Align People

The data in the article is not new... but it should still shock organization leaders.  The gap between top level strategy and frontline action is rarely aligned. 

This is a crash course in the science of emotional connection and why leaders need to understand that the art of leadership is much more effective when backed by good science. 

I too have heard the "But it would be much easier if people weren't so emotional" comment.  More than once.  Here's the big lesson on that... it can be much easier because people are emotional.   If you "get it" as a leader this your key.  Find ways to connect to the emotions of the people you are leading and people will spend much less time questioning if the facts of change are valid. 

  I guarantee change will always be more difficult if you have not made an emotional connection first, last and always.

Your ability to connect at an emotional level may be the single most important factor to gaining trust... and trust is the single most important determinant of successful transitions. 

A very good infographic - and if the data is correct, then organizations are in more trouble than many of us thought.  "Corporate Drag" is a term that is growing in popularity.  It is the idea that all of our work in process improvement and data management has disconnected people from the real purpose of work - to deliver products and services they want, need and appreciate using.   The more internal we become the more we do business with ourselves instead of our customers.

Are your mergers blocking your alignment? 

This is a good peek into what is usually a gut-wrenching is most organizaitons.  I am sure there are at least a few "tweeks" in this one as well.  Here are the high points:

Acquisitions with little integration...

According to CEO Bennett (no relation) Symantec had made a number of acquisitions - but "never made the tough decisions to align the expense structure to the revenue opportunity." 

Translation:  Symantec leadership did as many companies did in the last 20 years - acquire and move on.  As a result Symantec brought nothing to the marriage except money.  Not a great basis for a relationship.  There is only one thing worse - conducting cost down activities only focused on cost reduction - not value creation. 

And block progress...

What was the result:  "we weren’t structured in a way that allowed for us to implement a new strategy, have the right organization in place and achieve the goals" 

Translation: Symantec was stuck in neutral.  Most likely they tossed strategies out to the organization and never looked back to see if anyone was following.  Of course since little real integration took place few were following.

So how are they reducing 30-40% of management?   By doing what should have been done long ago.  Bringing value to the marriage by blending talents , processes, combining the ideas of people across the organization in ways to create new value from the combination.   The main aim to open the organization to alignment potential... Simplify work while you simplify structure.  Easier said than done.

Lesson: Attaching is not integrating.  Bring value to the relationship or you will never align people to success.

By Billy Bennett

www.pyramidodi.com

Culture is hard work.  Engagement is not.

Engagement is not difficult - as long as you "say what you mean and mean what you say" in your organization.   That's where the culture bit comes into play.  What are you really valuing and reinforcing in your organization?   Honesty about this is the only way to engage, align and build a culture that lives  strategy instead of "eating it for breakfast" as the saying goes.

According to the article too many companies say the same thing "integrity, trust, innovation, customer focus"... Blah, Blah, Blah.  or as the Brent Daily, founder of RoundPegg - the author of the study - said "Cliche... integrity, customer focus and respect are all popular values chosen by companies, these are all examples of behaviors companies hope to see in their employees rather than precise and defined values,"

Ouch!  Hope to see in employees?

Brent continues, " they are more for marketing and positioning than for understanding a culture and driving a culture forward."

Values are not "hope to see."  Values are  are daily reality checks on behavior, performance, and outcome.  Unless, of course, you intend to sell a facade to customers... manipulating "the buy" instead of delivering the promised value.    You will never find employees fully engaged when words repeatedly fail to match actions.   They will see past the facade recognizing efforts to "engage" as requests to be an accomplice to a lie.   Yes, that is a bit harsh.  However, all of us entering organizations for the first time  learn very quickly what words really mean.  So, we do know the truth even when it hurts.  We adjust our behavior to fit the true norms or perish. 

What are your true norms? 

What are the values...really?   If they do not match your web site's display, then you face a leadership decision.   Do we remove or rewrite the values we really reward... or do we reconsider and reinforce the values as who we must be - not who we "hope to be."

What are your thoughts?

Billy Bennett

www.pyramidodi.com

A rare insight into the DNA of a consistently good company.  In spite of the latest fads, Amazon applies good logic... set out to achieve, build a process to win,  and craft it to insure success..

In this case, Amazon uses employees developed and dedicated to interviewing potential new hires for "fit". 

"The bar raiser is Amazon's distinction. To become a bar raiser, a worker generally must have conducted dozens or hundreds of interviews, and gained a reputation for asking tough questions and identifying candidates who go on to be stars."

