Archive for the 'Changeology of leadership' Category

Leading through Fear…and ending up on the other side

Published
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on September 30, 2008
in Changeologist, Changeology 101, Changeology for Organizational Performance, Changeology of CHAOS and Changeology of leadership
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The article below talks about today, the economic crisis and how paralyzing fear can be.

Leadership is facing fear and moving through it. It is my hope this article will provide a little reminder nothing is worse than fear itself.

 

THE LEADER'S EDGE © 2008 by Dave Timmons  -  September 2008

THE SECOND LIST: Leading Through FEAR in Today’s Workplace.

Some of you know the current economic crisis will end. Markets will rebound
and your 401K and home values will rise again. At some point, the
proliferation of negative media will subside and instead of talking about
bailouts, foreclosures, meltdowns, and layoffs, we’ll once again have strong
markets, home values, productivity, and growth. Until then, every Leader
has to have a strategy to deal with FEAR.

Fear grips people in different ways. It is the main meal of
procrastination. Fear is also the best friend of indecision. And Fear is
the leading cause of stunting personal growth and productivity. As a
leader, this is challenging because you not only have to deal with your own
fears during tough times, but those you influence. What are they thinking
and feeling? Have you asked what scares them? How do you lead them through
this?

I’m convinced our ability to find and instill new courage in the face of
today’s fears, is the key difference between mediocre leaders and great
leaders. In fact, these are precisely the times when many great leaders are
made. One definition of Courage I like is this: “The ability to control
one’s fear, so as to face danger, pain, and trouble willingly.” Therefore,
to give you something practical to try in an effort to control your fear,
here is my three-step process that should activate new courage and move you
forward:

1. NAME YOUR FEAR. When faced with a fear, get very specific and articulate
what you are REALLY afraid of. Then, write it out. The power of saying it
and writing it will actually diminish your fear’s power.

2. SHARE YOUR FEAR. Find a trusted friend or loved one with which you can
share your fear. Discuss why you feel you are afraid. This will give you an
instant support and encouragement partner to help you move forward. It also
gets your fear out in the open and creates some momentum to find a solution
to control it.

3. MAKE TWO LISTS. You’ve already started making the FIRST list. This is
called the Worst Possible Outcome list. For some reason when faced with
fear, we immediately start imagining the very worst outcomes that COULD
happen. It’s OK to make this list because we do have to PREPARE for the
worst. But when we FOCUS on the worst, we feed our fears and they get
larger and more paralyzing. The key to moving forward is to make THE SECOND
LIST.

THE SECOND LIST is your Best Possible Outcome list. What are the very best
outcomes that could happen by facing and overcoming your fear? Seriously,
there is always a Best Possible Outcome list that can be made. For
instance, if losing your job is a major fear and you’ve already taken steps
one and two above, your Best Possible Outcome list might look like this:

a. No change. You keep your job.
b. You keep your job and get a promotion
c. You learn to prepare a great resume’ for future opportunities
d. You count your blessings for what you have and who you are
e. If you lose your job, a better job is looking for you
f. New people will come into your life to help you
g. You get to spend quality time with loved ones while in transition to a
better job
h. Believe “This too shall pass” and when it does, you’ll be better and
stronger mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially.

This is not just positive thinking but a conscious decision to change your
focus to something that will move you forward instead. Without THE SECOND
LIST, your only option is to focus on your Worst Possible Outcome list,
which feeds your fear and stops you from controlling it and moving forward.

Try this. Share this. And let’s not just get THROUGH these tough times,
let’s get FROM these tough times! DT

Need a Leadership program on Fear and Courage? Dave Timmons is a Leadership
Artist who helps people acquire and inspire breakthrough results through
the Art of Six String Leadership. To book Dave, call 813-948-6709. For
permission to reprint this article, please write to Dave@DaveTimmons.com
and place ARTICLE REPRINT in the subject line. Thank You!

