{"id":3101,"date":"2017-08-08T08:30:20","date_gmt":"2017-08-08T13:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/flevy.com\/blog\/?p=3101"},"modified":"2017-07-30T22:43:22","modified_gmt":"2017-07-31T03:43:22","slug":"a-different-perspective-on-culture-change-part-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flevy.com\/blog\/a-different-perspective-on-culture-change-part-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"A Different Perspective on Culture Change – Part II"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor’s Note: \u00a0You can read Dr. Ted Marra’s Part I of A Different Perspective on Culture Change here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

* * * *<\/p>\n

For those readers of Part I and possibly some new readers as well, I hope that this article continues to add value and provide a different perspective \u2013 one through the eyes of a frontline <\/em><\/strong>employee.<\/p>\n

I believe it is worth noting some of the activities which I have found senior executives need to engage in<\/em><\/strong> beyond those already stated in Part I which can contribute to making this change process successful.<\/p>\n

In Steps #1 and #2 especially, senior executives should act like \u2018missionaries<\/em><\/strong>\u2019 going out into the far corners of their organisation converting unbelievers.\u00a0 Whether this is through a travelling road show approach where each executive must give a prepared presentation on what is happening, why it is happening (e.g., need) and how the people and the organisation benefit as well as an open and honest 2-way dialogue with employees or there are \u2018town hall<\/em><\/strong>\u2019 meetings where large groups of employees come together held at various locations and times.\u00a0 If the organisation operates on 2-3 shifts, executives need to be out there at whatever time of day or night is necessary to engage people and let them know that management is serious and committed 100%.<\/em><\/strong> Use of the intranet <\/em><\/strong>and setting up messages <\/em><\/strong>(words or pictures) for use as screen savers all help \u2013 some may be from the CEO and others.<\/p>\n

If the approach suggested in Part I regarding establishing Domain Decision Councils<\/em><\/strong>, one Council being related to \u2018Organisational change \u2013 adaptation, learning, creativity and innovation<\/em><\/strong>, at least one of the Council members should be the Sponsor and or facilitator\/coach for the Strategic Business Improvement (or Change)\u00a0 Team which supports the Council<\/strong>.\u00a0 There may be more than one SBIT or SBCT.<\/p>\n

In Part I<\/a>, we discussed the first three Steps I have observed in change programs.\u00a0 I will continue with the remaining steps and also offer an example from a past client.<\/p>\n

So, in Part I we discussed the following Steps:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Hear the words<\/li>\n
  2. See things happen<\/li>\n
  3. Understand my role<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The unfortunate fact, in my experience, has been that management has spent<\/em><\/strong> too little time on helping their people to understand their roles <\/em><\/strong>\u2013 often leaving them somewhat in a state of uncertainty, leading them to think of this once again as \u2018the program of the month\u2019 and even if it goes ahead, not really being committed to it.<\/p>\n

    In any change program it is critical that the old \u2018feet, head, heart\u2019 model be employed<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 begun many years ago at Xerox and Corning among others. In the past, as we know \u2013 and still far too often today, the \u20183C\u2019s\u2019 of management<\/em><\/strong> still prevail \u2013 command, control and coordinate.\u00a0 We, management in our infinite wisdom, will tell you what to do, when to do, how to do it and who to do it with and we will watch over you like policemen or policewomen to catch you doing something wrong.\u00a0 Obviously that approach stopped working a hundred years ago but is kept alive by those senior executives among Collins \u2018Level I and Level II\u2019 executives from his book \u2018Good to Great\u2019 or Senge\u2019s \u2018unconscious incompetent\u2019 management in his book \u2018The Learning Organisation\u2019. Focus on just obedience, diligence and expertise was not enough.<\/p>\n

    Some years ago, a few more enlightened senior executives realised that their people might add more value, increase their creative contributions to the success of the organisation and have stronger commitment and motivation if they did more than \u2018just bark orders\u2019 which caused employees feet to move or make them jump, more out of fear than respect.<\/p>\n

    So, they began the transformation to \u2018getting into the head<\/em><\/strong>\u2019 of their people \u2013 to explain why they are doing it \u2013 its importance to the organisation and what\u2019s in it for them the employee (WIIFM).\u00a0 They were right.<\/p>\n

    Then the \u2018eureka\u2019 came.\u00a0 Some of these more enlightened senior executives thought that more energy and passion<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 greater motivation and creativity could come by \u2018engagement\u2019 \u2013 creating a stronger \u2018emotional attachment<\/em><\/strong>\u2019 of their people to the organisation and what it stands for.\u00a0 It is only by getting to \u2018heart\u2019 of the matter \u2013 and their people that this can be achieved.<\/p>\n

    While digressing slightly with the above discussion, it helps to highlight why change in many organisations only occurs when there is crisis as opposed to occurring on a continuous basis and why, even in a crisis situation, successful execution is in the 20-40% maximum range \u2013 usually at the lower end.<\/p>\n

    So, what then are the next Steps from the frontline perspective? Let\u2019s have a look:<\/p>\n

    Step #4: Management builds the trust and capability of frontline employees<\/h2>\n

    Quite frankly, another reason such a high percentage of change programs fail is that often this Step is either left out or minimised \u2013 that is, management does the nominal necessary in preparing their people often because of cost considerations or they take employees for granted or are just simply clueless of the need \u2013 I mean, what are we paying our employees for anyway?\u00a0 If they can\u2019t do their job, then get rid of them! They are just \u2018tools\u2019 to get a job done. So they set their employees up for \u2018failure\u2019 \u2013 it is never a failure of leadership \u2013 just the people in the organisation.\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t life be wonderful \u2013 simple, easy if it wasn\u2019t for our people screwing up all the time they say!<\/p>\n

    This is probably the single most critical Step in the process from a people perspective.\u00a0 It is the one which, through senior management\u2019s actions, clearly communicates whether this change program is real or not and whether they, the employee are viewed as an asset or a tool by the degree to which leadership invests in them<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    It is an absolute fact that trust is built on clear, 2-way, regular (frequent) open and honest communication at all levels \u2013 transparency \u2013 the sharing of all relevant information between management and employees.\u00a0 While that is not the only factor that contributes to building and maintaining trust, it is probably near the top of the list.\u00a0 You can add others as I could, but won\u2019t digress further at the moment.<\/p>\n

    Here are some of things frontline employees are looking for \u2013 hoping for in this Step:<\/p>\n