Replying to Keith's LO9358 --
Management's job is to create and mold
the culture of an organization? How can they do that if they are part of
and perhaps even created the culture?
This assertion (which I like) implies that the only way to rescue an
organization displaying the disfunctional behaviours you describe is to
recruit a different kind of leader from an external culture that is
better. That leader will then have to change his management through
influence or replacement? Is this what you are getting at Rol?
== end quote ==
That is very close. I am experiencing a time in my own organization of 9
managers where I set out to deliberately change the culture. We were, in my
opinion, too service oriented, and not demanding enough of our internal and
external suppliers. We needed to exercise more leadership, and we needed to be
more directive in our interactions with the larger organization. I did hire
some outside people, and that sent a very powerful message. On the other hand,
I have been using story-telling like mad, very visibly recognizing certain
behaviors, modelling the bahaviors myself, and clearly spelling out in
performance plans what my expectations were around this change in behavior. My
own boss knows and approves my goals.
The impact has been clear and measurable. Overall performance is up, respect
from other departments is much higher, and morale is greatly improved.
Yesterday the following illustrative story happened. One manager was meeting me
to go over his performance for the last 3 months. The performance was not what
he wanted it to be, nor what I wanted. He had let his own internal suppliers
fail him, and he in turn had failed the organization. He was worried, but in
the course of the discussion, I pointed out some opportunites -- very detailed,
not broad generalizations -- for him to be more demanding of his suppliers. I
also told him I did not care what his performance was, but I cared a great deal
what he thought about his performance, what he had learned, and what actions he
would take. That his own attitude was what mattered to me.
My advice to him revolved around very specific actions he could take to change
the situation. We agreed it might not work, but that we could learn from the
process. He was encouraged to be more assertive, and to have fun doing it. He
went away with a renewed understanding of my expectations, and I am certain he
will make a small change in his own personal culture.
On the other hand, even the culture is everyone's job, but management has more
power and influence. I myself am only part of a larger organization, and yet my
organization has a very clear culture that is different than the corporate
culture. And I know individuals who have their own individual culture and way
of approaching their work. We all impact the culture.
== back to Keith ==
Second, you imply that management's job is also to continuously improve
their current systems. I like this idea, but it eliminates other
possibilities that would come from a different culture - a culture in
which everyone shares the job of continuous improvement.
== end quote ==
It is everyone's job to improve systems, and it is management's job to create a
culture in which that is the attitude. Additionally, it is management's job --
not in isolation by any means -- to decide where to assign scarce resources in
order to make larger improvements, and where to focus less attention. It is
management's job to encourage people to work, if they desire, on all the
problems whether they are getting the resources or not. Finally, it is
management's job to communicate clearly what the top priorities are, why that is
the case, and how that is reflected in resource allocation.
At least that's my viewpoint.
--Rol Fessenden LL Bean, Inc. 76234.3636@compuserve.com
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>