Simple Truths to Change

Published
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on August 27, 2008
in Changeologist, Changeologists Strategy & Planning, Changeology 101, Changeology for Non Profits, Changeology for Organizational Performance, Changeology of Systems, Changeology of business Culture and Changeology of leadership
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In Workforce Magazine Today, I came across the commentary below. Dave Ulrich has provided 3 simply stated truths regarding organizations and change. He is spot on when he states, Organizations who don’t change, or understand change, or at least admit they really don’t understand the nuances about change won’t make it.

Interestingly, this week I happen to have had two distinct conversations.

One person said to me ” When you say change, people don’t know what it means. It’s ambiguous. It doesn’t mean anything because they can’t get their arms around it”

Another colleague said to me, “In my very large corporate America organization, those who report to me have no clue about managing change. They run away from it because it seems so foreign to them but they would be the first to say they embrace change.”

That is the irony, most individuals I have spoken too regarding change, look you in the eye and say they are all for change, “We live in constant change everyday” and yet most organizations live in it but have very little awareness or knowledge about how to embrace it, use it or understand it’s accumulating affect.

The article below has very good concepts around “structuring or framing change” primarily planned change. However, one truth we haven’t spoken of yet is the Truth of the Unmanageability of Change.

In today’s complex environments, much change is occuring through small events, or through networks of individuals acting as a collective. However, those small events sometimes are not noticed until they accumulate through small actions. They aren’t noticed because these events are within the organization, possible due to individual actions or actions taken by a group of individuals. Most of the time these small events by the individual aren’t viewed as an “event of change”. 

 But, these events happen repeatively and the event itself may look different each time it occurs. Eventually, these small events result in an accumulated affect and now people notice. However, these small events leading to larger outcomes now have a life of there own. This is only one small example, change is no longer able to be managed with the same clarity or predictableness we thought was possible.

Change is enabled and supported, but the actions created through change, during change, and after the change event, are not managable or predicatable.

However, the principles below are good for understanding some important organizational concepts such as authenticity, transparency, willingness to speak the truth, the need for action or execution and watching for patterns of actions.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Change Happens…
By Dave Ulrich

Change happens. It is in the technology that makes our cell phones, Internet devices and our seemingly new products out of date. It is in the demographics of the diverse workforce as baby boomers learn to work aside Millennials. It is in changing global economic cycles with simultaneous growth in some markets and recession in others. It surrounds us.

Change matters. An executive recently said that a business that took 50 years to build could be lost in two if it does not change. Individuals, teams and organizations that change succeed; those that do not fall behind, unable to ever catch up. As a distinct organizational capability, change goes by many names: agility, cycle time, flexibility, responsiveness and transformation. Organizations that change respond to external demands, create higher intangible market value, implement strategies, plan for the future and create excitement among employees. Change means doing things faster, and so change enables. Instead of winning through innovation, customer service and globalization, leaders demand fast innovation, rapid customer service and swift globalization.

So what does the inevitability of change mean for HR professionals? Let me suggest three principles HR can implement to coach, design, deliver and facilitate change.

Principle 1:

Make the unspeakable speakable

Anyone who has been in a relationship for a long period of time has discovered that without candid conversation, the parties turn away from each other instead of toward each other. This drift eventually widens and the relationship fades. To build a relationship, caring partners need to turn toward each other, which means they need to talk. They especially need to find ways to talk about the things they don’t want to talk about. They need to make the unspeakable speakable.

In almost every organization there are unspeakable viruses that limit successful change. These viruses are customs and norms that—without being talked about—shape how employees behave. In many cases, they hinder an organization’s ability to successfully change. In our work, we have identified over 30 such viruses (for a complete list of the viruses, visit www.rbl.net or e-mail me at dou@umich.edu). Here are some of them:

Activity mania: We like to be busy; our badge of honor is full calendars, even if it excludes thinking and results. We hide behind our “busyness.”

Have it my way: We don’t learn from each other, and the “not invented here” syndrome, in which outside ideas are devalued, rules the workplace.

False positive: We do “nice talk.” We are overly kind even if we disagree.

