at 27 years

Tag: management

  • Changing Company Culture: Quick vs. Long-Term Transformation

    The other day, I found myself in an interesting discussion about how to change a company’s culture. A friend of mine was exploring going to a different company than where she was. According to the board of directors, the company she was looking at had significant cultural issues. She didn’t know any specifics about the culture, but it didn’t stop us from having the discussion.

    I believe culture grows from the people and their behaviors over time. It can not be mandated to be a certain way; it is organic in its development and changes slowly over time without radical changes to those living in that culture.

    There are two ways to change a culture, one quick and the other over time, with a lot of investment. The fastest way is to replace the people or at least a few. This is not my preferred method, but it could be necessary if the culture is highly toxic. My friend had access to an employee survey of the company, and at first blush, it showed that the supervisors were well-liked by the employees, and there was a fracture in the trust relationship between management and them. As we discussed what that meant for that culture, we both realized this could be good or bad. If the supervisors lacked clarity on the direction that leadership was headed, aligning the groups would be a matter.

    On the other hand, which I suspect is happening, the supervisors are problematic and are causing the culture issues. Knowing the company’s workforce and visiting with a couple of employees, I believe the supervisors are undermining leadership to be well-liked by their employees. The quick solution would be to put a “head on a pike,” a targeted removal of a few supervisors.

    Now, I look to play the long game, changing culture over time. This is done by modeling the expected culture through showing up, communicating, and quietly checking people who are “misbehaving.” Culture will drift if there isn’t a strong understanding of what is expected and where the organization is going. Leaders who hold the leadership title need to be present with the employees and always be engaged. The leaders who don’t have a title, those who are looked up to by others, also need to be involved in leadership so that they, too, understand the organization’s direction.

    Whether the effort to change culture through changing the people or by modeling a different culture, it takes time.

    By the way, my friend did go to the other company. She is up to the task of transforming her new company’s culture to one that is aligned with the mission. It will take a couple of years for it to be done, but it will be; she is that type of leader.

  • What you know and don’t

    Well I have always believed one of the challenges of sitting in senior leadership positions is you begin to know less about what is going on inside your company. As I sit in my corner office today, I always ask myself what I don’t know is going on. While I do lean heavily on my staff to check the tempature of the employees constantly, I try to “walk around”. Even then I know I don’t know.

    Each of my staff members have different leadership styles and connections to everyone. Two of my staff members have been at the company for a long time, they are my wisdoms. They have seen the march of time and the constant battles of enthrophy and order. They are deeply connected to a group of employees that are becoming uncomfortable. They are part of the group that is dwindling, the long timers. The long timers are starting to retire, and as they do, new employees come on board. For me, I know I have a long timer when I hear, “I remember when the company…”. A stuble complaint against change. The rest of my staff are almost as new as I am. In addition to being new to our company, they are new to each other and the employees. Each one feeling out their ways with interacting. All of us thinking we know what we actually don’t.

    There is a drumbeat starting to happen in my jungle here. Its a beat that I have heard numerous times. “Boom, employee, boom, morale, boom, is, boom, getting, boom bad, crash of cymbals”. I find myself at the point of hearing it louder than I was I expect and it is time to checkin to see what I don’t know.

    I am afraid it is time to play the “employee survey” counter beat to try to figure out what I don’t know. This is an exercise I have done a few times now in different roles. My first experience really openned my eyes to how it can go wrong with the leadership doesn’t realize they might just not know. I was in the room and watch the senior leadership go over results of the survey. It has a lot of open ended questions that allowed for the employees to write, write, write their thoughts. The leadership spent more time figuring out who wrote what and if they didn’t like the message that was being shared, they typically discounted it once they were able to figure out who they thought wrote it and label the author as a trouble maker. That survey did just the opposite. The drum beat got louder.

    A year later after that, I was asked to facilite the next survey. I told leadership I would be willing to do so, but we were going to do it differently. This time, I told leadership that I would go through the responses and “edit” them. I basically rewrote the answers and put them in various categories. It was agreed, but I kid you not; once the answers came back, leadership wanted to know who said what. I did not even entertain the question and ultimately kept their eyes to the topic of answers.

