Organizational Change Articles Archives • Page 6 of 7 • Cube 214

26 Aug 2015

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

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena On August 26, 2015

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?

26 Aug 2015

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena Posted in Instructional Design Articles, Leadership Articles, Organizational Change Articles Permalink

Controlling The Truth

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena On August 26, 2015

One of the most prevalent signs of Organizational Learned Helplessness (OLH) is the art of making any news sound good.

Better known as “spinning”. Spinning takes its queue from George Orwell’s 1984 –

”Day by day and almost minute by minute the past was brought up to date. In this way every prediction made by the Party could be shown by documentary evidence to have been correct; nor was any item of news, or any expression of opinion, which conflicted with the needs of the moment, ever allowed to remain on record. All history was a palimpsest, scraped clean and reinscribed exactly as often as was necessary.”

Essentially, it is perpetually changing the story to make the company, country, person, etc. sound/look the best. Companies do this constantly. Although their intentions may be good, the end result is not. In fact, the results can be tragic for the organization’s internal and external reputation.

3 RESULTS OF CONTROLLING THE TRUTH

1. Investors (and therefore the public for most part) don’t believe when things are going well and over correct when things are bad.

“Saying what’s so makes the bad less bad and the good better” Jim Kramer

2. Consumers/customers stop trusting the organization and look for reasons to flee.

“Toyota lost more customers each time they came out with a statement about the brake issue. Had they just corrected it, the story would have been over in a week. They perpetuated it by trying to control the truth”

3. Employees stop listening to the “corporate communications”, believe rumors, and actively undermine the organization (even unconsciously). This is caused by lower trust and usually results in lower profit.

WHAT CAN YOU DO

Not constantly spinning goes against the “new normal”, but has been shown to reap huge benefits – look at Apple, Ford, etc. There are three fundamentals to gain and maintain trust:

1.Tell the whole truth earlier – In In the age of the Internet and WikiLeaks there is no doubt that the truth will come out eventually is imperative that you tell the whole truth. It seems counterintuitive to the art of spinning. But, employees, customers, and investors are likely not going to believe the spin. They will fill in the blanks on their own. They have been taught to do this by the constant masking of what is really so. If the truth is told early then you can get out in front of the issue and begin to correct it.

2. Instead of controlling a story, try solving the problem – it sounds deceptively simple, but it’s not. The focus should never be damage control, but solution creation. Once a mistake is made, it’s made. The real test is can the issue be resolved to become stronger. Tylenol did this beautifully. An issue with their product became a catapult to huge market share and public safety.

3. Accept blame and move on. Admittedly, this is the hardest one. In our litigious society it is difficult to accept blame because there could be larger ramifications. However, the quicker that blame can be assessed. The better that a solution can be provided. Now accepting blame or fault doesn’t necessarily mean that the entire situation was your or the organization’s fault. Really determining the issue and then working towards a solution will make everything resolved more quickly and more amicably.

The truth will always find a way out, always. Organizations that get out in front of problems and start to provide solutions can move past a problem and turn it into a win for the organization will be seen as far superior to their competition. That is why we still talk about Tylenol’s outstanding reaction more than 25 years later. My wife used to tell me something that still holds true today –

Spinning your clothes doesn’t get the stain out, it embeds the dirt deeper.

The truth can’t be controlled, so you might as well stop trying…ask the leaders at Toyota.

What do you think about controlling the truth? What is the danger of telling too much truth?

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.

26 Aug 2015

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena Posted in Leadership Articles, Organizational Change Articles Permalink

Leaders: Watering During A Drought

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena On August 26, 2015

Often times when the economy gets bad, one of the first areas to get cut is training and development. Although not vital to keeping the doors open, ensuring the development of employees is one of the most important tools for driving future growth and innovation.

However, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t some training that could be eliminated or reduced.
But, just like watering the garden during a drought, there are some plants that should be watered to ensure the gardens growth when the drought is over.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR LAND

There are a few lessons we can learn about development from taking care of the land during a drought:

1. Not Everything Should be Watered the Same Amount

The hard truth is that there are some training initiatives and programs that are necessary to ensure the growth of the organization, and there are some that are simply just nice to have.

It is important to use this time to eliminate training that doesn’t have impactand redirect those budget dollars to training shown to make a positive difference.

Some areas should be cut in order for other areas to get more needed funding.