Authority ambiguity: In our organization, we are not sure who is responsible or accountable, so no one is.

Turfism: We defend our turf, sometimes to the detriment of the overall organization.

Over-changed, also known as the “full sponge”: We have a capacity problem. There are too many changes going on at once. We are burned out and stressed out on change. We cannot let things go.

Over-measure: We measure everything, even to a fault. Our dashboards are way too complex.

Under-measure: We don’t have indicators that track the important stuff. We measure what is easy, not what is right.

Going for the big win: We look for the mega change that will solve all problems instead of starting small.

When these viruses can be named, identified and talked about, they can be overcome. HR professionals can help their managers and teams detect and eradicate these viruses by daring to describe them, and then by having candid conversations about them so they don’t return.

We have found that new employees often see these viruses better than old employees do. When we visit a friend or family member, we more readily see the clutter in their house than they do themselves (and, unfortunately, vice versa). We have also found that teams can actually have fun naming, drawing and self-mocking the unspeakable change viruses that lurk in their organization. One team drew their most prevalent virus, and then posted these drawings in their offices until the virus went away.

——————————————————————————–

Creating a mind-set of change means that HR professionals model and encourage leaders to constantly learn, unlearn, improve and accept the inevitability of change.

——————————————————————————–

Principle 2:

Turn what we know into what we do

Those who have not seen me for five or six years almost always remark that I have lost a lot of weight. They want to know how I did it, and are surprised when I tell them that I have in fact discovered the secrets of losing weight (and hopefully sustaining the loss).

With bated breath, they listen to my secrets: “Eat less, eat right and exercise more.” As the reality of these “insights” sinks in, they are disappointed.

They have missed the point. The challenge of weight loss and other personal changes is not discovering a secret of what to do, but learning the discipline of doing it. Knowing what to do is much easier than actually doing it. In managing change in organizations, most leaders can accurately list within two minutes seven to 10 keys to successful change. In our work, my colleagues and I have identified a number of keys to successful change management, including:

Leadership: Have a strong leader who sponsors and champions the change by investing time and energy.

Need: Create a shared need so that the rationale for the change exceeds the resistance to the change (when people know the “why,” they accept the “what”).

Vision: Shape a future vision with direction, goals and behaviors.

Commitment: Engage and commit others to this vision by giving them information about the change and getting them to behave as if they are committed to the change.

Decisions: Build a decision protocol that segments the vision of tomorrow into decisions that are made today.

Systems: Institutionalize a change through wise investments in people, communication, rewards, information and data, and budget.

Measures: Monitor how the change is going so that learning and adaptation occur.

HR professionals help turn what we know into what we do by bringing the discipline of a change checklist to any project or initiative. Pilots, surgeons, merger specialists and fast-food restaurant managers find that the discipline of a checklist increases performance. An HR professional may regularly perform change audits by making sure that the key elements of successful change are diagnosed and implemented in a disciplined way.

When HR professionals use a change checklist within an organization, they can diagnose what investments should be made to make change happen. In many cases, this diagnostic can identify where not to invest change resources, since that one particular discipline is already sufficient for change, while other disciplines are in short supply. In one case, the first three dimensions (leadership, need and vision) scored high, but decision protocols and institutionalizing the change scored low. This team did not need to spend more time on discussing why the change should occur or what the outcome of the change was, but on how to make it happen. In another case, leaders scored high on the change disciplines, but employees did not.

HR professionals who do a change checklist make sure that knowledge about change is turned into action that delivers change.

Principle 3:

Make change a pattern, not an event

Ultimately, change is not about a single incident, but about creating a new pattern. People sometimes ask me when I am going to go off my diet, which is a misguided question. It assumes that my weight loss is tied only to a diet, not a way of life.

In organizations, HR professionals help make change a way of life by seeing that it becomes assimilated into how work is done. Change is not something that happens in a workshop, team meeting or process review, but ­occurs naturally and continuously during all work activities. Creating a mind-set of change means that HR professionals model and encourage leaders to constantly learn, unlearn, improve and accept the inevitability of change.

