The “survive or thrive” checklist

1. Have you given yourself time to think and analyze the new situation (reality) thoroughly calmly and properly?

2. Are you able to ensure you can avoid misinterpretations and have you, through questioning effectively, gathered enough information on how things will be to make a rational decision on what the change will mean to you?

3. Have you looked for the opportunities a changed state will bring you rather than being driven by the fear of negative results being imposed upon you?

4. Have you inserted yourself in the change process so you are able to influence the outcomes that are important to you? (As opposed to becoming a negative, head in the sand naysayer.)

5 Based on what you have understood of your changed reality have you researched what shills you will need to develop to thrive in a new environment?

6. Are you focussing on the long-term or just frazzled by the moment and are you actively planning to ensure your future well being?

7. Are you able to match your values with the new situation if knot have you developed and exit strategy?

8. Have you gathered around you a positive group to ensure you can maintain emotionally supportive relationships during what is a natural period of stress?

Change is the only constant… who said that? Best of luck if you are going through a period of change, try to mange the process well.

Seeing life as a continuous learning experience plus being prepared to change our attitude and to let go of our proven ‘norms’ will not only help us overcome our fear, it will prepare us to deal with a new reality. Example; how many people for years worried about the cold war. Some became so paranoid they dug shelters and stocked them with supplies. Is the world full of holes stuffed with stale or rotting food? The one key to winning during change is to learn how the process is being implemented and to seek new competencies (through training) that you will need to operate in the new environment.

Tip: One great way to become more rational, less fearful and reduce our level of stress and worry during change is to sit and try to think of what we were worried about this time last year. Can’t remember? Most of us can’t. Remember (and believe), this time next year today’s woes will fade also.

In line with the need to see life as a continuos learning experience we should be prepared to fail and then analyse our failures to see how we can do things better the next time. If we are not prepared to fail we will be unable to make decisions and ‘a bad decision is better than no decision at all’. Just imagine if the first time we tried to stand up and because we failed we couldn’t decide whether to try again or not. Think about crawling to work for the rest of your life. How many times do sporting greats fail before they break a world record? Every failed putt, throw of the ball or toss of the javelin leads to a bank of knowledge that improves our performance. You really only fail if you don’t learn from the experience.

Hang on… what about hang gliding? Breaking the change process into smaller digestible pieces is the same principle as learning anything new. The old adage that people learn by ‘littles’ is a truism that can help. If we are going to accept change and overcome our fear we need to jump from small ledges before attempt large cliffs. If we break the change process into its smallest pieces our nervousness will be reduced. It also stands to reason that if we can see where we are going we are more confident than if we are leaping into the dark.

“ONLY I CAN CHANGE MY LIFE. NO ONE CAN DO IT FOR ME” – Carol Burnett

Change – Looking Ahead and Getting Others Involved

If we implement a change process we need to shine a light on the future. The best way is through a plan based on the various scenarios we have regarding the future. We must then effectively communicate a sound vision, develop the plan and succinctly explain the role of each of the stakeholders. This means we have to understand and advise every individual of their role in where they and we are heading. In my experience the only real question ever asked when a meeting on change is held is “WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME”. This question is often disguised as some technical enquiry regarding future operational difficulties… however it is the only question that is on the minds of those involved in change. If we don’t give or get a satisfactory and personal answer to their or our concerns fear levels (and resistance) increase enormously.

A close relative of mine was working for an advertising company that was being taken over, (the Big Change) and I offer the following story for your consideration. At the end of the process he ended up with a better job in the “merged” organization. As the company I was working for at the time was also being taken over I asked his advice. This is what he said, ‘fear of not knowing what is going on leads to resistance so you must be involved in the change process to the point of being seen as an active participant, particularly when critical decisions are made. Don’t avoid your responsibilities, volunteer and devote time to engineering the new situation… help the process don’t hinder it. Don’t hold a false and fruitless loyalty to the way things were. Listen to everything and ask for explanations. Avoid only hearing what your pre-conceived ideas are telling you about what may be happening and constantly seek to understand. Stay open and honest and speak the truth and… the hardest of all… control what you can however let go of that which you cannot’, or as another colleague of mine once put it, “don’t waste your energy fighting battles you can’t win”. It worked well for me!

If the outcomes of inevitable change aren’t the best possible for us, at least we should see what you could learn from the evolving situation. Buy the way I took his advice and ended up with an operation twice the size of that in my pre-takeover company and a much better salary and benefits package to boot.

