Imagine you have been invited to take over a business. Your brief is to improve the results by changing the company culture. You have several options for making this happen. These include: a) You can urge everybody to ‘change’ and put them through a conventional ‘change programme’; b) You can fire everybody and start again with a blank piece of paper; c) You can create the ‘future culture’ – often by building successful prototypes – and then invite people to choose whether or not they want to join this culture.

Savvy leaders often go for option (c). Why? They understand systems theory. Systems follow the law of homeostasis – they keep returning back to their present state. So don’t try to change the system - create a new system with new rules. Start by building successful prototypes. The new approach can then be implemented across the company. Here are three steps towards adopting this approach.

1) You can build successful prototypes.

Let’s imagine that you want to build a company that delivers exceptional customer service. You want to begin by building prototypes that demonstrate this approach. Here are some steps towards making it happen.

* You can set-up the prototypes to succeed.

Looking around the different departments, rate the chances of success of running such a pilot. Go with the positive energy. Clarify where the chances are at least 8/10 - then choose where you will build the prototypes. Another option is to go for a ‘Green Field’ site: a new site with new people who will adopt a new approach.

* You can appoint the right people, make clear contracts and give them the support they need to succeed.

Get the right people in place – especially good leaders – otherwise you are sunk. Clarify ‘What’ they must deliver by ‘When’. Outline the broad principles of the ‘How’, but they must be given freedom, within parameters, to implement the strategy. Give them the support they need to do the job.

* You can ‘ring fence’ the prototypes in order to help them to succeed.

Why? Sometimes old systems try to stop new ones from succeeding, so provide protection. Companies sometimes give double messages, such as: “We want you to be bright, creative and deliver results in the new world. We also want you to follow the old rules to achieve these results.”

* You can encourage people to get some early wins – but also create an ‘event’ for showcasing the prototypes’ success.

Encourage people to get some early wins to build positive momentum and publicise these across the business. Set a date for a company event in 6 months time where they will present their success stories. Sounds challenging, but people respond to deadlines.

* You can do everything possible to ensure the prototypes are successful.

You can provide an inspiring vision, but it is up to the prototype-builders to do the work. Keep in touch with them, but in a supportive way. Ask: “What do you want from me to help you to be successful?” Then, wherever possible, provide that support. Explain how you want to be kept updated - because you need a reality check - and how they can keep you off their backs! Encourage them to communicate their achievements along the road and also celebrate success. If things go wrong, however, make the tough decisions early, rather than late.

* You can get people to present the lessons from the successful prototypes.

Success provides its own arguments – so publicise the success stories. People can do this through newsletters, articles, internal television, DVD’s or whatever. Then move onto the next stage.

2) You can invite volunteers who want to implement the successful principles in their part of the business.

People are more likely to adopt new behaviour if they see the benefits. Imagine you have backed several prototypes that have delivered exceptional customer service. Arrange a company event – or other communication vehicles - where the prototype-builders present: a) The principles that have proved successful; b) The things we learned and can do better next time. You can then announce the next phase by saying something like:

“The prototypes have shown how we can deliver exceptional customer service. We are looking for volunteers who want to follow these principles in their part of the business. The goal will be to achieve customer satisfaction ratings of at least 98% - and this can be to either your external or internal customers. Get back to me within one week to let me know: a) Whether you want to deliver this ‘What’; b) ‘How’, in broad terms, you aim to deliver it; c) The support you need to do the job. This obviously means a shift in culture - changing the way we do things around here. We can succeed with this new approach, so let me know if you want to be part of making it happen.”

Great leaders communicate a compelling story. They show the benefits and also explain the Dos and Don’ts for reaching the goal. They then give people the chance to opt-in – because they believe in working with volunteers, not victims. You will pursue this path in your own way. Give people the required support and showcase the new success stories. Then move onto the final step.

3) You can make the principles mandatory and guide the organisation to success.

You have backed successful prototypes that embody the future culture. Now it is the time for people to make a decision. So you may give them the following message.

“The prototypes have shown the principles we must follow to be successful. The pluses are that we will improve our services and stay in business. The minuses are that it will be challenging, especially at first. But it is the way to build a successful future. What I am saying to you is also challenging. I am asking you to decide whether or not you want to follow those principles. If so, get back to your manager within the next week and we will agree on how you want to contribute. If we do not hear from you, we will assume you want to move-on. So we will then try to work-out, as far as possible, a ‘win-win’. This sounds tough, but we must follow these principles to achieve success. Let me or your manager know if you want to contribute to the journey.”

Sounds challenging – but frequently there is no other option. People must decide whether or not they want to be part of the future culture. Expect some rocky times, but eventually things will work out. You will have laid the foundations by building the prototypes. Keep people’s eyes on the picture of perfection. Reward the behaviour you want repeated. Be prepared to make tough decisions. Never walk past a quality problem - otherwise you have said it is okay. Maintain the momentum by continuing to publicise success stories. Do whatever is necessary to guide the organisation to success. If you wish, try tackling this exercise that invites you to translate these principles into action.

Shifting a culture by building successful prototypes

The specific things I can do to
build successful prototypes are:

*

*

*

The specific things I can do to invite volunteers who
want to implement the successful principles are:

*

*

*

The specific things I can do to make the principles
mandatory and guide the organisation to success are:

*

*

*

Imagine you are leading an organisation. Some of the people are super positive; some swing between positive and neutral; some are negative. How do you want to work with the different kinds of people? In the old days organisations often told you to concentrate on turning-around the negative people. But that did not work. Nowadays you put your energy into the engine, not the trailer. Here are 3 steps you can take with the different kinds of people.

1) The positive people.