A pattern means that a new culture is created. We have found that organizations are more likely to change their culture when they begin the culture discussion by focusing on customers outside the company and what the company wants to be known for by their best customers. The changes employees and organizations make inside can and should be clearly and directly linked to the expectations of customers. Change is not an idle hazing meant to distract employees, but a means of serving customers. When inside change links to external expectations, HR programs (staffing, training, compensation, communication) and leader behaviors occur because they deliver value to the marketplace. HR professionals who ensure that internal changes are linked to external expectations see change less as an event and more as a pattern or culture.

In our research on competencies for successful HR professionals, the ability to manage change and be a cultural steward were among the most critical differentiators for an effective HR professional. Change happens and it matters. By following these three principles, HR professionals can help employees discover the excitement and energy that change brings.

Workforce Management, June 9, 2008, p. 22-23 –

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Changeology of Leadership…our greatest fear

Published
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on July 17, 2008
in Changeologists Quotes, Changeologists Reflections, Changeology for Organizational Performance and Changeology of leadership
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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
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on July 1, 2008
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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…

Workforce Blogs - The Business of Management

Published
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on April 6, 2008
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Workforce Blogs - The Business of Management

This blog from Workforce Magazine discusses a PR strategy of a megasize pharmaceutical company. You will read my comments, but I would like to hear from you?  When reading the blog from John Hollon, Editor of Workforce Magazine, what were your initial reactions?

 Posted 4 6 08:

Schering Plough used the term “Productivity Transformation Program” to describe a downsizing and budget reductions. The editor of Workforce Magazine provided great insight as to the insulting nature of this type ofcorporate “phraseology” to hide reality or to soften the message. But, it doesn’t work.

To me, the term “productivity transformation program” does everything management or key leadership theories are against. We preach meaning -making, we state we are transparent and authentic leaders, we pride ourselves in open communication channels. This PR strategy is not any of that.

So how does Schering Plough believe this PR strategy will enhance their image? 

Layoffs, downsizing, reducing budgets are indeed difficult on companies and the workforce in them, both those left and those leaving.  However, a straight-forward, honest, “look you in the eye” approach would be much more acceptable to the workforce and the general public this company states to serve.

It is my assumption the Community, Wall Street, Future investors, and the existing employee base will now have diminished  trust for Schering Plough’s future communication.

Strategies in times like this are not easy to state it mildly, but requires much thought and deliberation. It requires the leaders of an organization to take a courageous attempt to show their transparency and willingness to admit when a  plan’s actual outcomes are not optimal.  Instead, strategies like this, one that trys to cover up or state it as something new and innovative, is an insult to the  public by hiding behind meaningless and dishonest vernacular.

Is it possible Schering Plough does not have the culture of open disclosure and this strategy did not fall far from the vine?   They can repair this, if they choose to…however, will they believe it is important for them to do it?  I guess time will tell.

gay

Careful Considerations Before Committing to a Non-Profit Organization

Published
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on March 28, 2008
in Changeology : Hospice/Healthcare and Changeology of leadership
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Below is an excellent article appearing in the Wall Street Journal on considerations when joining a Non-Profit Board. Terrie Tempkin is a contributing member of this article and is a principle member of Core Strategies for Non-Profits (www.corestrategies4nonprofits.com)

Joining a Nonprofit Board
Is More Than a Labor of Love

You might accept the nomination out of solidarity with the cause or as a resume-builder, but there’s work to be done.

By ERIN CHAMBERS
Special to THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Since so few of them pay these days, joining the board of a nonprofit is usually more about passion—or resume building—than making a little extra money on the side. And regardless of the organization’s mission, Terry Temkin, founder of Florida-based nonprofit consultancy Core Strategies for Nonprofits, says all nonprofits are simply looking for “bright, dynamic minds” to help get their organizations to the next level.