“THE UNIVERSE IS CHANGE; OUR LIFE IS WHAT OUR THOUGHTS MAKE IT”. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121 AD – 180 AD), Meditations

Refs:
Overcoming People’s Fear of Change – Douglas Howardell, http://www.theacagroup.com/overcome.htm
Change Happens, by Joe Flower, http://www.well.com/user/bbear/change1.html
Choosing Strategies for Change, By John P. Kotter and Leonard A. Schlesinger
Harvard Business Review March/April 1979
Organizational Behaviour Stephen P Robbins, Prentice Hall International Editions (seventh edition Part 5)
Change Happens, by Joe Flower, http://www.well.com/user/bbear/change1.html

Firstly often individuals don’t realise that what they are going through is a result of severe pressure that are creating dramatic periods of change in the organisation.

Secondly many implementers do not realise that change for the organisation means dramatic and often difficult periods of change for the individual (either at work or in their personal lives).

Thirdly there is often as a result of a ‘poor’ organisational culture a lack of clarity about the organisations goals and expectations.

Fourthly there is a central problem of poor communication by managers and the organisation.

Fifthly There is poorly planned and poorly implementation of the allocation of tasks usually for which staff are not trained.

Sixthly There is for all the reasons below a natural resistance even outright refusal to cooperate when individuals are being asked to do something very different from their normal tasks.

Of course residence is always an emotional response to the pressures of change!

So what are the reasons for resistance?

(Note regarding 10 points below: Original article is Copyright (c) 2003 A. J. Schuler, Psy. D. Permission is however granted to copy this article as long as the following information is included: Dr. A. J. Schuler is an expert in leadership and organizational change. To find out more about his programs and services,  call (703) 370-6545. or visit  homepahe of full article can be found at http://www.schulersolutions.com/resistance_to_change.html Please note I have edited the article and added some of my own thoughts on residence to change.)

1. THE CHANGE PROPOSED IS SEEN AS GREATER THAN THE RISK OF STAYING THE WAY WE ARE A basic fear of the unknown “Making a change requires a leap of faith” and particularly belief that you will reach a better state. “Making a change is all about managing risk” which is difficult if we are heading into the unknown.

2. WE NATURALLY FEEL CONNECTED TO OTHERS WHO ARE IDENTIFIED WITH THE OLD WAY
“We are a social species.”  “We feel a loyalty to those that guided us and worked with us in the past and we are hard wired that way in its ‘not a trivial’ matter to overcome that natural attribute.

3. PEOPLE HAVE NO ROLE MODELS FOR THE NEW ACTIVITY OR NEW WAYS OF OPERATING
Just communicating a vision is not enough. In the early stages of the change process you must get a core group of influencers on board with your idea, so that you or they can demonstrate how the new way can work.  For most people, seeing is believing.  Less rhetoric and more demonstration can go a long way toward overcoming resistance.

4. PEOPLE FEAR THEY LACK THE COMPETENCE TO CHANGE AND/OR THE ABILITIES  NEEDED TO GAIN THE SKILLS REQUIRED
This is a fear people will seldom admit however, change in organisations necessitates changes in skills and many will feel that they won’t be able to make the transition very well.  A successful change campaign must include effective new training programs.

5. PEOPLE FEEL OVERLOADED AND OVERWHELMED
A change effort, is usually accompanied by a fatigue factor that keeps people from moving forward, even if they are telling you they believe in the wisdom of your idea.  Upheaval is tiring and people may resist change just because they are tired and overwhelmed. The perceived risk in a changed scenario activates people’s fears and the basic fight-or-flight response we all possess will come into play and fear can produce its own fatigue. You’ve got to motivate and praise accomplishments as well, and be patient enough to let people vent (without getting too caught up in attending to unproductive negativity).

6. PEOPLE HAVE A HEALTHY SKEPTICISM AND WANT TO BE SURE NEW IDEAS ARE SOUND
It’s important to remember that few worthwhile changes are conceived in their final, best form at the outset.  Listen to your skeptics, pay attention, because some percentage of what they have to say will prompt genuine improvements to your change idea.

7. PEOPLE FEAR HIDDEN AGENDAS AMONG WOULD-BE REFORMERS
Let’s face it, reformers can be a motley lot.  Not all are to be trusted.  Perhaps even more frightening, some of the worst atrocities modern history has known were begun by earnest people who really believed they knew what was best for everyone else. Many reformers have created chaos in the past.

