NOTES FOR OUR NEW MAYOR ON CHANGE MANAGEMENT
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
INTRODUCTION
As proud as we are of the way we've done many things in the past, the fact is that trying to do the same things in the future and expecting different and better results is just kidding ourselves. During this period of rapid change, we've got three primary challenges and one goal.
The internal challenges are fairly obvious:
1. How do we hang on to our good people?
2. How do we keep everyone's spirits up?
3. And finally, how do we get the results we need to maintain the confidence and support of our “customers”, business partners, lenders and workforce?
And the goal?
GET MORE DONE WITH FEWER
RESOURCES IN LESS TIME
These are the requirements for success today, and they apply to every business. Are they fair? It doesn't really matter because they're staring us in the face. Our job is to deliver the services and the results and protect the bottom line. Period. Change is tough and stressful. But it's during times like these that you can really grow and prove yourself. Setting the goal is easy. The rest is plain hard work. Our task is to manage the changes we're facing instead of simply reacting to them. That way we'll all be a lot happier with what we grow into.
GET YOURSELF INTO THE GAME
DON'T GIVE AWAY YOUR POWER
In times of change, many managers become tentative. They grow more cautious and uncertain concerning their authority and decision-making latitude. As a result, they effectively give away their power to manage. They wait around for permission and crystal clear signals from above as to what they can or cannot do.
Forget it .Don't wait for anything and certainly not for specific permission to do your job. In any case, you're going to find that it's much easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission. If you wait, you're going to lose momentum. Give yourself permission. Attack your job with confidence and authority, and you'll discover that people get out of your way so that you can get on with the job. If you've got a tough question or decision to make, ask for help, but don't even think about sitting around and waiting for direction. This company is full of smart, hard-working and honest people whom we're all trusting with our futures. Let's help them get the job done.
THE TIME LOST IN NOT MAKING
A DECISION CAN NEVER BE RECOVERED. SOONER IS
BETTER - RIGHT NOW IS BEST.
KEEP YOUR OWN HEAD UP
Your own attitude will set the tone for your people. And, happily, your attitude is one of the few things that're totally under your own control. We need upbeat, positive and enthusiastic leaders. As you communicate this to your people, your job in supervising them will actually become a lot easier. They need to know exactly where you're coming from and, once they do; they can get on with the job. Change is aggravating, stressful, and confusing. Big deal. Anyone can steer the ship in a smooth sea. And anyone can be cheerful when things are rosy. The test for you is how you hang in there in the tough times. Now's the time to be a role model and a leader.
Don't pretend that everything's fine-it's not, and your people aren't stupid. Let them know what they can expect from you and from the company. Give it to them straight. They deserve to know. They can handle it, and you couldn't fool them for long anyway. If you level with them now, you'll actually protect your credibility for the long run.
EVEN IF WE’RE HANGING BY OUR
NAILS, WE'RE WEARING OUR
BEST CLOTHES
Remember that there are substantial opportunities for us in these times of change, and that's where a positive focus and emphasis on your part is essential. You're going to find that your people are actually primed for change right now, that they anticipate it, and that, as a result, they'll be able to adapt to it more readily than at other times.
GIVE YOUR PEOPLE CLEAR-CUT MARCHING ORDERS
You should outline your employees' basic duties and assignments as well as any specific tasks and your expectations concerning each task in as concrete a fashion as possible. Definite deadlines and timetables are very important because we'll be fighting every day against slippage on all fronts of the business - daily collections, new marketing initiatives, aggressive competitive bidding, and even new development efforts may all suffer because of the many distractions created by the ongoing changes.
Hands-on management at all company levels is critical to help refocus distracted employees on the immediate tasks before them. And by the way, the best direction is by example and not by talk. Rolling up your sleeves and being involved now is another important reinforcement of your own personal commitment. Talk is cheap.
PEOPLE LEARN MORE FROM
OBSERVATION THAN FROM
CONVERSATION
FOCUS ON IMMEDIATE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
You can expect to have fewer resources than you used to have and, most likely, fewer people even though there's as much or more work to be done. To maximize their effectiveness, you must have clearly defined goals and objectives. Not only will this help you manage, it will help get your people's minds off the past and focused on the future.
But it's critical that the "future" be expressed in terms of an intense focus on short-term targets. Forget about long-term goal setting at this point. Not only does it require too much time and effort, but it necessarily involves more guesswork and uncertainty which is the last thing we need right now. Also, remember that your people will benefit greatly by seeing the short-term goals being achieved. This will pump everyone up, build confidence and restore important momentum to the whole company.
We want to concentrate for now on weekly and monthly performance targets. Once these have been established, we've still got to effectively communicate them to the people who will be responsible for their achievement. This means internal P.R. and plenty of feedback. And, here again, your actions are going to speak a lot louder than anyone's words. Careful tracking, continual feedback (plus or minus) and regular reporting on our progress toward these goals will be essential to achieving them.
