There are probably hundreds of definitions of leadership. However, at its essence, leadership is influencing others to accomplish results. Leadership is not so much about what you do and accomplish on your own. It is about what you are able to help others accomplish. It is about how you are able to influence other people to raise their level of performance to new and better heights and contribute more than they previously thought possible.
Archives for February 2012
What is Organizational Design?
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Organizational design is a step-by-step methodology which identifies dysfunctional aspects of work flow, procedures, structures and systems, realigns them to fit current business realities/goals and then develops plans to implement the new changes. The process focuses on improving both the technical and people side of the business.
For most companies, the design process leads to a more effective organization design, significantly improved results (profitability, customer service, internal operations), and employees who are empowered and committed to the business. The hallmark of the design process is a comprehensive and holistic approach to organizational improvement that touches all aspects of organizational life, so you can achieve: [Read more…]
Traditional to High Performance Organization
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The model that has dominated most modern businesses has been based on a set of principles and practices formally defined by Frederick Taylor in 1903 and known as “scientific management.” The thinking of Taylor and other of his contemporaries (most notably Max Weber) conceived of an organization as a collection of parts that need to be standardized and centrally controlled. The assumptions of this model are implicit in the way most organizations are designed and, until recently, have dominated the thinking of people within organizations. Some of the major features of this theory are summarized below. [Read more…]
The Design Process
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The first challenge of the design process is to create a streamlined and effective organization that is aligned with the strategy and desired results of the organization. The second challenge is to get buy-in from the entire organization and implement the new design so that it dramatically and positively changes the way the business operates. Many organizations fail to adapt and adjust their internal infrastructure to the rapidly changing business demands around them because their business processes, structures, and systems act as barriers to efficiency and common-sense decision making. These internal barriers can trap capable people who eventually become cynical and disheartened by their inability to change or influence obvious gaps, inconsistencies, or burdensome constraints within the organization.
The Development Process
The design process focuses on the technical aspects of improving business processes, structures and systems, while the development process focuses on improving the organization’s human resources. Physical, technological, and financial resources depreciate quickly, but people are the only resource within an organization which appreciates over time. For example, an employee who has been on the job for a year is expected to contribute more to the organization than when he/she had only been on the job for three months. Similarly, after three years of experience, development, and training, a person should be able to add even more value to the organization. The purpose of the development process is to leverage human capability, creating an organization which engages the intelligence, positive motivation, and commitment of every employee. [Read more…]
Your Company’s Stimulus Plan
Infusions of cash and capital will come as consumer/investor confidence recovers, but what measures will you take to revitalize morale and an environment of trust within your company? The economy’s damage to your bottom line seems obvious enough. What about the damage to employees’ relationships with their leaders and coworkers?
Resistance to Change
Do people resist change, and if so, why? There are those (e.g., Tom Peters, “Liberation Management”) who argue that change is actually easy and that people do it all the time. There are many others (e.g., Alan Deutschman, “Change or Die”), who argue that change is difficult and that even when faced with the prospect of death, many people will not give up their unhealthy habits. And in organizations, many of us have experienced the difficulties that organizational leaders have in dealing with resistance.
Recession’s Lessons: The Upside of Downturns
Companies that learn from economic crises will emerge stronger and better-positioned as industry leaders.
The Power of Commitment
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Commitment can be thought of as my intention to produce a result. The result could be something as simple as showing up for a meeting on time or as complex as starting a new business. Commitment is the bridge between my vision (what I want) and reality (what is). It is how I translate my vision into reality.
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Picking Up the Pieces: Emerge as a Redesigned Organization
When world economies rebound from this recessionary beating, will your company be positioned to set full-sail into the upturn’s prosperous winds? On world, national, and enterprise levels, financial medics have repeatedly defibrillated the sources of lifeblood for economic health. As consumers and investors express progressive confidence in these measures and contraction turns to expansion, we’ll all take stock to see which companies made the cut.