2. Monitoring the Crop
It is vital at all times, but especially during “a drought,” to be able to identifythe training that has impact on on-the-job performance. –

The training that can cause increases in efficiency, effectiveness, customer satisfaction, etc. should be those “plants” that get extra water during a drought.

Great training can be seen as a strategic advantage.

Monitoring training impact can lead you to those great training programs more quickly.

3. Don’t Forget to Weed

Don’t hesitate to drop development programs that have little or no impact. It is important that you are showing fiscal responsibility during the “lean times”.

Regardless of the economy, it’s important to focus energy and resources in continuing to develop your folks in an organization.

What do you need to cut back on in order to help your business grow? Which areas in your company need to be “watered” the most? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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.

25 Aug 2015

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena Posted in Leadership Articles, Organizational Change Articles Permalink

Corporate Titles – The New Art Of Crazy

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena On August 25, 2015

Over the course the past few years, organizational titles have gotten stranger and even more meaningless. Why does a title mean so much? Why is it so important for corporations to give inflated titles to positions that don’t really require it?
It is as if we believe that by giving someone a heightened title, it will encourage them to act in a different way.

For some people that may work well, however for the majority of employees, a title that is not relevant or realistic to the work that they do can seem silly at best and insulting at worst.

It can actually work to undermine or demean employees.

Titles that have come up recently:
• Chief First Impression Officer = Receptionist
• Deputy Creative Director = Assistant Creative Director = Creative Directors second-in-command
• Hair engineer = Stylist = someone who cuts and styles hair for a living

There is nothing wrong with new titles or even inflated titles; the problem is that titles don’t make a job or work environments any better, just like changing the name of poop won’t make it smell any different.

Research shows that the most critical things for employees are that their work is challenging, the work environment is good, and their managers are great. If the focus for companies is to creating a productive, profitable, and great place to work then, for the most part, titles are very secondary.

If we are spending too much time trying to come up with nifty titles instead of making the workplace great, then energy is being wasted.

Employees see right through the attempt to “cover up the smell.” Companies that focus on creating productive profitable and highly engaged organizations will likely succeed regardless of the titles they give their employees.

Companies that focus on gimmicks, like flashy titles that don’t put the hard work into making a great place to work, will fail no matter what they call people.

Would you think about all the crazy titles that are out there? What are some of the most interesting titles that you have seen lately?

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.

25 Aug 2015

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena Posted in Human Resources Articles, Leadership Articles, Organizational Change Articles Permalink

Leadership Follies – Teenage Mind In The Heart Of Leaders

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena On August 25, 2015

Have you noticed that business, politics, entertainment, and the average person have created a culture of abdication and finger-pointing? Do you find yourself or businesses and people around you practicing this adolescent behavior?

I certainly have!

And a recent letter that a friend showed me from their soon-to-be-adult child cemented this belief for me.

CHILDISH BEHAVIORS
The resounding undertones were:

I didn’t make mistakes.
Every bad thing I did was a learning experience.
My actions weren’t bad, your interpretation of them was.

Everywhere we look, there are examples of this.

“I did this because of them!” Or ”my actions were their fault.”

This unbecoming attitude is shown up with Herman Cain, John Edwards, Jeff Skilling, and Bernie Madoff.

Some valuable questions:

At what point do we/you/us/me take full responsibility and face the full consequences of our actions?
How can we actually learn if we don’t acknowledge there are mistakes?
When did we decide that making mistakes, failing and telling the truth were bad ideas and practices?

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

“Just trying to be nice…”

Positive Psychology, Organization Development, and other bodies of knowledge have developed whole sets of vocabulary to alter the world of work.

The intentions were to shift language, when appropriate, to move from blame and ridicule to support and learning.

It seems like we have taken things too far though:

Words are ‘smithed’ and sculpted outside of their original or real intent
Messages are softened so as not to offend or create conflict
Rhetoric is toned-down so as not to ruffle any feathers

All of this is done in an effort to make things easier to hear. But perhaps, I think we have taken this too far.

We are perpetuating an adolescent mindset that shuns or avoids the best that the maturing process brings and we are creating insufficient sophomoric future leaders.

TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES

How They Shape You

There are two truths about mistakes:

1. They happen to all of us because we are human.
2. They shape us and how we approach life.

HERE’S A STORY TO “DRIVE” THE POINT HOME…

When I was a teenager, I took my father’s brand new Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham out for a “joyride”. I was convinced that my parents were not going to let me drive legally, so I would “show them.” Keep in mind, I was a teenager and my brain was not fully formed.

I crashed the car into…another car. Let’s just say my father was not pleased. I not only had to pay for the damages to his car, but all the other damages I caused. I had to apologize in public.

I was angry, hurt, and most of all remorseful.

My parents did not sugar coat my mistake. Yes, I said mistake. I screwed up! They were very clear that they were upset with what I had done, not with me as their son.

I faced the full financial consequences of my actions, and I was not allowed to get my license until I had fulfilled my punishment. That whole experience taught me a lesson about life and my responsibility. It shaped me.

NO ACCEPTANCE OF MISTAKE, NO WIN

If a person does not accept their mistakes, then the person wronged can not move on from it, or forgive them. After making a mistake, the person will not be able to look at what they did and learn from it.

This will ultimately waste time in fabricating mitigations to the mistake and circumstances around it. It causes more stress than it relieves.

Saying a mistake is a “learning experience,” without acknowledging error, abdicates your responsibility in actions taken.

TIME TO LEARN
The more we sugarcoat a mistake, or try to act like we “don’t make mistakes,” the less likely we are to really change, learn, and grow.

“Learning experiences can come from mistakes, but they can not replace them.”

A learning experience is what you do in class or how you overcome a bad habit. It is the outcome. If you interrupt people on a regular basis, that is a fault or mistake.

Your learning experience can be the time you interrupted your wife and she called you out on it. Once you acknowledge you made a mistake to interrupt her, you are able to learn from it.

Saying you did not make a mistake does not allow you to really learn from it. It also works to undermine the relationship.

FAILING SPECTACULARLY?
It is vital that leaders understand that failure is not only an option, but inevitable.

The magic is not when you fail, but what you do about it.

There is a simple pattern that most great leaders follow:
1. Make a mistake. Generally speaking, this is the easy part.
2. Quickly admit that a mistake has been made.
3. Acknowledge the mistake and what was learned from it.
4. Implement learning publicly or transparently.
5. Repeat

HOW TO FAIL
Here is a great recent example of this from Amazon after they failed miserably and were blistered in the press:

“This is an apology for the way we previously handled illegally sold copies of 1984 and other novels on Kindle.

Our “solution” to the problem was stupid, thoughtless, and painfully out of line with our principles. It is wholly self-inflicted, and we deserve the criticism we’ve received.

We will use the scar tissue from this painful mistake to help make better decisions going forward, ones that match our mission.  

With deep apology to our customers,

Jeff Bezos  Founder & CEO  Amazon.com”

TRYING NOT TO FAIL
There are countless examples of leaders that try to do damage control, “mitigate,” and pass the blame on to anyone but themselves or their company.

Here is the path they typically follow:
1. A mistake is made.
2. The mistake is covered up or shrouded somehow.
3. Mistake is made public by a government agency or the process, but blame is deflected by the organization to users, consumers, etc.
4. A non-apology apology is made, but little action is taken.
5. No one acknowledges mistakes or someone that really doesn’t have authority is blamed.
6. Repeat.

Outstanding recent examples of this “failula” (failing formula):

Toyota blaming drivers for the brake problems in some of their cars.
BP and their vendors not acknowledging blame during the Gulf Oil Spill.
Netflix trying to launch a new brand and raise prices at the same time.

All of these showcase that it’s better all the way around to say, “I made a mistake,” “This is what I will do to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” and “Let’s fix what’s broken.”

If we want to survive as an intellectual society, we have to teach the next generation how to accept mistakes and recover from them. Not how to avoid them and push the blame.

Do you find yourself accepting your mistakes and learning from them? Or do you tend to push the blame on others? What areas in your life can you improve on learning from your mistakes, and becoming a better leader by doing do? And how can you help the “teenage” adults around you grow a little more mature this year? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

This blog also appears on the Linked2Leadership Blog. Please visit them!

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.

25 Aug 2015

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena Posted in Leadership Articles, Organizational Change Articles Permalink

Leadership Follies – Lipstick On A Pig Does Not Make It Sexy

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena On August 25, 2015

CHANGES IN ORGANIZATIONS AND MANAGERS ARE OFTEN ESSENTIAL IN ORDER FOR YOUR BUSINESS TO GROW AND THRIVE.