DON'T TRY TO GET TO
HEAVEN IN ONE NIGHT
You should expect some glitches along the way. It's critical to pay very close attention right now and to carefully monitor how everyone's doing so that you can nip any problems in the bud. Frequent progress reports with specific follow-up will be especially helpful to make certain that everyone is on the right track.
It's too easy in times of change to let schedules slide, things slip through the cracks, and to make silly mistakes. It's very much a matter of maintaining focus and concentration in the midst of continual distractions. You must make sure that your employees are listening to what you have to say, hearing all of the messages you're delivering to them, and quickly and effectively implementing the changes.
ESTABLISH CLEAR PRIORITIES
You can assume that your priorities will change far more frequently in the future. Integrating these shifts effectively into your group's workload is your challenge.
People and problems will be continually fighting for your time. The loudest should not automatically get the most of your attention. It's very easy to fall into a fire- fighting mode and get sidetracked on low priority issues which take a lot of time and energy with a very small payoff. Don't do it.
You can help your employees avoid the same problem by keeping your own priorities clear in their minds when you delegate work to them. Don't let them assume that the last assignment is the most important to you unless it is. Make sure that you're aware of everything on their plates when you ask them to take on a new task.
Finally, remember that you simply won't have enough time to do everything that comes along. You need to make sure that you handle those things that count the most. It's all about focus.
YOU CAN DO ANYTHING
THAT YOU WANT, BUT YOU
CAN'T DO EVERYTHING
NAIL DOWN EACH PERSON'S JOB
Everybody's job will be changing in some ways, and you shouldn't assume that anyone knows exactly where to direct their efforts. Even if they don't ask, and even if they appear to be moving confidently ahead in what looks like the right direction, check it out!
Speak to each person to clearly redefine their job responsibilities. Be specific and focus on decision making authority, personal accountability and reporting requirements. Do this for old timers as well as newcomers. Don't assume that the incumbents are any clearer on the facts than the newest players. These are confusing times for everyone.
Also make sure that your employees have a precise understanding of the standards of performance that they'll be expected to achieve. Identify with them the few "make or break” aspects of their jobs so that they can properly direct their attention. Put these critical items in writing in a memo which you both retain. Also, make sure that the minute you see any significant performance shortfalls, you meet with the person in order to get him or her back on the right track.
WRITE IT DOWN. THE FAINTEST
INK IS CLEARER THAN THE
SHARPEST MEMORY
GET THE RESISTANCE OUT IN THE OPEN
Some people will never "get it." And certain employees will actively resist the changes we need to make. What's important here is to handle the resistance by actually inviting it. Get it out in the open so that you can analyze it and work to overcome it.
Sometimes you can reduce or overcome resistance by giving the concerned employees a clear understanding of the rationale behind the changes. If they understand what the alternatives were, what tradeoffs were made and the relative costs to the company, they can more easily buy into the situation.
If the resistance you encounter is severe and wide- spread in a given area, you're obliged to ask yourself if it's you that may be the problem. Maybe you need to change your approach. Maybe you haven't sold the employees on your own commitment. Or maybe you need another opinion from other managers who should be told that the proposed changes in your area aren't being implemented or are not working.
RAISE THE BAR
If you expect less of your people now, that's exactly what you'll get. This is the time to ask for more from each member of your team. Make them stretch. Up the ante. Push them to new heights.
GOOD MANAGERS CHALLENGE
THEIR PEOPLE, POOR ONES
COMFORT THEM
Why? Well, first, because there's simply more now that needs to be done. But second, and equally important, during times like these, all of the employees will have done some soul-searching of their own and probably asked themselves just how good a job they were doing.
IF I ACCEPT YOU AS YOU ARE, I
WILL MAKE YOU WORSE. IF I
TREAT YOU AS WHO YOU ARE
CAPABLE OF BECOMING, I HELP
YOU BECOME THAT PERSON
They may be examining their own attitudes, evaluating their careers and considering their own changes in their work habits. This is a great opportunity to work with them to develop ways that they can try harder and work smarter to get more done in the course of every day. And it's actually better for their mental health and for the company morale for them to be extremely busy without time to be daydreaming about the company's romantic past or worrying about the future.
You want to establish performance standards and objectives that are challenging but not unrealistic. You want to create successes for them which will require improvements, but which will be achievable so as to avoid creating goals that are nothing more than exercises in frustration and failure. And you want to track their progress from day to day.
PEOPLE DO WHAT YOU INSPECT
(AND PRAISE) AND NOT
WHAT YOU EXPECT
In times of change, what gets measured and monitored is what gets done.
ENCOURAGE RISK-TAKING AND INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE
Rapid changes can paralyze anyone. People feel insecure and uncertain, and you can expect that they'll be less willing to make decisions or to take risks. You'll see some people lose their nerve entirely.
