Number 47

Meridian Group - Company Culture Consultants

A Better Workplace — Meridian Group's Newsletter, Number 47, 8-15-05
This newsletter presents real-life management issues and how people addressed them to improve their company's culture. It is sent monthly to subscribers.

Please pass on A Better Workplace to those in your network.

__________________________________________________________

The Problem Employee

To manage a problem employee, fist identify the real problem and who has it, then involve the right people in the solution.

The Presented Problem

My friend Nick, a partner in a professional services firm, was irritated. "We have a 15 year employee who at first communicated very well and was promoted to Office Manager. In the last few years he has begun to hold information too close to his chest. Now people see him as a roadblock. I am so uncomfortable with the situation I haven't talked with him about it."

Understanding the Problem

I shared with Nick some guides to understanding and solving human issues:

What people do depends largely on their situation (see http://www.companyculture.com/basics/tounderstand.htm ). Most people respond reasonably to situations, from their point of view. If you want to understand why people do what they do, stand back and look at their situation--perhaps ask them about it. If Nick can understand that his Office Manager is behaving appropriately--from the manager's view, he will be well on the way to solving the problem.
The employee doesn't have a problem. Nick has the problem (with the employee's behavior). Nick's problem won't go away until he finds a way to have the employee own it.
People like to be involved in decisions that affect them. It follows that people who are affected by a problem should be involved in the solution to that problem. In this case the employee should be involved in the solution for at least three reasons:

So he will take ownership of the problem.
When he takes ownership, he will be motivated to correct it.
He probably knows already how to correct it (he hasn't acted because he doesn't see it as a problem).

Finally, all company situations, including "problems", are opportunities to develop the work culture--to improve relationships, communication, involvement, and teamwork. Nick can use this "problem" as an opportunity for positive cultural change.

What Causes Changed Behavior?

The Office Manager's change didn't happen in a vacuum. Nick needs to know if something outside of work has affected the employee; a divorce, ill family member, or something else that might have caused withdrawal or depression. Assuming there is nothing at home, then look to the office.

Begin With the Leadership

I suggested to Nick that perhaps he and the other partners in the company had inadvertently done something that set the stage for the manager's new behavior.

Systems, such as companies, are highly coherent. When you find a behavior pattern in one part, you usually find it in another. When there is an issue at a low level in an organization, you'll almost certainly find it at the highest level as well. When a person, department, division, or company is behaving in some particular way, I almost always find that the same behavior is sanctioned, consciously or unconsciously, by actions of the executive group.

I recommend that Nick meet with his partners and discuss:

What are we doing that says to our people, "It's OK to hold information close to our chest"?
What could we do as a group to make clear, by what we do every day, that we do not want to hold information close to our chest?

These are difficult and usually uncomfortable questions for any group to discuss. Some leadership groups use a third-party to help facilitate such discussions.

Don't Get Bogged Down With Analysis

Looking backward and trying to analyze the many and complex causes of human behavior can be a quagmire. Managers are sometimes tempted to treat people problems as they would treat a faulty engine. However people are not machines. Rather than trying to do a "root cause analysis", it is usually more efficient and less painful to focus on where to go and how to get there.

I suggested to Nick that he arrange a small meeting including himself, the Office Manager, a few other people who have expressed a concern, and one or two other partners—their presence signals the importance of the issue.

A First Action Step

At that meeting, outline the company's need for improved communication. Perhaps describe a few examples of problems and of successes, and discuss what the partners are doing to improve their own communications.

It is essential not to blame a person or point a finger. Employees should understand that managers see problems as a system issue and not a personal issue. Pointing fingers is like saying, "The hole is in your end of the boat, so I'm OK".

Have the members discuss the issue, but don't jump too quickly to action at this first meeting. Stay with step one of the 4-step decision process (see http://www.companyculture.com/change/betterdecisions.htm ). Ask the members of the group to reflect during the next two weeks on how they experience communications in the firm and what they might like to do personally, or suggest that the partners might do, to improve things.

Schedule another meeting in two weeks to discuss and understand the situation further, to hear people's ideas for changes, and to agree on who will do what.

Follow Through Is Essential

Broad cultural or system issues, such as communications or relationship problems, are among the toughest issues managers face. Solving these deep seated problems requires steady attention from the leadership group.

This means regular, visible and open meetings focused on moving forward, one step at a time. If the leadership group does not show that commitment, everyone will understand that they have permission to leave things as they are.

Similarly, if a cultural problem is delegated to a low level for action, nothing will change. To say that another way, top leadership should step up to the plate and take responsibility for what happens, for successes as well as for problems.

All Roads Lead to Rome

Once top management is clear to itself and to others that a particular problem needs attention, there are many approaches. I've already mentioned two. Because cultural problems are all closely related it may be just as effective to initiate change in some other related area.

If manages can't decide where to begin, just ask any employee for a suggestion and start there. Culture change is an evolutionary process, the next step depending on what happened when you took your last.

Once you choose a destination, (what qualities you want or what you want to change) if you remain open and responsive to what happens at each step, it hardly matters where you begin, or which path you take, you will arrive.