Your First 90 Days

Follow up on standard public relations efforts. Connect with the organization’s public relations department immediately to ensure they have an updated bio and photo for any standard press releases. Jim Kristie, editor of Philadelphia-based Directors & Boards magazine since 1981, also suggests reaching out to one’s personal network of alumni and business connections with a more casual announcement in an alumni newsletter or personal Web site. “It would be natural to do some self promotion by looking for ways to leverage that new board position in your own network,” he says.

Don’t blow off the orientation. This is especially important if there are multiple new appointments. It’s a mistake to assume that all boards function the same way, says Ms. Temkin. “You need to be there,” she says. And with so few board meetings these days—many organizations have ramped down to meeting just once per quarter—new directors need to take advantage of every face-to-face opportunity with fellow board members.

MORE 90 DAYS
[Board of Directors]

The first board meeting: Observe the group dynamic. “[A] new board member has to find out where the power lies on the board and where the force of gravity is,” says Mr. Kristie who serves on several nonprofit boards. “It’s like any other group. There are cliques, there are leaders, and then there are other directors who aren’t pulling their weight.” Much of a director’s first board meeting should be about deciphering who’s who.

Look outside the boardroom. Find out if any of the directors live or work in your area, and make to plans to meet for lunch. “Try to ride to the airport together,” if you’re both flying in from another city, says Mr. Kristie. Ms. Temkin advises scheduling a one-on-one session with the organization’s chief administrator directly. Casual conversations can be more informative than formal meetings when trying to understand the unique challenges involved in running a nonprofit.

Ask questions. Experts agree that the primary function of any board, nonprofit or corporate, is to ask the tough questions. “Be somebody who asks questions, who doesn’t take things at face value.” Says Ms. Temkin. “What you really require from directors is a community perspective. Someone who is out in the field hearing and doing and seeing things.”

Write to Erin Chambers at cjeditor@dowjones.com

Keen Awareness is One Concept of “Change Capacity”

Published
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on March 20, 2008
in Changeologists Recommends, Changeology 101, Changeology : Hospice/Healthcare, Changeology for Organizational Performance, Changeology of CHAOS, Changeology of Organizational Learning, Changeology of Systems and Changeology of leadership
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THE DISTANCE IS NOTHING; IT IS ONLY THE FIRST STEP THAT IS DIFFICULT

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

                                                                                                                                                             Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

The first step is ALWAYS the hardest. However, we know that in time and with practice the unknown becomes known, our comfort zone expands and we begin to create some degree of normalization after the event of the first step. 

Think about the “first step” an infant takes. Think about the overall magnitude that motion, forward movement, and the ability to move toward something they want has on the rest of their lives. The first step for an infant is risky, unsteady, and scary…BUT they keep trying until they finally were able to put one foot in front of the other, typically while others cheer on. How proud they are of taking the risk, trying over and over again until they do it. Is it perfect? NO, not by a long shot. 

The first step doesn’t need to be perfect… it just needs to be a first step attached to the willingness to keep getting back up to try again. 

I briefly discussed “Change Capacity” several weeks ago. Prior to understanding change and how it may “function” in an organization or even in our personal lives, the first step was to EMBRACE the concept change is not stoppable. It is occurring in some way and in some fashion every second of everyday. However, the change we refer to most in organizations is change that either immediately or over time and space has some impact on persons and organizations.    

Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines change as both a verb and a noun. The verb form is defined as “to make different in some particular” or “to replace with another.” The noun form is defined as “the act, process, or result of changing,” a “transformation,” or “substitution.” Often we use the word to signify what is “different.” Webster goes on to say, “Change implies making either an essential difference often amounting to a loss of original identity or a substitution of one thing for another.” It is this “loss of essential identity” that seems to be of most importance in human systems  ( Schwandt, 2006). 

It is this potential loss that members in organizations must deal with. Often change leads to new roles, different organizational models, and altered power relations that can result in differences in motivation, performance and possibly conflict. “The word ‘change’ produces emotional reactions. It is not a neutral word. To many people it is threatening” (Cartwright, 1951). Just the word “change” in organizations can have immediate effects on people’s lives and organizational effectiveness. 