This is the greatest single exposure to the company today. Employees will tend to move into holding patterns. They'll play it safe and assume that sins of omission are safer than sins of commission where you actually try to get something done. Some will be more willing to risk doing nothing rather than risk doing something wrong. Others will be hesitant to take on new work roles or assignments if they're uncertain regarding their own ability to be successful in making the necessary changes. Sometimes the issue will be that there's no clear performance definition of what will constitute success.
In any event, your job is clear. You've got to get the message out loud and clear that we're tolerant of mistakes, but we will not accept inertia. No one expects perfection in these times, but we need to be moving, and our people need to be independent thinking, decisive and action-oriented. We prefer the inevitable errors of enthusiasm to the wisdom of complacency because we can't afford to wait for perfect answers or solutions.
EVEN IF WE'RE ON THE RIGHT ROAD, WE'LL STILL GET RUN OVER
IF WE JUST STAND THERE
DON'T TRY TO BE SUPERMAN
Try as hard as you might, you'll still be unable to cover all the bases yourself. So don't waste your time and energy trying. You've got to concentrate on effective delegation during this period for two main reasons:
First, it will keep you from spreading yourself too thin and becoming too scattered. Second, good delegation gives your employees a sense of involvement which positions them to share in the responsibility for the changes which must be made.
Hands-on management doesn't mean personally policing everything in the place even if you could or micro-managing all activities. This simply will not work. Your good people will become more frustrated and lose some of their initiative, and you'll find yourself overcommitted
and less effective.
When you delegate, your employees will feel a little more in control of their circumstances and even the surrounding events. This gives them an important sense of participation and helps them feel that they have more choices and influence on the ultimate decisions which the company is making. As a result, they will feel better about the decisions which are made, and they'll show more commitment in carrying out those directives.
PROTECT YOUR PIONEERS
We need to create an environment where our employees feel "safe" in taking risks and experimenting with new ways of doing things. If they feel threatened, insecure or vulnerable, they'll be inhibited and reluctant to go out on a limb. As they become more cautious and tentative, the sad fact is that they become more likely to fail.
We need to concentrate on "shaping and directing" our people's behavior instead of "grading" it for now. We'll have plenty of time later for detailed performance evaluations. Right now, we want to be coaches and not judges or umpires. And we need to quickly start supporting our people as they begin to move in the right directions-we can't afford to wait until they get it perfectly correct.
A GOOD PLAN VIOLENTLY
EXECUTED RIGHT NOW IS A
LOT BETTER THAN A PERFECT
PLAN EXECUTED NEXT MONTH
We need to make it very easy to ask questions without having anyone feel that they're being judged by us or by their peers. We don't want anyone feeling stupid or incompetent-if we were so smart; we wouldn't be in the fix we're in right now. Your people will get an idea very quickly of your attitude toward these issues and how you regard them. We want to "catch people doing something right" so that we can encourage and support them. When they make mistakes, we want to be instructive and supportive rather than critical.
And we want to make room for all of the different types of people that we're going to need if we're going to succeed as a company. Not everyone who makes an important contribution is going to be someone you would like as a new best friend. And not everyone is going to look like us or precisely match our historical view of the typical company employee. Make sure that you make them welcome nonetheless because they're going to be a big part of our future.
PROVIDE "PSYCHOLOGICAL" PAYCHECKS
When you can't afford to provide tangible rewards and benefits to your employees, it becomes even more important to pass out "psychological paychecks" whenever possible. These cost the company nothing, take very little of your time, and still provide excellent "compensation" for the troops. Recognition is as important as dollars and cents to most professionals, and your efforts to acknowledge extra work will pay off.
Don't be so cynical or "mature" as to underestimate the value that employees place on simple words of encouragement, compliments for small things, listening sympathetically, and asking for their opinions on matters which concern them. Express your appreciation early and often for quality work, meeting deadlines, taking the initiative and getting results.
SILENT GRATITUDE ISN'T OF
MUCH USE TO ANYONE
To boost morale, we need to have our people feel valued and have a clear sense of belonging and ownership. We need them to succeed, and we need to give meaning to their day-to-day efforts to move us forward. If you find people just going through the motions, you've got to get involved and either turn their attitude around or take them out of the process because we can't afford half-hearted efforts. We need everyone's complete commitment in words, in deeds and in their hearts.
COMMITMENT, NOT AUTHORITY,
PRODUCES RESULTS
COMMUNICATE CONSTANTLY
It's easy to lose touch with our people when things are in a state of flux. Our normal communication channels may not be effective during these times. If anything, we need to over-communicate to be certain that our message gets through.
And, of course, our employees will be hungrier than ever for answers and information to offset the workings of the rumor mill which will undoubtedly be in high gear. This means that our communications need to be specific and candid and, above all, timely even if all we're saying is that there's nothing new to report at the moment. The most important way that we can address the communication imperative is by remembering that it's a two-way street.
