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Who's Driving

Guest post by: Geoff Flemming

Article Overview: Who is in control - and who is driving culture in your company?

Who's Driving

WhenI think back to my early daysin corporate, like for many it was an environment [although we probably didn't know any better] that was fairly command driven.Most if not all managers had little if any training in working with people.

For those who did it well at leading and managing it just came naturally.For the rest people skillswas something that we either figured out along the way, or just fumbled along and assumedthat behaviour problemswere caused not by lack of leadership but moreso having the wrong people.

Nearly 30 years agoKen Blanchard wrote "One Minute Manager". When I first read it I bought 10 copies and gave a copyto each of our managers.In a world where many businesses still believed that people are expedient and nottheir most important resource,Blanchard outlined a simple process for managers to communicate- set targets, praise and counsel with their teams. At the time I thought pretty forward thinking butmost managers on our team couldn't apply it. Although it sounded good, when the pressure was on and they had positional power, most managerswould pull out the stick!

So in 2011 the principles of One Minute Manager are as relevant today as they were 30 years ago. The philosophybehind the book is that purposeful management requiresclear communication which takes only oneminute.It needs to be clear and specific.And clear communication is the primary driver that createsculture.

I remember a few years ago being in a team workshop where a new team member asked what the definition of culture was. One of the youngest of the team piped up saying 'it is just what we are about'. Whilst this does not say much it means everything!

So who is driving your culture!If culture comes from communication, then is your culture negative, passive or perhaps a culture of avoidance? Ifno one is driving your culture then it will definitely seek its own level.

Culture = productivity= results

Thosewho have worked in an oppressive or domineering culture will be clearly aware of the direct impact this has upon performance. In oppressive environmentsit often becomes easy to justify poor results by blaming ourpeople -"If only I could getgood people we'llget better results!"

Michael Gerber, the author of 'E-Myth Revisited' and 'E-Myth Manager' talks about the power of structure andsystemisation.Culture, like team and leadership is a system!

1. People need order and structure

2. People need to be heard

3. People need to be connected to something bigger than they are

4. People need to have a purpose

5. People need to feel that what they are doing is good and has 'moral weight'

6. People need to feel that what they do is important

7. People need to be loved

There are a number of tools that can be used to measure and assess your culture. However if you choose to assess yours and then do nothing with the results then you are better not to check!

So if culture is directly proportional to productivity and therefore results, what isyour culture/performance plan for 2011 and who will be driving??

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Article Tags: crucial confrontations, crucial conversations, culture, Influencer, Leadership, management training



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Re: What Do You Want To Be Taught? - Hi Jeff Thanks for this forum it is a big help. My biggest problem is very much like GT. Driving traffic to my website and getting more sales. MichelleJ


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