Question – Does anyone agree with the old maxim – “if you can’t change the person. change the person” ? Change can come in many forms. There are those who accept it. Those who embrace it and those who block it. In all cases, change must be delivered by people. What to do with the ‘blockers’ ?
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Our findings are that organisations are largely responsible for creating individuals and strange behaviours.
Best way to test capability – is to provide the opportunity to test the capability – that on most organisations is often a unique experience. Some capabilities are core to roles (non negotiable), some not core.
Those in roles without the non negotiable capabilities should be moved, or exited if there is no role for them, some non core capabilities can be learnt.
Change programs are great learning opportunties for staff regardless if they are staying or leaving.
Interim managers should be very good at testing capability and identifying who is underutilised by asking questions in the first 2 weeks of an assignment. Providing testing opportunities sorts the “talkers” from the “doers”.
Simply firing people without testing capability – is macho and reckless destroys substantial value, and infact prolongs programs.
Organisations very rarely provide worthwhile opportunities to test capabilities, and giving people responsibility is highly motivating.
You’ve typically got 2 weeks to decide and agree who stays and who goes, after that your often stuck with what you have.
You have to know how and when to switch mode mentor, coach, director, one size dont fit all. Turnaround and relignment require different approaches. And program decision making should reflect these differences.
The fastest and most effective way to get something done is to get the right team in place and then let them do it. The notion that complex programs can be simply program managed is flawed – need everyone thinking and managing risk in a decentralised way.
You need different people and complementary strengths in a team – on size do not fit all! Some viewed as blockers, can infact just need a bit more time to think and sweep up behind the “program drivers”.
Lastly – and interestingly telling people does not work, matching capability to roles, creating boundaries escalation structures and delegating and managing performance does.
On the BA dispute – most of the issues there as ever are in my view down to mediocre management, led from the top.
Have a good day! Tom
