From Storming to Performing
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Transcript of From Storming to Performing
-
8/9/2019 From Storming to Performing
1/7
FROMSTORMINGTOPERFORMING:
SteeringOrganisationsTowards
ExcellenceinRoughWaters
AneetaMadhok
Indiancompaniestodayareontheedgeofthecliff.Theongoingglobalfinancialcrisis
seemstohaveimpactedIndiathoughnotashardasothercountries.Thenatureofthe
impactvariesacrosssectorsandtheonesthataresurvivingarethosewhichareinnon
exportoriented
domestic
economy
and
traditional
sectors
like
pharmaceuticals,
agri
businesses,andothersuchareas.Also,itisinterestingtonotethattherearemany
businessconglomerateswhichhaveadiversifiedportfolioandthesearetheonesthat
havemanagedtospreadtheriskverywell.
Thefalloutofthischurningiswhatcanbelabeledasformingandstormingstagesof
globalization,toborrowatermfromtheTuckmanmodelofteamdevelopment.People
inorganizationsfindithardertogetalongwitheachothersincecollaborationis
superficialandpronetocrackingup.Bosssubordinaterelationshipsshowlackof
inspirationasauthorityisseenmoreascontroloriented.Employeefrustrationand
dissatisfaction
is
high
as
organizations
call
for
more
output
than
ever
before.
Systemic
disciplinebreaksdownaspoliticalandhiddenagendassubvertorganizationalmission
andpurpose.Individualpeoplebecomecentersofpowerinaninformalpeckingorder
thatemergesinthewakeofacrumbledhierarchy.Astheorganizationdoes
quantitativelybetterinturnover,profits,marketcapitalization,marketshare,it
paradoxicallydoespooreronallqualitativeindicators.Roughwatersprovideforrough
sailingandonlytheroughsurvive.Ifchangecanbepredictedbymodelsofsociologists
andsocialpsychologists,thenthingsarelikelytobetworsebeforetheygetbetter.
Inthechaoticroughandtumbleofthetimestoday,thestrategiesthatwillsteerthe
organizationtohigherlevelsofperformanceandbuildconsistencyandcontinuitywill
haveto
be
different
from
the
past.
They
will
need
to
revisit
the
business
purpose
and
notlosesightofitalongtheway.Asmallcloselyknitteamatthetopwillneedtokeep
organizationalsustainabilityinmind.Spacemustbecreatedforthemaverick
performerswhoredefineperformancelevels.Externalenvironmentandstakeholder
satisfactionwillhavetobemorerealandlessofanimagebuildingexercise.Measures
andmetricsneedtobepassionatelyenforcedtotheextentpossible.Operational
excellencethusbuiltneedstobetranscendedandstrategicexcellenceneedstobebuilt.
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AneetaMadhok,2010
Aspirationalandcharismaticleadershipneedstoreplacedullandfossilizedcontrol
orientedmanagement.Rolemodelsofexcellentpracticeneedtobepulledoutintothe
limelightasexamplestofollow.Organizationsneedtobedeeplycommittedtofostering
membershipandbelongingnesstorekindleaspiritthatisdyingandgivingintothe
forcesofcynicism.Aninclusiveclimateneedstobenurturedtobringindiversityof
ideas.
THEINNERCIRCLEEmployeeturnoverisnotlimitedtotherankandfilebutnowpervadessenior
managementalso.ItisoftenseenthatCEOsandothersintopmanagementare
becomingincreasinglypronetothehabitofjobhopping.Whenaseniormanagerwho
hasbeenaroundformanyyearsleaves,itdestabilizestheorganizationnotonlyinthe
operationsthatshemanagedbutalsointheinstitutionalandculturalvaluesthatshe
symbolized.ThisismoreseriousifthemanagerhappenstobetheCEOoroccupiesa
significantkeyroleinthecompany.Manyorganizationalmentorsrealizethevalueof
building
a
core
and
cohesive
team
at
the
top
for
the
long
term.
Investment
in
maintainingtheserelationshipsgoesbeyondthematerialandtrueinstitutionbuilders
seekhumanrelatednessthatgoesdeeper.Thecoreteamactsasaninnercirclewhich
providesastabilizingandanchoringforcethatkeepsthecompanyshiponcourseduring
roughweather.
REWARDINGEXCELLENCEEveryorganizationhasitsshareofpeoplewhoaredrivenpurelybytheirsenseof
achievement.Theystandapartfromtherestofthecrowd,headandshouldersabove
therest.Theyarerestlesssoulsinsearchofthenextadrenalinrushthatcomeswith
scalinganewerandhigherpeak.Theyredefineperformanceparametersandtakethe
organizationtothenextlevel.Thedownsideisthatthesepeoplewhoarethoughtand
practiceleadersaretheenvyoftherestofthepackwhodonotlikethem.
