No, It’s Not Okay For You To Play Devil’s Advocate

Dear Meeting Colleague,
 
We are sorry to inform you that your request to play devil’s advocate cannot be accepted at this time. You’ve done a great job trying to identify everything that could go wrong with almost every idea that comes up in any meeting that you attend. That is commendable. You go above and beyond in your effort to make sure that we “see all sides.”

We applaud your knack for finding the flaws in any idea, but must deny your request at this time.

We know that the market is challenging, and it’s very likely that we haven’t thought of every single aspect of what could go wrong. Therefore, we are in dire need of a role we call “Ark Builder.”

The description is as follows:

• Nice to have:
◦ Sees that storm clouds are coming and can predict, or at least have some inkling, of what could happen when it rains
◦ Understands, and can articulate, what the problem might be when the rain does fall
◦ Can articulate the challenges and risks if substantial rain falls, and what the issues will arise
• Must have:
◦ Be able to clearly articulate their ideas on how to address the issues of the oncoming rain, such as building a large water floatation vehicle, developing a sandbagging plan, or other flood prevention/aversion plans
◦ Be willing to take on the work entailed in implementing such plans
◦ Understand that ideas may or may not be taken
◦ Be willing to take coaching and input from others
 
If this is a role that interests you, we welcome your application.

Unfortunately, this role has gone unfilled for too long. There is no increase in pay, but a vast increase in satisfaction and engagement for you – and everyone around you. For the company, you’ll actually be helping maintain productivity and minimize losses.
 
• •According to one survey, 78% of employees reported a loss of at least 3 hours a week because of complainers
• 11% of respondents said they’ve left a job because they couldn’t stand working with someone perpetually negative
• Unproductive time spent on problems (without finding solutions) can costs companies thousands of dollars per year, per employee
(Source)
 
In fact, there’s really no application or interview process. Any time you want the job, it is yours for the taking…
As of now, however, the Devil’s Advocate role has been permanently filled. Your requests now – and all future requests – will be denied. We’re no longer interested in fielding complaints and criticism without proposed solutions.
 
Thank you…
 
Are there people you’d like to share this rejection letter with? Why?
 
What more might be possible if we took on the Ark Builder role, and focused on finding solutions instead of just highlighting potential problems?

Anil Saxena is the President of Cube 2.14, an organizational development consulting firm that works with clients to increase both customer and employee engagement while decreasing turnover, improving customer retention, and increasing profitability within organizations.

Saxena is a certified High Impact coach and trainer and a Joint Application Design facilitator. He is also certified by both Rush Systems and IBM as a focus group facilitator. He is an inaugural member of Northwestern University’s Learning and Organizational Change program, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Forest For The Trees – Successful Change Blocker #401

One of the biggest impediments to successful change in any organization is the belief that there is no real need to change. This phenomenon is called “forest for the trees.” It is the incorrect belief that there may very well be issues going on around you, but you don’t need to do anything about them.
 
It stems from the belief that the practices of the past led to the successes of the past.
 
However, it was usually either by mere coincidence or lucky timing that success has occurred. This is true in many industries (e.g. homebuilding, higher education), all with the incorrect notion that it was somehow their doing that success occurred, when, in fact, it was the alignment of many factors.
 
When those factors (like the economy) shifted, they were unable to shift with them. They were so unwilling to update their practices, that even in the face of altering landscapes, they march forward as if nothing had changed. Hence, “forest for the trees.”
 
More specifically – not being able to “see the forest for the trees” is the inability to view the big picture. It happens when people fixate on details, or let their emotions prevent them from seeing a decision or action in a larger context.
 
HERE ARE THREE SUREFIRE WAYS TO HELP WITH THIS AILMENT:
 
1.    Show Reality
 
It is nearly impossible to argue with facts. Although facts can be interpreted many different ways, their certainty is hard to question. When there are fewer customers, smaller market share, or declining sales, it is difficult to argue that those things are not happening. In order for those afflicted by “forest for the trees,” it is imperative that they are bombarded with statistics that show them the reality of the situation, and not be allowed to make assumptions that contradict the data.
 
