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Creating Sustainable Change
I mean, not just checking things off a to-do list or focusing on an employee survey score and raising it. This is about really feeling a sense of awe because together you did something different this time. You found the high leverage points to achieve success. You had real conversations with your co-workers that inspired creative thinking. There was no fear of conflict and you eliminated surface talk. It can happen. It does happen. Are you up for it?
In These Times: Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
So here I sit in the original Rosewood Bar (now called The Owl Bar), moved from Thermopolis, Wyoming and frequented by Butch Cassidy’s Hole-in-the-Wall Gang. And, there are holes in the wall where I sit, from guns fired during the late 1890′s.
Robert Redford isn’t here 
but his energy and creativity is.
I just finished working here with a client. They’re a leadership team, who in my opinion, “gets it.” They’re really grounded in doing the right things to achieve their goals without sacrificing employee engagement or development.
Our objectives were to maintain and increase the leadership team effectiveness and plan for 2009. When you work with teams who are already great, you need to focus on the highest leverage points to help them sustain that level of mastery.
As with most leadership teams at the moment, the focus is on the ’09 business in light of this “economic downturn.” The most common reaction, of course, is to “reduce or minimize costs.” I’m sure in some cases there is validity in this approach.
During times of uncertainty, organizations cannot afford to lose productivity due to distracted or fearful employees. It causes a reinforcing loop of reactive behavior on leadership’s part. Employees start “comparing notes” on what they heard, surfing job boards, and lose energy. Leaders then see productivity decrease, sales drop, they blame it on the economy, and cut more costs. Meanwhile, they can get so distrcracted at “watching the numbers” they forget to communicate. The gap between leadership and everyone else starts to grow and employees can feel left in the dark.
No matter what your ’09 plan is, make sure that you leave enough time to communicate. And I don’t mean more email communication, I mean COMMUNICATION & ENGAGEMENT. Here are some suggestions:
- Meet with teams more regularly and add check-ins at the beginning of every meeting. A simple, “how are you?” is effective. Letting people talk about their thoughts and feelings is a powerful way of letting employees feel heard. Let each person speak without anyone responding or “fixing.” Just naming what’s going on makes a significant difference.
- Town Halls from Leadership – the more you can gather everyone together to talk about what you know AND let them ask questions and dialogue with you, the more collective your organizaitonal efforts will be. Don’t make the mistake of speaking to the employees without giving them a chance to talk with you. This doesn’t mean a typical Q&A. Most employees, especially during uncertain times, will not ask questions in a Town Hall. The real dialogue comes in small groups. Ask them to speak at their table about three things: What do you like about what you hear? What concerns you? What questions do you have? Then, ask them to share with the larger group, or, ask them to write things on sticky notes and have a facilitator gather them. Read them outloud anonymously. The points is to name what people are thinking and feeling so the unknowns and unsaids don’t take over the tone and energy of an organization.
- Be sure your communication and talking points are consistent throughout the leadership teams and management. Many times leaders are charged with “bring this back to your team.” That’s tricky if everyone delivers it differently: different timing, different tones, different information being shared. Be diligent about being 100% in sync with messaging and timing. Coach leaders who have a weakness in communication. This is crticial to your success as an organization.
- Last, but most important, make sure your message and your means match. Employees will listen to what you say. But if your behavior doesn’t line up with your message, it’s the behavior that communicates more loudly than your words. THAT’S what will be heard in the end.
Post your thoughts or questions. I’m happy to help anyone provide the proper communication plan and would love for all of us to share our stories and learn together. And by the way, I highly recommend Sundance as a great venue for your offsite meetings. It was my first time there and after being in thousands of meeting facilities, this will be one of my top choices. Cost effective, fantastic and friendly service, great meeting and lodging spaces and most of all, a stunning setting for planning, thinking teambuilding and creativity.