We need to be sure that management is regularly available and accessible so that the employees have a chance to communicate to us. We want to create opportunities for employee input, be extra-patient listeners, collect employee opinions and suggestions and generally increase our visibility by circulating throughout the company. We can't have a bunker mentality or cut ourselves off from the rest of the team.
LOOK FOR THE BAD NEWS NOW
Part of your job is to find and face up to the problems and aggravations which will routinely occur as part of the change process. This will be an ongoing situation especially because the solutions to certain problems will, in some cases, create other new problems. So expect trouble -that's just the way it is, and you'd be kidding yourself if you thought otherwise. The problems will be there - somewhere-and you need to know precisely what you're up against. You won't be able to create solutions or provide leadership if you're among the last to know.
So get in the habit of inviting bad news. Make it easy for people to tell you those things that you don't necessarily want to hear. You can't come to grips with problems if you pretend that they don't exist. Make it clear that the truth is welcome at all times and that the messenger will not be punished for delivering the bad news. The truth only hurts when you don't tell it. Reward people who report on difficulties and breakdowns in the change process. Make it everyone's job to "watch the store" and not just to pay attention to their little area.
If your people say that there's a problem, take it seriously and react to it immediately. They can see things that you can't, and they can see things that you're doing in a different light. In addition, they may have a much better perspective on various matters than you do. At the very least, their opinion is important to them and worth some of your time to listen even if your hands are already full.
TAKE CARE OF THE "ME" ISSUES IN A HURRY
In times of rapid company change, self-preservation takes precedence over just about everything else. There are heavy duty questions in every employee's mind and until these concerns are resolved, employees are often too preoccupied with their own situations to focus effectively on their work. It is critical to get closure on these issues as soon as possible, but it's not as easy as it seems because, in many cases, the determinations which impact the employees cannot be made overnight.
There are three things that can be done to help deal with the situation:
First, move immediately to re-recruit your best people. Don't take them for granted. Treat them just as you would new prospective hires by making them feel important and wanted, indicating to them that their positions are not in jeopardy, and asking them to assist you in the process of implementing the changes coming down the line. Their input and suggestions will be extremely valuable along with their own buy-in. Confident, aggressive people will not only work with you once the invitation to do so has been extended, they will readily understand that the changes present expanded opportunities for them, a chance for the organization to clean house and slim down in many areas, and a brighter overall future. That's the message you need to get through to your key players as soon as possible.
A SHARED GOAL IS AN
INCREDIBLE SOURCE OF POWER
Second, do everything that you can to reduce job stress during this period. Minimize surprises as much as possible. Give people advance warning about what to expect and what's coming instead of springing things on them. This will help them prepare mentally for new developments as well as requests for actions which they might not have anticipated. And, if possible, try to have a sense of humor about the situation when it's even remotely appropriate. You'd be amazed at how much it can help relieve some of the tension. While we need to take our tasks seriously at all times, it never hurts to remember not to take ourselves too seriously.
Finally, don't take it personally. Employees in stressful situations will resist help, blame their bosses, and even behave in self-destructive ways for a period of time while they "recover" from the changes. You will need to help them manage a whole host of emotions and feelings-anxiety, distrust, self-pity, frustration, bitterness, anger, depression and even guilt. You've got to be tolerant of these displays and even understanding when the hostility is directed at you. Most often, you're not really going to be the target, but you're guaranteed to be within range. Just live with it and be sure that you don't make it worse. Let people vent and express these feelings to you so that they can get over them and get on with their lives. If they keep all these feelings inside, they'll never "heal." Just remember not to bother arguing, getting upset, or discounting their feelings. However valid they may be, their feelings are certainly there and condemning them or disallowing them serves no useful purpose.
BE A TEAM PLAYER ALL THE WAY
We all need each other's help. You can help in four specific ways:
First, make sure that your group's efforts are consistently in line with our overall priorities and adjust them rapidly as things change.
Second, give us a break. If it looks like we're making mistakes, remember that we may know what we're doing, we may have other data that you don't have, or it may just be the best decision we can make under the circumstances. Give us the benefit of the doubt and the benefit of your input.
Third, open your mouth. It takes guts to report problems to senior management, but in many cases you'll be the only one who knows the facts, and you've got to be strong enough to step up, state your views and be prepared to defend them for the good of the whole company.
Finally, be big enough to ask for help before you're drowning. Don't be too proud or too afraid to let the team know that you're having trouble. We really are all in this together, and if you edit or "clean up" the reports from the field or from your own group so that they become "safe" or "acceptable," you're leading us all down the road to disaster. Tell the truth. All the truth. All the time.
INTRODUCTION
As proud as we are of the way we've done many things in the past, the fact is that trying to do the same things in the future and expecting different and better results is just kidding ourselves. During this period of rapid change, we've got three primary challenges and one goal.
The internal challenges are fairly obvious:
1. How do we hang on to our good people?
2. How do we keep everyone's spirits up?
3. And finally, how do we get the results we need to maintain the confidence and support of our “customers”, business partners, lenders and workforce?
