Archive for July, 2008

Changeology of Leadership…our greatest fear

Published
by
gay
on July 17, 2008
in Changeologists Quotes, Changeologists Reflections, Changeology for Organizational Performance and Changeology of leadership
. 0 Comments

In our lives we come across things that change our life forever… this quote from Maryann Williamson is one of those such items I found many years ago in a magazine.

As soon as I read it, I cut it out and posted it in my Planner, so that each day as I planned my future both in hours and minutes, it reminded me of my greatest purpose.

If this is your first time exposed to this quote and its concept, may it become ingrained in you so that every choice, action, and decision you make is supported by the belief that you are powerful beyond belief. (As a note, the original magazine article is still posted on my bulletin board in my office right in easy view and anytime I move offices, this piece of paper is the first thing I pack).

Changeology of Leadership first starts with you… it is impossible to empower others to fly if you have not yet empowered yourself…. Here is to your own transformation!!

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are we not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others. - Maryann Williamson

YAHOO! Fighting to Find Their Way

Published
by
gay
on July 1, 2008
in Changeologist, Changeologists Strategy & Planning, Changeology for Organizational Performance, Changeology of Systems and Changeology of leadership
. 0 Comments

On June 27th,  John Hollon, the Editor from Workforce Magazine discussed the challenges Yahoo is having with top management, their continual efforts to reorganize and their failure to execute effective strategies for the viability of the business.

Here was my response:

I couldn’t agree more with Mr. Hollon on reorganizing for change sake or the “Art of Doing Something for Nothing”

Yahoo is in CHAOS. CHAOS standing for:

“Continuous Havoc Agitating Organizational Systems”     versus operating from the CALM approach.

CALM meaning:

“Constant Adaptation with  Lucid Methods”

If we have the wrong people with inadequate skills in the seats of those who do the executing… do we take the time to teach, or train or mentor?  When the wrong people are sitting at the top of the organization, how much time do we have to “execute” strategies to make them better “executers”

In days gone by, I have committed to not implementing “reorg” strategies in order to improve internal and external business performance. My strategy would be to invest in those individuals or groups of individuals in developing stronger skills of strategy/action execution. Sometimes it worked… but only when I had the luxury of time and the sky wasn’t falling down around us.

Most often though, time was of the essence because the sky was just about to fall… the weaker employees were tired, frustrated and angry because they were working so hard but still not successful. They didn’t have the foresight or the courage to remove themselves from the “golden handcuffs”

So… Is it ALWAYS a good idea to keep everyone when systems, structures, and people aren’t meeting the performance stratgies of the company???  No…. then reorganizations are necessary.

However, There is not just one approach. Either the approach of “Improving execution over “reorg”…. or  “reorg” over proper execution” should be considered carefully and with integrity.

There is another approach worth considering… and that is a combination of both… again with deliberate thought, balanced elements of risk taking and again with great integrity considering the good of the whole while honoring  the good of the one.

As for YaHoo… It appears their struggles are due to the fact they dont have a clear idea of what they are suppose to do… and maybe why they need to do it. BOY that is stating the obvious.

So they reorganize… Has anyone looked to see if they have the right players all on the same field, on the right bases and has everyone shown up for the game?

Yahoo!   good luck…  They are fighting so hard they forgot to step back and look at what may be, a more simple approach.

However, Mr. Hollon’s thoughts on reorganizations and the lack of use of them, should not be generalized. There is a “reorg” fever when execution initiatives are too difficult, too risky or not understood. BUT…