One concept in an organization’s “Change Capacity” is the concept of first identifying the potential loss or change in an organization’s self-concept (An organization is not necessarily the total whole of the business but can be a department, team, smaller organization or group embedded within the whole). The perceived loss and the reaction to it can be called a “weak signal” (Weick, 2008). This means if “weak signals” go unnoticed the reactions may create undesired actions or accumulated undesired actions. If an organization is prepared to identify “weak signals” more aggressively leading to identifying employee’s perceived losses prior to a change effort, it can increase its capacity for greater change success implementation by planning, communicating  and by increasing intentional awareness to the subject matter. 

A great exercise for any manager to do at the time of planning a change, prior to announcing a change or implementing a change, no matter how small, is to ask, “How MAY this affect individuals, and the whole?” “How does this change impact the organization’s  current  self-concept and its future self-concept?”   It is important to be aware of the perceived current organizational state and the perceived future state (Dooley, 1997) of organizational members. Many times we make changes without asking ourselves these types of questions. Remember, some of the greatest impact from a change is from small incremental or continuous reactions to change that lead to more change having greater impact. 

The hazard we face in management is we “devalue” that even a small change can have great impact. With the right preparation, keen awareness as to potential perceptions and actual reactions to the change an organization’s “Change Capacity” can be increased leading to greater organizational success in implementing the desired change.

This is one small intervention to increase Organizational “Change Capacity” it is in the implementation of doing it well that becomes significant. In the near future, I will discuss further the concept or “Organizational State” (Dooley, 1997) mentioned above.

Until the next time… 

Practice putting your feet in front of the other and eventually that first step will happen… even if you fall, the “getting up” becomes much easier with Practice. 

gay rogers

Verbal Abuse: the latest management strategy

Published
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on March 12, 2008
in Changeologists Recommends, Changeologists Reflections, Changeology : Hospice/Healthcare, Changeology for Organizational Performance, Changeology of Organizational Learning, Changeology of business Culture and Changeology of leadership
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Blog for Workforce Management 3 12 08:  This blog was in response to Workforce Magazine’s Editor’s Blog Site:  http://www.workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/about/March 7th, 2008

Verbal Abuse as a Workforce Strategy

I’ve worked few a few screamers in my career—and for some over-the-top, intimidating bullies, too. The worst one was this short, stocky guy who used to love to stand and glare, clenched fists at his side as if he was ready to punch you. He didn’t scream much, but when he did, it was a full-on string of your typical obscenities delivered in a full-throated roar.

As a bad manager, he was the complete and total package.

All of this came back to mind as I was reading a story in the Rocky Mountain News about a former assistant for Dish Network who was dismissed from the company after six years of work and is suing “because of alleged gender discrimination and retaliation. Her claims of a hostile work environment and breach of contract were dismissed this week.” The jury trial is continuing on the remaining causes of action before a U.S. District Court in Denver.

According to the newspaper account, a “Dish Network executive screamed at his assistant Sharon Baker numerous times and in one instance called her a ‘f—— stupid b—-,’ jurors were told in the closing arguments of a federal discrimination case.

The satellite TV company failed to act on Baker’s complaints and ignored its own policies prohibiting crude behavior among managers, Thomas Arckey, one of Baker’s attorneys, told jurors. Instead, top executives routinely engaged in screaming, swearing and sexual jokes, he said. Arckey described the company’s ‘trademark’ policy as ‘hear no evil, see no evil, investigate no evil, correct no evil.’ ”

As stunning as all of that is, what’s even more amazing is the response from Dish Network. It essentially comes down to this: Yes, we were verbally abusive to her, but we didn’t discriminate because we’re verbally abusive to everyone.

