WHEN YOU INVERT THE PYRAMID WHAT DOES EVERYONE DO?
For those of us working in rapidly changing markets (all of us) where inverting the pyramid is the least we need to do, what are the new priorities for each group:
For the STAFF that deals face to face with this powerful ‘new’ customer the struggle has been (and still is) to expand their knowledge to be able to effectively deal with their customer’s ever increasing demands. Organizations need to provide customers with rational decisions on ‘problems’ in the shortest possible time to survive, let alone prosper. This has forced a process of empowerment or the need for individuals to take responsibility for their own performance (success) as well as their company’s success. In some corporate, or even national cultures this is quite a challenge.
Even during time of economic stress the need to constantly train and update staff does not diminish. Modern brain studies on brain plasticity and learning styles og individuals prove that training must be constant and repetitive so that new ways of doing things become part of long term memory not just a one week short term memory fad.
For the MIDDLE MANAGEMENT that has time, money, status, careers, success, knowledge and their power based in the system as it was, the great challenge is to overcome their fear of change. For many of these people, being good at working the system has led to their success. In the future being good at doing business with the most important person in the equation… “The Customer”… will be the only basis for continued employment.
Most change programs fail because the middle management have a very strong personal investment in the “status quo” so strong efforts must be made to shift this group in particular to any new operational standards agreed upon. The alternative is of course to remove this level from the company before you set the new direction… some that perhaps Jack Welsh would perhaps approve of, revolution rather than evolution. If you did wisely decide on a new paradigm for the way your company operates this middle group will provide the most headaches.
SENIOR MANAGEMENT’S role is still to provide vision, mission purpose and values, however it is impossible (as many try to do), to remain ‘the technical expert’ or even the daily operational decision makers. The levels of service demanded by the powerful new customers make it impossible to operate effectively with only a few top decision makers. These people need to become strategists rather than planners. Now many bosses will baulk at the prospect of perhaps becoming “servant managers” however I predict those that don’t embrace a more enlightened view of their role and real value to their organizations will be removed from their lofty perches.
Those who won’t or can’t change to the new business reality face at best a bleak future in ever disappearing lowly paid manual labour type jobs, old world companies in the remotest corners of the business world, or even worse… perhaps a career in the public service, where they just might be able to hide for a few more years.
DEATH TO THE BUREAUCRACY!!!
Ric (orglearn) **Link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog to check out other posts!
Looking for a move to a more enlightened organization perhpaps its time to update your resume take some time ro fill in the template at resume form and at lest get a basic resume started!
