves past trouble areas.
For more information on change management please visit my blog at http://www.kristymlopez.com
Why Do We Do What We Do?
"That's just the way we do it" - Something I've heard countless times from leaders and their reports in response to my question, "Why do you [fill in the blank]?". I am surprised by how little careful thought we tend to give to why we do the things we do in the workplace.
This led me to wonder - why? If an organization's culture is a collection of lessons that helped it grow and survive, it is only sensible that members of the group would look to past successful behavior for future guidance. Over time, provided these behaviors yield positive results, management develops processes to ensure that these effective behaviors occur and that positive outcomes are achieved in more and more consistent ways. Eventually, people aren't consciously thinking about why they do what they do. They do what they've always done because it seems to have worked for them in the past.
Adding to the potential risk of this work on autopilot mentality is the "noise" of the day-to-day. As people scramble to tackle to-do's, they oftentimes don't feel they have the luxury to think critically about why it is they do what they do. I am not judging. This is a trap we all fall into time and again. We are a product of our environment and task saturation is nothing new to most people in today's dynamic business environment.
This, in and of itself, wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing... if we worked in a bubble where our environment didn't change. But when behaviors that have historically yielded success cease to do so, people start to ask themselves why they are doing what they do. Unfortunately, by then, it may be too late.
Truly exceptional leaders are those who constantly ask the question, "Why?". Effective leaders are those who push others to examine why they do things the way they do them and inspire them to understand the marketplace and question the efficacy of their behavior. Exceptional leaders question things, even when people feel things are going well. They constantly push their teams to look for new and better ways to do things.
When is the last time you stopped and asked the question, "Why do I do the things I do?". The answer may surprise you. I challenge you to ask people on your team this same question once you have had an opportunity to explore it on your own.
At gothamCulture ( http://www.gothamculture.com ), we focus on identifying the underlying causes of organizational obstacles and assisting leaders to develop and execute breakthrough strategies that elevate their performance. We provide critical and thought provoking insight to leaders who desire to use organizational culture and leadership as key drivers of performance. Our staff, and associate network of highly skilled and diverse professionals, spans North America, providing targeted support at just the right time to meet your organization's needs.
What Can a Team Building Speaker Do for a Company?
Working in a team is not as easy as it sounds to be especially when you are working with an organization. In a group every member has a different view point as well as different strategies to face a situation. Moreover each member expects his method to be accepted as he finds it to be the best. It leads to discontentment or view-clash which is generally not fruitful for an organization. Leaders often find it as a difficult task to inspire their team towards one common solution. You can find such differences at all levels or strata's of an organization as such differences on creativity levels are bound to happen. What can be done in such cases? A possible solution in this regard could be to organize inspiring speech events from team building speakers from time to time. These speeches create an atmosphere of optimism that motivates team work in a company.
The experience and exposure gained by such speakers have actually made them quite witty and understanding. They can easily grasp the issues a team might be facing and provide solutions to recover from it. One of such issues is the lack of communication which creates a lot of confusion and ambiguity among the members. The speeches by such speakers promote the need of effective communication skills such that an interactive work culture could germinate in a team. Additionally many companies also observe a lack of trust among their workforce which leads to judgmental work related decisions. Such speech events could be quite useful in such cases. The speakers present their talks in the form of interactive stories that make the employees realize the importance and need of trust among them.
Another benefit of such speakers is that they can recognize managerial conflicts and direct their talks into ways that can minimize them. For example when you have the world famous management guru Philip Kotler speaking for your company, the listeners experience a sense of motivation which enables them to deal with diverse situations effectively. Apart from team skills the speeches also covers the issue of managing increasing stress and different methods that can help with interpersonal issues. Above all such speakers create awareness among employees to understand their professional preferences and the need to work for them.
If you are facing similar issues in your organization then you can call for such orators to motivate your staff. Some suggestions for it could be Chester Elton, John Foley, Adrian Gostick, Jones Loflin Etc. If you need some business oriented one, you can also have famous Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus speaking at your event. To book such dynamic personalities you can take the help of speaker bureau's who could assist you from the process of selection to fixing them for your event.
Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Leadership Skills: Good Leader, Bad Leader
If you ever want to know what makes up a great leader, the answer is as simple as having experienced the interaction with a leader that is less than stellar. Many inexperienced leaders and experienced ones alike, often attempt to determine what it is that makes up a good or even great leader.
One thing that is true is that a good leader makes a person feel that they are capable individuals, even when they are not so capable at all. This does not mean that the leader would assign tasks that workers or others are incapable of successfully accomplishing, unless of course it is a part of their leadership strategy.
Leaders often make others see possibilities that they may believe or have believed they were not capable of fulfilling. A good leader is one who is willing to see others rewarded, even if they are not being rewarded.
