ccsboardroom blog

Just as in politics, where leaders of parties need strategies and tactics to sell their message, a CEO faces exactly the same challenge …. ‘How do I get my people to buy-in?’ Generally people fall into 3 main categories when ‘change’ is announced: The ‘Supporters’, the ‘Neutrals’ and the ‘Cynics’ or detractors.

Selling the message is a critical step. It needs to be well thought out, carefully planned and artfully implemented. Too many Senior Executives are so focused on the process aspects of managing change that they forget or underestimate the importance of communication and the emotional impact. These arguments can and should be extended to all levels of management! Any Manager, worth their salt, should quickly be able to identify who among his or her team is ‘on-board’ with the coming change.

Ghandi is quoted as saying .. “We must become the change we want!” As always the changed behaviour starts with us!

Part of the process is to use various tactics, including leveraging the ’supporters’, engaging the ‘neutrals’ and turning around the ‘cynics’. Many Managers would not even contemplate these tactics because they are so busy ‘doing’!

Selling the message to each interest group within the company needs to be based on their WIIFM! (What’s In It For Me!)
Consider the ‘medium’ used to sell the message, the ‘forum’ for the communication, and critical … consider the timing.

Perhaps at another time, I’ll share more about the strategies of ‘timing’ announcements of change. In the mean time, find the time to consider ‘Have you even thought about a change strategy’? Who’s with you? … Who’s against your change? … and Who simply doesn’t care?

The Harvard ‘Service profit chain’ (SPC) outlines the connection between ‘employee capability’, satisfaction, loyalty & productivity to ‘business and profit growth’. This connection through ‘customer satisfaction and loyalty’!
The question arises … Can the model be used in ‘not for profit’ or government organisations, where ’sustainability’ replaces ‘profits’?

In a recent workshop conducted in Canberra, attended by several people in the non business sector, skepticism was high regarding the SPC principles. In my opinion, the drivers to success are no different in this sector. The outcomes may be different. All organisations, to function effectively, require good leadership and management. Committed and loyal personnel are the core to any operation that delivers services. Therefore similar to a commercial profit focused business, not for profits and government should follow similar best practice management principles.

Why does the doubt exist? Reasons may vary from historical, practical to emotional; Ingrained culture. The nature and style of management that not for profit & government agencies attract. Changes in the mission. Lack of experience to drive ‘effective’ change.

The key finding from working in many sectors seems always to come back to two things; Leadership and Management! Any organisation, from any sector, that provides its people with the tools & resources on both a physical and emotional levels will be effective. Providing people with an understanding of ‘why we do what we do?’ and ‘teaching them better ways of doing things’ ensures the people are happier, provide better service which in turn achieves desired outcomes! … in what ever form you choose to describe it.

Recently I have had the opportunity of seeing the frustration, dissappointment and lethargy experienced by people as a result of ‘dysfunctional Management Teams’. The resulting negative management behaviours, such as loss of leadership and poor decision making have a trickle down impact on every person in the organisation.

Let’s examine some of the reasons ‘why this negative impact is so profound?’: Firstly, most people cannot disguise how they feel. Especially about their colleagues. In other words, dyfunctional relationships cause resentment, undermining and loss of loyalty. Senior Managers allow ‘how they feel’ to be communicated to others in the organisation. Negative words and expressions, often communicated without negative intent have a lasting impression on others. Direct reports will feel their Manager’s dissatisfaction. Customers will sense the loss of confidence in the products and services.

Secondly, when Senior Teams don’t ‘hunt as a pack’ mixed messages are communicated into the business. Decsions are often also undermined. The impact of both these is a underperforming company.

Thirdly, Managers begin to focus on their own emotional well being. How do I protect ‘me’! e.g. Ensure support for ‘me’! Promote ‘me’! This ensures the Senior Team is more concerned for their own good than that of their common business goals.