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	Site Map \| FAQ \| Search A Better Workplace — Meridian Group's Newsletter, Number 47, 8-15-05 This newsletter presents real-life management issues and how people addressed them to improve their company's culture. It is sent monthly to subscribers. Please pass on A Better Workplace to those in your network.
	__________________________________________________________ The Problem Employee To manage a problem employee, fist identify the real problem and who has it, then involve the right people in the solution. The Presented Problem My friend Nick, a partner in a professional services firm, was irritated. "We have a 15 year employee who at first communicated very well and was promoted to Office Manager. In the last few years he has begun to hold information too close to his chest. Now people see him as a roadblock. I am so uncomfortable with the situation I haven't talked with him about it." Understanding the Problem I shared with Nick some guides to understanding and solving human issues: What people do depends largely on their situation (see http://www.companyculture.com/basics/tounderstand.htm ). Most people respond reasonably to situations, from their point of view. If you want to understand why people do what they do, stand back and look at their situation--perhaps ask them about it. If Nick can understand that his Office Manager is behaving appropriately--from the manager's view, he will be well on the way to solving the problem. The employee doesn't have a problem. Nick has the problem (with the employee's behavior). Nick's problem won't go away until he finds a way to have the employee own it. People like to be involved in decisions that affect them. It follows that people who are affected by a problem should be involved in the solution to that problem. In this case the employee should be involved in the solution for at least three reasons: So he will take ownership of the problem. When he takes ownership, he will be motivated to correct it. He probably knows already how to correct it (he hasn't acted because he doesn't see it as a problem). Finally, all company situations, including "problems", are opportunities to develop the work culture--to improve relationships, communication, involvement, and teamwork. Nick can use this "problem" as an opportunity for positive cultural change. What Causes Changed Behavior? The Office Manager's change didn't happen in a vacuum. Nick needs to know if something outside of work has affected the employee; a divorce, ill family member, or something else that might have caused withdrawal or depression. Assuming there is nothing at home, then look to the office. Begin With the Leadership I suggested to Nick that perhaps he and the other partners in the company had inadvertently done something that set the stage for the manager's new behavior. Systems, such as companies, are highly coherent. When you find a behavior pattern in one part, you usually find it in another. When there is an issue at a low level in an organization, you'll almost certainly find it at the highest level as well. When a person, department, division, or company is behaving in some particular way, I almost always find that the same behavior is sanctioned, consciously or unconsciously, by actions of the executive group. I recommend that Nick meet with his partners and discuss: What are we doing that says to our people, "It's OK to hold information close to our chest"? What could we do as a group to make clear, by what we do every day, that we do not want to hold information close to our chest? These are difficult and usually uncomfortable questions for any group to discuss. Some leadership groups use a third-party to help facilitate such discussions. Don't Get Bogged Down With Analysis Looking backward and trying to analyze the many and complex causes of human behavior can be a quagmire. Managers are sometimes tempted to treat people problems as they would treat a faulty engine. However people are not machines. Rather than trying to do a "root cause analysis", it is usually more efficient and less painful to focus on where to go and how to get there. I suggested to Nick that he arrange a small meeting including himself, the Office Manager, a few other people who have expressed a concern, and one or two other partners—their presence signals the importance of the issue. A First Action Step At that meeting, outline the company's need for improved communication. Perhaps describe a few examples of problems and of successes, and discuss what the partners are doing to improve their own communications. It is essential not to blame a person or point a finger. Employees should understand that managers see problems as a system issue and not a personal issue. Pointing fingers is like saying, "The hole is in your end of the boat, so I'm OK". Have the members discuss the issue, but don't jump too quickly to action at this first meeting. Stay with step one of the 4-step decision process (see http://www.companyculture.com/change/betterdecisions.htm ). Ask the members of the group to reflect during the next two weeks on how they experience communications in the firm and what they might like to do personally, or suggest that the partners might do, to improve things. Schedule another meeting in two weeks to discuss and understand the situation further, to hear people's ideas for changes, and to agree on who will do what. Follow Through Is Essential Broad cultural or system issues, such as communications or relationship problems, are among the toughest issues managers face. Solving these deep seated problems requires steady attention from the leadership group. This means regular, visible and open meetings focused on moving forward, one step at a time. If the leadership group does not show that commitment, everyone will understand that they have permission to leave things as they are. Similarly, if a cultural problem is delegated to a low level for action, nothing will change. To say that another way, top leadership should step up to the plate and take responsibility for what happens, for successes as well as for problems. All Roads Lead to Rome Once top management is clear to itself and to others that a particular problem needs attention, there are many approaches. I've already mentioned two. Because cultural problems are all closely related it may be just as effective to initiate change in some other related area. If manages can't decide where to begin, just ask any employee for a suggestion and start there. Culture change is an evolutionary process, the next step depending on what happened when you took your last. Once you choose a destination, (what qualities you want or what you want to change) if you remain open and responsive to what happens at each step, it hardly matters where you begin, or which path you take, you will arrive. SIGN UP now to receive your free monthly copy of this Newsletter . ORDER YOUR COPY of the practical guidebook Developing Your Company Culture .



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