2.    Make Them Responsible For The Success of The Change
 
Nothing makes people more accountable for the success of a change as when they become personally responsible for its implementation. Sometimes the best way to get individuals on board is to have them “in the trenches” of making changes. With hands-on experience, they will begin to grasp the full scope of the change, and more importantly, see the problems of the “old way” first hand. Ideally, this experience will help them understand the necessities of the change, make them all the more likely to get on board.
 
3.    Let Them Prove You Wrong
 

The mark of a true leader is a willingness to be incorrect.
 
To truly test the necessity of a particular change, invite those opposed to it to prove you wrong. In exploring for evidence on why a change does not need to be implemented, it is likely that the “naysayers” will uncover the very evidence supporting the need for change.
 
In the worst case scenario, your employees will prove you wrong, finding solid evidence that a change does not need to happen, and by doing so, they will have saved your company time and money, shown their value and independence as employees, and given you an opportunity to show your commitment to the team by relinquishing your opinion in the face of compelling evidence.
 
Difference of opinion is not necessarily a bad thing at all – especially when we are willing to go the extra mile to collect information and present a case for consideration. Part of maintaining quality leadership is being willing to have an open dialogue with your team about changes – and why some people may be opposed to them. If opposition is strong, it will be to everyone’s advantage to explore the reasons presented, and let the evidence (not the opinions of individuals) do the talking.

Anil Saxena is the President of Cube 2.14, an organizational development consulting firm that works with clients to increase both customer and employee engagement while decreasing turnover, improving customer retention, and increasing profitability within organizations.

Saxena is a certified High Impact coach and trainer and a Joint Application Design facilitator. He is also certified by both Rush Systems and IBM as a focus group facilitator. He is an inaugural member of Northwestern University’s Learning and Organizational Change program, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

There Is Never A Better Path Than Transparency

We live in a world of carefully cultivated image – where spin is everything and companies go to great length to carefully shape and craft their identity- for customers and employees. So much work goes into shaping messages and meticulously selecting what the public can see – and what has to stay under wraps.

What are organizations afraid of revealing?
 
That they don’t know the answer to some questions? That their product isn’t as good as they claim it to be? Something worse?
 
If these hidden truths came to the surface (as they so often do), the damage to a company’s reputation is potentially devastating. For the sake of example, what’s worse?

• Johnson & Johnson acknowledging that there were potentially fatal issues with their product Tylenol.  Taking it upon themselves to remove it from the market until there were assurance that it was safe. Creating a whole new level of safety for the entire industry. Johnson & Johnson handled this tragedy with transparency.  Not only ensuring the problem was rectified quickly but that the public viewed them as trustworthy. Their market share (number 1 at the time) actually grew when Tylenol came back on the shelves.
 
• Suppressing negative real negative issues with a handful of models of it’s cars braking systems, Toyota has still not recovered its position as the number one car manufacture in the world.  Worse than that, there are ongoing lawsuits and lingering investigations still pending against Toyota.  There are some that believe the company worked to systematically cover up the issue.  Unfortunately, once a company has been found to actively hide issues or blame customers for faulty products their reputations are hard to repair.
 
While both of these routes lead to a solution, one is transparent and one is not. One works with the affected customers, and one all but ignores them. Even though the customers eventually receive a solution either way, one of them actually fosters a sense of trust for the company.

Transparency is, without a doubt, always the best route. It won’t always be easy, and it certainly can be embarrassing and painful from time to time, but the gains are countless. People make mistakes, and customers understand that. They don’t get mad when companies mess up, they get mad when they won’t admit – or worse – don’t do anything about it.
 
The same goes for internal transparency: mistakes happen, humans make errors, things get mixed up – but veiling the truth from employees will only make them feel on the fringes, and less a “part of the team.”
Ultimately, employees will begin to mistrust leadership and anything that comes from corporate communications.  Leaving the most important asset any company has collectively rolling their eyes at anything from “corporate”
It’s all about trust here. If a customer (or an employee) can trust a company to do the right thing, to mean what they say, and to follow through with claims and promises, they can forgive mistakes and errors – because they know the company will own up to those too!
 