 “In the company’s closing arguments, Dish Network attorney Meghan Martinez attacked Baker’s credibility, maintained there was no evidence of gender discrimination and told the jury that the case simply ‘doesn’t belong here, and you know that,’ ” according to the Rocky Mountain News story. “Martinez acknowledged that Dish Network executives, including Baker’s boss, Executive Vice President Michael Kelly, yelled and swore at times. But she said the screaming equally was ‘male to male, executive on executive,’ and that Kelly denied ever using the word ‘b—-.’ Martinez also said witness testimony showed Baker ‘uses profanity and is comfortable with it.’ ”

There you have it: verbal abuse as an accepted part of a company’s workforce management strategy. In other words, Dish Network embraces a corporate culture where it is OK to swear and verbally abuse people in the workplace, and it’s not discriminatory to do it since everyone there does it all the time.

I’ve written a lot about boorish behavior from the top boss and a workplace where sexual harassment was tolerated and ignored, but I’ve never seen one where out-and-out verbal abuse was condoned and defended at the highest levels.

I’m going to go out on a limb here, but I predict that Dish Network won’t have much legal success in defending verbal abuse as an acceptable workforce practice. It will be interesting to see how the nearly all-female Denver jury will see it.

Posted by John Hollon on March 7th, 2008 at 9:45am in Legal Issues, Motivating Employees, Corporate Culture, Management Skills | | Comments (21) | TrackBack

Workforce Blog Entry: 3.12.08 by gay, changeologists, inc.

Workplace Abuse: How does this inpact “Respectful Interaction: of trust, trustworthiness, and self-respect” and Radical Change?

 

The question I have is:  How long has “verbal abuse” been the accepted culture at Dish Network?

During the hiring process, are prospective employees made aware of the “accepted culture?” If they are, does this mean they have made a contractual agreement of accepting employment knowing they will be subjected to “workplace verbal abuse?”

Turning the page on these questions, my first thoughts are of course with the formal leadership of the organization.

How is this culture affecting productivity, systems improvement, financial performance, the ability to hire and retain good people, the ongoing engagement and commitment of employees to the vision and goals of Dish Network?

Leaders or those we place into formal leadership positions, are responsible for facilitating understanding in the organization. Karl Weick (1979) speaks of this as Sensemaking.

Formal leaders’ influencing role in Sensemaking is: 

  1.  To set the social relations that are encouraged and discouraged
  2.  To set the identities that are valued or derogated within the organization (Weick,2008). 

So, what is it saying for these Leaders, if they have encouraged the social relations of “verbal abuse?”Is the Dish Network Identity one of “little respect for the value of human interaction?”Another concept of Sensemaking for Leaders is to facilitate “Respectful Interaction: trust, trustworthiness, and self-respect” In other words, the Leadership of Dish Network and those who accept to stay in this environment may not possess self-respect. If they don’t possess it, how can they give it to others?Living within this type of environment is toxic to our humanity, both within and without the business environment.How will Dish Network’s organizational culture change even if the Leadership doesn’t intend to change it?  The article in Rocky Mountain News has possibly started a RADICAL CHANGE EVENT from an external source moving within and into the organization.

Radical events can be one large scale action through an external event or an internal event OR a series of small events occurring in rapid succession creating radical change (Plowman et al. 2008)

If Dish Network were going to change its culture, despite the formal Leadership, it will be done through employee action, one at time in a continuous process that would allow for a Radical Impact for change to occur.

So, Let’s believe on the integrity of a few folks  to encourage”Respectful Interaction” within Dish Network.

gay 

  

   

Laughter & Business : a compatible couple

Published
by
gay
on March 5, 2008
in Changeologists Presents!!, Changeologists Recommends, Changeologists Reflections, Changeology : Hospice/Healthcare, Changeology of Organizational Learning and Changeology of leadership
. 0 Comments

When we deliberately inject humor into the workplace, organizational dynamics begin to shift, cooperation is more prevelant,  innovation occurs, and there is less defensiveness and tension.

  

This article by the Director of Everything at FUNsulting provides us with great suggestions on how to intentionally add humor into our workplaces … try it,  you may like it!