All of the above can result in the following symptoms:
- Staff leaving due to inconsistent management style … ‘I don’t know what to expect’
- Customers going to other suppliers because they sense a loss of focus and committment
- Reduced profitability as people lose sight of efficiency and quality …. ‘If my Manager cares less, why should I care more?’
- Decreased customer satsfaction as people within the company forget ‘why they do what they do?’

If CEO’s spent more of their time focusing on ‘leadership of the senior team’, business performance would increase immeasurably!

What’s the state of your Management Team ‘dysfunctionality’? email or call me if you want it tested! It could be the best investment you make in the next 12 months!

I can hear all the X-Gen and Baby Boomers cry in unison … of course it has a negative affect on performance. The company suffers … when people take advantage of having access to the web to plan holidays, email friends, find a date for the weekend, perhaps even post articles and comments on their own blog. If that’s your view, then perhaps we need to change your paradigm!

The web isn’t going away. Obvious! The challenge is to turn it into a benefit for everyone. Employees and the company.
Imagine a different scenario plays out …. In this new age company lets call it ‘Open Mind Inc’ people are encouraged to spend at least 15 minutes a day on the web. Management are fully aware of how their people are using access to the internet. Playing games, (when the boss isn’t looking) reviewing the latest movie release etc. ‘Open Mind Inc’ however have set Internet Guidelines, i.e. the rules of engagement regarding the internet. Web use is encouraged to; explore competitive products, identify market trends, learn new skills and develop management capability. These behaviours are further encouraged by requesting employees to share what they have learn’t (from the web) with others in their team! Discussions (even brief ones) are held monthly at management meetings to review how people are using the web. Those recalcitrant are counseled and performance managed. Image if you used this amazing tool, within every company’s reach, to drive capability and performance.
What talent would you attract? How would people feel about working for you?

So to determine if the web is good or bad for business, consider perhaps your ‘Management mind set’!! Long live the web … long live the thirst for knowledge, community and the need for social connection. That’s what makes us human after all!!

The question is really about how we ask people to consider changing their behaviour!! Most Managers I have had the pleasure, and on some occassions displeasure, of working with, don’t have the people or emotional intelligence skills to influence behaviour change. The challenge is often about ‘how we approach the problem’. Often, our belief is that the other person is wrong, that we are right and that there is only one way….. My way!

Understanding that perceptions and opinions are a manifestation of many things, including most of all life experience, a good Manager needs to ‘dig’ a little deeper when trying to influence behaviour. By that I mean, develop an appreciation of why a person has a particular point of view. That insight provides enormous opportunities for influencing thought processes. Research and experience demonstrates that this approach achieves terrific results. If this so, where do people learn the skills to really understand each other? Can you imagine the impact we could have on work relationships, marriages, with our children if we found a way to teach people at an early age ‘how to devlop empathy’ and ‘understanding’.

Your challenge …. is to identify an individual that you would like to influence. Ask yourself these questions:
How well do I understand them? Really understand them?!!!
Why do they feel the way they do?
What are they protecting? What do they stand to lose or gain by following your ideas and suggestions?
Who has influenced their thinking?

I could list many more questions that would enable you to uncover some greater understanding of the other person. Right now I want to share the principle. If most Managers began with this approach, effecting changed behaviour would be far more dramatic.

Try it!

Several years ago I decided to invest in ‘personal development’ …. focused on understanding myself. To me the experience was a revelation. I began to understand why I reacted and responded to life experience the way I did. It explained my behaviours, attitudes and reactions. The resulting impact on my performance was positively astonishing.

Now I have the opportunity of coaching and assisting other Managers to better understand themselves. Seeing their reactions and responses is a most rewarding experience. But why does the process assist in building ’self belief’ and unlock potential?

For most of us, we are usually totally unaware that we are trapped in patterns, behaviours and subconcious thoughts. Creating self awareness via ’safe’ confidential discussion and introspection allows one the self reflection ’space’. It’s important to provide people with alternative perspectives in a ‘candour without malice’ manner …. not to judge them. Listening to their views and opinions …. and then challenge their perspectives.

