Page 315 - Managing Change in Organizations

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Chapter 16 ■ Learning from change

the attitude of management and that they did not respect them. My response was to
say that we were aware of our shortcomings throughout the company and that all man-
agers, including directors, would be receiving training, but that I expected an immedi-
ately improved performance from the employees as well. Also, the company was looking
for a situation in which genuine problems could be discussed between management
and employee. However, failure to meet a satisfactory standard would not be tolerated
in future. In other words, we wanted a frank and open atmosphere in which problems
were discussable, but we did not intend to be soft.
Most employees seemed to warm to this attitude, who although over the course of
the months it was necessary to dismiss several did not improve. After a fairly short while
I found that the production managers were becoming enthusiastic and coming to me
with progress reports. They also seemed to be happier in what they are doing now that
they had some direction.
During those months I rewrote and substantially expanded the company handbook,
a publication which I introduced only last year. I took the opportunity to call a meeting
of all production managers and supervisors so as to ask their opinion of the section relat-
ing to disciplinary procedures. This was an excuse to discuss how to act in different sit-
uations and quite a lengthy and lively discussion ensued. It was surprising how many
people were pleased that they had the opportunity to ask how to act in various situa-
tions. Having a set of rules to discuss relieved some of the embarrassment of their admit-
ting that they did not know how to act – they were able to ask what was expected of
them in enforcing each rule.
All this indicates that frank and open discussion of problems helps to motivate staff.
The managers and supervisors referred to above were very grateful to be treated in the
‘telling’ and ‘selling’ styles and had previously found themselves uncomfortable with
John’s delegating style because they lacked the maturity to deal with the situation in
which they found themselves. It must be remembered of course that John had delegated
by default, not because of a conscious opinion of the proper way to react to his subor-
dinates. Although I do not envisage a situation in which I will continue to instruct man-
agers and supervisors in this manner, I believe that they have been given more
confidence to work under John with his delegation style.
A further example of increasing motivation by increased communication is the train-
ing course which many of our managers and supervisors attended several months ago.

This was agreed with the consultants although Mike, who is very cynical about training,
agreed that it could be run partly because the consultants supported it and partly
because it was included in their original fee. It was a fairly short course at a local hotel
and covered basic aspects of supervision and work planning, but I felt that the biggest
benefit was the opportunity it created for managers and supervisors to talk together
about their work. While there was little discussion afterwards regarding the individual
topics dealt with on the course, there was a noticeable increase in esprit de corps on their
return. It also created an expectation of further change and support and there has been
substantial agitation from them for the board to attend a fairly similar course – this has
now been agreed.
Simultaneously, there was a change in the work pattern of the production managers.
There was previously one nightshift manager with two dayshift managers splitting their
duties but without the two shifts overlapping. Problems occurred in both areas on days
and there had been severe disciplinary problems on the nightshift for years. With the

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