This article continues the discussion on redesigning organizational culture and the ways in which we do business within a company. The emerging realm of “remotely capable employees” can be eye-opening, especially when we consider how the lack of physical presence affects organizational culture just as much as working among the artifacts that represent a company, e.g., physical structures, rituals, symbols and logos, etc. We must be mindful that not everyone is embracing hybrid or remote work, as the last article cited statistics within the 2022 Gallup Report. However, this does not negate the fact that leaders at all levels, not just executives, must understand and define the skill sets required to be successful in this new world.
Recall that Organizational DNA involves decision rights, structure, motivators, and information (Neilson et al, 2004). Today’s world requires clearer definition of expectations for leaders and team members alike. The Great Resignation occurred because different expectations existed about quality-of-life issues, and employees clearly demonstrated their freedom of choice in where and how they work. The fact that employee shortages exist in many disciplines reflects the reverse in power within companies over the past three years. Thus, questions arise about how to motivate and inspire our people to do their best work on a routine basis.
The Gallup Report warns that requiring members to work fully onsite places an organization at risk for multiple negative outcomes, such as lower engagement, perceptions of lower well-being, higher intentions to leave, and higher levels of burnout. The organizational leadership challenge is engaging members in open, respectful dialogue on how the workplace can change to ensure a psychologically safe workplace while building and sustaining a highly productive and successful enterprise.
Firing Up Everyone for Success
A 1999 Harvard Business Review article by Jon Katzenbach and Jason Santamaria is just as timely today as when it was penned years ago. Although the challenge of motivating frontline team members appears daunting because of remote and hybrid work, the principles remain the same.
- Overinvest in Inculcating Core Values. As noted in previous articles in this series, exceptional companies align behaviors around Shared Core Values. The US Marine Corps aligns Marines on Mission, Values, and Pride, and top performing civilian companies do the same. Onboarding and ongoing development programs should continually reinforce the corporate mission and the underlying values that separate a company from others and endear both internal and external customers to the company.
- Prepare Every Person to Lead. Our research has shown that organizations with internal leadership development programs have higher retention rates because everyone is valued and developed as a leader with influence. Developing internal leaders builds trust, boosts morale, and creates collective pride. Remote working removes people from routine interactions where they can influence as well as learn from others. Your challenge as an organizational leader is working with leaders at all levels to determine how productive interactions can be designed and executed to support the development needs of all your people.
- Create a Disciplined Environment to Build Pride and Confidence. The concept of “discipline” usually brings back school day memories of consequences and punishment for bad behavior; however, the enlightened view of “discipline” is its Latin origin, which is “to teach.” High-performing companies such as Southwest Airlines, Integrated Project Management, Inc., and Tasty Catering allow individuals freedom to act within a culture of discipline by establishing and exercising decision rights with appropriate boundaries. Creating a disciplined environment engages all four Organizational DNA elements since team members need information and authority to act within their areas of expertise and delegated responsibilities. Members who are trusted and challenged to address “sticky issues” develop confidence as they continually discipline and guide themselves to higher levels of performance.
- Don’t Forget the Bottom Half. Every organization is only as strong as its weakest link, such that ignoring “average” performers places a company at risk. Everyone needs to be encouraged to excel, especially in today’s environment where depression, anxiety, and fear of failure are now more evident. Poor performance may not necessarily be related to professional incompetence but rather to other factors, many of which are invisible within company settings.
How does all this relate to the New Workplace? Much work no longer takes place within four walls. Many people no longer commute on a regular basis to their work. Many are more productive in remote or hybrid settings because of their personal and individual motivation to do work they enjoy on their own terms. How many people do you know who consciously ask themselves in the morning, “I wonder how many times I can mess things up today?” On the contrary, most people want to succeed, and leaders need to wholly and enthusiastically accept the responsibility of helping others do their best work.
Leaders need to dialogue with and learn from team members about how work is changing, where it needs to be done, and how best to achieve objectives while being sensitive to the mental health needs of everyone engaged in the process. Leadership is never easy, especially in the face of today’s challenges; however, the reward comes when others grow confidence in their ability to lead and influence others and take the company forward in new directions. The ultimate measure of a leader’s success is the ability to create more leaders, and the New Workplace offers more opportunities to be successful in this regard.
Additional Suggested Reading:
Katzenbach, J. R., & Santamaria, J. A. (1999, May-June). Firing up the front line. Harvard Business Review, 77(3), 107-117. Reprint 99307.
Neilson, G., Pasternack, B.A., & Mendes, D. (2004). The 7 Types of Organizational DNA. Strategy + business, 35, 95-103.
Questions for the Week: When have I spent time with my team members to listen to their perspectives, ideas, and concerns about the New Workplace? What concerns are “top of mind” with those on the frontline, and what am I doing to address and alleviate them?
| About the Author: Dr. Ray Benedetto is co-founder of GuideStar, Inc.® a practice in organizational leadership for performance excellence (www.guidestarinc.com). He is a retired Air Force colonel with a distinguished active-duty military career. He is board certified in Healthcare Management and a Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). Dr. Ray taught leadership for 12 years for the University of Phoenix Chicago campus. He holds degrees from Penn State (BS), the University of Southern California (MSSM), and the University of Phoenix (DM). He is co-author of “It’s My Company TOO! How Entangled Companies Move Beyond Engagement for Remarkable Results” (Greenleaf Book Press Group, 2012) and numerous ezine articles available online. You can reach him at ray@guidestarinc.com. |