 
If companies and managerial leaders spent as much time problem solving as they did problem hiding, and let the rest of the world in on the issue at hand, there would be so much more room for innovation, creativity, collaboration, and the building of relationships that actually make a difference in people’s lives.

Anil Saxena is the President of Cube 2.14, an organizational development consulting firm that works with clients to increase both customer and employee engagement while decreasing turnover, improving customer retention, and increasing profitability within organizations.

Saxena is a certified High Impact coach and trainer and a Joint Application Design facilitator. He is also certified by both Rush Systems and IBM as a focus group facilitator. He is an inaugural member of Northwestern University’s Learning and Organizational Change program, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Is Employee Engagement The Dust Covered Treadmill Of Corporations?

There are 100s of employee engagement surveys and consulting firms out there. Yet the rate of engagement is the lowest it’s been in decades.
 

 
The majority of American workers across the board are not engaged in their jobs; more than two thirds of workers or 71% are not engaged in their current positions. Gallup Employee Poll 2013

WHY? ARE WE WORSE GETTING WORSE AT CREATING ENGAGING WORK ENVIRONMENTS OR JUST BETTER AT MEASURING IT?

Probably both. It stands to reason that that the more something is measured or tested for (see Cancer) it’s occurrence tends to increase.  The problem is that this is a two or three year trend.  Maybe there is something else behind the downward trend.  From my (not so objective) perspective it has a lot  to do with how companies utilize engagement.
 
It’s as if  engagement is the New Years resolution to lose weight in the corporate world. In the beginning its exciting and well intentioned. Everyone is on board. Energy is high.  Until the realization hits that it’ll take some work to get in shape!  Then, all of a sudden, people “don’t have time for engagement”.   What can we do about this unfortunate trend?
 
MAKE THE GOAL OF ENGAGEMENT TO IMPACT BUSINESS RESULTS –
 
Yes, its nice to have engaged employees.  But, what are they engaged in?  Why are they happy?  Link engagement to improving the metrics that are important to the business!  If your goal for engagement is to “have more engaged employees” you can be sure its doomed to failure. Tie engagement to operational goals that are tangible and measurable.  They will likely be taken seriously then.
 
MAKE EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ENGAGEMENT –
 
Engagement is everyone’s concern.  Work is much like a relationship.  Each party is responsible for the overall success.
 
• The organization – Must create an environment where engagement is vital.  That means tying engagement to organizational goals.
◦ Weaving engagement into communication, training, etc
◦ Making engagement part of leadership competencies
◦ Touting engagement in annual reports, etc.
• Leaders/Managers
◦ Make engagement part of their responsibilities
◦ Weave engagement into all leadership training
◦ Hold leaders accountable for great and horrible engagement
Employees – Yes, employees are responsible for their own AND their team’s engagement. It can’t be that employees sit back and say – Make me engaged.  They have to take action and own their own engagement.
◦ Give them accountability AND authority to improve their own and their team’s engagement
◦ Make engagement part of their responsibilities
 
BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT RESULTS AND PROGRESS –
 
It is VITAL that engagement results and progress are communicated regularly as quickly as possible.
 
• Announce results within days or up to two business weeks from completion of the survey
• Make sure the results contain the good, the bad AND the ugly
• Regularly update employees about the progress of engagement
◦ What new programs are being implemented as a result of engagement input
◦ How engagement has impacted the business results
 
DON’T FOCUS ON THE SURVEY OR TOOLS –
 
It is important that the survey used has questions that are actionable and there are tools to support working on engagement throughout the year.  However, the focus of the engagement effort should NOT be on the survey.
 
• It’s not about having 100% participation
• It is not about focusing on “completing action plans”
 
Don’t get caught up believing the mechanics of the survey or survey process will make the organization engaged. That is like saying the best treadmill will magically make you thin and healthy.  It won’t. The treadmill is a tool that can be used to start a healthy lifestyle.  But the treadmill alone won’t make you healthy. You have to eat well, make healthy choices, stop sitting on the couch, etc.
 
