Page 222 - Just Promoted A 12 Month Road Map for Success in Your New Leadership Role

From Resistance to Renewal 207

business. Another organization increased training by 50 percent. One man-
ager began an employee-led six sigma quality program; another initiated
highly visible employee recognition and reward programs and employee
appreciation days. Still another instituted a flextime program after studying
successful and unsuccessful ones in 15 other organizations.

Strategy 2. Remove Negative Forces from the Work Environment
There are frequently obstacles that get in the way of good work by individu-
als and/or teams. Impediments could include certain conditions in the work-
place, steps in the work process, certain reporting relationships, or even certain
people. These impediments frequently can be managed by asking the follow-
ing questions:

■ What purpose does it (for example, policy, procedure) serve?
■ Do we really need it or need to do it?
■ Are anyone’s behaviors (including my own) getting in the way?

If you find that impediments exist, reduce or eliminate them from your
renewing organization.

Strategy 3. Add Positive Norms and Forces to the System While
Simultaneously Reducing Negative Norms and Practices
A case involving a manager, Judy, demonstrates the effectiveness of strategy
3, which is the most potent strategy of all. When Judy provided much needed
focused listening time to individuals at all levels in her department, there was
a dramatic change in employee enthusiasm, morale, and productivity. Every
1
Thursday afternoon, for 2 ⁄2 hours, she welcomed employees into her office.
Each took a number, and each was guaranteed at least 10 minutes with her to
discuss his or her issues. She would then follow up with several of these
employees whose ideas or concerns made a particularly strong impression on
her. She would take them to lunch and have a less rushed and structured time
to listen and interact with them.
Judy also helped communication with a regularly scheduled series of
departmental lunchtime “table talks” started so that participants could vent
feelings and informally generate solutions to persistent issues.
These sessions were designed to mix people from a variety of functions
and different levels of work responsibility, which built stronger relationships
and better communication across the department. Unlike her predecessor,