“Reward the behaviour you want repeated,” is the motto in all organisations. So you encourage the positive people. They are the engine, but they also need support. Frequently they volunteer for tasks, do great work but also get exhausted. You need them: a) To be positive models: b) To be the ‘drivers’ in the organisation: c) To also ‘be selective to be effective’, otherwise they will burn themselves out. Spend time with the positive people, find out their passions and clarify their ‘A’ talents. Then encourage them to make their best contribution to the organisation. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to encourage the positive people are:

*

*

*

2) The positive-neutral people.

Such people can become the backbone of the organisation. They respond well: a) To knowing the goals - the ‘What’: b) To knowing the game plan - the ‘How’: c) To being given a sense of ‘ownership’ in implementing their part of their strategy: d) To being given on-going encouragement and the support they need to do the job: e) To getting a share of the rewards. You will follow these steps in your own way. One leader said:

“I toured every country in the EMEA region and did 2 hour sessions in which I literally met every person. Meeting groups of around 20 people, I talked about last year’s achievements, before outlining the goals for the next year. I used a flip chart and a few slides, but the tone was mainly conversational. Looking at the challenges ahead, I invited people to ask their questions and answered these as honestly as possible. Finally I reiterated the organisation’s strategy and outlined what we could all do to get some quick successes. People seemed to appreciate the sessions.”

Sounds hard work? Perhaps, but it can be harder if you do not connect with people. Given the right kind of support, they will do superb work and go that extra mile. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to
encourage the positive-neutral people are:

*

*

*

3) The negative people.

They must make a decision: Do they want to be part of the organisation or not? You can outline: a) The results to achieve: b) The ‘rules’ - the ‘Dos & Don’ts’ for reaching the goals: c) The rewards. Be positive but be firm. As adults, people can make choices - and each choice has consequences. Give people the opportunity to consider the ‘deal’. They can choose whether they want to opt-in and make a positive contribution. This must then be followed-up by deeds rather than words. If they do not change, then act to protect the other people and maintain a positive culture. completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to give encouraging but
clear messages to the negative people – and then act - are:

*

*

*

Great organisations are made-up of people who choose to be there every day. They are volunteers, not victims. So build on the positive people and do whatever is necessary to guide the organisation to success.

Every system has ‘rules’. Sometimes these rules are spoken; but often they are unspoken. Some rules are helpful, some are hurtful; but all have consequences. One of the keys to surviving and then thriving in any system - such as a family, team or organisation - is to know the ‘rules’. You can then decide how you want to behave. Imagine you work in an organisation. Here are three ideas for understanding the rules in the system.

1) You can clarify the ‘rules’ of a system.

Let’s start with some background about systems and ‘rules’. During the 1940s many people began to study systems theory. They found that most systems reverted to homeostasis - systems strove for stability. So if you introduced a change, the system would often reject the intervention and return to its previous state. It was possible for a system to evolve. But this required introducing something that, by and large, benefited the whole system. Otherwise parts of the system would drive out the intervention. These principles applied to virtually all systems - including families, teams and organisations.

Systems maintain stability in many ways. One way is by following certain ‘rules’ which are embodied in patterns of behaviour. There are different levels for understanding the rules in a system - but the most obvious is to identify the Dos and Don’ts. Some of these messages will be spoken, but others will be unspoken. One company’s set of rules included, for example:

Dos

“Do be a self-starter. Do set specific goals. Do keep you stakeholders informed. Do work hard. Do talk about life-work balance. Do talk about teamwork. Do continually strive for promotion. Do reach your goals.”

Don’ts

“Don’t actually practice life-work balance - it will be seen as wimpish. Don’t expect to be rewarded for teamwork - you will actually be judged on your individual contribution. Don’t expect positive strokes - next year we will simply up your targets.”

Looking at your own organisation - or an organisation with whom you work - describe the Dos and Don’ts. Some messages will be clear—but others will be unspoken. Try completing the following sentences.

Dos. The ‘Dos’ in the organisation are:

*

*

*

Don’ts. The ‘Don’ts’ in the organisation are:

*

*

*

2) You can clarify the consequences of the rules in a system.

After defining the Dos and Don’ts in the organisation, describe what you believe to be the pluses and minuses. The company mentioned previously had several contradictory rules. For example: “Do talk about life-work balance - but don’t practice it.” If somebody wanted to take time off to do something special for their child, for instance, they still felt guilty. This was despite the person often doing company work on Saturday or Sunday. Looking at the organisation, try completing the following sentences that outline the consequences, then move onto the next step.

Pluses. The pluses of the rules are:

*

*

*

Minuses. The minuses of the rules are:

*

*

*

3) You can clarify the rules you would like in a system.

Before describing your preferred rules, let’s briefly revisit some basics. Systems seek stability - which has both pluses and minuses. The human body, for example, often heals itself by overcoming illnesses. This is obviously a plus. If the human body slowly changes and becomes addicted to a drug, however, the new state will eventually become the status quo. Any attempt to stop the drug will meet with resistance. Certainly the body can take steps to regain its former health - but it may be a difficult journey.

Organisations also like stability. This is a necessary to function from day-to-day - but they also need creativity. Organisations that remain in a ‘steady state’ can drift towards decay. Why? They do not have the diversity required to tackle new challenges. Healthy organisations are therefore based on ‘similarity of spirit’ and ‘diversity of strengths’. This balance is crucial. People must ‘buy into’ the basic values - otherwise there is chaos - but also provide the variety required to tackle new challenges. Great organisations get the right balance between consistency and creativity. They also make the rules clear:

* They do give people clear messages about ‘the way we do things around here’.

* They don’t give confused, conflicting or coded messages.

