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| DESCRIPTION | |
| When it's lacking: - When people ask for support, management responds with skepticism: "Are you sure you need that information? You're the first group to ask for it." - There's widespread agreement that when a person or group undertakes a project, the organizational odds are stacked against them. - "The last thing I'd do is go to my boss for help! I'd never get this project done!" - People contort and evade the system to get resources they need for their work. There may even be the workplace equivalent of a black market. |
When it's thriving: + Employees are given the resources (information, time, funding, expertise, tools, etc.) they need to be successful in their work. + Management knows when to get involved and when to stay out of the way. They offer help instead of imposing it. + People have confidence in their supervisors and seek them out when a situation calls for coaching. |
| EXAMPLES |
| Sandy worked as a computer specialist at a company that produced slick business presentations.
The field was changing rapidly, mainly because of dramatic advances in computer technology.
Sandy did her best to keep pace, but as it turned out, her boss stood in the way.
She explains: "The company had a corporate membership in an industry association,
and the group's newsletter was full of great information about the latest tools and
techniques in our field. But my boss kept it under lock and key. He didn't want to
distribute it because it had help-wanted ads, and he was afraid we'd see them and
leave the company for other jobs. So we missed out on all the valuable information
in the newsletter." When Sandy left the company -- and no, she didn't find out
about the opportunity in a smuggled copy of the newsletter! -- she found that her
new employer subscribed to the same newsletter and encouraged employees to read it.
"They really want me to succeed," Sandy says. "They have enough faith
in their work environment that they don't have to worry about me rushing off to another
company." Jerry is tired of waiting. It was a year ago, he says, that he asked his supervisor for certain data needed by a process-improvement team. "She said, 'Sure, no problem.' We figured it'd be a day or two," Jerry says. The day turned into a week...then a month...and another month. "I went back to her a few times, and at first, she blamed the delay on her work load. Then there were other excuses -- she couldn't find the data, it was too old to be useful, and on and on." The team went elsewhere to get the data and was only partially successful. They ended up using what they could find and making assumptions about the missing information. In her work at a nuclear power plant, Marnie learned some powerful lessons about management. As executive assistant to the general manager, she came to appreciate how demanding his job was, and over time they established a positive rapport. "As hurried as he might be, he always gave me feedback," Marnie says. On one particularly memorable day, when the plant had shifted into emergency mode, Marnie caught the GM's wrath when she interrupted a high-level phone conversation. As soon as things calmed down, the two of them spent quantity time discussing and working through what had happened. |
| ACTION IDEAS |
| Are any projects currently crying out for support? ("We need that data!"
"We need funding for a test run!" "Mary needs to be on this team!")
If so, provide what's needed, and do it now. In cases where a request can't be filled,
talk straight and explain why. Be sure to have good reasons. Challenge the requester
to find new ways of filling in the support gap, then support them as they get inventive. Take stock of what's being hoarded, hidden, and otherwise kept from employees. Is it an industry newsletter that's kept under wraps for crazy reasons? Is it a database, a computer, an equipment room? There are so many possibilities, all of which can keep people from effectively doing their jobs. Unlock these resources and throw away the key. Ensure that all teams have an effective team sponsor. The sponsor creates the team charter and then stands out of the way while the team goes about its work. Where it gets tricky is knowing when to get involved. The wisest sponsors take their cues from the team, providing help when it's requested -- to address barriers, needs, or opportunities. If a sponsor seeks a hands-on role in team activities, chances are they're meddling instead of adding value. Remember, it's all about support. Be ready to invest, literally, in great ideas. Some organizations nickel and dime innovation to death, while others do just the opposite and toss cash in all directions. The wise alternative is to have a clear collective direction coupled with a bias toward investment. Ideally, spending authority should be widely shared. Note: Be ready to stomach your way through ten bad innovation investments, because the eleventh one will be the smashing success. |
| Copyright 1998-2002 by Tom Terez and Tom Terez Workplace Solutions, Inc. P.O. Box 21444, Columbus, Ohio USA 43221-0444. Tel. 614-571-9529..mail@BetterWorkplaceNow.com HOME | 10-Minute Briefing | Free Online Tools | Insight and Inspiration | Laugh and Learn | Buzzword Bingo | Kits, Books, and Tools | Keynotes and Services | Meet Tom Terez | Tell a Friend | Bronze Access |
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