And the goal?
GET MORE DONE WITH FEWER
RESOURCES IN LESS TIME
These are the requirements for success today, and they apply to every business. Are they fair? It doesn't really matter because they're staring us in the face. Our job is to deliver the services and the results and protect the bottom line. Period. Change is tough and stressful. But it's during times like these that you can really grow and prove yourself. Setting the goal is easy. The rest is plain hard work. Our task is to manage the changes we're facing instead of simply reacting to them. That way we'll all be a lot happier with what we grow into.
GET YOURSELF INTO THE GAME
"Business as usual" is history. Your job has grown- it's more complex, and there are going to be more bases to cover. Plus, you'll find that the old routines and supervisory habits just won't work in this new environment. Not now. Not later. In some ways, experience is going to be your worst enemy and not a trusted guide to the future. Count on it. And you're never going to convince anyone to follow your lead if you're not convinced yourself that we can make a difference. So sit yourself down and decide right now where your own head is at. Then get on with it.
And here's a tip. Don't brace yourself for the changes. That's not going to work. What you want to do is loosen up and roll with the flow. You've got to be flexible and responsive in order to help everyone around you. When you're confronted with new circumstances or actions, take a deep breath and give them a chance. They might actually be improvements, and they might just work. One thing we know for sure is that the old ways of doing business won't work. So what've you got to lose?
DON'T GIVE AWAY YOUR POWER
In times of change, many managers become tentative. They grow more cautious and uncertain concerning their authority and decision-making latitude. As a result, they effectively give away their power to manage. They wait around for permission and crystal clear signals from above as to what they can or cannot do.
Forget it .Don't wait for anything and certainly not for specific permission to do your job. In any case, you're going to find that it's much easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission. If you wait, you're going to lose momentum. Give yourself permission. Attack your job with confidence and authority, and you'll discover that people get out of your way so that you can get on with the job. If you've got a tough question or decision to make, ask for help, but don't even think about sitting around and waiting for direction. This company is full of smart, hard-working and honest people whom we're all trusting with our futures. Let's help them get the job done.
THE TIME LOST IN NOT MAKING
A DECISION CAN NEVER BE RECOVERED. SOONER IS
BETTER - RIGHT NOW IS BEST.
KEEP YOUR OWN HEAD UP
Your own attitude will set the tone for your people. And, happily, your attitude is one of the few things that're totally under your own control. We need upbeat, positive and enthusiastic leaders. As you communicate this to your people, your job in supervising them will actually become a lot easier. They need to know exactly where you're coming from and, once they do; they can get on with the job. Change is aggravating, stressful, and confusing. Big deal. Anyone can steer the ship in a smooth sea. And anyone can be cheerful when things are rosy. The test for you is how you hang in there in the tough times. Now's the time to be a role model and a leader.
Don't pretend that everything's fine-it's not, and your people aren't stupid. Let them know what they can expect from you and from the company. Give it to them straight. They deserve to know. They can handle it, and you couldn't fool them for long anyway. If you level with them now, you'll actually protect your credibility for the long run.
EVEN IF WE’RE HANGING BY OUR
NAILS, WE'RE WEARING OUR
BEST CLOTHES
Remember that there are substantial opportunities for us in these times of change, and that's where a positive focus and emphasis on your part is essential. You're going to find that your people are actually primed for change right now, that they anticipate it, and that, as a result, they'll be able to adapt to it more readily than at other times.
GIVE YOUR PEOPLE CLEAR-CUT MARCHING ORDERS
You should outline your employees' basic duties and assignments as well as any specific tasks and your expectations concerning each task in as concrete a fashion as possible. Definite deadlines and timetables are very important because we'll be fighting every day against slippage on all fronts of the business - daily collections, new marketing initiatives, aggressive competitive bidding, and even new development efforts may all suffer because of the many distractions created by the ongoing changes.
Hands-on management at all company levels is critical to help refocus distracted employees on the immediate tasks before them. And by the way, the best direction is by example and not by talk. Rolling up your sleeves and being involved now is another important reinforcement of your own personal commitment. Talk is cheap.
PEOPLE LEARN MORE FROM
OBSERVATION THAN FROM
CONVERSATION
FOCUS ON IMMEDIATE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
You can expect to have fewer resources than you used to have and, most likely, fewer people even though there's as much or more work to be done. To maximize their effectiveness, you must have clearly defined goals and objectives. Not only will this help you manage, it will help get your people's minds off the past and focused on the future.
But it's critical that the "future" be expressed in terms of an intense focus on short-term targets. Forget about long-term goal setting at this point. Not only does it require too much time and effort, but it necessarily involves more guesswork and uncertainty which is the last thing we need right now. Also, remember that your people will benefit greatly by seeing the short-term goals being achieved. This will pump everyone up, build confidence and restore important momentum to the whole company.