Bearing these factors in mind, tackle the exercise at the end of this piece called My preferred rules. Describe the desired rules in an organisation where you would thrive. Describe the pluses and minuses of these rules - not only for you, but for the organisation. Finally, describe the steps you can take to find - or create - the kind of systems where you can succeed.

The rules in my preferred organisation would be.

Dos:

*

Don’ts:

*

The consequences of these rules would be.

Pluses:

*

Minuses

*

The things I can do to find – or create – the
kind of system where I do my best work are:

*

*

*

“The final part of the exercise was decisive,” said one person. “For years I had tried to do entrepreneurial work inside my previous company, but it became dispiriting. Eventually I get head-hunted, but I did lots of questioning about the ‘rules’ in the prospective company. The employees said the business: a) expected you to hit your agreed targets; b) expected you to take initiatives to create the future business. There were many other ‘rules’, but virtually all were beneficial. I have never regretted joining this company.”

Imagine you are leading a team. There are many models for continuing to achieve peak performance. One approach is to invite the team to refocus on the picture of success. It is then to clarify the specific things it should aim: a) To keep doing; b) To start doing; c) To stop doing. People can then translate the ideas into action and achieve their goals. Let’s explore how this can work in practice.

* Start by refocusing on the picture of success.

Great teams continually remind people of the story, strategy and road to success. So gather people together and remind them of the team’s goals. If you wish, highlight when the team has performed brilliantly and the principles people followed to do great work. Then move onto the habits you want them to pursue in the future.

1) You can focus on what the team needs to keep doing.

Start by making three flip charts headed: 1) Keep doing: The things we need to keep doing. 2) Start doing: The things we need to start doing. 3) Stop doing: The things we need to stop doing. Gather people together and provide each person with a pack of Post-It Notes. Position the first part of the exercise by giving the following instructions.

“Great teams develop good habits. So I would like you to start by listing all the things you believe we should keep doing to achieve success. These can be the big key principles or the small concrete actions. If you write a principle, however, try to bring it to life by giving a concrete example. For instance: If you say: “Keep giving great customer service,” give a specific example of how this can be translated into action. Also describe the benefits of continuing to do the things you mention. Write one idea per Post-It but as many ideas as you wish. So take 15 minutes to describe the things that you believe we should keep doing. ”

Give people the allotted preparation time and then invite each person place their Post-It Notes on the flip chart. If appropriate, you can then discuss the various points and agree on the fundamental things the team must continue doing. (The other option is to delay this discussion until after also completing the next two sections regarding what the team should start and stop doing.) So here is the first exercise regarding the good habits. Doing these things means the team will be more likely to consistently deliver at least 7/10.

2) You can focus on what the team needs to start and stop doing.

Great teams continue to do the right things in the right way. But sometimes they need to start moving into another dimension or stop doing things that are debilitating. You can position these factors by giving the following instructions.

“Peak performers maintain good habits, but sometimes they take steps to up their game. So I would like you to write your ideas regarding what we can do in two areas.

“First, start doing. Describe the things you believe we may want to start doing to, for example, broaden our thinking, improve our work, provide better customer service or develop as a team. Dare to be creative in your ideas. If possible, describe the potential benefits of doing these things.”

“Second, stop doing. Describe the things you believe we may want to stop doing. For example, there may be meetings we can cut, reporting lines we can shorten, paper work we can ditch or other activities that distract from achieving our prime purpose. Again, be creative with your ideas. Describe the benefits of stopping doing these things. There may, of course, also be some minuses. If so, describe how we can manage these consequences.”

Give people 15 minutes to list their ideas. They are to then to put their views on the relevant flip charts. Spend some time discussing the ideas, then move onto the next stage.

3) You can co-ordinate what the team needs to keep doing, start doing and stop doing to achieve success.

Co-ordination bridges the gap between the concepts and the concrete results. So make sure you have a superb co-ordinator – or a co-ordination process – to make things happen. It can be useful to take the following steps.

You can clarify the key principles and practical actions

the team can keep implementing to achieve success.

Gather people together and look at the ideas they have compiled. Clarify and agree on the key things the team should keep, start and stop doing. You may wish: a) To agree on the priorities; b) To agree on how these can be translated into action; c) To agree on how to maximise the pluses and minimise any minuses. Everybody in the team must know what people are doing under the following headings.

You can have a superb co-ordination process

that ensures these actions are implemented.

Great teams go beyond producing actions lists. They have a superb co-ordinator – or an agreed process – that ensures the actions actually happen. The co-ordinator’s role is to ensure people channel their talents towards achieving the team’s goal. They are like sheepdogs, especially with knowledge workers who may fall into following their own agendas. Approaching such a person, they say things like:

“Looking at the picture of success, how are things going regarding the agreed actions? As you know, we have an update meeting next week. Everybody is giving a progress report about what they aim to keep, start and stop doing. Are things okay on this front or would you like any help? Let me know if there is anything I can do to ensure we continue to follow the agreed principles and the practical actions.”

Clarity is the starting point for any venture: but co-ordination provides the bridge to producing concrete results. Bearing this in mind, try tackling the following exercise. First, describe the specific things your team can do to co-ordinate its efforts. Second, describe the benefits of doing these things. Try completing the following sentences.

You can ensure people keep focusing on

what they should keep, start and stop doing.

Great teams are made up of people who are proactive. They also keep their colleagues up-to-date regarding progress towards achieving the team’s goals. How to encourage people to develop this habit? One approach is to remind people of the team’s picture of success. It is to then invite them to give monthly updates on the following themes. They are then more likely to ensure the whole team is on track.

There are many models for ensuring a team does great work. One approach is to focus on what they can keep, start and stop doing. People can then maintain these good habits and achieve peak performance.