Let’s just be very clear about something.

If there is a need to make big changes in how an organization is performing and being managed, there are three things that will not make a difference.

1. Giving people new titles.
2. Making personnel changes without process changes.
3. Moving failed leaders into new positions.

The last one is surprisingly common in organizations. Somehow it seems that if a leader is not performing well in their current role, moving them to another part of the organization will fix that.

That is like saying if I put lipstick on a pig, it will be sexy. No, no it won’t. It will just be a pig with lipstick.

WHY CAN’T LIPSTICK ON A PIG BE SEXY?

The misguided belief that a long term failing leader can be moved into another role and can magically perform effectively or exceptionally is another example of Organizational Learned Helplessness, based on a theory discovered by Martin Seligman.

“People who see themselves in situations where they have no control are reported to have higher stress levels and lower productivity.”- Martin Seligman

One of the biggest factors in this malaise is the organization’s inability to change the situation, even if it is in their power to do so. Many organizations are made up of teams that have grown and matured together.

They have long histories, sometimes spanning decades. For the most part that is excellent. However, when a member of that long standing team fails to perform over time there is a tendency to excuse this as “just the way they are”.

There are circumstances when it is even defended. What if that failing person is a leader? Should excuses for non or under performance be acceptable because “that’s just the way they are”?

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO CHANGE?

When an organization is failing there is a simple process to follow:

ASSESS WHY IT IS FAILING

Interview customers, employees, leaders, vendors, etc.
Look at competitors and how they are performing.
Determine the “line of sight” for each department and team in the organization.

Line of sight is the direct impact that an employee, team, or department makes; not the end customer. Each and every person and group in the organization should be able to articulate how what they do either gains or retains customers.

Fix the things that are not working based on the assessment.

REPLACE FAILING LEADERS

Leaders that have under-performing groups or are failing due to their lack of ability should be replaced.
If it is possible, promote a high potential candidate from within who has shown promise.

If there is not anyone in that position, do two things:

1. Hire someone capable of succeeding as a leader from the outside.
2. Have that new leader mentor two or three high potential employees to replace her when she wins the lottery and decided not to come back to work on Monday.

GET RID OF TEAMS THAT ARE NOT POSITIVELY IMPACTING THE CUSTOMER

Move the employees from those teams to areas that have shown their “line of sight” and are high priority to the business

Do not be naive – this change is hard and its fruits will not bear right away.

There are stages of change that organizations must go through to come out successfully. Whether you follow William Bridges philosophy, Kotter’s or any of the other excellent models, the changes will take effort, require work and difficult choices.

The issue of leadership is clear:

If a leader has a history of not performing, they should be removed from leadership. Nothing says, “we’re serious about this change” more than the removal of a leader everyone knows is not performing.

No matter how much lipstick a pig wears, it’s still a pig.

Don’t fall into the Organizational Learned Helplessness trap. Changing roles will not make a person or group more effective, being more effective will.

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This blog also appears on the Linked2Leadership Blog. Please visit them!

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.

25 Aug 2015

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena Posted in Organizational Change Articles Permalink

Leadership Follies – What’s The Point Of Half A Face Lift?

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena On August 25, 2015

EXECUTING BIG CHANGE-MANAGEMENT PROJECTS WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS IS SOMEWHAT LIKE PERFORMING MAJOR SURGERY ON HUMAN PATIENTS.

These are not just single, static events performed within a vacuum…

They are actually a symphony of intricate processes that must be performed in sequence in order to achieve the desired outcome of healing a sick organism.

TRENDING OUTCOMES

As a consultant, I have noticed a trend in many organizations that are going through big organizational change. Often times, there is great interest in putting together a comprehensive solution that includes these elements:

1. Altering the structure of an organization
2. Putting in new processes
3. Establishing new ways of interacting together as a team or between departments (normally known as the three components to organizational change)

ONLY GOING PART-WAY

More often than not, what ends up happening is the organization only has the “stomach” for the first part of the change. It as if they believe that by just doing a restructuring of the organization that somehow magically all problems will be solved.

Unfortunately this is the equivalent of just getting half a facelift.

Of course, getting half of the facelift is ridiculous. It makes no sense. Yet, the equivalent to this phenomenon occurs regularly in organizations.