8. PEOPLE FEEL THE PROPOSED CHANGE THREATENS THEIR NOTIONS OF THEMSELVES
Sometimes change on the job gets right to a person’s sense of identity and even attacks their sense of self worth. As a result, people may feel that the intrinsic rewards that brought them to a particular line of work will be lost with the change.  When resistance springs from these identity-related roots, it is deep and powerful, and to minimize its force, change leaders must be able to understand it and then address it, acknowledging that change does have costs, or conversely (hopefully) larger benefits.

9. PEOPLE ANTICIPATE A LOSS OF STATUS OR QUALITY OF LIFE
Real change reshuffles the deck a bit.  Reshuffling the deck can bring winners . . . and losers.  Some people, most likely, will gain in status, job security, quality of life, etc. with the proposed change, and some will likely lose a bit.Some people will, in part, be aligned against change because they will clearly, and in some cases correctly, view the change as being contrary to their interests.

10.  PEOPLE GENUINELY BELIEVE THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGE IS A BAD IDEA
The truth is, sometimes someone’s idea of change is just not a good idea.  Sometimes people are not being recalcitrant, nasty, or foolish when they resist.  They just see that we’re wrong. ?It pays to be mindful that a failure to listen to and respond to people’s rational objections and beliefs is ultimately disrespectful to them, and to assume arrogantly that we innovative, change agent types really do know best.

CONCLUSION

I am currently involved with a charity organisation that is trying to implement a change process based on a more positive vision of the future. This change process is being undertaken at the behest of the organisation’s international headquarters which has seen a decline in world wide membership numbers. A large number of the ageing members of the club are of course resisting as they want things to stay as they are and have always been. The process has in my estimation been badly managed principally due to a poor level of communication and a perceived lack of transparency. The truth is (as I see it) that a lot of the objectors have been too tired or lazy to get involved in the process and don’t understand the why, let lone the how of the process. Additionally due to the large amount of documentation many just can’t be bothered to keep up with developments. This organisation is in danger of imploding due to a core group of individuals that fall either partly or wholly into one or many of the groups above.

It will be interesting to watch the outcome.

p.s. If all this change is too much you may need this… resume example

The fear of change comes from our natural suspicion of the unknown or of things we don’t understand. As youngsters we develop techniques to protect ourselves and over time we develop our “success formula”. This formula comprises standards of behaviour or perspectives on situations that we learn will give us our desired optimum result. To be involved in a change process we need to walk away from our own success and do something unfamiliar, a very onerous task. However the risk of not being able to change in a time when everything around us is moving and shifting will lead us to even bigger problems in the future.

As there are no signposts, road rules or speed limits in the infinite unknown and the risks seem to be enormous, how can we cope with (if not drive out) the fear? The old cliché that “familiarity breeds contempt” is a good place to start. The military uses this principle to train troops and it obviously works. The more we practice the skill of how to cope in an unfamiliar or fearful situation, the better chance we have of making our response to it automatic. If you need to think about what to do you will be lost. Example; try to hit a tennis ball while consciously thinking about it… you can’t, for success, it has to be a reaction. Think of the unknowns, speed, curvature, trajectory, spin, bounce, deceleration rate, angle of deflection, racquet speed, string tension etc etc… all unknowns. How do the best performers cope with or in fact thrive with all these unknowns… practice, practice, practice. So what do we need to do, place ourselves in unfamiliar situations, learn from the failures and overcome our inability to function in the unknown.

MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE COMES FROM SUCCESSFULLY WORKING WITH HALF-BAKED IDEAS AND MAKING RISKY, FORWARD LOOKING DECISIONS.

Overcoming the fear of change!

Mental practice, practice, practice… A tip, under stress we are most likely not to ‘be all we can be’, so we must learn to react automatically based on an ingrained ritual of behaviour. Great news, practice can (at least at the beginning) be ‘mental’, as our subconscious can’t differentiate between imagined and real experiences. Reactions are subconscious so we can and should start by imagining ourselves doing well in unfamiliar situations to help our subconscious mind learn to cope with stress.

Another major issue is honesty. An honest approach will always help to reduce fear. Example; in the 2000 US presidential elections both candidates talked openly about embarrassing issues, personal shortcomings and past indiscretions. Why… to remove the fear of being exposed. They where then seen I suggest by the voting public as men of integrity. We need to own up to our personal shortcomings and difficulties if we are to free ourselves of our personal guilt over our imperfect past. If anyone has a perfect past I suggest you head for Rome immediately, there’s someone there that wants to meet you. This honesty needs to extend to our feelings as well as our actions. A willingness to express our feelings about a situation should not be that hard. As managers we are trained to constantly express our feelings regarding the performance of those we lead. Why not manage upward and start to express our feelings about situations created by those we follow. Remember though being judgemental or critical will evoke a natural and often distasteful result and is to be avoided. We are however all entitled to have feelings about situations. Anyone who is a manager and has had training in giving feedback (a critical management competence) knows the value of this instinctively. If you work in a place where feelings are discouraged, all the change management techniques in the world will not help and you should make the ultimate change… seek employment elsewhere. Why… because your organization is probably on the way out.