How can you recruit, retain and reward good people? The first step is obviously to ensure that everybody knows the team’s story, strategy and road to success. Telling the story is also vital when recruiting people. You can give candidates an overview of the ‘what, why, how, who and when’. Great teams ensure their people ‘know the deal’. People know: a) The employer’s role in working towards the goals; b) The employee’s role in working towards the goals. They can then decide whether they want to be part of the team. Let’s consider how you can work with people who want to bring the story to life.

1) You can employ people who embody the team’s story.

Great teams are made up of people who have ‘similarity of spirit’ and ‘diversity of strengths’. (Diversity of spirit is a recipe for disaster.) When looking at a present or prospective team member, ask yourself:

“Does this person embody the spirit of the team? Do they want to bring the values to life? Do they want to contribute to the team’s story? If so, how can we encourage them to make this happen?”

You are looking for characters, not clones. This calls for hiring people who are committed to maintaining the team’s balance between consistency and creativity. Great teams have people who follow the key principles in a consistent way. They then produce professional performances that always deliver at least 8/10. Such teams also encourage people to express their creativity at the right time. They can then produce peak performances – the 10/10. Looking at your team, do two things. First, write the names of the people who embody the team’s story. Second, describe the specific things they do to translate it into action.

Great teams recruit people who want to live the story, but this does not mean individuals must stay for the rest of their lives. Such teams often have a golden period when the individuals’ agendas align. There comes a time when some people want to move on - and that is okay. Great teams spot the signs early. They then recruit others who want to develop the story.

Try tackling the exercise on this theme. Describe the specific things you can do to recruit, reward and retain people who embody the team’s story. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to recruit, reward and
retain people who embody the team’s story are:

*

*

*

2) You can employ people who express the team’s story.

“Three years ago I took over a demoralised business,” said one MD. “After clarifying the future strategy, I spent the first year getting the right staff and building the right systems. This called for spending lots of time with the positive people. I encouraged them to stay and involved them in helping to shape the future. Within one year our performance was solid, but it wasn’t outstanding. So I encouraged people to build on strengths and find more ways to express their ‘A’ talents. That was when we began delivering top class work.”

‘Similarity of spirit’ is crucial: but so is ‘diversity of strengths’. Great teams start by providing a solid foundation. They then provide a framework within which people can express themselves. How does this work in your team? How can you encourage people to express their personalities? You may want to encourage them, for example:

· To build on their strengths - to spend more time focusing on where they deliver ‘As’, whilst managing the consequences of their ‘Bs’ or ‘Cs’.

· To use Appreciative Inquiry to clarify when they performed superb work, the principles they followed and how they can follow these more in the future.

· To use their personalities to provide great service – and add that touch of magic – that enables the customers to succeed.

Sometimes you may need to encourage people to think beyond the old cliché that: ‘There is no ‘I’ in team.’ Actually, there are lots of I’s in ‘team’. It just that people express these I’s in different ways towards building the word TEAM. (See below.) They use their personalities to encourage other team members and contribute towards achieving the team’s goal. They follow the key principles, perform superb work and ensure the team achieves peak performance.

Try tackling the exercise on this theme. Looking at your team, describe how you can encourage people to express themselves on the way towards achieving the team’s goals. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can to do to encourage people to
use their personalities to express the team’s story are:

*

*

*

3) You can employ people who will enhance the team’s story.

Great leaders create and maintain the framework. They keep people’s eyes on the story, strategy and road to success. Such leaders also keep their eyes on both today’s and tomorrow’s business. This enables them to ‘surf the sigmoid curve’. They stay ahead of the game, spot opportunities and keep developing - rather than slide down the curve before taking action. Great teams take several steps towards making this happen.

- They continually look ahead, spend time with pacesetting customers and anticipate future scenarios.

- They ask themselves and their people: “Looking to the future, what are the challenges: a) For ourselves; b) For our customers? Bearing in mind our strengths, what are the opportunities? How can we help our customers to succeed? How can we enrich, energise and enhance our story? How can we continue to be successful?”

- They then do whatever is necessary to develop the story, strategy and road to success.

Great leaders may set the strategy, but they recognise it is people who bring it to life – both now and in the future. So they employ people who express today’s story whilst, in some cases, also being able to shape and enhance tomorrow’s story. This is always a fine balance – because it is vital to deliver today’s business whilst shaping tomorrow’s business.

Try tackling the exercise on this theme. Looking to the future, describe how you can employ people who will enhance the team’s story. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can to do to employ
people who will enhance the team’s story are:

*

*

*

There are many models for hiring great people. This article has focused on steps you can take to choose people who embody, express and enhance the team’s story. You will do this in your own way to continue building a superb team.

Imagine you are leading a team. You have clarified the team’s strategy for achieving its picture of success. Let’s explore how you can orchestrate people’s talents to reach a goal.

1) You can clarify people’s A, B and C talents.

Start by writing the names of all the people in your team. Looking at each person in turn, describe the specific things that they deliver. Write a list of their ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ talents.

As. These are the specific activities in which they achieve 9+/10. They consistently achieve peak performance. Try to be as specific as possible when describing these things they deliver.

Bs. These are the activities in which they can produce 7+/10. Whilst they may do these things competently, they do not hit the heights. They may also get bored doing these tasks and make occasional mistakes.

Cs. These are the activities in which they seldom reach even 5/10. They have no feeling for the activity and make basic mistakes.