GLORY DAZE

Taking on a long-term effort to transform or alter how the organization operates, only to stop after the first step. Some people call it “change fatigue.” William Bridges called it “the Neutral Zone.”

I call it “Glory Days Syndrome.”

For those of you unfamiliar with the term “glory days,” it is a term from a 1984 song, written and performed by American rock singer Bruce Springsteen, describing where people recount bygone days in an effort to gain satisfaction by recounting and reminiscing their “glorious” past when they were “someone” or “popular” in the highlight of their lives lived during high school.

But in reality “real life” has passed them by. And all they have left is clinging on to their fond past.

People who work in organizations do the same thing. They remember when the company was smaller; or more profitable; or easier to manage, etc.

Unfortunately, organizations rarely get back to those “glory days” without some effort and some pain.

3 WAYS TO AVOID GLORY DAYS SYNDROME

There are three ways to avoid this issue of driving forward while looking in the rear-view mirror:

1. Make sure that you have a comprehensive plan for all three components of an organizational change (there are great tools and checklists – here and here. Remember, planning is vital.
2. Set aside the budget and resources to ensure that the change is going to take place in its entirety.
3. If there is any inclination that not all three components of the organizational change can be filled, don’t start to change.

That’s right, I said it: Don’t start the change!

The truth is that 70% of change efforts fail. It is better to look in other areas or figure out other ways to improve performance than to launch an organizational change that you’re only going to be able to do the first part.

There are thousands of small tweaks that can be found to make incremental changes.

Without completing all components of the change, organizational inertia will likely pull people and teams back to the way they used to act.

Don’t fall into the Organizational Helplessness trap of only finishing half your facelift because you are stuck in the “Glory Days.”

Commit to the change in its entirety or don’t do it at all, going half way could make it worse.

Have you encountered organizational changes that were only partially completed? What were the results you encountered? I would be interested in hearing your stories and input!

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This blog also appears on the Linked2Leadership Blog. Please visit them!

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.

25 Aug 2015

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena Posted in Customer Service Articles, Human Resources Articles, Instructional Design Articles, Leadership Articles, Organizational Change Articles Permalink

It’s Not All About The Money

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena On August 25, 2015

It is time that all of us get into the 21st Century regarding motivation and driving high performance in the workplace.

Over 20 years of research regarding what motivates individuals and teams to perform at their highest levels have consistently shown that it is NOT money. Yes, it’s true. Money is not a primary motivator for a highly engaged and high performance workplace. There are many Organization Development, Human Resources and other professionals that understand this fact. The research that leads us to this conclusion includes, but is not limited to:

Research from the Daniel Pink’s book Drive

1. Autonomy – the desire to direct our own lives.
2. Mastery— the urge to get better and better at something that matters.
3. Purpose — the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves. NOT MONEY.

Research conducted by The Coffman Organization
2011 Engagemetn study Towers Watson
Meta-data research study by Gallup
Forbes article by Katzenback & Khan

As a matter of fact, it is likely that the pursuit of money alone is a motivator that leads people and organizations down the wrong path (see Enron, Wall Street, Jimmy Hoffa, etc.). It could be why leaders layoff instead of innovate or employees skip safety for speed. Is money important? Yes, but it will not encourage those elements that turn into an organization’s strategic advantage(s).

MO MONEY?

Money plays a factor only in that people need to be paid a fair wage. If employees are fairly compensated for the work they do and it is clear that this is the case, it generally is not a primary motivator. The underlying issue regarding money and pay is that people really base what they believe about pay in relationship to those around them (or in their industry). For example, if you are paying one engineer $10 and another $100 for doing the exact same job, then money is a demotivator. However, if everyone is equally paid, relatively speaking, then pay alone is not going to make people work harder, smarter, or produce more results.

SO NOW WHAT?

The solution is not as simple as pointing out that money is not a motivator to an engaged and highly productive workforce.
There are some awesome lists of actions to take created by some excellent organizations based on heaps of research. Do some or all of the things they suggest.

Here are three things to keep in mind:

1. The money cop out – Do not let managers/leaders say that the reason people don’t perform is their pay. That is a cop out. It is a way to say its not their fault when in fact they are the people that can create a motivating environment

2. Meaningfulness – Make sure that every single person understands what he or she does to gain and retain customers. They must have a clear line of sight to the end customer to understand their impact.

