With so many key areas of business at stake, workplace cultural transformation is the buzz in change management. As a result, Human Resources Consultants like Catherine Armstrong are in high demand. A student of leadership and conflict in organizations since 1993, Armstrong models communication and leadership skills as a business owner, facilitator, workshop presenter and coach. She is also the author of several books, including, Does Anybody Hear Me? How Leaders Communicate So People Will Listen.
"Organizations that are going to transform have to make it a requirement to take risks and make mistakes, as well as recognize the importance of diversity in decision-making," said Armstrong in an interview on June 16, 2009. Her advice carries a warning too, "Don't go into it if you don't believe in it."
The truth is managers have seen many fads come and go, and disillusionment is easy, but successful workplace transformation (WT) needs to be steered by a solid team effort at the top. Although it is possible to start WT with middle management, only disconnected pockets of change can be expected when this is the case.
Success Requires Long-Term Planning
Like any business strategy, such as new marketing or quality improvement initiatives, time and resources must be allocated for the realization of goals. Bottom-line? Designated leaders must be able to define:
- Why they are going to do it
- What they are going to do
- How they will know the strategy is on the right track
One of the most important contributions that an individual can make is to decide whether they are investing or getting out. "As an individual if we can see that there is a strategy in place, that there has been some thought to this, then we have to be willing to make our contribution," explains Armstrong.
Also like any other business strategy, there is a level of risk. Embarking on transforming workplace culture will necessarily have road blocks along the way and the business world can prey upon and punish for costly mistakes. WT strategies must take into account that risk-taking is essential for a business wanting to be responsive to the tremendous global and local pressures for change. Mistakes are inevitable, and need to be encouraged.
As an example Armstrong points towards her own company. Armstrong and her team explained to staff that risk was an integral component of decision-making and backed it up with feedback and policy. Easy to say, but what if sizable sums of money are lost through mistakes while taking risks, will heads roll? Managers facing these situations should handle them knowing that it is about taking a step back and asking themselves "what did we just learn from this?" The amount of money lost may end up being cheap compared to what was learned by the organization.
"The benefits are tremendous, increased market share, staff retention, productivity, that of course becomes profitability, and your reputation with customers," says Armstrong.
Strategic Diversity in Decision-Making
Any mistakes, costly or not, can be mitigated with proper risk management by making diversity a linchpin of the overall vision. Strategic diversity can prevent expensive mistakes before they happen, or even improve efficiency and effectiveness of existing structures by including knowledgeable stakeholders in decision-making. Strategic diversity means seeking out people of many different backgrounds to generate new ideas and perspectives.
This kind of decision-making can make some employees, especially those that are accustomed to being the go-to-person, feel insecure to the point of sabotaging WT strategies as they are being implemented. Leaders must keep a very close watch on which employees are contributing, and which are paying lip service. Furthermore, rewards must be allocated properly in order to send the message to the organization as a whole that this transformation will be taken seriously.
It is difficult to estimate the length of time that leadership needs to watch carefully, but Armstrong recommends at least six months to a year of intent supervision. "Employees would need to see pretty quickly that those not willing to get on board are being dealt with because if those tough decisions don't get made, you are setting yourself up for failure."
Leaders designated with keeping WT strategies on course may struggle with fears about changing the system. Especially if they have been promoted and successful within it. It is important to remember along the way that responding to change helps ensure survival of the business, and struggle is necessary to evolve and grow.
Armstrong offers the following analogy to help with those fears, "A butterfly coming out of its cocoon needs the conflict that happens...it has to fight against the cocoon. If you were to open it up and let it out without the struggle, it would die. Fighting against its cocoon builds strength throughout the body and makes flight possible...they need the conflict to survive."
Anna Reitman - Anna Reitman is a journalist currently working and residing in London, UK, having completed an MA in international journalism (print).
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