One person wrote: “My Marketing Director, Dave, is brilliant at delivering campaigns that connect with the business and produce bottom-line results. Sally, the HR Director, delivers strategies that enable our people to make their best contributions to the business. She has also produced a programme that finds and retains talented people in the company. Mary, our COO, has the ability to translate our vision into specific actions that resonate with our people on the ground. Roy, our FD, is good at providing strategic financial advice. That is his ‘A’ talent’. The problem is, however, that he gets bogged down in the day-to-day management of the financial team. Certainly he can do this task, but we need him to play to his ‘As’. He needs somebody who can run a more self-managing finance department.”

Try tackling the exercise on this theme. First, write the names of the people in your team. Second, write the specific activities in which they deliver ‘As’. (If you wish, at some future point, you may also want to describe where they deliver ‘Bs’ and ‘Cs’.) Try completing the following sentences. Continue until you have covered everybody in your team.

The Person’s Name: ______________

The specific activities in which they deliver ‘As’ are:

*

*

The Person’s Name: ______________

The specific activities in which they deliver ‘As’ are:

*

*

The Person’s Name: ______________

The specific activities in which they deliver ‘As’ are:

*

*

2) You can clarify how to co-ordinate people’s talents to achieve the goal.

Let’s assume that you have clarified the team’s strategies and people’s strengths. Bearing in mind the team’s overall goal, ask yourself the following questions.

* How can we make the best use of people’s strengths to achieve the team’s picture of success? How can we put people in the places where they will deliver ‘As’? How can we, if necessary, cover the areas where they deliver ‘Bs’? How can we make sure nobody is in a position where they deliver ‘Cs’?

* How can each person therefore make their best contribution toward achieving the picture success? How can we make clear contracts about their specific contribution? How can we give them the support they need to implement their part of the strategy and ensure the team achieve success?

* How can we make sure we fill any gaps? For example, are there any areas we have not got covered? If so, how can we get these tasks completed successfully?

Bearing these answers in mind, you can answer then the question: “How can we co-ordinate people’s strengths to achieve the goal?” At first it can sometimes be to answer this question. But keep asking it and you will find the answers. Certainly I have found that, with some creative thinking, people can find solutions and combine their talents to build a superb team.

(Older style organisations sometimes find it difficult to generate creative solutions. So they rush back to putting people in boxes based on historical job descriptions. The problem is that people then mainly use their ‘Bs’ and ‘Cs’, rather than play to their ‘As’.)

Try tackling the exercise on this theme. First, describe the specific things you can do to ensure people play to their strengths and make the best contribution towards achieving the team’s goals. Second, describe the specific things you can do to ensure any gaps are filled. Try completing the following sentences.

The specific things I can do to make sure people play to their strengths
and make their best contribution towards achieving the team’s goals are:

*

*

*

The specific things I can do to make sure any gaps are filled are:

*

*

*

3) You can co-ordinate people’s talents to reach the goal.

The next step is to swing into action. Let’s assume that you made contracts about people’s parts in reaching the goals. You will then focus on ‘managing by outcomes’, rather than ‘managing by tasks’.

Every month you will invite each person to present: a) The specific things I have delivered in the last month towards achieving the picture of success; b) The specific things I plan to deliver in the next month; c) The challenges I face, the strategies I have for tackling these challenges and the support needed to achieve success. This will ensure that people are fulfilling their contracts and work towards the team’s goals.

Great leaders continue to keep their eyes on the big picture. Bearing in mind the team’s strategy on the road to success, keep taking reality checks. So you may ask questions like:

* What are the specific things we are doing well? How can follow these principles even more in the future?

* What can we do even better and how? How can we make these things happen?

* What can we do to continue capitalising on people’s strengths? How can we translate these ideas into action?

* What can we do to compensate for any gaps and ensure all the other tasks are completed? How can we make this happen?

* What else can we do to co-ordinate people’s talents to achieve the picture of success? How can we translate all these ideas into action?

Try tackling the exercise on this theme. First, describe the specific things you can do to keep people’s eyes on the goal, ensure they fulfil their contracts and continue to co-ordinate people’s talents to achieve the goal. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to continue to co-ordinate
people’s strengths to achieve the picture of success are:

*

*

*

There are many models for building a team. This article has outlined one approach to co-ordinating people’s strengths. Put into practice properly, it can enable your people to move from 8/10 to 10/10.

There are many models for building a successful business. One is to start by clarifying your picture of success. It is then to continually improve your strategy, sales and service. Although this approach sounds basic, many businesses fail to keep improving in these areas. So explore how you can make this happen.

1) You can focus on your strategy.

Great companies implement the right strategy with the right people in the right way. They have commercial ‘savvy’. Building on their strengths, they clarify the opportunities and set specific goals. They then pursue the strategy that will give them the greatest chance of success. They know what mountain they are climbing, why they are climbing it and when they will reach the summit. Most of all, they make sure they are climbing the ‘right mountain’.

Great companies are based on similarity of spirit and diversity of strengths. They know the kinds of people who will help them to achieve their goals. They are moral and explain the ‘deal’ to people. They say: “These are: a) The results we are aiming to achieve – the goals; b) The ‘rules’ for achieving the goals – the professional standards we want people to demonstrate; c) The rewards of achieving the goals.” People can then choose whether or not they want to opt into contributing towards achieving the picture of success.

Great companies ensure that everybody knows the story, strategy and road to success. Everybody needs to know the ‘what, why, how, who and when’. People can make clear contracts about their parts in implementing the strategy – plus get the required support. They then do superb work and find creative solutions to challenges. Great companies encourage, educate and enable their people to deliver ongoing success.

“Looking at the market, I believe our company is pursuing the right strategic direction,” said one manager. “But we have problems with our people and implementation. If everybody left tomorrow and reapplied to join the business, we would only re-recruit around 50% of the people. We also have problems when it comes to implementation. Too much time is spent chasing people to do jobs properly. Whilst we probably have the right strategy, we face a massive task in terms of delivering success.”