‘SOMETIMES BEING TIRED, SCARED, DE-MOTIVATED OR DISAPPOINTED IS A NATURAL PART OF THE REALITY OF WORK, WE JUST NEED TO ADMIT IT’. (author unknown)

Ref: Why it matters, by Joe Flower, http://www.well.com/user/bbear/change16.html

The new world is becoming a worrying a scary place for many employees. A large proportion of ‘old economy’ workers who rely on outdated competencies, are finding themselves out in the chilly land of unemployment and at a much younger age. Mergers acquisitions and redundancies are on the increase. In an attempt to maintain the status-quo many seek ways to resist change in their organizations through union action, demonstrations or even by just hiding in the belief that past levels of competence and already learned shills will see them through the future . This resistance of course weakens their company and creates difficulties as modern organizations attempt to aim more accurately and a revolutionary marketplace. The inevitable outcome is that rather than managing/coping with change in a gradual and positive fashion these same people often end up at the sudden and violent end of a takeover (or bankruptcy) and they are then forced to make radical changes in a hostile environment.

Those who do not share what is becoming an increasingly powerful vision of the future are attempting to fight the world’s current (and inevitable) direction, much as many ‘scared’ generations of resistors have done throughout history. More than at any time in the past we are seeing the demise of inept, slow moving, old style, governments, associations and of course corporations. To use just a few examples, old style American manufacturers, Japanese Manufacturers, Greek, Spanish and Italian Governments and of course many ex Arab Governments. Even on a regional scale ‘old Europe’ seems to need to break their own Euro-zone rules due to resistance by the local old thinkers unable to embrace new market realities. The most highly publicized resistance to change can be observed as crowds gather when world trade organization and international banking institutions meet to discuss the future of ‘the global village’.

In 1633 Galileo was denounced by the Inquisition and forced to recant his belief in Copernican theory… however…

THE SUN WOULD NEVER REVOLVE AROUND THE EARTH, NO MATTER HOW LONG GALILEO WAS LEFT TO ROT IN JAIL

So what do we do?

Resistance is futile! How many manual ledger keepers, people that use typewriters, skilled metal workers or for that matter floor traders do you see about you. I can still remember some years ago seeing a demonstration of a prototype automatic teller machine and watching fascinated young bankers as they looked at it in awe and wondered what it all meant. Lets not star on bankers, their old style operations and attitude have cost the world billions. Even when legislation is passed in an attempt to enforce better management practices they still can’t change their way-wood management habits, UBS being a great example.

The first thing we need to do is acknowledge that by nature we all tend resist, or at least try to deny, change; we all tend like the old ways of doing things and the comfort zone we have created. Rubbish Richard you may think and you could be saying to yourself… many of us embrace change, including our staff, we are part of the future. To see where the level of resistance is try this game (source unknown) at your next meeting… just for fun. Ask your staff to face each other in pairs and look closely at their partner. Then tell them to turn away and secretly change two things about their appearance. They will do things like move their pens, take off their watch, undo their tie etc; leave the changes to their own imagination. Then have them face each other again and tell their partner what has changed (about their partner). They will proudly boast about a two out of two result and you should congratulate them for their astute observations. Say nothing more except ask them all to sit back down; (I bet most sit in the same seat each meeting). Now watch and be amazed, I guarantee ninety nine point nine percent will re-adjust their appearance back to they way it was before the game started. Then ask yourself are we really breeding a staff compliment that accepts the changes that can take us into the future, or are they just telling us they are change oriented because they know that’s what we want to hear.

“I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE ARE FRIGHTENED OF NEW IDEAS. I’M FRIGHTENED OF THE OLD ONES” (John Cage)

More change coming part 2…

There are a variety of methods that can be used and a number of basic concepts to follow.

. Each member of a group, may be invited to put forward ideas concerning a problem under consideration.

. Wild ideas are safe to offer, as criticism or ridicule is not permitted.

. The people taking part do so with equal status.

. The main objective is to create an atmosphere of enthusiasm and originality.

. All ideas offered are recorded for subsequent analysis.

The process is continued until all the conceivable causes have been included.