Therein lies the rub. Both treadmill and engagement survey can either be symbols.  The treadmill can be a symbol of:
 
• Dedication to your health and well being. The tool that started your journey to a “new you”  OR
• Another gimmick to be thin and a great place to dry delicate clothes
 
The engagement survey can be a symbol of:
 
• The organization’s dedication to creating an engaged workplace and workforce
• Lip service to show people that the organization cares
 
 
Which one will move the organization towards high performance?
 
Anil Saxena is the President of Cube 2.14, an organizational development consulting firm that works with clients to increase both customer and employee engagement while decreasing turnover, improving customer retention, and increasing profitability within organizations.

Saxena is a certified High Impact coach and trainer and a Joint Application Design facilitator. He is also certified by both Rush Systems and IBM as a focus group facilitator. He is an inaugural member of Northwestern University’s Learning and Organizational Change program, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

3 No Brainers To Boost Employee Engagement

Based on the countless surveys, consultants, strategies, and team activities that have permeated the lives of corporate employees.
 
Every company wants more engaged employees.
 
• Why, then, does engagement continue to dwindle?
• What about these strategies isn’t working?
• Why does it seem like the companies with the highest levels of employee engagement are trying the least?
 
The answer is fairly simple – the companies struggling with engagement are all about changing policy and practice, but not about impacting company culture.

Here are three ways to foster the kind of change that will boost engagement in any company:
 
1.    Transparency

People want to know what’s going on, plain and simple. When bureaucracy and “need to know” information stand in the way of an employee getting a clear view of what the company is up to, they feel like an invisible cog, moving the machine toward an unknown destination. If an employee isn’t even aware of the end result of their work, or what goals they are helping the company achieve, how can we expect them to care about it?

Instead of keeping employees in the dark, why not share information across the board? A big contract or new project on the horizon might drum up some excitement. If employees know why a program excelled or failed, down to the gritty details, they will be more likely to take personal responsibility.

This isn’t rocket science: the more people know, the more they care.
 
2.    Recognition and Gratitude
 
People also want to be recognized for a job well done, or really, just for a job done. This doesn’t mean incentivizing every employee or throwing a party every time a project is completed. It means real, genuine thanks for each individual’s contribution to the company.

This is something that doesn’t really function as an official policy – no one wants to be thanked because it’s required. There doesn’t even need to be a big show made of it – simply thank and employee for contributing to the company’s success in a personal and individualized way.
 

People don’t forget kindness. – Tom Peters

Managers and supervisors must also understand the cultural shift involved here: express gratitude genuinely because the employees are the lifeblood of the company, because you actually appreciate their contributions, not because it’s required or because it will boost engagement. A genuine thanks goes a long, long way.
 
3.    Autonomy

Independence can be scary for some employees, and particularly for managers, but studies (and successful companies) show that the more freedom we give our employees, the more productive they become. Allowing employees, no matter what kind of environment they work in, to have some control over their own professional lives is hugely empowering. Even small steps, like choosing your own lunch break or slightly flexible scheduling, puts the responsibility on the worker – they will take lunch when it fits with their wants, needs, and workload, not when the whistle blows.

Some companies take this concept further, allowing employees to determine their own schedules, or focus on task/project completion, not hours on the clock. This kind of autonomy puts the ball in the employee’s court – they are responsible for maintaining their own standards of productivity. Allowing employees to self-manage indicates two very important things: that they are trusted by the company to make decisions and maintain their own projects, and that their workload is no one’s responsibility but their own.
 
When people are micromanaged or feel like someone is always looking over their shoulder, they shut down. Constant supervision restricts creativity. Allowing employees to find their own methods, to apply their own unique perspective to the needs of the company, promotes independence, stimulates “outside the box” thinking, and of course, boosts engagement. People tend to rise to the challenges presented to them.
 
