Doing more with less

In today’s business environment, while working with various organizations, we find a common theme. 

They operate in the mode of the three ‘C’s’ - Cut, Consolidate and Conserve - a move that involves freezes on hiring, layoffs, reductions in spending and a drive to find less expensive ways of operating – all steps to allow them to ‘wait it out’ and see what and when it will happen.

At the same time they are in “3-C” mode, the leaders still manage to dream and envision a future that has growth, profitability and overall success. 

So what’s the problem?  How is this possible?

The problem is the feeling of being trapped with an impossible dream.  Whereas it’s definitely not simple, in actuality it’s a lot simpler than we might imagine.  It’s a matter of helping the people in the organization be more effective and efficient in how they perform their jobs.  What that requires is enhancing the skills and capacity of all in our companies by having people see themselves as ‘leader’ in their individual responsibilities.

Here’s how to implement … very achievable:

 

If this is correct, and our work has revealed this to be the case numerous times, then the initial step to achieving a culture built on the premise that ‘everyone is a leader’ is to help the top team find more time of their own to be able to get through periods of the 3Cs while at the same time staying focused on growing into the dream vision. 

Here are steps that will accomplish this:

First, your leadership team needs to realign around the reality of the day. What has worked previously is not as likely to be effective in today’s 3C environment.  This is true regardless of the department, division or specialty within the organization.  Thus, all must be on board with the need for change.  It is crucial for the leadership team to model this realignment.

Second, the team needs to arrive at the place of a shared vision for what success looks like today as well as the future vision that they hold for tomorrow.

Third, the team needs to feel both individual and collective responsibility for the success of team and the company. This sense of accountability will  drive them to conduct themselves as though is solely on their shoulders.

Fourth, all company leaders on this team must be committed to extricating themselves from the day-to-day tasks associated with their own department or business unit so that they can devote themselves to managing and leading both their department/division as well as the company in the overall.

The solution ‘is easy’.  The implementation can be more challenging.  The first phase, bringing the full leadership team to the same place in terms of the company vision, goals and the reality of the day, really isn’t difficult.  We do this often and with excellent results.

• Greater capacity to oversee and handle more responsibility on the part of the leaders primarily because they are less involved in day-to-day. No need to hire another director or vice-president when you have the ability to handle the related responsibilities by expanding capacity in this way.

• A more engaged work force who respond positively to the personal challenge and opportunity they have been given to learn new things and to shoulder responsibility.

• A company that makes dealing with a current business challenge at the same time they execute on the vision and goals of tomorrow look logical and definitely appropriate.  Thus, while company associates feel concern on one hand, they are also able to keep at least one eye on where the company is headed.  This definitely reinforces their desire to be there and take a part in the solution and that future.

What we know is that when organizations are determined to weather a business environment similar to one existing today and refuse to give up or even back-burner the growth plans for tomorrow, it is clearly possible.  And when accomplished, why would a company ever want it to go back to what it was. 

                                          The End