We want to concentrate for now on weekly and monthly performance targets. Once these have been established, we've still got to effectively communicate them to the people who will be responsible for their achievement. This means internal P.R. and plenty of feedback. And, here again, your actions are going to speak a lot louder than anyone's words. Careful tracking, continual feedback (plus or minus) and regular reporting on our progress toward these goals will be essential to achieving them.
DON'T TRY TO GET TO
HEAVEN IN ONE NIGHT
You should expect some glitches along the way. It's critical to pay very close attention right now and to carefully monitor how everyone's doing so that you can nip any problems in the bud. Frequent progress reports with specific follow-up will be especially helpful to make certain that everyone is on the right track.
It's too easy in times of change to let schedules slide, things slip through the cracks, and to make silly mistakes. It's very much a matter of maintaining focus and concentration in the midst of continual distractions. You must make sure that your employees are listening to what you have to say, hearing all of the messages you're delivering to them, and quickly and effectively implementing the changes.
ESTABLISH CLEAR PRIORITIES
You can assume that your priorities will change far more frequently in the future. Integrating these shifts effectively into your group's workload is your challenge.
People and problems will be continually fighting for your time. The loudest should not automatically get the most of your attention. It's very easy to fall into a fire- fighting mode and get sidetracked on low priority issues which take a lot of time and energy with a very small payoff. Don't do it.
You can help your employees avoid the same problem by keeping your own priorities clear in their minds when you delegate work to them. Don't let them assume that the last assignment is the most important to you unless it is. Make sure that you're aware of everything on their plates when you ask them to take on a new task.
Finally, remember that you simply won't have enough time to do everything that comes along. You need to make sure that you handle those things that count the most. It's all about focus.
YOU CAN DO ANYTHING
THAT YOU WANT, BUT YOU
CAN'T DO EVERYTHING
NAIL DOWN EACH PERSON'S JOB
Everybody's job will be changing in some ways, and you shouldn't assume that anyone knows exactly where to direct their efforts. Even if they don't ask, and even if they appear to be moving confidently ahead in what looks like the right direction, check it out!
Speak to each person to clearly redefine their job responsibilities. Be specific and focus on decision making authority, personal accountability and reporting requirements. Do this for old timers as well as newcomers. Don't assume that the incumbents are any clearer on the facts than the newest players. These are confusing times for everyone.
Also make sure that your employees have a precise understanding of the standards of performance that they'll be expected to achieve. Identify with them the few "make or break” aspects of their jobs so that they can properly direct their attention. Put these critical items in writing in a memo which you both retain. Also, make sure that the minute you see any significant performance shortfalls, you meet with the person in order to get him or her back on the right track.
WRITE IT DOWN. THE FAINTEST
INK IS CLEARER THAN THE
SHARPEST MEMORY
GET THE RESISTANCE OUT IN THE OPEN
Some people will never "get it." And certain employees will actively resist the changes we need to make. What's important here is to handle the resistance by actually inviting it. Get it out in the open so that you can analyze it and work to overcome it.
Sometimes you can reduce or overcome resistance by giving the concerned employees a clear understanding of the rationale behind the changes. If they understand what the alternatives were, what tradeoffs were made and the relative costs to the company, they can more easily buy into the situation.
If the resistance you encounter is severe and wide- spread in a given area, you're obliged to ask yourself if it's you that may be the problem. Maybe you need to change your approach. Maybe you haven't sold the employees on your own commitment. Or maybe you need another opinion from other managers who should be told that the proposed changes in your area aren't being implemented or are not working.
RAISE THE BAR
If you expect less of your people now, that's exactly what you'll get. This is the time to ask for more from each member of your team. Make them stretch. Up the ante. Push them to new heights.
GOOD MANAGERS CHALLENGE
THEIR PEOPLE, POOR ONES
COMFORT THEM
Why? Well, first, because there's simply more now that needs to be done. But second, and equally important, during times like these, all of the employees will have done some soul-searching of their own and probably asked themselves just how good a job they were doing.
IF I ACCEPT YOU AS YOU ARE, I
WILL MAKE YOU WORSE. IF I
TREAT YOU AS WHO YOU ARE
CAPABLE OF BECOMING, I HELP
YOU BECOME THAT PERSON
They may be examining their own attitudes, evaluating their careers and considering their own changes in their work habits. This is a great opportunity to work with them to develop ways that they can try harder and work smarter to get more done in the course of every day. And it's actually better for their mental health and for the company morale for them to be extremely busy without time to be daydreaming about the company's romantic past or worrying about the future.
You want to establish performance standards and objectives that are challenging but not unrealistic. You want to create successes for them which will require improvements, but which will be achievable so as to avoid creating goals that are nothing more than exercises in frustration and failure. And you want to track their progress from day to day.
PEOPLE DO WHAT YOU INSPECT
(AND PRAISE) AND NOT
WHAT YOU EXPECT
In times of change, what gets measured and monitored is what gets done.