Employee engagement is not rooted in policy or surveys, nor can it be gained overnight. Real employee engagement comes from working in a place that is enjoyable, where individual ideas and strengths are embraced, and where the employee feels like a valuable component of the company. This is a culture of engagement, and the businesses that get it right will continue to enjoy success, both internally and externally.
 
HOW DOES YOUR COMPANY CULTURE FOSTER ENGAGEMENT?

Anil Saxena is the President of Cube 2.14, an organizational development consulting firm that works with clients to increase both customer and employee engagement while decreasing turnover, improving customer retention, and increasing profitability within organizations.

Saxena is a certified High Impact coach and trainer and a Joint Application Design facilitator. He is also certified by both Rush Systems and IBM as a focus group facilitator. He is an inaugural member of Northwestern University’s Learning and Organizational Change program, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
 

The Real Secret To Business Success

COMPANIES ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND THE SILVER BULLET TO MAKE THEIR BUSINESSES SUCCEED. THEY TURN TO ADVISORS/CONSULTANTS FOR HELP.
 
THE GOAL OF ALL THE

• advice ,
• articles,
• books,
• videos,
• seminars,
• webinars, and
• training programs

related to business is the same.
 
EVERY METHOD FOR

• attracting social media followers,
• getting more responses from advertising,
• improving customer service, or
• developing high-quality products
 
have one single goal, and it’s the only thing that leads to a company’s success:gaining and retaining customers.
 
Newsflash – If you aren’t attracting new customers – and hanging on to the ones you’ve got – your business is doomed.
 
SO, IF THAT’S THE END-ALL, BE-ALL OF SUCCEEDING IN BUSINESS, HOW DO YOU MAKE THAT HAPPEN?

Beyond the tips and tricks you can learn from the endless stream of internet advice, it is of the utmost importance to instill this value in your employees. From the part time custodian all the way to the CFO – it is the responsibility of each and every member of the organization. They need to understand the Line of Sight to the Customer, the impact their role has on gaining and retaining customers.
 
When all employees understand the impact they have on this “make or break” component of your business, every action they take on the company’s behalf should reflect this knowledge.
 
Every action and reaction should be through the lens of “How does this impact the customer”.  Processes, procedures, products, etc. must be built around that fundamental concept.  Therefore:

• Having employees work until close on Monday and then open Tuesday hinders the customer experience and is not effective for the employee.
• Creating complex processes to submit and be reimbursed for expenses because ONE person does not support gaining/retaining customers.  It also makes those in positions to gain/retain customers feel like the company is not supporting them.
• Creating goals for internal departments that work to pit them against each other undermines the customer experience
• This list really could be endless, right?
 
When employees understand that, as individuals, they each play a vital role in building repeat business, they will see additional value in the role they play for your company.
 
A single bad experience can turn a customer off to a company for good, and send them right down the street to the nearest competitor. This means that whether they are:

• Packing shipments to go out,
• Ringing up customers at a cash register,
• Planning distribution routes, or
• Making company-wide policy decisions;

it’s the responsibility of every employee to offer each customer an experience that will make them come back of their own volition. That is why each and every employee knowing the Line of Sight to the customer is so vital!
 
You must gain, and more importantly, retain customers to achieve success: this is the ONLY way to create a truly successful business.

Anil Saxena is the President of Cube 2.14, an organizational development consulting firm that works with clients to increase both customer and employee engagement while decreasing turnover, improving customer retention, and increasing profitability within organizations.

Saxena is a certified High Impact coach and trainer and a Joint Application Design facilitator. He is also certified by both Rush Systems and IBM as a focus group facilitator. He is an inaugural member of Northwestern University’s Learning and Organizational Change program, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Successful Change – Help The One To Help The Many

Want to increase the likelihood that your big change initiative is successful? Talk about its impact on one individual, NOT how it will make the organization/team/department better.