Prescription for Humor10 Tips for Adding a Bolt of “Lighten”ing to the Healthcare Workplace  

  1.       Use HUMOR in communicating information through emails, memos and presentations, discharge instructions, etc.
  2.      Start all staff meetings, team meetings, nurse’s reports and case presentations with a bit of HUMOR to create a relaxed atmosphere.
  3.     Create a FUN committee to help plan parties, celebrations and recognition events for staff.
  4.     Create a HUMOR Bulletin Board in the nurse’s station or staff area where you can put funny cartoons, jokes and pictures to share with other staff.
  5. Hold a LAUGH Lunch once each month where, over lunch, staff have a chance to share jokes, stories, embarrassing patient care moments and other funny things.
  6.    Collect HUMOROUS books, tapes, and magazines to be made available to patients and their families to relieve stress.
  7.  Create a FUN Stress Relief Area for staff that includes stress balls, candy, Koosh Balls, etc.
  8. Cut out a famous person’s picture from the newspaper and put it over the photo on your name badge.
  9.  Give a FUN prize each week to the staff person who had to deal with the most difficult patient, family or colleague.
  10.   Keep a copy of LIGHTENing Bolts at your nurse’s station or staff area (See below).    

  Ron Culberson, Director of Everything! at FUNsulting, etc., is a former hospice social worker, middle manager and senior manager whose mission is to help healthcare staff and leaders achieve a new level of excellence through humor.  As a speaker, humorist, columnist and author, he shows people how to have more fun while maintaining the integrity of the work they do.  You can find out more information about Ron’s programs and services in addition to subscribing to his free printed newsletter HUMORoids by visiting www.FUNsulting.com.  

Change Capacity

Published
by
gay
on February 14, 2008
in Changeologists Recommends, Changeology 101, Changeology : Hospice/Healthcare, Changeology for Organizational Performance, Changeology of CHAOS and Changeology of leadership
. 0 Comments

Our tag line states “increasing your capacity for change.”  Well… what is that suppose to mean?  And, why would I want to do that?

Thanks for asking….  Increasing an organization’s capacity for change requires several elements for maximum success. For organizations to reach its maximum capacity it is best when all of these elements are playing nice in the sandbox. In fact, it is critical. I will not discuss today the full list of critical factors for success but will start with the first and most important one. This first foundational element is: embracing the idea that change is not an option for optimal organizational  performance.       (It is also needed for individual success.)

Most of us know this…however, even today, organizations/individuals still don’t want to accept it and embrace it. We (Organizations) say all the right words and think we have embraced change,  but when it comes to stepping up to the plate we are hesitate to swing the bat.  Why?

Most of the time organizations :

1.  do not possess the energy it takes to do, see and agree to what is needed

2.  do not have a full commitment to doing “what it takes”

 3. do not have an understanding of the importance of the change

4.  are comfortable in the status quo

5.  do not have the total capabilities to implement change initiatives to gain peak effectiveness 

This is not a criticism…it is just the facts;  at least some of the time, if not all of the time, it affects every organization.

The most important question before committing to a change effort, whether small or large within your organization is:  Are we ready… no really ready? and all that question means.    Do we know or have an idea of the impact this change will have internally and externally? Consider the “butterfly effect” when answering the last question, that is… the significance of small events and their potential for great impact.    Are we willing to “DO WHAT IT TAKES?”  

Let me leave you with a challenge before you answer the above questions… Are you aware of your own internal voice and are you being truthful as you ponder and answer these questions?

The First Critical Step in ALL change initiatives is to EMBRACE IT… and we can’t do that if we first don’t ask ourselves the tough questions (or have someone else ask us) with the willingness to take off our mask and face truth as it stares you coldly in the face.

Once you have taken off the mask and faced the truth about yourself and the organization then you are ready to start embracing change and all the questions we discussed.

Later I will discuss the points made earlier as to why organizations don’t always want to swing the bat when stepping up to the plate. Until later…

May this day,  be your best ever.

gay,  the “changeologists”