We've used this process with several of our clients with great success.  However, it is rare to find the discipline required to make it a permanent component of the hiring process. 

www.pyramidodi.com

The USA is gradually... (oh yes, this is gradual compared to most industrial "tsunami" changes) - coming around to game changing change in the US system.  Like in most industrial change, those who deny that change is really happening are the last to make the moves they need to make to survive.  As a result, they become the losers... factories close, careers are lost, the weaker and smaller players are absorbed in mergers led by the larger and more competitive.  Those who "get it" first, usually win first.

In this article, the predictions sound familiar to those who have played in large systems change...

"- We’ll see healthcare providers continue to focus on quality outcomes, patient safety, and patient satisfaction with continual emphasis on transparency relative to quality and price.

- We’ll continue to see healthcare providers develop operational improvements to gain efficiencies and cost savings as a result of lower reimbursement pressure from payors.

- We’ll continue to see consolidation in the industry with larger health systems growing even larger.

- We’ll see initiatives to develop stronger physician alignment by hospitals and health systems with special emphasis on alignment with primary care physicians.

- Technology will continue to play a greater role in our industry—I’m not only referring to the electronic health record and big data, but social media as well."

Healthcare, welcome to the world of Automotive, Textiles, Computing, etc., etc. If you are in the denial camp or in the "repeal it" camp, start thinking about your next career, because this one is over.  Even if US political parties changed today it would be too late to stop the trends and the realigning of the system. 

What's the greatest lesson to apply from the others who have gone before you?  Get everyone aligned on a different future... now.  Spend time experimenting with new directions, quickly ride the waves that work for you, and learn how to recognize the practices, and thinking that keep you in the old system and prevent you from building the new. 

Or you could wait around and deny that change is coming.  Ask American Motors Corporation how that worked for them... AMC who?

Perhaps before you work on alginment of your staff you should work on self-alignment.   This is a good short article on creating "intent".    There are 8 (not seven) pieces of advice in creating intent...

1. Authenticity counts. Who are you? What do you really want? What's your mission? My take: Be clear - no, be blunt with yourself.  Your purpose should both create exciting - and frightening clarity.
2. It's not necessarily about balance but alignment.  Let each part of your life support each other.  My take: What a thought provoking comment.  How you assemble your life does create balance.  However, be careful to only create a scaffolding of items. Fill in too much detail and too much control may lead to missed opportunities.
   
3. Be clear and specific.  Place deadlines, or a time frame, on your goals.  My take: what's often more important is sharing these goals with people who matter.
   
4. Watch your language! Did you know the word "want," really means "lack?"   My take: State the future as a definate to be attained.
   
5. Lather, rinse, repeat... Write down your intention, say it and repeat it over and over again.
6. Look forward, not back. Focus on what your life will look like when the goal is achieved  My take: clarity of the future is clarity of intention
   
7. Practice gratitude. Each night write down a couple of things for which you are grateful.   My take:  Can you imagine the power of ending each day with at least two things that made the day?
   
8. Be determined. All the time, not just when you've reached your goal.   My take:  Forward progress is not just an intent - it is practicing intent each day.

Billy Bennett

www.pyramidodi.com

You need to read this.

This is a good article for self coaching about finding your passion... but I want to put a different twist on this:  Read this as a leader - "How do you help your people find jobs that fit their passion and don't suck?"

1. MATCH THEIR SKILLS AND TALENTS TO THE RIGHT WORK

Duh!  Rarely do we put people in positions that fit them. Too often we check the boxes of basic skill sets, put them in a job... and leave them.  We hope they will live well and prosper - but too many stay right there.  Going through the motions of a passionless job.

2. UNDERSTAND THIER OWN (LONG-TERM) AMBITION

How often have you had the "What do you want to be when you grow up?" conversation with your employees.  If you don't know the ambitions of your employees how can you understand where you will have the opportunity to combine personal passion with business need and create wonderfully engaged employees.  Try this, for the next week have that conversation with at least one person every day.   Who knows it may inspire  you.

3. DON’T ASSUME THEY ARE THERE BECASUE THAT'S WHERE THEY WANT TO BE

People often land in places of convienience or opportunity.  Not due to a plan.  There is nothing wrong with that.  However, you have an opportunity to help people to make new connections of work and passion.  You are exposed to conversations and opportunities where IF you are aware of the secret work passions of your employees you can create giant win-win results.  You can assign people on temporary teams.  You can send people on "field trips" to visit other work areas or jobs.

4. HELP THEM RECOGNIZE THE GOOD IN THEIR CURRENT WORK

Opportunities for passion do exist in current work.  Unfortunately many folks can't see it.  That's where leadership steps in - coaching employees in seeing the world differently is a great leader talent.  Opening up everyone to the opportunities around them is a great way to create greater satisfaction today.