A useful variant on the technique is negative brainstorming. Here the group brainstorms all the things that would need to be done to ensure a negative outcome. Having identified the potential road blocks, it is easier to dismantle them.

Brainstorm (Memory Jogger Methods)

Unstructured Brainstorming

1. Visual  – draw a picture of a situation

2. Free word association – unusual word connections are listed on a large piece of paper (use the question if the problem was an animal what would it be) i.e. dog, cat, mouse, chase, bite, infection, disease, doctor, bill etc

3. 6-3-5 method 6 people write down 3 ideas in 5 minutes on how to solve a problem, then passes the sheet to the next person who build 3 more ideas based on the three they have received. Continue until each 6 sheets have 18 ideas (6 people = 6 rotations x 3 ideas = 18 ideas)

Structured

Question is agreed stated and written down. Understanding must be confirmed (get a number of participants to rephrase).

Each member takes turns to present ideas (no criticism is allowed).

Write ideas down in the exact words of the speaker

Keep going around until each member passes and no more ideas are forthcoming.

Review list and discard duplicates

If you would like more information on brainstorming there is more here: brainstorming

Two critical planning issues are, quantity and quality.

QUANTITY – The almost sickening pace of ever-changing market conditions means annual sales plans (and budgets) are a thing of the past. In the current environment ‘living’ (continuous) plans, or at least quarterly targeting are needed. How quickly do motor vehicle models change, telephone systems evolve and computers become outdated? How quickly does a fickle customer base move to a new brand or make a substitute buying decision? Mechanisms for adjusting to an ever-changing reality are a must.

QUALITY – When the sales plan is done who is involved? It should be the entire executive team supported by all the sales staff and any outside consultants that contribute to the sales and marketing efforts. Advertising agents, marketing and PR consultants and yes even the financial advisors, economists and political scientists. All departments must get on board with the concept that ‘the sales department is not the whole company, however the whole company had better be the sales department’ and that…

‘THE ONLY REASON A COMPANY HAS TO EXIST IS TO SERVE A CUSTOMER’

Changes in the market place…

Hotels can provide a great example of market place myopia and a reluctance to walk away from a traditional perspective. To start with, say we decide to focus on catering to the government sector which through budget constraints suddenly decides meetings, conferences and expensive ‘private room dinners’ are out. How about if we rely on the Japanese tour markets and the economy collapses and oops no customers and a lot of highly paid Japanese speaking staff who are doing little more than eating up the payroll. What if we set ourselves up as a five star super deluxe property that caters to high-end corporate customers and September 11 occurs so everyone starts teleconferencing? The problem is that while, say the government sector is flourishing; often too little attention is placed on developing other markets. Constant repositioning and adjustment to capture market opportunities and close monitoring of market trends is a must to survive in today’s volatility.

If we are going to cater for an ever-changing future we need to constantly train to meet that future. Many organisations (including hotels) don’t seem to invest enough in modern business methods and particularly in modern selling and lots of sales staff still do boring ‘presentations’. Example: I remember a tourism publication that stated that Thailand (a great holiday destination) is going to loose major market share because it can’t find trained managers to run its tourism related businesses. I mean the entire country may well suffer because a few key industry operators are too short sighted to invest in the ‘soft skills’ needed for the future. Thailand’s woes were exacerbate then of course by the political turmoil that racked the country for some years.

Corporate culture and fine traditions are great however…

‘WHEN THERE IS A PARADIGM SHIFT EVERYONE GOES BACK TO ZERO AND PAST EXPERIENCE CAN MEAN NOTHING’ (Joel Barker)

A big danger that I have seen overlooked time and time again is … too much business from one customer. For hotels (as an example) this seems to be the problem of constantly struggling with big time ‘introducers’ whose buying power is so great they are able to command the market at minimal profit whilst reserving large percentages of a hotels inventory. I think perhaps the evolution of the modern independent traveller using direct ordering through the Internet may in time put paid to this lot. Hotel groups selling across the 3, 4, 5 star and super deluxe properties might give us all a clue on how we all need to think. Capturing different market segments and reducing our reliance on one or two major introducers should be a commandment. (I can never understand why more hoteliers don’t design individual properties that cater for a broader spectrum of customers, perhaps along the line of some cruise ships).