The following are a few things to look for in a good leader and some things that are comparable in a bad leader.
- The Blame Game. Blaming others for errors that are made and taking little ownership is a sign of poor leadership skills, while the good leader would work to see the error of the circumstances and coach team members (others) to better future outcomes.
- Dictatorship in Leaders. Asking others to do laborious tasks would be a sure sign of the questionable leaders, while the good leader would be willing to complete any tasks that they ask of others.
- Poor Communication Skills. The use of poor body language, inappropriate words and negative tones of voice are all behaviors of the poor leader, but respect for other regardless of the circumstance is the attributes of a leader worth following.
- Dumping on Others. Delegation to the extreme is a good way to display the lack of care of consideration for team members, while the leader seeking to find ways to help is a notable contribution.
- Lack of Respect. The lack of respect for others when they are speaking is a way of conveying how unimportant a team member is, but when a team member is valued it is of great importance to show them by listening to what they have to say.
- Bullying in the Workplace. Bullying in the workplace is unacceptable coming from another team member or from any leader, so the good leader would take the necessary steps to ensure that every team member feels safe from harassment or hostility in the workplace.
A. Murphy Sharp (Author)
Personal, Professional and Leadership Development Coach If you want to development your leadership skill-set or simply want to gain more control over your life http://MrsMuffinTopp.Com is a great starting point. I have helped many to become the leaders of their own lives, and I can assist you too! Are you ready?
Personal, Professional and Leadership Development Coach If you want to development your leadership skill-set or simply want to gain more control over your life http://MrsMuffinTopp.Com is a great starting point. I have helped many to become the leaders of their own lives, and I can assist you too! Are you ready?
The Art of Building Rapport
Far too often, when we come across customers, colleagues or family members who appear to be unreasonable in their expectations or just plain difficult to work with, the temptation is to either take the fight to them, be defensive or just be indifferent. Neither of this is a great solution if what we are looking for is an improved outcome and a stronger relationship.
Through my NLP training, I learned that great influencers believe that "there are no unresourceful people, just unresourceful states or moments." All of us have had times in our life when we weren't feeling the best and in that state, made decisions we regretted. I believe the key to being great at relationship-building is to first believe that people are innately good, desire to be good and given the right direction, tools, resources and emotional states are capable of great acts of kindness. Many people we come across are burdened with fear, anxiety or hurt of some sort and this often affects their behaviour, which could rub us off the wrong way. It's useful to remember that in such situations, their behaviour is not a reflection of what or who you are, but of what might be going on in their lives at that moment.
What I've learned, through practise is that the best way to work with others is to choose to find the good in them and to be proactive about offering them kindness.
When I get into a taxi, for instance, I first scan the dashboard for a name and offer the driver a cheery greeting. Almost 100% of the time, this simple and effective ice-breaker begets a positive response (you get the "how did you know?" look). Sadly, someone being willing to do this appears to be the exception rather than the norm these days. On the flipside, this does mean that it's not too hard to "stand out" and make friends!
In the words of Dale Carnegie, author of "How to Win Friends and Influence People", "a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language." Greeting a person by their first name - simple yet powerful. These days, customer-facing staff at most hotels, restaurants and even companies, wear name-tags. They're there for a great reason. What a wonderful advantage this offers us to establish rapport with them. When on the phone with a stranger, always take time up front to introduce yourself and then ask "and may I know who I have the privilege of speaking with please?" I find it really helps set a positive tone for the call.
Naturally, this works best when it's sincere - when we're genuinely interested in people and know that we can make a difference, however small, in every interaction we have with them. All it takes is a smile, or greeting that person by name.
I am often asked how I'd rate the level of service from a particular hotel, restaurant or organisation. I can honestly say that more often than not, I receive tremendous service. And not because I only visit joints with that sort of reputation. I believe that comes from the attitude of "serving" that person first. You may not always have it coming back to you but I've found that by being that way, I feel much happier about my day. And isn't that what we're really after every day, anyway?
So, keep smiling, find the good in others and make their day by acknowledging them in some way, if only by greeting them by their name! Check out this 4-minute video highlighting the value of empathy in our interpersonal relationships: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl2_knlv_xw.
For more on this topic and other great tips for managing and mastering change and developing your emotional intelligence visit our blog ( http://dominicsiow.com ) and and sign up for our FREE, 5-day Email Course on mastering change.
Author: Dominic Siow
Dominic Siow is an inspirational speaker, trainer and coach who resides in Sydney, Australia. His talks and workshops on Emotional Intelligence, Mastering and Managing Change, Leadership and Influence have and continues to impact thousands of lives across Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia. His mission is to help create high performance workplaces where people are empowered to be the best they can be in helping with their organisation's mission.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)