In his recent book, The Upside of Irrationality, Dan Airely discusses that people relate or accept change more effectively when it’s related to the impact on one person.  Wonder if that is true?  During the 2008 US Presidential campaign, John McCain brought up how his policies would impact “Joe the Plumber.”  The mention did not help Senator McCain (obviously), but it did provide a platform for each candidate to relate their policies in a way that everyone could understand the impact to

THEM.

This phenomenon holds true for so many things that impact large groups directly:

• Selling pharmaceuticals
• Marketing legal services
• Encouraging people to donate money to the “needy”

…and so many more.
 
WHAT TO DO WITH THIS INFORMATION?

STOP trying to tell people what a big difference the “big change” will have on the organization or the team.

START sharing how changing (or not changing) will impact “a person.” Relate it to someone like the employee; this makes the change and its impact real.  It will also improve the quality of the communication and cut out a lot of the buzzwords and jargon.
 
The Small Business Chronicle suggests mapping out the changes as well. Tell employees exactly what is going on and create understanding from the beginning. Once employees are on board with the change, they can make the internal transition smoother and help clients and vendors adjust as well.
 
How do you relate the change to the individual?  What has worked in your experience?

Anil Saxena is the President of Cube 2.14, an organizational development consulting firm that works with clients to increase both customer and employee engagement while decreasing turnover, improving customer retention, and increasing profitability within organizations.

Saxena is a certified High Impact coach and trainer and a Joint Application Design facilitator. He is also certified by both Rush Systems and IBM as a focus group facilitator. He is an inaugural member of Northwestern University’s Learning and Organizational Change program, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Throwing The Monkey

One particularly excellent method of passing the blame from one individual to another is called “throwing a monkey”.

There is a colloquialism in the United States about a problem or burden being “like having a monkey on your back” – A big problem to solve, an issue that can’t be dealt with easily or causes great stress.
 
People are busy.  No one is interested in inheriting or taking on other people’s problems. But surprisingly, many people view managers (parents, clergy, political leaders, etc. ) as receptacles for solving problems that they either don’t want or don’t know how to solve.  They take the problem or monkey off their backs and put it on the manager…and the manager lets them.  In fact, MOST MANAGERS ENCOURAGE IT!
 
Leaders think they are the most able or don’t trust their folks to solve problems correctly.  Thus creating a vicious spiral of making sure that employees are reliant on them, the leader, to solve problems.  Then the manager/leader has the audacity to think – I can’t trust my people to solve problems or they don’t have initiative!

SO WHAT TO DO?
One of the most powerful lessons that a manager can provide to a team is the ability to analyze and solve problems. Empowering the team to solve problems and innovate creates a high performing team. It also eliminates the nasty practice of throwing one’s own monkey (or problem) onto another person (manager).

TAMING THE MONKEY
One of the most powerful ways to end the practice of monkey throwing is replacing it with the “taming the monkey” methodology. This is a simple and effective way to increase accountability and creativity the same time. It works like this:
 
Any problem that is brought up must be coupled with a potential solution(s) or recommendation(s). This encourages the person that brings the issue forth to contemplate remedies to solve the problem.
 
When someone approaches the manager, leader or colleague with an issue it must be paired with a suggested remedy or next step to solve said problem.
 
Thrown Monkey (incorrect):
This process is SO broken!  What are you going to do about it?!?!?!
 
Tamed Monkey (correct):
This process is SO broken!  If we created a form to help the processor note the request, that would stop the confusion.  I mocked up what one might look like, what do you think?
 
Now the manager or colleague is not trying to solve a problem but COLLABORATE ON CREATING A SOLUTION.  Its empowering, freeing, and creates energy.
 
This way of thinking can be called “don’t tell me that the monkey is wild, tell me how to tame it“. Just telling someone that the monkey is wild is useless because they can SEE that.   Providing ideas or solutions to tame it will ensure that everyone can be safe.
 
Clearly, some problems must be addressed by the person to whom its brought. However, no leader is interested in simply being handed a problem to solve. Ideas or recommendations for the potential solutions may not only always be used, but are always welcome. Promoting this practice is a great pathway to encouraging leadership.
 