Looking at your own company, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to do two things. First, rate the extent to which you believe your company has the right strategy. Do this on a scale 0 – 10. (For the purpose of this exercise, just focus on the company having the right strategic direction, rather than having the right people implementing it in the right way.) Second, describe the specific things the company can do to maintain or improve the rating. Try completing the following exercise.

2) You can focus on your sales.

Sales are obviously the life-blood of the company, which is a lesson students learn in ‘Business 101’. Strangely, however, a serious sales process is sometimes neglected in companies. When a proposal for a pitch comes in, for example, some companies approach it half-heartedly. Good sales companies focus on the following themes.

* Strengths and specific offering.

They know their own strengths and create an offering that will help specific types of customers to succeed.

* Selectivity and specific customers.

They know their ‘perfect customers’ and are selective when going for sales. They go for specific types of business with specific customers. They do not pitch for every piece of work. They know their customers inside out and how to help them to succeed.

* Seriousness when going for sales.

They are ’serious’ when going for these sales. They put enormous efforts behind aiming: a) To connect with the client; b) To establish clarity about the real results the client wants to achieve; c) To put together the right team to lead, organise and make the pitch; d) To rehearse properly; e) To make superb presentations to the client. They build a super team that connects with the client, establishes clarity and does all the necessary work before and beyond the pitch.

Such companies have a dedicated person who ensures the whole pitch is managed properly. (Though this may be a different person for each sale). This co-ordinator puts the right people on the pitch – which is crucial - and organises the schedule. They ensure that people deliver their parts on time and produce good quality materials throughout the process, rather than tardy ‘ideas in progress’. The co-ordinator schedules time for proper rehearsals, rather than people simply meeting to discuss a ‘run through’. Such companies are serious about the sales process.

Looking at your own company, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to do two things. First, rate the extent to which you believe your company has the right sales process and the right people involved. Do this on a scale 0 – 10. Second, describe the specific things the company can do to maintain or improve the rating. Try completing the following exercise.

3) You can focus on your service.

Sales may be the life-blood of a business, but service keeps the blood flowing. There is little point in spending enormous time winning a pitch if poor service then loses the customer. Great customer service plays a key part in retaining and winning new business.

“Our role is simple,” explained the MD of one company. “It is to help our customers to succeed. Of course, we also need to make a profit for our business. So we aim to go for a ‘win-win’: a win for the customer and a win for our company. This is what great service givers do in any service business.”

Companies that have a service ethic start by clarifying the picture of success. For example, one company encouraged every team to clarify the actual words they wanted to hear customers saying about their service. Here is the exercise they asked people to display around the walls of their office.

Great companies do several things to maintain this service ethic. First, they have leaders who model great service in the way they care for the customers and care for their employees. Second, they employ superb account directors. These directors ‘live with’ the clients, keep clarifying their goals and help them to achieve success. Third, they employ people who embody the service ethic. These people do whatever is required to get ‘win-wins’ for the customer and the company.

Looking at your own company, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to do two things. First, rate the extent to which you believe it provides the right service. Do this on a scale 0 – 10. Second, describe the specific things the company can do to maintain or improve the rating. Try completing the following exercise.

There are many models for building a business. One approach is to continue improving your strategy, sales and service. This can help to achieve ongoing success.

Several years ago I worked with a leadership team that were encountering severe problems. Fortunately they overcome the difficulties, but it called for radical surgery. They began by imagining they were running their own business – then went on to find ways to satisfy their key sponsors. Imagine you are a leader. Let’s explore how you apply this approach in your own team within an organisation.

1) You can invite the team to consider they are running their own business.

“We are the European arm of a global company,” explained the MD of the team mentioned above. “Looking back at the difficult time, we faced several key issues. First, we knew which of our products made money in the European market. Second, we knew how to run the business in this part of the world. Third, we were in trouble, however, because we spent masses of time satisfying head office. They wanted us: a) To sell the products they believed should be sold – but that didn’t fit the market; b) To follow complicated internal procedures that satisfied the bureaucrats but didn’t help us to make profits. We needed to do something radical – otherwise we wouldn’t be in business.”

You may or may not face similar issues – but it is still worth applying the thinking followed by that team. Gather your team together and invite them to go through the following steps. Say something like.

“I want you to imagine that we as a team are running our own business. Each of us has borrowed a significant amount of money – and we may get further backing from a potential investor. We are going to make a presentation to that investor, so I want you to produce a 3 year plan. This should cover the following areas:

* Profits. (Or performance if you work in a not-for-profit organisation).

Outline the profits you believe it is possible for the team to achieve in: a) One year; b) Two years; c) Three years. It’s also important to produce an estimate of the various items in the budget. These will be governed by what you include in the next two areas – products and people.

* Products.

Outline the ‘products’ that you would put into the business. Imagine you are starting the business again and can choose the team’s products, services and other offerings. You probably know what is profitable, so use this as a starting point. There may also be other products you want to include that will create future profits. Back-up your thinking with data about potential income.

* People.

Outline the people you would put into the business. Imagine everybody left tomorrow and offered their services back to the company. Who would you hire and what would you hire them to deliver? Which other people – or roles – would you hire into the business?”

Give people an hour to complete this part of the exercise. They are then to make presentations to the team. The presentations and discussions will probably take several hours. Continue for as long as you feel is appropriate before calling time. Explain that you will consider what people have said – then get back to them with a further piece of work to tackle.

Imagine you are doing this exercise with your own team. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things we would focus on if we were running the team as our own business – including the profits, products & people – would be:

*

*

*

2) You can invite the team to clarify the principles they would follow to run the business.