Sound business practice also means sales people must think ‘big picture’ and to make sure they/we are acting as a ‘company team’ and that we are putting the organization’s overall results ahead of our own ‘small area’ priorities. A friend in the event management business recently told me that he had two hotels in the same group arguing over his business and cutting each others prices and he was both amused and perplexed by this situation. He had decided that in future he was going to use another chain as although he had made a short term gain, the hotels sales team’s behaviour made him nervous and question their professionalism and he felt uneasy about accommodating his customers in either hotel. Were the sales operators of these organizations acting as a team and looking at the big picture… maybe not and what damage was done to the long-term result for the organization and its prospect for future sales?

SELL THE COMPANY, NOT JUST THE PRODUCT AND ALWAYS THINK… ‘RELATIONSHIP’!

Poor sales and marketing and the role of intelligence…

Company difficulties can also arise from insufficient understanding of the competition and not knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses in relation to those of our business rivals and in relation to a changing market. This lack of knowledge and understanding will inevitably lead to us forfeiting opportunities. How much competitor analysis is undertaken by those businesses that fail? I suggest little or none. (Do we do competitor analysis and market trend analysis on a regular basis… no huh)? Managers need to carefully look at the total market for new business opportunities rather than just trying to do the same old same old at 110%.

We must avoid becoming blinded by our own perspective (or lack of perspective) on the market or of becoming too immersed in operational details that can cause us to lose sight of how the overall operation is progressing. Lets face they guy on TV who sometime back said ‘Germany will never again be a leading economy if it insists on continuing to make manufactured products that no one wants to buy’, was right. The best production in the world won’t save us from the bloody-minded attitude that “this is what we do and we don’t want to change”.

On a more light hearted note, maybe we also need to look at the ratio of sales staff to administration and production and perhaps sack two accountants, four engineers, fifty percent of the HR department and anyone we are carrying on the payroll out of some perverse sense of loyalty. Then spend the money we save… to hire, train, encourage, cajole, push or even glorify the sales team. That’s where to money is… with their ‘best mates’… “THE CUSTOMERS”

SHARP CORPORATION OF JAPAN STARTED OUT MANUFACTURING BELT BUCKLES AND MOVED ON TO MECHANICAL “EVERSHARP” PENCILS AND NOW…?

ERICSSON ONCE SOLD ARMY BOOTS AND TOILET PAPER TO THE RUSSIANS.

If your company is not constantly reinventing itself can I suggest your need to move to an organization that is. The big question we all need to ask… Is my organization moving with the times, does management have a sound vision of its future and is the vision appropriate for where the world appears to be heading?

As managers (or for that matter effective staff members) it is a wise career move (our responsibility) to make up for our personal inadequacies from a work point of view. We can do this by seeking professional advice in the specialist areas that are critical to our department’s, division’s or company’s success. Some questions we should be asking of ourselves:

Do we currently invest astutely in developing the areas outside our technical area of expertise?

When looking for training, public relations, advertising, marketing, financial or accounting advice is it just a tender process where we choose the cheapest, or is it a… ‘they are the best in their field’, decision?

Are any of these other areas of expertise sometimes ‘in company service departments’, used as a dumping ground for inadequate individuals so we can avoid the hard decision of sending inadequate staff on their way?

If we seek advice do we then learn from the advice we are given or do we ignore it because we don’t like to change?

A real example:

A now non-existent finance company I once worked for sent a senior technical expert to conduct a study overseas on trends in his field. He came back told the company what they had to do, which included the setting up of an ‘out of the hierarchy’, non standard business department. Someone was going to lose control of a major business area and have his traditional power base eroded. So the answer was no…! The ‘expert’ left and went to a very small competitor who within 6 months was making nice profits from the new business opportunities developed, probably in excess of those of our entire operation. How dumb is that! The same finance company commissioned an in depth study of their business practices by a world-renowned leader in their field (at the behest of a major shareholder I believe) and then refused to implement the recommendations. The reason for the failure to adopt the new ways of doing things was that it was going to cost too much and again (probably more importantly) dismantle some traditional power bases. Two years later when the company was still struggling the consultants where back to do the expensive survey/study again… too late the 40% major shareholder became the 90% shareholding parent and intervened with its own rules, suddenly they just a department of ‘the bank’.

DON’T ASK QUESTIONS IF YOU DON’T INTEND TO LISTEN TO ANSWERS AND… NEVER STOP QUESTIONING!

So what are the issues we must think about to avoid being myopic and locked in the past and what are the causes of financial trouble directly attributable to inept management?

1. Lack of foresight or disinterest in the future (other than how to get the next promotion)

2. Inept or even zero monitoring of the market and incorrect use of the gathered information.

3. Allowing dangerous or incorrect debt levels in relation to our operation.

4. Failure to address financial issues including constantly asking if our debt to equity ratio is reasonable or how adequate is our return on funds invested, or are we using short term borrowings to fund long term projects (and all that other boring stuff)?