OrganizationalgroupdynamicsinvariablyplayaknockoutgameandtheAcategory
performersfindthemselvesontheperipheryofthemainstream.Theircompetenceis
valuedbythecompetitionwhoseducesthemwithopenarms.Theexcellentonesare
thefirsttoleaveinthechangingfluxofwhatiscalledorganizationalpolitics.Withthem
gotheorganizationsopportunitiesformovinguptheperformancecurve.Effortsto
retainsuchhighenergypeoplewouldmeanopeningupthewindowsofopportunityand
givingthemafreehand,protectingthemfromorganizationalgameplayersand,
supportingthemintimesofneed.Theyneedanoccasionalwarmpersonalnoteof
appreciationof
who
they
are
and
not
what
they
achieve.
They
glow
when
they
are
deeplyvaluedintheirbeingandthistakesthemtoconquerhigherpeaks.Special
strokesareneededforthesespecialfolks.
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AneetaMadhok,2010
HOWREALISYOURIMAGE?Whatdoestheorganizationthinkofitself? Howdoemployeesexperiencethe
organizationculture?Whatisthenatureoftheencounterofthecustomer?Howfar
removedisallthisfromtheimageweproject?
Companiesgo
to
B
school
campus
putting
on
the
road
show
that
speaks
of
how
great
a
placetoworkitis,mistakenlyassumingthatafatsalaryandasmartworkofficeisall
thereistoemployeesatisfaction.Likewisecustomersarewooedwithattractive
packagingandgreatadvertising.Investorrelationsseemtobemoreaboutshareprices
andmarketcapitalizationratherthanrealperformance.Itstimetostoptheturmoil
thatcomesinthestormingstageandputinplacedeliverymechanismsthatcreatea
matchbetweentheclaimsandtheexperienceforallstakeholders.Thisisnotamean
tasktoachievebuttheprocessissimple.Improvetheorganizationalrealityandstop
makingfalseclaims.Nothinglikealiberaldoseofauthenticity.
CHASINGTHE
NUMBERS
Measuresandmetricsneedtobepassionatelyenforcedtotheextentpossible.Ifyou
dontknowhowdeepthewaterisorhowmuchitis,howwillyoumanageit.The
numbershelpalign,track,prove,inform,andeducateallinalanguagethatisuniversally
understoodandcomparableovertheyearsandacrossdivisions,companies,sectors,
etc.So,KeyPerformanceIndicatorswillgiveustrueandaccurateindicationofextentof
achievementofpeople,Incentiveplanswilllinktheseperformancemeasurementsto
monetaryrewardsinwaysthatrationalizethemostirrationaldecisions.Specific,
Measurable,Achievable,Realistic,Timeboundgoalsmakeforsmartfunctioningthat
willbringmethodtomadnessandmovecorporationstowardsmoreseamless
functioning.
BEYONDMANAGEMENTTocopewiththeincreasingpaceofwork,allsortsoftoolsandtechniquesarebeing
practiced.Organizationsarerushingtoputinplacethenewprocessandprocedurethat
willenableperformance.ERP,BalancedScorecard,SAP,PeopleSoft,andsoon,enables
theorganizationtoputinplacethenewermorecomplexprocedurethatwillensure
correctmanagementofdataandinformationthatwillmaketheorganizationmoveup
thecurve.Globalsupplychainingpromisestoridyouofalltheirritantsandheadaches
causedbyimpropermanagementproceduresandmoveyoutohigherlevels.Butthe
realityisdifferent.Thelinkbetweenorganizationalperformanceandbetterprocedures
isyet
to
be
established.
The
procedures
provide
operational
excellence
which
is
the
startingpointforbuildingagoodorganization.Theinvestmentofeffortinbuilding
operationalexcellenceismandatoryintodaystimestoavoidmismanagement.But
thereisaneedtogobeyondmanagementexcellence.ItwasnotonlyWarrenBennis
whospokeoftheLeadershipAdvantage,butstartingfromLordKrishnastreatiseonthe
Mahabharatabattlefield,ChanakyasArthashastra,whichspokeofstrategicexcellence
beyondjustgoodmanagement,whichmakesallthedifference.
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Thebiggerpicture,thelargervision,thegrandgameplan,thebattlestrategy,iswhat
providesthewinningadvantagetoorganizations.Theabilityoftheorganizationtocarve
outastrategybasedoninformation,competitiveintelligence,playingforthelongterm,
allcounttoincreasingchancesofsuccessbeyondmanagement.Thecompetitiveedge
comesfrom
transcending
management
processes
and
the
human
value
add
that
leadershipbrings.Thatiswhentheorganizationdoesbetteronquantitativemeasures
aswellasqualitativemeasures.
