One of the most vexing problems which I encounter as a consultant is how to motivate clients and their team members to do a deep rethink and to put new ideas and plans into action. Is it that difficult to break out of habitual, historic patterns? The coming year is going to be a difficult one for many companies. On the positive side: It will oblige most of us to seriously rethink.
We all instinctively know that each enterprise needs to come up with new approaches as the solutions which worked for many years until about one year ago may no longer deliver results. For one, roll-over business overdrafts to support short-term cash-flow dips, are drying up. The external business environment of each company has changed. The question then is how to get everyone involved in serious rethinking how they run their businesses to meet the new situation?
Stephen Covey in The 8th Habit observes that large parts of workforces do not make a contribution in thinking. They have become codependent meaning they have knowingly but mostly subconsciously given up the choice of thinking on their own feet, of making real problem-solving proposals. Old management practices have conditioned many to look towards their company MDs and managers for answers. If managers, who hold formal positions of authority, do not take innovative action their co-workers will also do nothing. Many may even believe they cannot do what is expected. Or that it would be too difficult.
Will companies be able to survive and grow in 2009 with codependent workforces?
Life consists of an endless series of opportunities and, to quote Covey, “between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response.” In those choices lie our personal and company growth.
Managers with an Industrial Age mindset, who expect you to do your duty within the narrow confines of a mould of instructions, of order, control and of toeing the line, have to rethink. This managerial mindset provides an excuse to those who do not wish to exercise choices. They blame their managers, the economy, their governments and much more.
On the other hand, each person, each team member, has to understand that the responsibility for making choices lies within each. Leadership can be exercised by anyone. It is not position but person-dependent. Personal growth, as a forerunner to business growth, is now required more than ever.
Covey urges everyone to “find you voice and inspire others to find theirs.” He observes that small changes in behaviour or work practices usually will not make a difference. A deep-down change is needed. Nothing less is required than a paradigm shift in thinking: a change of lenses, a change in of how one sees oneself and one’s environment and how one personally grasps opportunities.
How does one hope to achieve a paradigm shift? Well, we all have to spend time on coming to understand what the 21st century and the Information / Knowledge Worker Age means and what it requires.
This century, with the internet and globalization, is drastically different from the previous 100 years or even 20 years. The mindset, tools and the skills-sets needed are fundamentally different. We all know that due to the financial and economic melt-down of the past year, 2009 presents a brand-new scenario to that of only a few months ago. Heaven help us if we only bank on the politicians and the economists to provide solutions.
Each has to take responsibility for new thinking and new approaches. Start with the areas within your control.
May 2009 bring you the success you plan for and for which you are willing to rethink and act.
Albert
keywords: human resources, leadership, organisation
This calls to mind change thinking. Kurt Lewin said we need three things;
- A burning platform (I will stay where I am till me takkies start melting.
- A vision (emotionally compelling) of the changed future.
- A clear view of the first steps I must take.
He said that if the cumulative effective of these three factors did not outweigh the comfort of the familiar, change would not happen.
There are organisations that are making the change to participative thinking using various means. My favourite is a culture of facilitated sessions to agree actions (project initiation) coupled with management practice to ensure execution.
But there is also a psychodynamic component to change that is worth considering. But that is a whole other note.
I think the term “co-dependency” is very strong, implying dysfunctional behaviour. But I also believe that this would accurately describe some of the cultures in “stuck” organisations.
Hi Stephen – I like what you and Kurt Levin had to say. Many business owners regretfully only start intiating change when the platform is burning – instead of timeously anticipating a changed environment and a possible looming crisis. One has to take time out to think.
Astute owners and managers create an environment of constant incremental change in working smarter until their people get used to being innovative with huge benefits to their organisations. There is merit in becoming a “learning organisation.”
John Kotter of Harvard places high emphasis on touching peoples emotions when introducing change. A vision which is emotionally appealing need to be created. Make it dramatic. (Kotter and Levin say the same thing on this score.) As Kotter observed, a “good analysis rarely motivates people in a big way. It changes thought, but how often does it send people running out of the door to act in significantly new ways? And motivation is not a thinking word; it’s a feeling word.” (See http://www.abplan.co.za/what-we-do/managing-change.html)
I recently read about the value of working as much as possible on a project basis. As you know since you taught me the meaning of projects, a project is definable with its own vision, deliverables, timeline and milestones. Its neat. One need not go so far as using Microsoft Project. Simply handle all major objectives as informal projects.
Yes, codependency is dysfunctional behaviour – which everyone in a dysfunctional organisation accepts as being normal.
Albert