5. What about technology, are we being bypassed or are we leveraging on the new technologies available?

6. How are our key relationships… key clients, financiers, suppliers and distributors? Are we, to use an old example, Ford and do we use Firestone tyres on any of our products? I wonder if ford and firestone (little “f” s intended) have ISO certification.

7. Quality Quality Quality is a must and I don’t mean certifications, I mean a management and staff attitude that really puts quality as a priority. I once watched as a file was quickly constructed a day before a quality audit (to serve as a good example), the audit was passed and the few hundred other files where never touched. Now is that quality or Bullshit Baffling the Brainless (big “B” s intended) and pardon my language.

Also we need to consider (if the surveys on failure are correct)…

8. Whether we expanding too slowly, or too quickly?

9. Linked to that are we so diversified that we’ve walked away from our core competencies, and or are we even aware of what our core competencies are?

10. We need to ensure we are not too dependant on one customer (or supplier), the finance company I mentioned lent an amount approximately equivalent to its paid up capital to three major borrowers in one industry, all of whom went bankrupt… oops!

11. We should also constantly check to see if we are overstaffed (the American Government and the Australian Public Service perhaps?).

12. We constantly need to check that our control systems are adequate, does our accounting, manufacturing, sales activity system give us the answers we need on a day to day basis?

13. What is the profit per employee, what is the ratio of sales staff to administration, how big is the personnel department and do we have a bureaucratic purchasing department?

14. Finally the team… is there dissension among the management team (or is it a team at all?) or has the team and our business reached the “level of its own incompetence”?

15. The big issue of course is to decide if there is a lack of leadership by the senior executives, or worse the chief executive. One small example of a leadership failing: Do we have a problem if all the middle management attends major training programmes because it is compulsory however the senior management doesn’t come because it’s optional? If training (and the change process) doesn’t start at the top the participants are likely to say things like “that’s OK in theory, ‘but’ that’s not how the boss acts back at the office” and a disconnect between what is needed and what actually happens occurs.

PHEW… no wonder effective managers are busy!

Cash flow and sales… next post!

Refs:

http://www.tuta.hut.fi/studies/Courses_and_schedules/Isib/TU-91.167/Old_seminar_papers/Ojala_Juha_final.pdf

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Once change is accepted as a constant and as its consequences effect us personally it is vital that we seek to understand the (revised) vision of the future that the forces of change are moving towards. Companies that we work for may have change thrust upon them and will adjust how they operate to met a perceived need or desired future state. For the individual we must understand what that future will look like and then align ourselves to the vision or we will be left behind and ultimately ejected from the process and the final outcome.

Understand that worrying about the future is useless. If you don’t believe me… what where you worried about on the same day last year? Accepting the principle (or reality) that NOW IS THE ONLY TIME WE REALLY HAVE and that we must live in the present whilst looking to the future, rather than sitting around relishing the past a is key to our survival.

Realize that the best way to cope with change is as I said to approach it as inevitable and use it as an opportunity to satisfy the priorities and desires we have set. Sure this takes some effort and creative thinking however you can usually find opportunities in new ways of doing things if you are prepared to work at it.

If your company is merging or restructuring insert yourself in the change process so you can influence to the outcome.

Commit yourself productively to others who are trying to solve problems or capitalise on new opportunities. Get on board with the movers and shakers in your organization and let them know you want to be involved.

Learn to adapt… even the most basic observation of nature demonstrates that those that have the greatest capability to survive are those that are most adaptable.

Develop a greater range of competences. The days of just being the best ‘technician’ (engineer) are long gone. Even if you do have an engineering degree limiting yourself to one discipline is dangerous due to the rapid change in technologies and the ever changing priorities of society and business.

Think about the broader issues and needs of the role you fulfill. During a restructure would you choose for example the accountant with problem solving and team building skills or just the ‘best’ at accounting?

Seek new experiences, new skills, and continuos education; broadly based knowledge and experience is always in demand. Understand that the responsibility for me is mine alone; take the lead in your own life.

The more we involve ourself in the change process and succeed the better we understand that we can survive change. The payoff is increased confidence.

Accept the thought that… TO SOME PEOPLE LIFE IS ABOUT FINDING ANSWERS, IN TIMES OF CHANGE PERHAPS LIFE NEEDS TO BE MORE ABOUT FINDING AND DEALING WITH MORE INTERESTING QUESTIONS.