Gather your thoughts – then decide on the team’s potential future focus. Put together the proposition in terms of the profitability, products and people. Go back to your team with the suggested ‘positioning’ – the products it would offer, the potential customers and the desired profit. Agree on this with the team. That is the ‘What’. The next stage is to clarify the ‘How’ – the principles the team will follow to make this happen. Invite them to brainstorm and then agree on: “The 3 key things we would do to give ourselves the greatest chance of success would be: a) To _______ b) To ________ c) To _________” . Imagine you are doing this exercise with your own team. Try completing the following sentence.

The principles we would follow to run the business would be:

*

*

*

3) You can enable the team to follow some of these principles in the present organisation.

This is the difficult part – but it is a role played by many ‘protectors’ of great teams. They satisfy the centre, but ensure their team has the space to employ its talents. The team must also fulfil their part of the bargain, of course, and deliver the goods. It calls for you being able:

a) To encourage the team to focus on what they believe will deliver success – and the team then producing great results.

b) To know what must be done to satisfy the centre – then doing what is necessary, but not what is over-necessary.

c) To act in a super-professional way to connect with your key sponsors, making clear contacts with them and ensure your team delivers the ‘profits – the results that really matter.

“Deviants must over-deliver,” is the rule. Aim to exceed your targets – otherwise you may get fired. Be super-professional when dealing with the centre. Keep talking about the ‘What’ – the result you will deliver. This may call for saying something like:

“We will deliver x in terms of profits. We can do this by focusing our time on doing ‘a, b & c’. If we are also asked to do ‘d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k & l’, then this will have knock-on effects regarding the time spent with our customers and producing profit. We must, of course, follow the key principles within the business. But some of the complicated ‘add-ons’ produce unnecessary meetings and bite into the time spent with customers. Our goal is to produce great results. So we are willing to be judged by whether we deliver the goods.”

The MD of the ailing team took these steps. Going to the centre, he explained: “We can hit our targets in Europe. But it calls for radical measures. These include: a) focusing on the products the customers want to buy; b) spending all our time in the market, rather than on internal meetings; c) putting our people in the places where they perform best. Taking these steps will deliver the results.” He got backing to follow these principles – and the team over-performed.

You will follow these steps in your own way. Looking at your own team, try completing the following sentence.

The specific things we can do to follow some of these principles in our present organisation and run the team as if it was our own business are:

*

*

*

Many organisations like to say: “We combine the structure of a big company with the spirit of a small company.” The art lies in making this happen. You can enable your team to think like entrepreneurs - but also make their best contribution to the organisation.

Role theory says that: “If a person is expected to fill a certain role, then they will often fulfil it.” This can happen in the family, for example, where individuals may fill the different roles of ‘problem child’, ‘perfect child’, ‘peacemaker’, ‘encourager, ‘workaholic’, ‘suffering martyr’, ‘sick child’, ‘achiever’, ‘responsible one’ or whatever. It can also happen in teams, organisations and society. Role theory can be used to help people to succeed; or it can be abused to ensure they fail. Let’s explore how this works in practice.

1) You can recognise the power of role theory.

So let’s start by revisiting role theory. This states that: a) People are expected to fill certain roles; b) People find these expectations are re-enforced by others around them. These are communicated through messages, norms, rewards and punishments that show how people are expected to behave; c) People are then more likely to fill the expected roles. One key point is worth underlining. Role theory rests on the assumption that many people want affirmation and they seek this by tending to ‘conform’. They behave in a way that is accepted. This also explains why some people make radical shifts in their lives. They leave one ‘system’ that rewards certain behaviour – but where they feel uneasy – and move to another where they develop a more rewarding role. Bearing in mind these factors, let’s explore how role theory can be used in different ways.

A frightening experiment in role theory took place during the 1960s. A group of junior doctors were asked to spend a day taking the roles of patients in a mental hospital. This was to be part of their training – an exercise in empathy. The doctors duly filled the task and acted-out in ways they had seen patients behave. The day ended and they went to put on their coats, but were met by staff saying: “What are you doing? You are patients. You must stay in the hospital.” The doctors went crazy – explaining they were actually on a training exercise. The staff said: “Many of our patients think they are doctors. Go back to the wards.” The doctors started protesting, screaming and behaving irrationally. “See,” said the ward staff, “you are crazy.” The nightmare continued with the doctors becoming more like patients. They were finally released, but it was a salutary lesson. The doctors realised how quickly they had lapsed into odd behaviour after being treated as patients.

Role theory can also be used to get positive results. When I ran a therapeutic community for young people, for example, they were expected: a) To be responsible; b) To encourage other people; c) To visit universities to teach budding social workers how to encourage troubled teenagers. The young people met these expectations and – by and large – fulfilled the positive roles.

Try tackling the exercise on this theme. First, looking at your own life and work, can you think of a time you have seen role theory in action? Describe the example. Second, describe the specific things that were done to reinforce people to continue to stay in a certain role. Try completing the following sentences.

The time I saw role theory in action was:

*

The specific things that were done to
reinforce people to stay in a certain role were:

*

*

*

So how you can use role theory to, for example, succeed in an organisation? Let’s explore this area.

2) You can use role theory to design people’s roles.