INSPIRATIONALLEADERSHIPToday,asIndialiesonthebrinkofaneconomicrevolutionthatisgoingtoescalate
exponentiallyintotheglobalworld,thereisacrisisofleadershipthatwilldrivethe
changeneeded.Eavesdroppingoncanteengossipinneighboringofficesrevealsalackof
faithinmanagementandleadership.Managementprocessesthatareonlyabout
planning,controlling,directing,createbossesthatarecontrolfreaksandsuppress
individual
impulses,
creating
crises
of
talent
retention
that
are
the
nightmare
of
the
HR
Manager.Theneedofthehourisforthesaviorwhowillredeemthemassesandrestore
faithinthesystem.Weneedtocreatealeaderwhocreatesfollowers.
Legendsarewritteninboardroomsacrosstheworldaboutcharismaticleadersbuilding
corporateempires,turningaroundailingcompanies,managingmiraculouschange.
Thesearetheleadersthatareomnipotentmysticalheroeswhoarevaluedriven.
WhetheritwasJackWelch,orJRDTata,DonaldTrumporDhirubhaiAmbani,Kenneth
LayorHarshadMehta,JohnFKennedyorJawaharlalNehru,AdolfHitlerorOsamaBin
Laden,allusedtheirpersonatomovefollowersintoaction. Withoutthecharisma,
leadershipisdull,fossilizedandneedstoresorttoevasiveandmanipulativegamesto
survive.This
further
alienates
the
populace
and
distances
the
leaders
from
the
reality
of
themasses. Leadershipthatisinsecureinitscompetencebuildsfencesandcoteries
arounditselftocreatecomfortzonesofoperation.Thisexaggeratesthesocialdistance
withtherealconstituentswholandupfightingwitheachother.Theabilityofsuch
leaderstomanageinternaldissentandtodealwithcivilprotestfromthecitizensisvery
limitedastheyareincreasinglynotintouchwiththerealissues.Officepoliticsbecomes
thepredominantoccupationofemployeesandorganizationalpurposegets
compromisedinthebargain.
Theneedisforcharismatocreatefaithandinspirationinthefollowersandalignallto
thechallenges
of
the
situation.
Someone
to
look
up
to
ahero
or
asavior.
History
and
mythologyisrepletewithexamplesofwhensomerealizedsoulshavearrivedtoredeem
thesituation.Perhapsthetimehascomeforsuchleadershiptoretrievethe
organizationsfromthebrinkofchaosandanarchy.
CREATINGHEROES
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AneetaMadhok,2010
Rolemodelsofexcellentpracticeneedtobepulledoutintothelimelightasexamplesto
follow. Thereisnoperfectpersonbuteachonehassomeexamplesoftalents,
competencies,skillsandbestpractices.Laudingtheseexamplesreinforcesthemessage
ofthemanagementtotheemployees. Peopleknowwhatkindoftalentsarevaluedin
theorganization.Bringingoutthebestinafewpeople,bringsoutthebestinall.
Givingrecognitionandspaceforgrowthoftherightkind.Inhibitingthewrongbehaviors
andreinforcingtherightones.Heroesaresometimesborn,butwhenwedontfindany
heroesaround,itisbettertocreatesome.Livingheroesthatlivesimplelives,butdo
somethingthatmakesthemspecial.
FOSTERINGBELONGINGNESSOrganizationsneedtobedeeplycommittedtofosteringmembershipandbelongingness
torekindleaspiritthatisdyingandgivingintotheforcesofcynicism.Theincreasing
figuresofhighemployeeattritionissymptomaticofalargermalaiseofalienation.
Employees
find
it
difficult
to
commit
themselves
to
organizations
today,
not
because
humannaturehaschanged,butbecauseorganizationshavechanged.Despiteallcalls
forHRtoretaintalentandholdontokeypeople,itisstilldifficulttofindanchorsof
relationshipsthatlastandcreateasocialpulltobelong.Wearebreedinganincreasingly
competitivetribeofpeoplewithoutknowingthattheunintendedconsequencesisalso
increasingselfishness,andanImentalitythatcreatesopenbattlegroundsinsteadof
soilthatnurturesseedsofrelationships.Itbecomeseachmanforhimself battlinghisor
herownwayinlifewithoutanythoughttocreatingconstructiveandsupporting
relationships. Thereisaneedtofosterteamwork,nurturingrelationships,andreasons
tobelongandreturntoworkonMonday.Commitmenttotask,system,institutionand
thepeoplethatpopulatetheorganization,isasparkthatneedstobeprotectedfrom
thewinds
of
turbulence.