Do not become part of the “but we’ve always done it this way” group or you will become just another victim, which you must refuse to be. Avoid the ‘grumble about the good old days group’ at all costs.

Realize that becoming a ‘victim of circumstances’ is vastly overrated, as there is always a positive alternative. We all choose the variables that make up our life. No many say no I have no way out of my circumstances, well at times it may not be easy however we all have a choice to stay in the game we’re in or change to a different team, location or even a different career path altogether.

Remember that the most important choice we have is whether we develop a positive (or negative) attitude toward life’s realities.

As I alluded to above… if we don’t like or can’t support the changes at our workplace we can leave, as painful as that my be. If you choose this option do it with grace and integrity as those in your past may come around as influences in your future. Happened to me twice.

Believe that all and every company and/or our position in a company is constantly changing and that it is a natural state of affairs, or as one career advice organization puts it: “all jobs are temporary”.

Honestly accept that you always have other possibilities, if you can do this and make it a lifelong attitude… you will truly be empowered. If you can’t accept empowerment and personal responsibly for “outcomes”, best find a way to leave the planet.

Often success during change can simply be a realization that… YOU MAY NOT HAVE A CHOICE ABOUT WORKPLACE CHANGES HOWEVER YOU DO HAVE A CHOICE ON HOW YOU RESPOND!

Finally, study the industry you work in, look for trends, look to educate yourself in the areas that are developing, read your industry journals and take a general interest in business and the discussions of the likely future state of specifically your company, generally your industry and broadly of business overall. Everyday needs a little time invested in preparing for our future.

Thinking of making a dramatic change and leaving your current employer? The resume form link will help if you are looking for “greener pastures”.

The infamous 80/20 rule suggests that 80 percent of our results come from just 20 percent of our efforts. Conversely I have through experience found that as a manager, if you let it, 80 percent of your time can be spent managing the bottom 20 percent of performers. So the first way to improve our performance (work smarter) is to change our focus and invest more time in our top 20 percent of performers. Easy you may say, of course, however it will take great discipline to implement this basic change in behaviour.

Here are a few more working smarter ideas to consider:

Becoming sound human relations practitioners and acting with respect for the needs of others: If you communicate well, form sound relationships and become more aware of an other’s needs you are far more likely to be able to enlist their help in achieving your desired results. Central to achieving this of course is being willing to develop & show sincere interest our colleagues’ well-being.

Constantly seeking what is effective rather than efficient: I’ve seen the most efficient people shuffle paper, religiously answer emails and maintain perfect filing systems however these are not the activities that will produce improved outcomes or greater productivity. Efficiently managing inputs is a given for any competent manager however finding ways to improve the level of outputs is the core of effectiveness and to being a smarter worker.

Working towards being agents of change rather than knockers of the new: Change is constant and developing a need to seek new and better ways to do things is a must. Question everything and don’t assume that the way it’s always been done is necessarily the best way to get it done.

Increasing our value adders and ridding ourselves of energy suckers: if you can’t measure a positive outcome from an activity that you often engage in you really need to stop the activity or make a case to those that are imposing the activity on you on why it should be abandoned. Often other will have you doing something which is done out habit that may in truth, no longer really be necessary.

Understanding our five points of power and using them all – see: five points of power
Approaching every activity with a customer in mind – see: excellent customer service

Stever Robbins in an article for Harvard Business School says: “Another way to work smarter is by distinguishing busy from productive. Oh, we’re busy, and we feel productive, but we’re only productive if we’re producing the results that are most important to moving the company forward”. Ref: hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/5190.html

Managing our limited time wisely – a few tweets I have done in the past: twitter.com/rictownsend

• #Time #Management: Don’t clutter your desk, file it, delegate it, or trash it. Action 1 item at a time! Clutter slows work!
• #Time #Management: Stop ‘multitasking’ it is not time effective, trying to do 2 or more things at once just does not work.
• #Time #Management: Plan your work & work your plan. Remember the 6 p’s ‘Proper Planning Prevents Pitifully Poor Performance’
• #Time #Management: Give instructions once, ensure receiver focused & is listening by asking astute questions to confirm understanding!
• #Time #Management: Prioritize tasks in order of importance A B C piles, split B into A or C, file C until someone follows you up, do “A” now!

Finally sometimes subordinating our own desires as the manager for the sake of the group can be a wise decision as it can help to build trust and loyalty and improve levels of cooperation. Obviously you don’t want to become a puppet of the team you are leading, however dogmatically sticking to a course of action or point of view because of your delegated “legitimate power” can reduce your effectiveness as a leader and your ability to work smarter.