Imagine you are a manager. You can use elements of role theory to help your people to achieve success. This means moving from older views of ‘roles’. Traditional organisations defined roles in terms of activities – what people should ‘do’. Managers then supervised employees, making sure they completed the tasks. This might appear efficient, but it was not always effective. Why? Organisations confused activity with results. People spent time on activities that might or might not contribute to achieving success. Newer organisations focus on results – defining roles in terms of what people should ‘deliver’. People clarify the ‘what’ – the specific results to achieve. They then focus on the broad principles of ‘how’ they will produce the results by ‘when’. This calls for hiring responsible people who do what is necessary – within parameters – to produce success. ‘Roles’ have therefore become focused on ‘deliverables’ – though they still contain clear ‘dos & don’ts’. How does this work in practice? Imagine you are creating a role. You will cover the following areas:

Designing a role

The Deliverables. The specific results
we want the person to deliver are:

*

*

*

The ‘Dos & Don’ts’. The dos & don’ts we want them
to follow on the route to delivering the goods are:

*

*

*

The Desired Support. The specific support they will need to
do the job – and how we can supply this support - is:

*

*

*

The Deadlines. The specific deadlines by which
we want them to deliver certain results are:

*

*

*

How to make this work? Following classic role theory, it is important to ensure that: a) You define the required outcomes; b) You ‘reward the behaviour you want repeated’; c) You then do everything possible to help the person to fulfil the role successfully. This brings us to the next stage.

3) You can use role theory to help people to succeed.

Role theory emphasises the need for constant reinforcement to keep people on track. This is certainly the case if a system wants to suppress people – because otherwise they break out and grow. Many years ago I taught family therapy. Working with families, we saw how the parents, for example, shifted responsibility for problems onto the ‘scapegoat’ – such as a son who was misbehaving at school. “Everything would be alright if it wasn’t for him,” was the creed. Certainly the youngster must take responsibility – but he was also used to deflect attention from other issues. The family maintained him as the scapegoat, however, by constantly criticising and setting him up to fail. They seldom nurtured his talents, encouraged or helped him to succeed. If he did succeed, the parents and other family members must examine their relationships. The family system found a way to deal with its pain – albeit a dysfunctional way – and reinforced him in the scapegoat role.

You can also use role reinforcement in a positive way - especially if people have chosen a role they will find fulfilling. Imagine that you have employed somebody to deliver the goods. You can use the best elements of role theory: a) To agree with them on the deliverables – the results to achieve; the ‘dos & don’ts’; the desired support and the deadlines. b) To encourage by giving specific feedback on what they do well; c) To meet with regularly to check on their progress and, if necessary, do some ‘course correction’. You can invite them to describe what they are doing well - plus what they can do better and how; d) To publicise success stories about their own and their team’s achievements; e) To ‘reward the behaviour you want repeated’. This may seem artificial – but it mirrors many elements of role theory. But it often delivers the goods.

Try tackling the exercise on this theme. First, describe a specific situation where you can use role theory to enable people to succeed. Second, describe the specific things you can do to help them to get positive results. Try completing the following sentences.

The specific situations where I can use
role theory to help people to succeed is:

*

The specific things I can do to help
people to get positive results are:

*

*

*

There are many ways to enable people to succeed in organisations. Providing it is used in the right way, role theory can help them to deliver positive results.

“Are you serious? That is the question I ask teams after they have presented their plans. Their first reaction is: “Of course.” That is great - but we must then focus on the implications of translating their aims into action. After clarifying the pluses and minuses, the team is asked: “On a scale 0—10, rate to what extent are you are really serious?” Those that answer 8+ are more likely to reach their goals.

Imagine you are a leader. Your team has clarified its specific goals and strategies. Before pushing the button, however, ensure that people understand the implications. Here are three suggestions for taking this step.

1) You can clarify the pluses and minuses involved in reaching the goals.

Invite your team to tackle the exercise called Are we really serious? Looking at what is involved in reaching the goals, ask them to clarify the pluses and minuses for different stakeholders. They can focus on the implications for the company, customers, colleagues/ employees and any other groups. There will be both upsides and downsides.

“The biggest minus for some managers was making tough decisions about people who did not fit the future culture,” said one leader. “The strategy depended on employing people who took responsibility. This meant: a) We must encouraging people who demonstrated this quality; b) We must give clear messages to those who didn’t. Some managers found this difficult - but it was necessary if we were to reach our goals.”

2) You can ask the team: “Are we really serious?”

Invite the team to spend time reflecting on the points they have written. Peak performers consider the implications of reaching their goals. They then do three things. First, they consider how to build on the pluses. Second, they consider how to minimise the minuses. Third, they make a decision. Do they accept the whole package? Do they really want to go for the goals? If the answer is ‘Yes,’ they move into action and get an early success. Invite your team to take similar steps. In your own way, say something like:

“Are we really serious? Bearing in mind the pluses and minuses involved in reaching the goals, rate the extent to which you believe we are serious. Do this on a scale 0 - 10. Please be completely honest.”

Consider the final scores and discuss these with the team. If the ratings are 8+ - and remain so after exploring any outstanding key issues - your team is probably committed. If the ratings are less, you have two options: a) You can again consider how to build on the pluses and minimise the minuses; b) You can consider revisiting the original goals. Whichever route you take, make sure the final ‘seriousness rating’ is at least 8+. This is necessary to stand a fighting chance of success.

3) You can show you are serious by doing what is necessary to achieve success.

Now move into action. There are several steps you can take to show people you are serious. Some of these you will have already covered, but they include:

“The ‘zero tolerance’ part hit home for me,” said one leader. “Previously I thought I was serious. But now I realise this was 7/10 - and I hoped the rest would fall into place. Thankfully, many times the teams were successful - otherwise I wouldn’t be where I am today. Looking back, however, the times we failed were when we didn’t think through the implications.”

Great teams are ‘committed to the commitment’. This only happens, however, if they dare to consider the all the consequences. Providing your team has gone through this process - and score 8+ on the seriousness scale - you stand a good chance of success.