A635.8.3.RB - Transformational Strategies

Leading during change is extremely difficult; it involves a great deal of planning, flexibility, and understanding. It is also very unpredictable; as even the best thought-out plans can be thrown off course.  Even change in something systematic can change the culture of the organization, it is this upset that makes change the most difficult.  I feel that most employees are willing to accept and make changes to the way they do things but when the change starts to affect they way they interact it becomes more difficult and people tend to resist.

In the case of Gallery Furniture (VitalSmarts Video, 2012), the owner was asking his sales department to change they way they approaches and dealt with customers.  He asked them to not only follow up with customers that entered the store but to also take on the new role of prospecting, which is going after customers that might not have even entered the store yet.  In the video, there was a matrix describing the process of change with the sales department, which had three columns titled personal, social, and structural and two rows titled motivation and ability.  McIngvale used this technique to show his sales team how to approach potential customers, gave them the tools (iPads) they needed to do their job properly, and they build in an incentive program to help motivate their employees.  Together all these changes resulted not only in a large increase in revenue, but they resulted in what McIngvale described as “customers for life”. 

McChrystal (2011) referred to the concept of listening and learning before leading.  Coming from a military background he was taught to follow orders and directions exactly as they are stated, as this was the culture in the military.  He went on to describe what he called “soldier leadership”, they will follow so we better have taught them well.  Teaching isn’t always about telling a person how to do something it is about letting them figure some stuff out on their own.  A person can only take in and process so much information verbal and visually, they then need an opportunity to experience it first hand.  This was the case when McChrystal lead a predawn attack where his men were wiped out.  He left feeling defeated, thinking he was a failure.  When he was approached by his battalion commander he felt he had let him down, however, his commander responded with “I thought you did great”.  This was what he needed in order to realize that just because one fails doesn’t mean he is a failure.  This is true in business also, sometimes the best lessons are those taught by our mistakes. 

A company’s culture plays a large role in everything that goes on.  Brown (2011) defined a strong culture as “characterized by the organization’s basic values being intensely held and widely shared” (p. 406).  The strongest scenario is when most of the members committed to and sharing values, and this can make change difficult.  The employees can become resistant to any changes that affect the culture.

Another way Brown (2011) looks at change is in the way strategy and culture mix.  In other words, it is most beneficial to be aware of the culture when implementing strategic changes.  Some leaders do not realize how important culture is when they create plans around change; they are so focused on the change itself they forget that the employees are directly affected by these changes.  It is also best to be aware of how the culture may react to the change and be willing to adjust your plan accordingly.  Brown (2011) breaks this down into four alternatives in determining change:

1.     Manage the change (manageable risk)

2.     Reinforce the culture (negligible risk)

3.     Manage around the culture (manageable risk)

4.     Change the strategy to fit the culture (unacceptable risk) (p. 406).

These alternatives offer leaders the opportunity to realize how they can use the culture to their advantage, while still promoting the necessary changes. 

I have been through a few different changes in my career and some went better than others.  The ones that went the most smoothly were those where the thoughts and concerns of the employees were appreciated and accepted.  While it may be the leader’s responsibility to make changes happen they need to remember that often times it is the employees themselves that are most impacted.  Often times a little gratitude and understanding can go a long way.

Brown, D. R. (2011). An Experiential Approach to Organization Development (8th

ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

McChrystal, S. (2011). Transcript of "Listen, learn ... then lead" Retrieved September

28, 2016, from http://www.ted.com/talks/stanley_mcchrystal/transcript?language=en#t-909175

VitalSmarts Video. (2012). Influencer | Gallery Furniture Video Case Study.

Retrieved September 28, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E20RW75Fhu4

A635.7.3.RB - INSEAD Reflection

                The idea of self-managing teams is not a new one, I am fairly certain I have been involved in them since middle school.  In the education setting the idea of a teacher assigning a task or problem to a team of learners is not unusual, in fact, it was common.  When this type of learning occurred it was up to the students to assign roles, meet deadlines, and complete the task accordingly and often with little help from the teacher.  The teacher would only become involved when a group had a question they were unable to answer or there was an obvious disagreement happening.  So if this type of team was appropriate for middle school tweens, then why is it so controversial with adults?  My answer is that teachers are there to allow students to learn, and often in their own ways, but leaders sometimes feel they always need to be in absolute control.

                Brown (2011) defined self-managing groups as “an autonomous group whose members decide to handle their task” (p. 349).  So in other words, an external leader give the team a task or problem to solve and the team gets to decide how to solve it.  There is usually an internal leader from the team who may be responsible for communicating with the external leader as well as keeping the team on task.  As long as deadlines are met and the task or problem is solved the team is on their own in regards to logistics.

