5 Feelings that Signal Failure is Near
Excellence is war. Business as usual means mediocrity prevails.
It’s one thing to pursue excellence as an individual. But, how can leaders make the pursuit of excellence a matter of culture?
“Scaling Up Excellence,” by Robert Sutton and Huggy Rao, takes readers deep into the battle of pursuing exceptional on an organizational level. Sutton and Rao believe five destructive feelings infect teams and weaken organizations.
5 Feelings that Signal Failure is Near
#1. Fear that it is safer to do nothing than take responsibility. “Silence is one of the most reliable signals that people are afraid to take personal responsibility…”
Solution:
- Excellence includes self-criticism, owning mistakes, and pointing out “bad.”
- “Be noisy and mindful error makers.”
- Reject finger pointing.
#2. Fear of being ostracized, or socially excluded that allows bullying to take root.
Solution:
Turn social pressure upside down by recruiting “cool” members of the team to model “good” behaviors.
#3. Feeling that no one is watching, so you can do whatever you want.
Solution:
- Bright lighting.
- Frequent check-ins.
- Open doors.
- Connecting with the people you serve.
#4. Feeling like you’re getting a raw deal – injustice – encourages bad behavior. The main reason employees steal is to get even for perceived injustices.
Solution:
- Treat people with dignity.
- Explain why things are happening.
- Communicate future plans.
#5. Feeling powerless to stop bad forces and events – helplessness.
Solution:
Empower by convincing people there are steps they can take now to make things better.
Bonus: The best way to eliminate the worst and bring out the best is to focus on the people who are impacted by what teams/organizations do and away from members own needs and wants.
(This post is based on pages 251 to 258 of, “Scaling Up Excellence.”)
What are the enemies of organizational excellence?
How can leaders make the pursuit of excellence part of organizational culture?
Enemies…..just one….disconnected Why’s.
If you are in North Carolina like me and you want to get to Cali forn I-A. The first step in your journey I suggest due west!!!!
If you start due east you can still get there just hope you can swim and be prepared for a much more challenging journey.
If you read these 5 feelings above the common thread is not connected Why’s. I suggest looking for what is in common not giving more examples of the same root cause.
It is like having a plumbing problem. The problem is where the water is coming in the house. You go ahead and change out all 5 faucets. You still got your problem and 5 new shiny faucets. Goo for you!!
My best practice for simple problem solving is go directly to the cause, leave the fixing effect strategy to those who have not figured it out yet!
Kinda fun watching them chase their tails with their new shiny faucets.
Leaders make pursuit of excellence part of their culture by making it part of them, heart, head and soul!!!
They are Leaders yes, but really more Passionate Crusaders!
Good stuff Dan, stimulated my grey matter once again!!
Back to looking for causes!!
SP
EA
I tend to disagree with the head statement that the failure is near. I have worked many years at organizations that exhibited all five signs (and management had encouraged some of them), yet they are still in business and even doing better than ever. Especially #1 (Fear) and #5 (Powerless) were the favorites, as they are easier to implement on a per employee level. Someone speaks too much and wants improvement? Suggest there are hundreds of people who want to take up his spot. Someone wants to implement changes manager doesn’t like for whatever reason? Put them in a project where there are no possible changes (such as support of existing system or something). Use it as a punishment tool.
It’s nice when company and its management realizes that these feelings are hurting them from inside. But if this is happening in a non-critical system (like IT department in a non-IT company) then a situation like this can go on for quite some time.
Good morning Dan;
Very timely post today. Changing negative enviroments and organisations into positive ones take absolute total commitment. Everyone from the COE to the janitor have to understand and believe in the your vision understanding the goals and objectives nesassary to see thier vision become a reality. Look at our nation and where we are today. Trust in our Government, Politians, and business leaders is at an all-time low. Employees have little to no respect for thier leraders, nor do they desire to pursue positions of leadership/authority. There is no longer a true standard to lead or live by. Current leadership programs do little more than protect the positions of unworthy leaders. Any leadership program that does not help others isn’t much of a program. As a leader when you don’t live your message out, your message is lost. As a leader when you do not stick to your beliefs and convictions, you blose the respect ofr your people. When you lose the respect of your people they no longer have faith in you as a leader.
Cheers Dan
Thanks Steve
Dear Dan,
I agree fear is the necessary evil that inhibits efforts and encourages unethical behavior. And I think the best way to deal with fear is to kill fear. Organizational excellence is good concept as long as everyone share and connect with the mission. But problems occur when someone try to take credit and blame others in case of success and failure respectively. If this is not the case, then it becomes attitudinal issues where people from certain class, category want to show their positive concern. And when this practice starts, this is the management issue.
And management should send strong message from time to time, that it is team work and without engaging lower level of management, it is not possible to create excellence. And most of time it is missing. Even people at lower level do not know what they are doing and why they are doing.
I strongly feel leaders should invite suggestion, appreciate and ask them to implement. Management should act as supporting role. The most important thing is that employees should feel that management will stand and take accountability in case anything goes wrong.
Another enemy of organizational excellence is normalization of abnormalities. Ways to address this include setting expectations and empowering individuals through small wins.
I enjoyed this post very much. I have always argued that Leadership is best served from an individual who did not seek the position to begin with. I think what much of society is enduring today is the social demand to climb higher than his/her counterpart. Of course much of this is the monetary reward associated with the promotion but the power crave, and the desire to manage others sends many climbing the rungs of success. In my experience both military and in the civilian sector, academic or professional qualifications do not predict excellent leadership capabilities. This usually comes from ones desire to be a team player, and recognize the successes of the “team” over the accomplishments of ones self. If you find someone who has the best interests of the overall Mission, the customer AND the employee at heart, you will have found a solid leader capable of not only leading those under him/her, but also to represent the organization in the best light possible.
Great post sir!
Thanks Doowron. It’s hard to beat a leader who puts the needs of their people ahead of their own. Nothing is as rewarding as being part of a diversified team that works together for the good of the team. Please allow me to recomend a great book,Mark Millers “The Secret of Teams” what a great read.
What you are describing are the “norms” or “defaults” of society at least in North America. When fear is used as a tool to control your employees … “the 5 feelings that signal that failure is near” starts to grow in the manure rich soil of fear. Sometimes there is nothing you can do to stop the wave of failure that will result in your place of work failing as a company or as a positive place to work. I’ve seen many spout how they don’t like what “they’re” doing and do nothing. Fear does that … paralyzing you until you feel you have no safe harbour. But rise above the fear and look at fear as just a tool to control your ability to make positive reactions. If everyone is sticking their head in the sand, including yourself, by all means take your head out of the sand and create your own safe harbour by being a positive voice of reason. Eventually a few brave souls will be attracted to your message and stand with you. What is the worse thing that could happen? You get fired but as least you stood for positive values that give you moral strength in your next job.