Remember – Keep your monkeys to yourself.  Tame them by encouraging your team to develop and implement solutions!
 
What do you do when someone tries to make their problem yours?  How do you tame your monkeys?

Anil Saxena is the President of Cube 2.14, an organizational development consulting firm that works with clients to increase both customer and employee engagement while decreasing turnover, improving customer retention, and increasing profitability within organizations.

Saxena is a certified High Impact coach and trainer and a Joint Application Design facilitator. He is also certified by both Rush Systems and IBM as a focus group facilitator. He is an inaugural member of Northwestern University’s Learning and Organizational Change program, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

If You Ask Me How I’m Feeling One More Time

One of the worst things that an employer can do is to over survey employees.  Do you want to know how an employee feels after finishing the 100 questions “engagement survey” or the 6th company wide survey this year?
 
Like the organization they work for has no idea what they really want or need.  It indicates the organization has no clue how to really engage them.
 
As the parent of a teenager, I have learned the hard way that asking, “what’s wrong” 100 times only works to get my daughter angry at me.  It doesn’t show that I care; it shows that I am clueless.
 
Employees have heard too many times that they are the most important assets and seen too many times that how they are treated, listened to or respected doesn’t coincide with that.
 

Just asking someone how he or she is feeling doesn’t make him or her feel better.  – Dr. Phil
 
That reminds me of a story I was told a long time ago.  There was a new farmer from the city that bought livestock farm.  He was struggling to fatten up its prize livestock.  The farmer weighed them every morning. Each time the weight stayed the same.  The farmer checked the scale, brought out a scale expert and even bought an atomic scale. No matter how many times the farmer weighed his livestock, they never gained weight.  The farmer finally broke down and brought his livestock to the veterinarian.  The farmer told him all the woes of the many scales.  The vet shook her head and said, “there is nothing wrong with your scale son, you need to feed them to get them to grow.”
 
That is a silly story, but one that happens every single day in organizations across the globe.  We ask and ask and ask, but without the follow up we are just expecting the asking to get the job done.  Now that is silly.
 
SIGNS YOU JUST DON’T KNOW

1. The survey you use has over 30 questions– There is ample data that points to a phenomenon called Survey Overload. A survey that is too long is not focused and trying to get as much information from the respondent as possible.  There are three problems with this method:

◦ People get angry taking long surveys
◦ The data is seldom actionable
◦ It takes far too long to analyze
◦ The data will not point to any definitive issues that will result in higher performance.

Gallup’s Q12 showed that it is the right questions that enable action and subsequent increases in performance
 
2. There are too many surveys per year (or month or week) – This causes SurveyFatigue .  Survey fatigue gets people angry at taking the survey.  Unless there is follow up or communication for each survey, it will prove to the respondent that their opinion doesn’t matter

3. There is a big build up to the survey, but no communication after it for months.

How would you like it if someone asked you what you would make your living situation more enjoyable and then didn’t get back to you about your response for 4 (or more) months?  Sound crazy?  That is happening RIGHT NOW.  If you are not following up immediately with communication and within 14 to 30 days after the survey with results, employees will start to doubt you value their input.
 
WAYS TO SHOW YOU REALLY DO KNOW

1. Use a survey that has a handful of targeted questions that are actionable.  The survey should be geared towards what will move the needle for the very best performers.  It should be validated and designed to link to organizational performance.(www.coffmanorganizaiton.com)

Survey less dialogue more – It is more effective to survey fewer times, but drive your leaders to talk more about how to create an engaged environment with their teams.  The survey should be a vehicle to discuss how to improve, grow and become more effective.  It shouldn’t replace dialogue.  The survey results tell you where you should focus your energy, but not what you should do once you know.
 
2. Communicate, follow-up, take action and communicate some more –

• Communication should be constant.  There should be ample communication regarding the rationale for the survey, during the survey, once the results are rolled out, and then at regular intervals until the next survey
• Give managers and employee learning about engagement and then actions to follow up.  Make sure they have the tools to be successful.  Yes, employees need that information too. They should own action taken as a result of the survey.
• The MOST critical thing to do with the results is to take some action based on them.  People will watch to see if what they said is being used to improve the organization.  Let employees know when Communicate when action is taken based on employee feedback,  They are excited to know their input has resulted in positive action and improvements
• Oh, did I mention communicating?
 