3. Make sure money is not a factor – Calibrate pay against your industry and ensure that you are paying employees fairly.

Make that known. Do NOT ask about it on employee engagement or opinion surveys. NO ONE thinks they are getting paid enough.

It is NOT a differentiator between low and high performance teams.

Once money is off the table as “the reason teams aren’t productive” or “the reason morale is low” the real work of creating a highly engaged, productive and profitable organization can begin.

How do you deal with the question about money as a motivator? What have you seen as factors in highly productive workplaces? Let me know!

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.

25 Aug 2015

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena Posted in Organizational Change Articles Permalink

Leadership Follies – Believing The Chameleon Fallacy

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena On August 25, 2015

ONE OF THE WORST THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO AS A SERVICE ORGANIZATION IS TO TRY TO BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE. THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN WHEN, AS A CUSTOMER, YOU HAVE AN EXPECTATION OF SERVICE THAT CANNOT BE DELIVERED BY THE SERVICE PROVIDER.

Is it better to turn away business than it is to promise something and not deliver?

On a recent vacation, my wife and went to the tropics. We were told by the resort that they would be able to accommodate my wife’s dietary restrictions. However, we found that not only was that wrong but that they were actually incapable of providing a level of service that they had promised.

THE ANTI-CHAMELEON

One of the best ways to avoid having this happen is to be clear about “who you are” and the type of customer that you are looking to service as a provider.

Ritz Carlton knows it has a certain clientele, but it will never be the kind of hotel that masses will be able to afford. That is actually not only okay with Ritz Carlton, but it is that kind of aura that they wish to project.
Southwest Airlines do not want to be the airline of the “seat that folds into a cocoon and five-star meal” travelers. They want to cater to cost conscious travelers.
Apple does not market to people that want to tinker, enhance, and fix their computers.

There are thousands of great examples of successful companies that know who they are, and the kind of customer they want to serve.

AVOIDING THE CHAMELEON FALLACY

There are few simple guidelines that will help to avoid the pitfall of being all things to all people or the “Chameleon Fallacy:”

1. BE A CHOOSY PROVIDER, BE SELECTIVE.

Once you are clear about the type of company that you are, and the type of clientele that you’re looking to service, it is very important to be as strict as possible with the type of customers that you can’t service moving forward.

It is better to be up front that your organization can not help a potential customer than it is to frustrate them. Giving them names of alternatives, or pointing them in a direction in a polite and professional manner, will gain you “points” and likely engender a recommendation from the customer you couldn’t service.

People like honesty.

2. CORRECT MISTAKES QUICKLY:

Once you’re clear about the kind of customer you want to provide service for, provide that service impeccably. Make sure that the customer is ultimately satisfied.

Customers are never looking for perfection, but they are always looking for opportunities to point out mistakes. Customers look to see if providers can show a real opportunity to get a customer for life.

“Take swift action the moment you determine a mistake has been made. Contact your customer immediately, by phone/email/fax, informing him/her of the error and being truthful about what happened. If you messed up, admit it, apologize profusely and offer to make things right. – Linda Nagamine

3. FOLLOW UP
Make sure that you follow up with your customers once they have completed using your service.

They are the most able to give you feedback good or bad.

This will enable you to improve your service. If you implement a suggestion that is given to you by a current or former customer, it will solidify their belief that they are part of the brand.

If you make sure you don’t try to be a chameleon, you will set your organization apart. This will help make you sought out by the customers you want to serve.

Not only that, but your business will be less stressful, more fun, and much more profitable!

Does your organization try to be all things to all people? What could you do to avoid the Chameleon Fallacy? I’d love to hear your stories, thoughts and blinding flashes of insight!

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This blog also appears on the Linked2Leadership Blog. Please visit them!

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.

25 Aug 2015

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena Posted in Leadership Articles, Organizational Change Articles Permalink

Leadership Follies – Know When To Quit

Sticky Post By Anil Saxena On August 25, 2015

SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE IS DETERMINED BY PLANNING, SCHEDULING, AND EFFICIENCY. THESE ARE ALL ASPECTS THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED WHEN PLANNING OR WORKING ON ANY PROJECT IN RELATION TO YOUR TEAM AND TO YOUR COMPANY.