Making a difference to how people see themselves, especially Managers at senior levels, can have an incredible effect on their team and the business. Handled the appropriate way coaching and mentoring increases job satisfaction and happiness .. big time!

Over recent months I’ve observed more and more organisations struggling to cope with change. Change of various types …. organisational, structural, market shifts, cultural … and more. The biggest and most common challenge for these organisations is the fact that very few Managers have ever developed the neccessary skills for ‘managing change’. Rather, change has been imposed on them as Managers, and they have been expected to ‘make the change happen’.

The question we should be asking is: “How do we develop change skills?” … for myself as a Manager, and “how do I assist my people manage change?”

Would you ever as a ‘Surgeon’ to perform an operation without training? or a ‘pilot’ to fly without some instruction? Then why do we ask Managers to perform organisational ’surgery’ and ‘piloting’ without appropriate experience?

Food for thought …. perhaps I’ll share some reasons why when we meet next?

In a recent workshop with CEO’s from various companies, I was challenged regarding the relevancy of current management models highlighting the essential need for ‘people engagment’, as a key success factor. The real question, I believe, is ‘Have management models changed at all?’ In the 1930’s Dale Cargnegie published “How to win and influence people”. Many of his fantastic concepts involve ‘people’ and ‘people enagement’!

Mr Carnegie’s book should be mandatory reading for every modern day Manager. If you can get your hands on one of the original publications, not only is the reading enlightening, but the examples and case studies set in the 1930’s are amusing to read.
The exciting aspect of these principals demonstrate the value of building relationships. Relationships within and outside the business. Relationships between colleagues, peers and customers. Essentially all of the messages refer to ‘engagement’ under a different name.

The world has changed …. but basic human needs, I believe, have not. Similarly, management jargon may have changed, but true successful management techniques are still based on the same principals.

Enjoy the journey …. make it fun.

All too often we are unaware of the impact our behaviour has on others around us. A recent study published in a psychology journal illustrated the affect a single person can have on those around them. One group of ‘Team leaders’ were shown an upbeat movie (Sat nite Live’), the other group of Team Leaders were asked to watch a ‘dark, scary & black’ movie. After the screening, the Team Leaders and their teams were challenged with the task of erecting tents. Guess which teams performed better. The teams where the Leaders were upbeat and in ‘good moods’! Moods are transferable and manager’s moods impact the ‘bottom line’!

How often have you heard people comment “Don’t go near the boss today .. she / he’s in a foul mood”. Have people considered the impact on the bottom line? Most Managers I meet seldom spend enough time being ’self aware’. Surely it would pay business handsomely to develop the emotional and social intelligence skills of every Manager in the company. Can you imagine the potential impact on personal relationships at home …. wow! Just think how the family, especially kids would benefit. If you are interested .. a great read is ‘Social Intelligence’ by Daniel Goleman. (Click www.CCSBoardroom.com and follow the links to Management Books and Stuff, and the Amazon link)

It was my birthday recently … my son sent me an SMS. “Happy Birthday Da, Hope u have a good day, Love you!” My reaction was initially mixed ….. firstly, delighted that he remembered it was my birthday, secondly, impressed that he had taken the inititiave to acknowledge it by sending me an sms. However, the next set of emotions reflected sadness, that he had not called me. Yes I was at work, but surely a message with his voice would have made ‘me’ feel better.

After stewing on these mixed emotions I began to explore, probably for the umpteenth time this week the ‘Challenges of change’. The world of teenagers today is vastly different to our past experience. Our emotional repsonses are driven by our expectations from ‘yester year’. The digital world of communication is his world. For my 17 yo son, sending an SMS was proper and correct communication. The real challenge is for us as (slightly) older people to embrace the new technology and associated behaviours. It is our responsibility to create awareness and share with our children and the people we can influence, that not withstanding the technology in use, it is the impact of the words and gestures, that communicate the values we uphold!

On reflection, I appreicated his message, valued his thoughts and know that I’m loved. Who have you ‘touched’ today using your sms, to make them feel special?