Those of us who have kids have all had the time come along where the kids seem like they don’t hear a word you say. As parents we have their best interests in mind and attempt to guide and teach them to make the right decisions so they can lead a full, productive life and have as much knowledge as they can at their fingertips to make informed decisions. When our children make poor decisions or behave in an undesired manner, we try to deter them from that behavior in any way we think that will be effective. The key word here being “effective”. In return our children expect us to make decisions as well to better help them adapt and learn in this world. Even thought they often don’t verbally express it through any kind of gratitude or appreciation. Can this same principal not also hold true with the views that managers have over their businesses?
Many businesses I have worked either with or for have high hopes in leading their organizations into a better culture. They genuinely want to change the culture to not only improve morale, but improve the quality of their employees (among other things). These companies have high hopes, high expectations, and high projections of timelines for success but all lack one simple item; knowledge of how to effectively change the culture that they have created. In conversation with many of these company leaders, the goals are realistic and they are often well aware of the problems that have cultivated by lack of accountability, lack of recognition, lack of clear expectations, and lack of incentive (just to name a few of the big ones). However, they think they have all the steps figured out but when it comes time for execution, there is simply no follow through and the plans and implementations become just another “flavor of the month” to the company employees. No company will ever change a culture with “flavor of the month” programs or initiatives. Period.
What most companies don’t realize is that appealing to people’s basic needs will win you over the employee’s morale and help build ownership. Building employee ownership and appealing to their basic needs as people are two of the main ingredients to truly change a culture. This can only be done with consistency and sincerity. A recent boss of mine sat me down and told me he wanted me to instill fear of losing their jobs in my subordinates in order to increase productivity and reduce scrap due to operator errors. Same old song and dance; increase output, while decreasing scrap. This is the formula for better profits, is it not? Ok, well that sounds good at the bottom line, but what about what comes in between? Understandably, the goodwill of the company takes precedence over that of it’s employees, but to what degree? After all, many company’s claim that “employees are their #1 asset.” I for one find it morally and ethically wrong for business to treat people the way they do. Instilling fear will not change people, it will turn them away. Fear promotes disdain, dishonesty, and disloyalty. But give an employee incentive, create ownership and you will foster that employees true talents.
Many employers turn to what I call the “Iron Fist” approach of change management. Basically, do what I say or I will fire you. Zero tolerance for everything and everyone gains the feeling that Big Brother is watching you constantly and waiting for you to slip up so he can fire you. The management group gets the entire workforce together and goes over behaviors and procedures that are undesired. At that point they say, “This is where we are and this is where we are going to be.” I have yet to see a clear explanation of HOW this is going to be accomplished. It is as management wants every person in the workforce to flip a switch and forget everything they once knew and become perfect little robots on the drop of a dime. “My way or the highway” has become too common of a phrase this day in age. Where are the ethical companies who truly give a damn about their so-called number one assets? I have personally seen four mid-sized companies attempt to change a culture in the Iron Fist manner and each has failed miserably. What ended up happening was extremely high turnover rates (most self inflicted), decreased productivity, increased waste or scrap (mainly due to new, inexperienced talent), decreased morale, vandalism, and a general sense of people not giving a shit if the company survives or not.
I, for one, am tired of the hypocrisy of the bosses that say one thing but do another. I sat idly by as two managers spoke about moving an employee to their departments so they could watch him and catch him doing anything so they could fire him. The senior manager did not mention trying to coach the employee or counseling them.
It also seems like every time I go on an interview I am asked how I deal with unwanted employees. What kind of question is that? If they are insubordinate and unruly, they eventually work themselves out of a job. I do nothing to get people fired, they do it to themselves. Then I am asked again, what do you do to get them fired. I find it disturbing that employers are actively looking for people to hire that support Iron Fist methodology. There is a completely different dynamic from an employee that has ownership in what they do and genuinely cares about the company vs that of an employee who is forced into a corner and is constantly looking over their shoulder in fear of losing their job. These people that believe in Iron Fist management will never experience what it is like to have an employee that wants to work for them. Never. So why does this methodology still exist?
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