Have you ever worked on a project or initiative that was not going well? If everyone knew it was failing, why was there not even an attempt to stop it? What does that cost us as leaders in our companies and organizations?

TAKE ACTION WITH YOUR WORDS

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DON’T KNOW WHEN TO SAY ENOUGH?

Often times, under pressure, it is difficult for people to speak up and get the courage that they need in order to stop a project that is failing. It is unclear whether this issue is caused by a mixture of pride and hubris, dogged determination, or just the feeling that “quitting itself is failure.”

However, it struck me hard one morning on my way to a client that in order to be a highly productive team or organization, we have to know when to end an effort that is failing.

I passed a man holding a sign that read, “Hunger Strike, Protesting not being allowed to see children since 2001.”

He had been standing in the same spot for 11 years to protest, not being able to see his children due to divorce. I was struck by the fact he was standing in front of a train station that was nowhere near a courthouse or media outlet.

When I asked him why, he stated that he had gone through his court appeals, and that no media outlet would listen to him.

Because of this, his family had given up on his cause.

He told me:

“I’ll never give up because I’m not a quitter!”

He had lost his job, his house, his life savings, his friends, his family, and everything else.

Nothing at work seems that dire.

TIME TO TAKE NOTE

Similarities between this man’s plight and unspoken clients in the workplace:

Unwillingness to remove a leader that was obviously failing because “it would make us look like we didn’t know what we were doing.”
Unwillingness to change a reorganization that occurred 2 years before because “the senior leader pushed for the reorganization, and changing things now would make him look bad.”
Unwillingness to change a marketing plan that not only want not working but was turning customers away because “we invested time and money into this and we are going to make it work.”
Unwillingness to find a new partner to work with on an employee survey that had proven to be flawed because “the senior leader that selected the vendor would be cast in a bad light.”

This list could likely be endless. But why do we do it?

FAILURE TO QUIT

If your organization sticks with a mediocre idea, facility, or team too long because it lacks the guts to create something better, you have failed.

Failure to quit infects the health of your company like a disease.

Our unwillingness to admit when we are wrong, and “course correct,” limits our ability to grow, prosper, and drive innovation.

Scott Anthony, in a recent HBR blog wrote:

“That led me to think of the parallels inside some of my corporate clients. Most corporate cultures fear failure so viscerally that they will lock up great talent in a fatally flawed project, investing resources well past the point where everyone can see that the plug should have been pulled.”

What you can do better:

ADMIT FAILURE; THAT THERE IS A NEED TO “COURSE CORRECT”

Honestly admitting that the initial original solution was not optimal is a sign ofstrength, even if the problem still needs to be solved.

Leaders that can admit they are not perfect and are willing to change course are seen as winners. There are also seen as profitable… see recent news about Domino’s Pizza.

“Failure is a necessary part of a flourishing innovative ecosystem. Not every idea is destined for greatness. A talented individual working on an idea with fatal flaws by definition isn’t working on an idea with transformational potential. When great talent is stuck working on the wrong things, the ecosystem as a whole suffers. The failure of failure leads to stagnation.”-Scott Anthony HBR.or

SEEK INPUT FROM THOSE AFFECTED BY THE “FIX THAT FAILED”

The people affected by the failed solution can see the good, the bad and the ugly of how the solution worked and how to make it better. With the firm knowledge that things can’t go back to the way that they were, everyone can work towards a more effective way to solve the problem.

“IMPLEMENT THE “NEW” SOLUTION AND CHECK TO SEE PROGRESS. CHANGE THE COURSE IF IT IS NOT WORKING.

This is by no means saying that you should change direction at the slightest hint of upset or when the first issues arise, but when there is a consistent drumbeat of data that shows the solution implemented is not working, (New Coke, McDLT, Netflix’s recent issues only to name a few), admit it isn’t and change it!

Refusing to admit failure or that a solution implemented is not working is a recipe for killing innovation and inviting bigger failure in the future.

Know when to quit so that energy can be put towards a plan, solution, or person that will make the difference.

As a leader do you see these failures in your workplace? Is it time for people in your organization to speak up? What can and will you do to fix this issue so that your company can thrive?

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This blog also appears on the Linked2Leadership Blog. Please visit them!

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Leadership Follies – Believing The Chameleon Fallacy

Leadership Follies – Know When To Quit

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