    Of course their is balance point of introducing my own bias when doing this exercise, but at the time the leadership needed to have that risk if they were serious to trying to figure out what they didn’t know.

    Today, I am the leader of the leaders and concerned as I am seeking to find out what I don’t know, that I don’t fall into the same trap. With ChatGPT and my suspicous eye towards survey, I am crafting my own.

    It is time to try to figure out what I don’t know.

    at27

  • The boss or not

    Recently I had a conversation with an upcoming CEO. We were discussing another employee’s reactions to decisions being made. The employee is taking issue with the fact that in my world we do have employees that can work remotely, or from home. It is preferred that employees work at the office, but if a position in the company allows an employee to work remotely, we allow it occasionally. I am not a fan of the idea of a permanent remote employee for my company. I think there is a lot of collaboration, a sense of community, and general well-being from being in the office. After all, humans are social animals. I am about to digress from the intent of this musing.

    Coming back to the employee who does not like this flexibility of remote work, it is interesting to explore that employee’s “why”. To fill in some of the color, the employee is a 25+ year employee and has a strong opinion on how work should be done. This employee leads with a boss attitude. If I can’t see an employee working, how do I know the employee is actually doing work? 

    This employee is not the only one in my company. One of the decisions I was asked to make was the hiring of a new manager who reports directly to me. Before my arrival, there was a decision that an internal long-term employee would get the promotion when the position became available. The heir apparent was even training to be the next manager. If you haven’t sensed where this story is going, that employee did not get the promotion. I went with someone from outside the company. Why? Well, that employee believed that it would be their role to tell people how, what, and when to do their jobs. I don’t need bosses, I want leaders who share a vision and look to provide the tools for others to make that vision happen. I want leaders who create an environment that helps others produce outcomes that serve the company and ultimately our customers.

    It is an interesting cultural shift that I have brought to my company. It is challenging for some, especially those who believe it is best to be a boss….

    at27

  • Keeping Up – Navigating the Seas

    Leadership, a skill ever-evolving, demands our attention in a world that constantly reshapes its challenges. Acknowledging that leadership is a skill requiring constant honing is the initial step toward becoming an effective leader. In a sea of resources, finding the right tools to sharpen this skill is a challenge many leaders face. Let’s explore some avenues to navigate this journey that I have used.

    One of the primary hurdles a leader encounters is the time and effort required to stay abreast of leadership theories. A multitude of resources, from bookstore shelves to digital platforms, beckons leaders to invest in their continuous learning journey.

    For those with lengthy commutes, podcasts become a valuable companion. Personally, I find solace in the concise wisdom shared on YouTube during my morning workout. The challenge lies not just in finding the resources but also in dedicating the time to absorb them.

    Leadership is as diverse as the individuals who wield its power. Armed with principles instilled in a military upbringing, I draw inspiration from leaders like Jocko Willink, emphasizing Extreme Ownership. Chris Voss, with his negotiation prowess at the Black Swan Group, provides invaluable tools applicable both in and out of the workplace. Simon Sinek’s exploration of the “Infinite Game” resonates, urging leaders to focus on the long-term vision and the fundamental “Why.”

    While these thought leaders offer profound insights, the landscape of leadership gurus is vast. Recently, I’ve found inspiration in Vinh Giang’s communication skills videos on YouTube, injecting a refreshing and fun perspective.

    In my staunch belief, effective leaders are perpetual learners. To be the leader your team and clients deserve, finding a learning approach that suits your style is paramount.

    And lest we forget, the soundtrack of my leadership journey has been set to the tunes of 2112, Cygnus X-1, and A Farewell to Kings—symbols recognized by those who’ve embarked on a similar odyssey.

    In the symphony of leadership, each note signifies a lesson learned, a principle embraced, and a skill refined. As we sail through the vast ocean of leadership theories, let us remember that the pursuit of knowledge is the compass guiding us toward becoming the leaders our teams and organizations truly deserve. Share your thoughts and experiences on this endless voyage of leadership learning.

    at27