                While this concept seems easier enough, it gets a complicated reputation, and not from them team members themselves usually but from the external leaders and upper management.  Many leaders do not understand how a team can lead itself and if they are successful them where does that leave them.  In the video (2013) they mention that in “some ways it's a bit of a paradox how do you lead teams to lead themselves”, but that answer to that is you teach them how.  The role of a leader is often thought of as the person that holds the control, but in reality, a good leader should be empowering employees.  A good leader is a teacher, someone who instills their knowledge onto others for the future success of the company.  Once the leader has taught their team how to make decisions and think for themselves it is time to stand back and watch them in action, just as a teacher would. 

                Letting go of control is often a leaders toughest job, especially when they have been taught themselves that they need to always be in control at all times.  When employees are empowered and given the opportunity to make decisions within a company they begin to feel more a part of it.  This feeling will translate into a better work ethic and more personal investment in the company. As Brown (2011) stated, “these teams are generally more effective than traditionally managed work teams” (p. 353).  They also have increased competency and higher work performance. 

                All aspects point to self-managed teams being the newest weapon in a leader’s arsenal.  I have worked on many self-managed teams, one for almost every class I have taken in my leadership degree, and I enjoy the experience.  It has taught me a lot about expectations, deadlines, and working with a diverse population often across time zones.  I also believe they play an important role in the workplace and have used them in the past.  In one instance the team not only solved the issue but also did it in a way I would have never thought of, so I ended up learning something from them.  It’s time to let go of the old way of thinking about leaders, as dictators, and see them more as empowering teachers.         

Brown, D. R. (2011). An Experimental Approach to Organization Development (8th

ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Professional Development Training. (2013). Self Managing Teams - Debunking the

Leadership Paradox. Retrieved September 22, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nRP3AwwSCk

A635.6.3.RB – EcoSeagate

The idea of company retreats has been around for a while.  When people think about company retreats they may envision all the company executives gathered at some fancy spa, where they are eating, drinking, and bonding with each other.  In today’s world of business this may not be the case, in fact, there is a movement to include all levels of employees to be involved in a retreat and often they are turning away from the classic spa setting to a more outdoor one, one where boundaries can be pushed.

Brown (2011) described an outdoor lab as a setting where no one has a distinct advantage, one where participants are on equal footings, and one where leadership styles, teamwork, and interpersonal relationships are discussed.   In other words, a safe place that allows for the transcending of corporate boundaries, a place where the CEO may not be the one in charge or the one with all the knowledge.  An outdoor lab can also allow employees to push physical boundaries, which can result in the emergence of an employee leader that may have been overlooked. 

In the video posted by Chao showing Eco Seagate the instructor stated the retreat isn’t about who you are, it’s about who you can be.  The Eco Seagate experience is about trust, conflict, and commitment.  The instructors go on to explain that trust doesn’t mean agreement, but instead mutual respect.  They emphasize that while conflict is not fun, it is sometimes necessary and one must be comfortable bringing up difficult topics while not worrying about upsetting the other person.   Finally, they explain that commitment is impossible without healthy conflict and is based on trust.  All three of these concepts are important when working as a team. 

I understand and respect the concepts presented in the Eco Seagate retreat; I also support them.  As a leader, I hope to have the ability and insight to recognize talent and future leaders, but it is not always evident inside the walls of a company.  In outdoor labs employees are able to show a side of themselves that may have been hidden in the office, giving others the opportunity to connect on a different level.  I also believe that there are situations in the outdoor labs where executives are not necessarily the best leaders at that time, it gives employees a chance to be a leader and learn skills that will help them in the future.  I also agree with Brown (2011) in that there needs to be a great deal of discussion and follow up after the retreat to ensure the goals and objectives are still being worked on. 

At my previous employer, my department would start every season with a trip to ArborTrek, which is a combination zip line and treetop obstacle course.  The trip was more about getting to know new employees, as they often change every season, than focusing on leadership or goals.  There was no follow through or really even teamwork going on; it was more of an individual effort but with coworkers next to you.  I feel this experience could have been better if there had been more focus on teamwork and leadership, with a mid-season check-in.  My department always had its share of issues and most of them revolved around poor leadership; it would have been helpful to have an opportunity to process these issues outside the office.                        

Brown, D. (2011). An experiential approach to organizational development (8th

ed.).  Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Chao, M. (2008). Eco Seagate 2008 1/3. Retrieved September 18, 2016, from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCOfOFMiLtE