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The Readiness Factor By Jane Hartman Frankel |
Since it is currently understood that people are the most important asset of any organization, considering them primary customers would seem reasonable. When employees feel engaged, valued, and satisfied, they are more likely to meet or even exceed end-user needs, which should then satisfy owners' needs for performance. With that straightforward approach, how can an organization not succeed to meet its goals? There are not-so-small matters of responsibility and accountability that can unfortunately misalign this logical flow. Senior managers are responsible for performance, usually, even when the delivery of that performance is beyond their sphere of influence and control. They are often forced to solve this dilemma with command and control techniques, which further exacerbate the situation since they eliminate employee thinking and subsequent satisfaction. When employees are not engaged and satisfied, they are not empowered to satisfy the end-users. Command and Control versus Environmental Control To alleviate this misalignment, command and control techniques can be replaced with a system of environmental control. Environmental control engages and holds accountable all organizational members for decision-making at levels relevant and appropriate to their work and goals. Expecting and requiring all contributors to set and meet performance goals in the context of the organization's goals establishes environmental controls. If members make decisions in their areas of expertise, they are more able to meet their own goals. Then there is much more chance that the organization will meet owners' performance goals. Organizational Leaders So how do leaders create this environment of control? A collaborative structure for decision-making and integrated thinking must be defined. This change can be managed through a three-step process: creating readiness, establishing relevance, and reinforcing and rewarding goal-oriented decisions. Readiness Readiness prepares all members with expectations and changes necessary to implement the collaborative structures, definitions of new working modes (teams, etc.), shared accountabilities and responsibilities, and supporting infrastructure. Benchmarking with other organizations is very helpful. It provides examples of others' achievements and working modes. Members must develop understanding and confidence that this new environment will serve them as they prepare to set their own goals and work requirements. Relevance Relevance requires that subject matter experts, i.e., all members in their own domains, plan and set their own goals and work plans in the context of the organization's goals. Executives, entity leaders, team leaders, and individuals are all responsible to set goals relevant to their domains. Leaders ensure that all goals align for achieving organizational goals. Reinforcement Behaviors that are reinforced continue. Therefore, it is essential that setting and achieving goals must be rewarded within the organization. Members must perceive that their work is meaningful and is contributing to the corporate goals. Summary Of these three steps, readiness is the most critical. Without readiness, the other two steps cannot happen. Setting direction, organizational and cultural, focuses the members on expectations and relevant roles, and then challenges each member to contribute. Once members understand and know exactly what performance results and behaviors are associated with success, they can use their expertise to attain that success. Knowing that they are respected and expected to deliver their own energy and expertise towards the established direction is empowering. |