ENCOURAGE RISK-TAKING AND INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE
Rapid changes can paralyze anyone. People feel insecure and uncertain, and you can expect that they'll be less willing to make decisions or to take risks. You'll see some people lose their nerve entirely.
This is the greatest single exposure to the company today. Employees will tend to move into holding patterns. They'll play it safe and assume that sins of omission are safer than sins of commission where you actually try to get something done. Some will be more willing to risk doing nothing rather than risk doing something wrong. Others will be hesitant to take on new work roles or assignments if they're uncertain regarding their own ability to be successful in making the necessary changes. Sometimes the issue will be that there's no clear performance definition of what will constitute success.
In any event, your job is clear. You've got to get the message out loud and clear that we're tolerant of mistakes, but we will not accept inertia. No one expects perfection in these times, but we need to be moving, and our people need to be independent thinking, decisive and action-oriented. We prefer the inevitable errors of enthusiasm to the wisdom of complacency because we can't afford to wait for perfect answers or solutions.
EVEN IF WE'RE ON THE RIGHT ROAD, WE'LL STILL GET RUN OVER
IF WE JUST STAND THERE
DON'T TRY TO BE SUPERMAN
Try as hard as you might, you'll still be unable to cover all the bases yourself. So don't waste your time and energy trying. You've got to concentrate on effective delegation during this period for two main reasons:
First, it will keep you from spreading yourself too thin and becoming too scattered. Second, good delegation gives your employees a sense of involvement which positions them to share in the responsibility for the changes which must be made.
Hands-on management doesn't mean personally policing everything in the place even if you could or micro-managing all activities. This simply will not work. Your good people will become more frustrated and lose some of their initiative, and you'll find yourself overcommitted
and less effective.
When you delegate, your employees will feel a little more in control of their circumstances and even the surrounding events. This gives them an important sense of participation and helps them feel that they have more choices and influence on the ultimate decisions which the company is making. As a result, they will feel better about the decisions which are made, and they'll show more commitment in carrying out those directives.
PROTECT YOUR PIONEERS
We need to create an environment where our employees feel "safe" in taking risks and experimenting with new ways of doing things. If they feel threatened, insecure or vulnerable, they'll be inhibited and reluctant to go out on a limb. As they become more cautious and tentative, the sad fact is that they become more likely to fail.
We need to concentrate on "shaping and directing" our people's behavior instead of "grading" it for now. We'll have plenty of time later for detailed performance evaluations. Right now, we want to be coaches and not judges or umpires. And we need to quickly start supporting our people as they begin to move in the right directions-we can't afford to wait until they get it perfectly correct.
A GOOD PLAN VIOLENTLY
EXECUTED RIGHT NOW IS A
LOT BETTER THAN A PERFECT
PLAN EXECUTED NEXT MONTH
We need to make it very easy to ask questions without having anyone feel that they're being judged by us or by their peers. We don't want anyone feeling stupid or incompetent-if we were so smart; we wouldn't be in the fix we're in right now. Your people will get an idea very quickly of your attitude toward these issues and how you regard them. We want to "catch people doing something right" so that we can encourage and support them. When they make mistakes, we want to be instructive and supportive rather than critical.
And we want to make room for all of the different types of people that we're going to need if we're going to succeed as a company. Not everyone who makes an important contribution is going to be someone you would like as a new best friend. And not everyone is going to look like us or precisely match our historical view of the typical company employee. Make sure that you make them welcome nonetheless because they're going to be a big part of our future.
PROVIDE "PSYCHOLOGICAL" PAYCHECKS
When you can't afford to provide tangible rewards and benefits to your employees, it becomes even more important to pass out "psychological paychecks" whenever possible. These cost the company nothing, take very little of your time, and still provide excellent "compensation" for the troops. Recognition is as important as dollars and cents to most professionals, and your efforts to acknowledge extra work will pay off.
Don't be so cynical or "mature" as to underestimate the value that employees place on simple words of encouragement, compliments for small things, listening sympathetically, and asking for their opinions on matters which concern them. Express your appreciation early and often for quality work, meeting deadlines, taking the initiative and getting results.
SILENT GRATITUDE ISN'T OF
MUCH USE TO ANYONE
To boost morale, we need to have our people feel valued and have a clear sense of belonging and ownership. We need them to succeed, and we need to give meaning to their day-to-day efforts to move us forward. If you find people just going through the motions, you've got to get involved and either turn their attitude around or take them out of the process because we can't afford half-hearted efforts. We need everyone's complete commitment in words, in deeds and in their hearts.
COMMITMENT, NOT AUTHORITY,
PRODUCES RESULTS
COMMUNICATE CONSTANTLY
It's easy to lose touch with our people when things are in a state of flux. Our normal communication channels may not be effective during these times. If anything, we need to over-communicate to be certain that our message gets through.
And, of course, our employees will be hungrier than ever for answers and information to offset the workings of the rumor mill which will undoubtedly be in high gear. This means that our communications need to be specific and candid and, above all, timely even if all we're saying is that there's nothing new to report at the moment. The most important way that we can address the communication imperative is by remembering that it's a two-way street.
We need to be sure that management is regularly available and accessible so that the employees have a chance to communicate to us. We want to create opportunities for employee input, be extra-patient listeners, collect employee opinions and suggestions and generally increase our visibility by circulating throughout the company. We can't have a bunker mentality or cut ourselves off from the rest of the team.
LOOK FOR THE BAD NEWS NOW
Part of your job is to find and face up to the problems and aggravations which will routinely occur as part of the change process. This will be an ongoing situation especially because the solutions to certain problems will, in some cases, create other new problems. So expect trouble -that's just the way it is, and you'd be kidding yourself if you thought otherwise. The problems will be there - somewhere-and you need to know precisely what you're up against. You won't be able to create solutions or provide leadership if you're among the last to know.
So get in the habit of inviting bad news. Make it easy for people to tell you those things that you don't necessarily want to hear. You can't come to grips with problems if you pretend that they don't exist. Make it clear that the truth is welcome at all times and that the messenger will not be punished for delivering the bad news. The truth only hurts when you don't tell it. Reward people who report on difficulties and breakdowns in the change process. Make it everyone's job to "watch the store" and not just to pay attention to their little area.
If your people say that there's a problem, take it seriously and react to it immediately. They can see things that you can't, and they can see things that you're doing in a different light. In addition, they may have a much better perspective on various matters than you do. At the very least, their opinion is important to them and worth some of your time to listen even if your hands are already full.
TAKE CARE OF THE "ME" ISSUES IN A HURRY
In times of rapid company change, self-preservation takes precedence over just about everything else. There are heavy duty questions in every employee's mind and until these concerns are resolved, employees are often too preoccupied with their own situations to focus effectively on their work. It is critical to get closure on these issues as soon as possible, but it's not as easy as it seems because, in many cases, the determinations which impact the employees cannot be made overnight.
There are three things that can be done to help deal with the situation:
First, move immediately to re-recruit your best people. Don't take them for granted. Treat them just as you would new prospective hires by making them feel important and wanted, indicating to them that their positions are not in jeopardy, and asking them to assist you in the process of implementing the changes coming down the line. Their input and suggestions will be extremely valuable along with their own buy-in. Confident, aggressive people will not only work with you once the invitation to do so has been extended, they will readily understand that the changes present expanded opportunities for them, a chance for the organization to clean house and slim down in many areas, and a brighter overall future. That's the message you need to get through to your key players as soon as possible.
A SHARED GOAL IS AN
INCREDIBLE SOURCE OF POWER
Second, do everything that you can to reduce job stress during this period. Minimize surprises as much as possible. Give people advance warning about what to expect and what's coming instead of springing things on them. This will help them prepare mentally for new developments as well as requests for actions which they might not have anticipated. And, if possible, try to have a sense of humor about the situation when it's even remotely appropriate. You'd be amazed at how much it can help relieve some of the tension. While we need to take our tasks seriously at all times, it never hurts to remember not to take ourselves too seriously.
Finally, don't take it personally. Employees in stressful situations will resist help, blame their bosses, and even behave in self-destructive ways for a period of time while they "recover" from the changes. You will need to help them manage a whole host of emotions and feelings-anxiety, distrust, self-pity, frustration, bitterness, anger, depression and even guilt. You've got to be tolerant of these displays and even understanding when the hostility is directed at you. Most often, you're not really going to be the target, but you're guaranteed to be within range. Just live with it and be sure that you don't make it worse. Let people vent and express these feelings to you so that they can get over them and get on with their lives. If they keep all these feelings inside, they'll never "heal." Just remember not to bother arguing, getting upset, or discounting their feelings. However valid they may be, their feelings are certainly there and condemning them or disallowing them serves no useful purpose.
BE A TEAM PLAYER ALL THE WAY
We all need each other's help. You can help in four specific ways:
First, make sure that your group's efforts are consistently in line with our overall priorities and adjust them rapidly as things change.
Second, give us a break. If it looks like we're making mistakes, remember that we may know what we're doing, we may have other data that you don't have, or it may just be the best decision we can make under the circumstances. Give us the benefit of the doubt and the benefit of your input.
Third, open your mouth. It takes guts to report problems to senior management, but in many cases you'll be the only one who knows the facts, and you've got to be strong enough to step up, state your views and be prepared to defend them for the good of the whole company.
Finally, be big enough to ask for help before you're drowning. Don't be too proud or too afraid to let the team know that you're having trouble. We really are all in this together, and if you edit or "clean up" the reports from the field or from your own group so that they become "safe" or "acceptable," you're leading us all down the road to disaster. Tell the truth. All the truth. All the time.