People
need
to
feel
secure
now,
more
than
ever,
in
their
jobs
andtheirdailyexistence.Inanerawhensmallinvestorsbankbalancesandshare
portfolioshavebeenwipedoutitistheorganizationthatneedstostepintoassureeach
personofcontinuedsustainabilityandstability.
Manisbornwithastrongneedtobelongtogroups.Itsaherdinstinctthatcamein
earlyinDarwinstheoryofevolution.Thereisakinshipthatkeepspeoplegoingwhen
thewaterisrough. Keepingthesocialbondsaliveisparadoxicallymoreimportantin
toughtimesthanwhenthesailingissmooth.
DIVERSITYOF
THOUGHT
AND
ACTION
Theworkplaceisameltingpot,notacookiecutter.Itslikeanecosystemwherelife
thrivesinallitsdiversecolours,religions,regionalisationsandsoon.Therearesomany
waysoflookingatsituationsandarichnessofactionthatliedembeddedindiversity.
Today,whenthereisaneedforadaptive,globallevelofresponsewithinorganizationsit
isthisbigdiverseresourcewhichwillretrieveorganizationsfromthebrinkofextinction.
Democracy,transparencynolongertranslatesintomajorityrepresentations, but
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AneetaMadhok,2010
inclusivityistheorderoftheday.Peopleneedtobegiventheirpersonalspacefor
achievementtoflourishandoverdoseofcommandandcontrolmanagementprocesses
needtobemanagedtoreleaseindividualsfromoppressiveandsuffocatingworkplaces.
Therewillbemoreandmoreneedforpeopletobeincludedinactionsanddecisions
thataffectthemandcontributetocreativesolutionstoproblemsituations. Suchan
inclusiveclimate
needs
to
be
nurtured
to
bring
in
diversity
of
talent
in
times
of
need.
PerhapsthetimehascomewhenmanyCEOstodayrealizethefactthattheirsuccess
liesinproperpeoplemanagementpoliciesthatalignperformancetobusinessdirection.
ThewordsHRasastrategicbusinesspartnerarenowareality.Companiesare
creatingtalentpoolsandpipelinesthatwillassuresupplyasforecastedbythefutureof
business,ThewarfortalentandtheinternalbattlestoretainkeypeoplehavetheHR
managersrunninghardjusttostayinplace.Returnonhumancapitalinvestmentwill
onlyincreaseastheHRmanagersgettheiracttogether.
Itisnowtimefororganizationsandforprofessionalstoperform,morethaneverbefore.
thechurninghasseparatedthewheatfromthechaffandonlythebestandmost
competentwillsurvive.
AneetaMadhok,PhD,CMC,GPHR
DirectorOpenSpacesConsulting
June19th
2010.
AUTHORSPROFILE:
AneetaMadhok,MBA(XLRI),PhD,CMC,GPHR.Isaglobalmanagementprofessional.SheistheDirectorofOpenSpacesConsulting(Private)LimitedandtheChairpersonfortheInternationalCouncilof
ManagementConsultingInstitutes.Dr.MadhokgraduatedwithadegreeinPsychologyHonoursfrom
DelhiUniversityandcompletedherMBAinHumanResourcesandOrganisationDevelopmentfromXLRI,
Jamshedpur.AfterhavingextensivelyworkedforeightyearsinallareasofPersonnelManagementand
HRD,sheundertookdoctoralstudiesandcompletedherPh.D.inthefieldofManagerialLeadershipand
WorkMotivationin1991.Dr.Madhoklooksforopportunitiestotranslatemanagementpracticeinto
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AneetaMadhok,2010
theoryandviceversa.Sheiskeenlyinterestedinthewaysthatindividualsintegratethemselveswith
organizationsandgroupdynamicsinteams.Herresearchandconsultingworkhasledhertoprovide
insightsandmanagementprocesssolutionstoseveralleadingorganizations.Shehastohercreditover70
publicationsincludingrefereedarticles,consultingprojects,newspaperarticlesandbookreviews
publishednationallyandinternationally.SheisalsothePastPresidentoftheInstituteofManagement
ConsultantsofIndia,fellowofSumedhasAcademyforHumanContext,aCertifiedManagement
Consultantand
has
been
the
recipient
of
scholarship
awarded
by
the
Foreign
Commonwealth
Office
of
theUnitedKingdom,andtheBestManagementTeacherawardoftheBombayManagementAssociation.