Don’t let your organization be the clueless farmer. Surveys are outstanding tools but WILL NOT make the organization more effective alone.  Employees will be engaged in the process only if the results are used to drive action and dialogue.  
 
How does your organization use surveys?  What do they do well?  What could be improved?

Teaching The Old Dog – That’s Not Going To Work…Really

The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. Although there is a ton of evidence to the contrary, training being developed today still follows a broken methodology.

Is this insane, or what???  

In a recent project with a client, I was asked to develop training on a new safety system and protocol that was going to be rolled out to all 15,000 or so employees across the world. This new “initiative” was designed to solve an issue regarding incidents that occurred around staircases in their manufacturing facilities. The objective of this training was to reduce those incidents by at least 50%. This outcome would save the company money.
 
And a side benefit is that it would allow people to work more safely and probably enjoy work more.
 
The solution that was developed prior to my arrival was a three-day intensive course on safety focusing on this specific incident. This was followed up by two computer-based training courses and a subsequent test.
 
To my client surprise, the solution didn’t work. As a matter fact those same safety incidents actually went up.
 
Although shocking to my client, it was evident to me that this was another case of the best intention falling far short of the objective.
 
SO WHY DID THIS FAIL?
 
There are really three main reasons that this training was insufficient and was actually the wrong solution to solve this problem.
 
1. The training did not involve action. Three days of classroom training and subsequent computer-based training may be effective in some cases, but for this instance, it probably was the worst solution that they could have created. Correcting issues regarding activity requires activity in the training.

2. The training was too long. There is no reason that training like this should have lasted anymore than 90 minutes. If it was necessary to have a longer training regarding safety, it probably should have been broken up into smaller bite-size chunks. Let’s face it; our attention spans are minuscule nowadays. Some statistics say that it is anywhere from 5 to 7 minutes. Therefore having a training that is three-day long about one subject encourages the participants to not pay attention and only desire to be out of the class as soon as possible.

3. Training probably was the wrong solution to begin with. Training is a great solution to teach someone a new skill or introduce them to a new behavior. Generally speaking for reducing incidents regarding safety training doesn’t help to solve the problem it only highlights that there is one.
 
WHAT DID WORK?
 
The solution we suggested was counterintuitive coming from someone brought in to analyze training.
 
Here is what we did:
 
• We talked to the people that had either witnessed and or “participated” in one of the incidents
• Created warning signs and placed rubber mats around the area where the incidents began to occur
• Created “talking points” for supervisors, line managers, and all other leaders to discuss the safety incidents and to highlight the new precautions
• Created a 5 min. activity showing the incident and allowing discussion about how to avoid it as part of monthly plant meetings
 
What Was the Result?
 
In one month, the safety incidents were reduced by 50%. Within 60 days the safety issue was almost nonexistent. Of course, there were rare times that it did happen. On further conversation, the client and their work team decided to make the activity we created for the plant meetings a part of all new employee training.
 
Training is a powerful tool. It is important to have opportunities to develop employees utilizing training and often times it is a crate tool to introduce new concepts, skills, or things that employees are going to need to do in a new way.
 
However, training is not a catchall solution for every incident. Therefore, it’s important to make sure to look at the issue and determine what is the simplest, straightforward and high-impact method to correct the situation.
 
Where have you seen training being used incorrectly? What might you have done to solve this problem?

Anil Saxena is the President of Cube 2.14, an organizational development consulting firm that works with clients to increase both customer and employee engagement while decreasing turnover, improving customer retention, and increasing profitability within organizations.

Saxena is a certified High Impact coach and trainer and a Joint Application Design facilitator. He is also certified by both Rush Systems and IBM as a focus group facilitator. He is an inaugural member of Northwestern University’s Learning and Organizational Change program, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

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